Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Deer camp is what you make it.

That's why I started as well. Haven't now for a few years but would like to get into it again when time permits.

Going to the deer camp this weekend. I hope to stick an arrow in something

Da Yoopers ROCK!

Deer camp is where I go to get away from everything. No computers or cell phones. Of course it's in northern PA. It has to be. There is no other place where a deer camp feels as appropriate to me.

Many of our spots still are called by the names of departed hunters who could almost always be found there opening day. Cal's tree, Mike's Chair, Blake's Corner. But they're gone and now we have Brad's Tree. So maybe deer camp, while it seems constant, is always changing. It's a change for me this year, I'm back home on the farm after 25 years of moving around Pa.

So like Blackheart, I too can walk out the back door and go hunting. Brad will probably be out, Dad will be in the tractor at the edge of a farm field and I'll be out. I'm not sure how this Saturday opener will work out, it's costing me a day with my daughter and her family for Thanksgiving so I can get home.

Dale

My guess is, that anyone who drives half ways across the state to get to camp, ain't happy with the Saturday opener?

I can't say I'm thrilled with it. Dale, as for names of places, we have Spike's Rock, up on the gas line on top of Boone Mountain. There's the Pallet Stand, the Postage Stamp stand, and Dad's Pass. There a tree up there with about 30 slash marks on it. Most were from my dad for each deer he shot up there. A few were mine, and there' several others from other guys that know a good spot when they see it.

when I drive by an old fallen down camp the first thing I think of is all the memories that passed through it throughout the years. The second thought is how many stories about the one that got away,some true some probably stretched a bit.

To me, it's the guys you're with, the stories you make and tell around the dinner table. Doesn't matter if it's a tent in Colorado or block camp in the woods of PA. Not many things better than coming back from (un)succesful and hunt hearing each guy's story of the hunt or the old timers' stories of how hunting was 40 years ago.

If you can manage it, and it does not get so cold that the gas pressure drops so low that the gas will not flow, I'd suggest that you go with a propane heater and cook top. We can not get delivery where we are. So, we bought bought 3 - 25 gallon tanks. Filled off site they are pretty tough to handle weight wise, but are not unmanageable. We usually go through 100 - 125 gallons each season. That is now about $400 !!! But it beats the heck out of having to fool with cutting, splitting and hauling wood enough for a 3 1/2 month deer season. For a decently insulated 16' x 16' building a "3 brick" catalytic heater will suffice. A 2-eye cook top is about $100 and a small heater about $125 or so. Plumbing is simple and easy.

We ran a gutter down both eaves and catch run off in 6-55 gallon plastic drums. Excellent source for bathing water.

Smoke / carbon monoxide detection system. A great $30 insurance policy !!

You can put me in the unhappy category. I'll survive but I'm not liking it. For me, it's halfway across the state for Thanksgiving and then back home since home is now 'camp'. Like I said above, while camp seems the same, it does change.

Dale

I know there is a thread around here about camp pictures.... this thread is in need of pics of these camps. Let me see if i can get one uploaded

My deer camp is the neighbors house and front yare. I've been extremely fortunate to hunt with extended family and neighbors for 40 years. Everybody gets along. I was the third generation, now we are on to the fifth generation of family hunting this area. Pretty awesome. So thankful.

We never had what you would call a deer camp. We did have a tin shack where we would meet and decide where to hunt and where the standers would be before hunting, but those were the days of running deer with dogs. The shack had an old wood burning heater and a couch to sit on, that was all. We lived within 10 minutes of where we hunted.

Our deer camp is a one room school house built in 1875. It’s been retrofitted into a hunting lodge. Electricity, hand pump for water and a schit house. The original chalk board is still up and the teachers desk is still in use.

I struggle with what tastes better there, coffee when you wake for the days hunt or the bourbon after a successful day.

Im living at deer camp now too, I like it but not the same, as it was, Im the old guy now, mostly hunt with guys in there 40, But they are so busy with work and Kids sports that I see them less every year. I have one old buddy that I still bow hunt with hes 73 and hasnt been to excited the last few years hunting. only gos out in the moring on opener of rife, the rest afternoons. but I did get him on a nice bear last month and saw my old buddy back he was very excited again! it was fun but alot of work! Time changes not stays the same, just Life I guess!

This is ours in upstate NY. We have 2 bathrooms, a shower, wood stove, generator, gas appliances, room to sleep about 20 and a kitchen that manages to send us home a little fatter every year. No cell coverage at camp but you can call from the hill tops. I call it our big old geriatric frat house. This will be my 45th year here. Good times.

Cell phones do not work in camp, we have to get on a hill to get service. No service is nice!