Seems as if the land a camp sits on has a lot to do with how things are run...Have never been to a camp in Pa that didn't sit on the edge of a large Game Lands, National or State Forest..
One and perhaps the best was surrounded by a Pa State Forest of 305,000 acres. The original young Bucks had bought the land in the early 1900's and the State kept buying land around them. Eventually the State tried to buy them out and when that failed tried to force them out. However by then some of the originals had acquired some political influence and out forced them. Place is unique along with the members..Mill guys, successful builders, gas station owners, farmers, etc and they built a special place in the middle of that 300,000 plus acres.
The originals were a rowdy bunch and today the place has tamed down. One guy died of a heart attack the evening before the Deer opener. They had a meeting and decided that would really mess up the opener when the authorities were told...A Doctor was a camp member, so they placed the guy in the back seat and headed for home..Story was he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home...three hour drive. Doctor signed the death certificate that he had a HA while sleeping in the back seat and they didn't realize it until they arrived home. A funeral director friend handled the other particulars quickly...And the Deer hunt went on as usual.
Used to go up with one of the members and hunt Deer, Grouse, Squirrels, Turkey when no others were there..Pretty much only one rule, which was don't get hurt back in there because it was 10 miles to a small town and another 50 to a little hospital...
When a camp member died, at the funeral all the camp members would go to the front of the church with the casket and sing “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.” Don’t know if they still do the same.
Excellent story Battue!..Thanks for sharing 👍....Hb
