Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

Great looking knives J_elky. Someday I hope to own a piece of your handiwork. Maybe some of ND's as well.
I saw a huge buck while on the road selling equipment today. He was only 100yds from the road and a good 22"+ wide and just as tall. Crazy tall rack on that old boy. Lots of handles could have been made.

It'll soon be time to switch gears into ice fishing. Is anyone ready for that yet??????

My brain is thinking fishing through some safe ice.

It's right around the corner...... I've only fished Thanksgiving ice a couple times on my life. Much older and wiser now but I'm still dreaming about it.

I swam in big cormorant lake once on thanksgiving. had to walk across the ring of ice and step down a foot. still wonder why I thought that was a good idea

I like about three feet of ice.

White Bear...I've got about 5 or 6 blades to finish hand sanding and put handles on, I'll post them up here when they are done. Maybe one will catch your fancy.

Ryan....I think we can work out something on the sheaths, as long as you like simple and no snaps, just a deep pouch style.

There are guys out in portables already on Round lake. Coworker was out spearing pike on a bay in Mille lacs. He claimed to have 8" of ice.

J_elky, they all catch my fancy. Therein lies the issue!

I once water skied on Rainy River in the beginning of April when folks were still ice fishing on Lake of the Woods. It was tricky trying to dodge the ice chunks floating downstream.
Again? Heck no!
Great experience? Yup!

I want about 6" of ice to walk on, 8-10" for a sled or ATV and 18" for my truck or track machines. I know less would hold just fine but a big lake like LOW has too many cracks and unseen dangers. It only takes one "oops" while on 30' of water.

Mr Wabigon, word has it that the first ice shack was placed on your namesake, this past Sunday !

Dave, when are you gonna add 11 to that thing and get a REAL lever gun? If it ain't a 99, stick it where the sun don't shine...........

No need to call me mister, I do hope the spot is productive, but not so much as too catch, "my" pickerel.

Just where in NW Ontario do you get your mail?

I ice fished on Saturday. Walked out on 5" of ice. It was really strange. The ice had a red hue to it. Like the color of a beet. After chiseling a hole the water popped up red and had weird floaty red things in it. I've never seen anything like it and I've been ice fishing for almost 40 years.

The only thing I can think of is the lake is turning over but that does not explain that beet red color...

what Color tint were your sunglasses?

might have something to do with it?

Right around "your" lake !

Ol Chickenbuck hat still brings me luck . This new to me m77 7x57 found it mark this a.m.

Muley,

Nice Buck, nice hat !!

But, ..........................

Where is all the snow ?

Sorry for shouting, in advance.

DID YOU CATCH ANY FISH ?

Paul, we must be neighbours, when I am in Wabigoon that is.

We should have coffee some time.

mule1,nice one! Congratulations.

Stan in SC

I don't know whether the caliber or hat gets you more style points.

Nice buck!

I'm a lucky man. Heading out bright and squirrelly tomorrow morning to partake in my second deer opener of the year. 'Headed down to Indy to pick up my son, then we're on to New Waterford, Ohio to spend a night with my bro and sis. We leave Satruday around noon for deer camp in Pennsylvania. The grand daddy of all deer openers happens on Monday. You ain't lived 'till you've experienced a Pa. deer opener. It's an unofficial state holiday. The schools close, absenteeism rates at work go way up. Heck, some labor unions negotiate the Monday after Thanksgiving as an excused day off.

The camp's been in our family for 70 years now, and once again we hope to hang some meat from the game pole. Special thanks to the original members, the Olde Guard, as we refer to them who made this all possible:

Dad, the master carpenter, and the best hunter and marksman of the group.
Bud, the maintenance guru of the camp. Bud's old .270 was bad medicine on whitetails.
Bert, another good hunter and very good carpenter.
Bob, the only guy in the group with three cents to his name when they built the camp. He gave up hunting way too soon.
Charlie, the first one to leave us, and from what Dad told me, a very good guy.

Next Monday, all across the mountains of Penn's Woods, camps will start coming to life around 4 to 5 a.m. The Orange Army will head out for their favorite haunts to do what our ancestors have done for many, many years. Good luck to all the Pennsylvania boys. Hunt hard, and hunt safe.