# Old school deer camps.



## Carpenter Bill

Who still hunting from old school deer camp.nothing like it.post up some pics.


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## Carpenter Bill

A few more.


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## old graybeard

Not as old school as our wall tent/woodstove years but we're still at it in the UP. Started in 1964.


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## U of M Fan




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## U of M Fan




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## U of M Fan

Unfortunately we stay in a hotel in town now. But those are some old memories.


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## old graybeard

U of M Fan said:


> Unfortunately we stay in a hotel in town now. But those are some old memories.


Old but Great memories for sure. If I was in front of my computer I could flood this thread with pics of camp. Heading up there this Wednesday for some bear and deer hunting and can't wait.


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## U of M Fan

old graybeard said:


> Old but Great memories for sure. If I was in front of my computer I could flood this thread with pics of camp. Heading up there this Wednesday for some bear and deer hunting and can't wait.


Have fun and be safe!! Can’t wait to hear a report.


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## Liver and Onions

'98 & '06 Pretty sure it was around noon on the 2nd day of rifle in both photos.
L & O


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## skipper34

Here is my family from hunting the U.P. circa 1946.


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## old graybeard

My family early 30's thru 50's


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## stickbow shooter

Don't have many pics that are digital, mainly old photos. But here are a few I do have.


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## stickbow shooter




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## up520

Have to love a UP sunset








Tired of re-re-building the chimney after the snow slide took it off for the second time. this time we added a bit more support and a break. Need heat during deer camp and the stove is it

If it goes down again, it will be because the roof collapsed. 










Generator at night and only enough cell signal to send a text maybe once or twice a day. 20 minute drive to reach internet connection. 

Love the UP solitude


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## mattawanhunter

Black masks matter!

Sorry couldn't pass it up!



Liver and Onions said:


> '98 & '06 Pretty sure it was around noon on the 2nd day of rifle in both photos.
> L & O


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## mattawanhunter

Nice looking camp up520!



up520 said:


> View attachment 578947
> 
> Have to love a UP sunset
> View attachment 578949
> 
> Tired of re-re-building the chimney after the snow slide took it off for the second time. this time we added a bit more support and a break. Need heat during deer camp and the stove is it
> 
> If it goes down again, it will be because the roof collapsed.
> 
> View attachment 578951
> 
> 
> Generator at night and only enough cell signal to send a text maybe once or twice a day. 20 minute drive to reach internet connection.
> 
> Love the UP solitude


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## old graybeard

A few from our Gogebic county camp


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## old graybeard




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## Carpenter Bill

Nice pictures old Gray beard, Gonna have to dig up some more of my old picks. I have always been fascinated with old deer camps especially those in the UP., The 1st picture I Post it.was a camp in powers. I was around 11 years old. There's just something about the UP Deer camp that gets in your blood. I now hunt out of camp rack shack In the northern lower. In the Hiawatha national forest. Beautiful place, Plus I could hunt ducks in the morning on the Bay and hunt buck in the afternoon.


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## Carpenter Bill

Should say the last time I did A-tent camp in the UP in the Hiawatha National forest


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## stickbow shooter

U of M Fan said:


> 14 hour round trip? If that’s 14 hours one way, you’re doing something wrong. Sagola is a nice area.


Yep can make it in at least 8 hrs.


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## Carpenter Bill

16 hrs to lake of the woods in Minnesota, 


U of M Fan said:


> 14 hour round trip? If that’s 14 hours one way, you’re doing something wrong. Sagola is a nice area.


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## Wild Thing

I can make it to Sagola in about 30 minutes ...a little longer by snowmobile/ATV.


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## Carpenter Bill

Just checking out the weather forecast for the bow opener And it is looking great Low thirties at Night, Upper forties high temperature. Really starting to get pumped about this season looking forward to it. Would love to put my hands on a Michigan freak. Looks like the deer herd is up In our area. They had good food and water all summer. Ready to spend some time at camp just Hunting and chilling.


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## miruss

U of M Fan said:


> 14 hour round trip? If that’s 14 hours one way, you’re doing something wrong. Sagola is a nice area.


Yep 1 way anywhere between 12-14 hrs depending on bathroom breaks, weather and trailers towing up ! Might be a little shorter now but highway limit was 65 mph last time i went up and had to go thru St.Johns! Hell got stuck in vehicle at bridge over night because of wind once that added 6 hr's! I agree Sagola is a nice area!


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## U of M Fan

When I get to 69 outside of Escanaba, I start to get more excited. I love that stretch of road up to Sagola. Especially since they resurfaced it. Beautiful area.


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## BILC

Some pictures from our Iron County deer camp. The location was west of Witch Lake. The picture with the 3 tents would have been '89. The tent with the cook shack a couple of years later. Sure miss going up there.


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## old graybeard

U of M Fan said:


> When I get to 69 outside of Escanaba, I start to get more excited. I love that stretch of road up to Sagola. Especially since they resurfaced it. Beautiful area.


Just passed through there


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## sparky18181

U of M Fan said:


> When I get to 69 outside of Escanaba, I start to get more excited. I love that stretch of road up to Sagola. Especially since they resurfaced it. Beautiful area.


As soon as I cross the bridge I get excited. Next week I will become a temporary permanent resident for the foreseeable future since we sold our house and haven’t found a new one yet. Going to be a lot of LFTS days for me in the future.


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## U of M Fan

sparky18181 said:


> As soon as I cross the bridge I get excited. Next week I will become a temporary permanent resident for the foreseeable future since we sold our house and haven’t found a new one yet. Going to be a lot of LFTS days for me in the future.


Congrats


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## BILC

Don't know whose cabin this is but we would pass it on the way into camp if we went in from South Republic to the west. Finally after passing it many times I took this picture. Look at the siding on it. The picture has some curl in it which gives it the distorted look.


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## Truman

I wish I could be part of a deer camp and create some memories like that. My son is 9 and we hunt in Mecosta county at my father in laws house. It’s fun but I would love to go to the up every year. How do I go about finding a deer camp?


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## Bearblade

Good 10 yr run in northern Wi in this tent camp.


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## Carpenter Bill

U can build a camp,or buy a camp, u can start a camp with tents or camper.public ground or ur own land. 


Truman said:


> I wish I could be part of a deer camp and create some memories like that. My son is 9 and we hunt in Mecosta county at my father in laws house. It’s fun but I would love to go to the up every year. How do I go about finding a deer camp?


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## Lever4ever

Truman said:


> I wish I could be part of a deer camp and create some memories like that. My son is 9 and we hunt in Mecosta county at my father in laws house. It’s fun but I would love to go to the up every year. How do I go about finding a deer camp?


While your at your father-in-laws this season, take a look around Huron-Manistee Forest, find some land, drive some back roads, two tracks and find some locations without camps already in-place. Then through the next year plan-out what you need (tent or hunting trailer, heat stove and lights, saws, axe etc,) Then the next year go for some long weekends with your son. Or invite some buddies to join-in. That's how we started 40+ years ago.


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## BILC

My last tent that I purchased. I ordered it directly from Montana Canvas in December of 2000. Cabela’s sells the same brand but at the time it was 10 ounce canvas and 12 ounce direct from the manufacturer. They offered 10 percent off in December so the price was good. I designed a internal frame and was able to set it up by myself. It measures 16 X 23, a sweet tent. The picture of it set up is on Drummond Island, Drummond Island is a rock, tough to drive stakes in. The second picture was taken of a guy that fell over backwards and was hamming it up but the reason I included it was to show the kitchen and internal frame. The pantry on the left folds down to less than five inches of space for packing. Then below the pans is the propane stove. The tank and garbage bucket is in the corner. Then to the right is the Ideal wash tub for washing dishes. We would also dig a pit next to the wood stove and hang a shower bag for showers. Sheet of plastic on the ground then a layer of cardboard then 1/4” osb for a sweepable, insulated floor. The first picture is bird hunting in Iron County. I enjoyed the tent camp as much as I did the hunting. Nothing better than having someone stop by in miserable weather and say that we’re crazy for being in a tent then stepping in through the flap and saying holy cow in the wood stove eighty degree temperature.


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## BILC

Lever4ever said:


> While your at your father-in-laws this season, take a look around Huron-Manistee Forest, find some land, drive some back roads, two tracks and find some locations without camps already in-place. Then through the next year plan-out what you need (tent or hunting trailer, heat stove and lights, saws, axe etc,) Then the next year go for some long weekends with your son. Or invite some buddies to join-in. That's how we started 40+ years ago.


Good advice. That nice clearing maybe a campsite for someone who has been coming back for years. We always were on public land and always had a couple of backup sites just in case ours was taken. The nice thing about a tent is you are not tied down to one spot. If you find a spot and set up where someone has been camping for years there will be trouble. It’s amazing how people own the public land that they have camped at before. We always went to the U.P. the second week. A few less deer but a lot less hunters. I wouldn’t recommend it if you miss thanksgiving and your wife’s birthday because you will never hear the end of it. Lol Been there done that many times. Lever4ever I take it you use a lever action. I have a Browning .308 lever action. One time when one of my hunting partners was standing next to a guy from Wisconsin who camped by us I shot at a deer. The guy from Wisconsin said it was one of their guys because it sounds like a semi automatic and my buddy said that it might be one of us. It was me shooting with the lever action. I did get him.


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## Doghouse 5

up520 said:


> View attachment 578947
> 
> Have to love a UP sunset
> View attachment 578949
> 
> Tired of re-re-building the chimney after the snow slide took it off for the second time. this time we added a bit more support and a break. Need heat during deer camp and the stove is it
> 
> If it goes down again, it will be because the roof collapsed.
> 
> View attachment 578951
> 
> 
> Generator at night and only enough cell signal to send a text maybe once or twice a day. 20 minute drive to reach internet connection.
> 
> Love the UP solitude


I like it !!


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## Wild Thing

Not Michigan, but a spike camp on a Colorado elk hunt. I did this in Montana one year as well, and I also backpacked into the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana on a successful elk hunt. Had to hike back out and find somebody with horses to get our elk out 

I've got some of our old camp photos on 35 mm slides which I need to get prints and digital photos made from.


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## old graybeard

Lots of color up here right now.


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## 2stix-and-a-string

Love the old pics.
We used to set up 2 large army tents with bunk beds and wood burners. Lots of work, but back then everyone wanted to.
Now nobody wants to....”It’s too much work”!
Now they just want to monitor a satellite trail cam and go in and kill the deer with a crossbow on the first sit......then post videos on “how to deer hunt”!
So much has been lost in a very short time.what used to be deer hunting is now deer culling.
I miss the comarodary of the old deer camp environment. People don’t even know how to play cards anymore......too busy trying to find cell phone service. Lol


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## Bow hunter on a Mission

old graybeard said:


> Lots of color up here right now.
> View attachment 580419


Is that north of the bridge? I’m heading up in a few weeks wondering if there will be any leaves left by time I’m up there.


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## old graybeard

Bow hunter on a Mission said:


> Is that north of the bridge? I’m heading up in a few weeks wondering if there will be any leaves left by time I’m up there.


West end of the UP.


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## U of M Fan

Truman said:


> I wish I could be part of a deer camp and create some memories like that. My son is 9 and we hunt in Mecosta county at my father in laws house. It’s fun but I would love to go to the up every year. How do I go about finding a deer camp?


The biggest challenge with living down state and having a U.P. Deer camp is having other guys that you get along with that can and want to have a camp up there. It’s a commitment. Most guys complain about the drive. And then there are guys that can’t get that much time off work to go that far. My camp has always been my Dad, his buddy, and myself. There is another guy that has been coming the last ten years for a few days. We’ve had a lot of guys come and go usually only one year. It sucks because once my Dad can’t do it anymore my camp will be done. None of my buddy’s will drive that far or take that much time off. I’ll be there for over two weeks.


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## 3X8

Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns


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## U of M Fan

3X8 said:


> Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns


Great pic!!!


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## sparky18181

3X8 said:


> Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns


What a great memory.


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## brookie1

..


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## Carpenter Bill

That's what happened to me with our UP camps, The last 2 at our camp was me and My dad, Grandpa was a part of our camp also until he passed away, I took different Friends From season to season. Also her a different family members that used to go along also. Me and dad had a lease in Menominee County but once he stopped going I let it go, Farmer's kid wanted to double my lease price once the old farmer passed away was not worth it to do it by myself. Ended up meeting my friend started a camp with him in the Hiawatha national forest, Then we move down to the norther lower where we built the camp rack shack. And for those of you who still get to hunt with your dad enjoy every minute of it, Because when they retire from hunting or pass away it sucks. Dad is still alive just mom drags him down to Florida By the end of September now days. I sure miss the good old days.


U of M Fan said:


> The biggest challenge with living down state and having a U.P. Deer camp is having other guys that you get along with that can and want to have a camp up there. It’s a commitment. Most guys complain about the drive. And then there are guys that can’t get that much time off work to go that far. My camp has always been my Dad, his buddy, and myself. There is another guy that has been coming the last ten years for a few days. We’ve had a lot of guys come and go usually only one year. It sucks because once my Dad can’t do it anymore my camp will be done. None of my buddy’s will drive that far or take that much time off. I’ll be there for over two weeks.


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## 6Speed

Great thread and pictures. I can almost smell the chili and beer farts in some of the camp pictures!

I've never had the pleasure of going to a deer camp like these. Good stuff!


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## Wild Thing

3X8 said:


> Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns





U of M Fan said:


> *Great pic!!!*





sparky18181 said:


> *What a great memory.*





Carpenter Bill said:


> * And for those of you who still get to hunt with your dad enjoy every minute of it, Because when they retire from hunting or pass away it sucks. *


Agree very much! That is one photo to cherish. I never knew either of my Grandpas - they were gone before I was born.

Also very much agree with Carpenter Bill - When your dad is gone....it just isn't quite the same.


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## up520

Carpenter Bill said:


> That's what happened to me with our UP camps, The last 2 at our camp was me and My dad, Grandpa was a part of our camp also until he passed away, I took different Friends From season to season. Also her a different family members that used to go along also. Me and dad had a lease in Menominee County but once he stopped going I let it go, Farmer's kid wanted to double my lease price once the old farmer passed away was not worth it to do it by myself. Ended up meeting my friend started a camp with him in the Hiawatha national forest, Then we move down to the norther lower where we built the camp rack shack. And for those of you who still get to hunt with your dad enjoy every minute of it, Because when they retire from hunting or pass away it sucks. Dad is still alive just mom drags him down to Florida By the end of September now days. I sure miss the good old days.



Couldn't have said it better.
Pops passed a few years ago and Deer camp was vacant for the first time last season. This year I think I'll be a solitary ranger. Little brother has found love and a new home and my son is playing junior hockey so there are no days off during the season.

Cherish the time together, but you can also embrace solitude so you can just be with your own thoughts for a bit. It is an amazing feeling when you can actually form your own opinion and it matters.

51 days and counting till Nov 15 :woohoo1:


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## Tilden Hunter

3X8 said:


> Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns


Tell us more about the rifle.


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## Tilden Hunter

2stix-and-a-string said:


> People don’t even know how to play cards anymore


That's a shame. I never could stand cribbage though. Other games I like, but cribbage made as much sense to me as union rules.



Wild Thing said:


> I never knew either of my Grandpas - they were gone before I was born.


Same here.


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## Lever4ever

BILC said:


> Good advice. That nice clearing maybe a campsite for someone who has been coming back for years. We always were on public land and always had a couple of backup sites just in case ours was taken. The nice thing about a tent is you are not tied down to one spot. If you find a spot and set up where someone has been camping for years there will be trouble. It’s amazing how people own the public land that they have camped at before. We always went to the U.P. the second week. A few less deer but a lot less hunters. I wouldn’t recommend it if you miss thanksgiving and your wife’s birthday because you will never hear the end of it. Lol Been there done that many times. *Lever4ever I take it you use a lever action. I have a Browning .308 lever action.* One time when one of my hunting partners was standing next to a guy from Wisconsin who camped by us I shot at a deer. The guy from Wisconsin said it was one of their guys because it sounds like a semi automatic and my buddy said that it might be one of us. It was me shooting with the lever action. I did get him.


Yep, Browning lever in 7mm Rem-Mag. is my usual.

Funny about the camp spots, we started going to this spot as a layover, traveling to the Platte River for coho back in the day. Pulled in to get a few hours sleep and timed ourselves to arrive on time to launch. Almost every time we were there deer were everywhere. So we camped there (me and dad) for the first year I was able to archery hunt and ran into a group of guys camping also. Through several years we ran into this same group, so we got together and combined our camps. My dad past in 1992, but I've stayed hunting with these same guys we met in the woods every since. We were as a group up to 15 guys, now there are only 3 of us left....


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## Doghouse 5

3X8 said:


> Not a camp but an old pic of my Grandpa. I have both the rifle and the horns


Now that's cool !!!!!!!
I love old firearms and belonging to" Grandpa's" makes it almost perfect!!!
Just very excellent history right there !!!!!


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## Doghouse 5

Tilden Hunter said:


> Tell us more about the rifle.


Yes !!!!


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## 3X8

The rifle is a 30-30 Marlin lever action. I used it when I was a youngster too. I have the coat he's wearing too and it's really heavy!


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## Maple_Ridge

Elk Camp in Atlanta Michigan circa 2009. Hope this isn't too far off topic


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## Maple_Ridge




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## BILC

I told you that I wouldn’t do another post but I did put a disclaimer in there. Perhaps, one of my favorite words. The top picture is of the new tent when it was a virgin. Nice and white set up behind my barn. Second picture is of my best dog in that tent and she found someone else’s bag that she liked to sleep on. The third picture is when a guy brought a wild goose up and put it in the oven and went hunting. 1988. The legs were sticking out so the lid wasn’t closed. Could have made work boots out of the meat. I am not sure if the coyotes were even able to eat it. We always said that was the night John cooked his goose. Lit the charcoal and had chicken.


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## BILC

Funny story from deer camp. If you pay attention to the pictures I posted of my tents they have a tall stack. The wood stove was burning slow and I noticed that the screen around the top of the stack was plugged with creosote. I had two layers of quarter inch screen wrapped around it. That’s what happens when you have a uninsulated stack. It cools down the smoke and creates a lot of creosote. We had finished dinner and one guy was still eating, a skinny guy that could eat like a horse and never put weight on. Myself and two others went out and they held a flashlight and I hit the top of the stack two of three tries with a snowball. Didn’t help. Light bulb in my head came on and I went in and grabbed my .308. The guy still eating didn’t know what I was doing and got quite a scare when I shot the top of the stack. He was maybe six feet from me but inside the tent when I pulled the trigger. It knocked the creosote out and the stove was able to breath. We would in later years shoot it with a.22 when it plugged.


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## jiggin is livin

dpretired said:


> Back in 1985 me and a couple of pals from work rented a 200 acre privately owned heavily wooded property just north of Hillman, MI for $400.00 for the whole three months of deer season. Try getting something like that for that price today! Because of a lousy weather forecast (rain/sleet mix) on one of the late October weekends, the other two guys said they didn't want to to go up with me. But I was real anxious to try out my brand-new Bear "Brown Bear" compound bow so I decided to pull a loner. This was my campsite just off the two-track way back in not far from where our tree stands were. That truck camper I had on my 1985 Chevy Camper Special pickup contained all the comforts I needed for a weekend camp out. The tent was my serious business outhouse, and bulky items supply house. That deer you see hanging in the background was a five point buck I arrowed in the neck just before dark (5:30 p.m.) that Saturday afternoon, and didn't find until several hours later. My shot had just missed his spine but opened a big hole on the top and bottom of his neck. He went an amazingly long ways despite constantly dripping blood from his neck wound, but I was determined to find him and stayed on his trail relentlessly. I had a good compass, a Coleman lantern, and a roll of toilet paper to constantly mark my line of travel with. I just kept following the mostly southbound blood trail wherever it took me. After a while, I had no idea exactly where I was on the property, or if I was even still on the same property. Finally I stumbled upon the dead deer around midnight. After gutting it out, it would take me several more hours to drag the deer out by myself through the pitch dark woods back towards the two track I was camped on. I'd look at my compass, move my Coleman lantern forward a ways in the direction I wanted to go, then I'd mark the trail with bits of paper on twigs, then start pulling. I admit that I had to take a few breaks and use the deer body for a pillow while I laid down and rested my muscles. It's a wonder I didn't get any ticks on me that night. Fortunately I was still relatively young (mid-30's) and strong so I eventually made it out just before daybreak. I think I must have lost five pounds that night from all the physical stress that comes with pulling dead weight a great distance like that. All in all, I remember that it was a rewarding but very exhausting weekend hunt for me. Today, at age 71, I couldn't do anything like that again, not on my best day. I should mention that I spent the whole next day (Sunday) in camp resting up from my ordeal, then headed for home that night. That was a real test of endurance even for a young man in good shape.
> 
> View attachment 581261


That is an awesome story. I can almost feel the muscle aches. I had to drag out my Dad's biggest buck to date through Hell (it seemed) when I was 17. That thing ran forever and we did the same thing as you with the toilet paper squares. We ended up finding it and back tracked along our toilet paper trail because we had no clue where we were. GPS's weren't super popular back then so we didn't have one and we knew the trail would take us back. We both about killed ourselves that night and I ended up doing the majority of the dragging after a while. 

The next day we went back out to the same area and hunted again. Dad went for a walk that way and I went the opposite. When we met back up at the truck for lunch he sat down lit a smoke as I was grabbing sandwiches and a couple pops and when I turned around he was staring at the ground with a weird look on his face. When I asked what was wrong he started laughing and said "That mother f'r did 3 circles. We weren't even a couple hundred yards from where I shot him." Lol 

We still joke about that. I bet we drug that bastard for 3 hours.



BILC said:


> Funny story from deer camp. If you pay attention to the pictures I posted of my tents they have a tall stack. The wood stove was burning slow and I noticed that the screen around the top of the stack was plugged with creosote. I had two layers of quarter inch screen wrapped around it. That’s what happens when you have a uninsulated stack. It cools down the smoke and creates a lot of creosote. We had finished dinner and one guy was still eating, a skinny guy that could eat like a horse and never put weight on. Myself and two others went out and they held a flashlight and I hit the top of the stack two of three tries with a snowball. Didn’t help. Light bulb in my head came on and I went in and grabbed my .308. The guy still eating didn’t know what I was doing and got quite a scare when I shot the top of the stack. He was maybe six feet from me but inside the tent when I pulled the trigger. It knocked the creosote out and the stove was able to breath. We would in later years shoot it with a.22 when it plugged.


LMAO! I can picture it all going down.


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## Carpenter Bill

A few years back we decided no more long drags. If they run that far in there then they are coming out in a back pack Western style. Seen my Hunting partner do it many Times.


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## partsman

Our old school deer camp was on county rd. 602 between Mio and Mckinley. I was the first kid at age 14 to be in camp, this would have been around 1972. What a trip! These guys were hiliarous, I dont think it was really about deer hunting for them as much as blowing some steam and having a good time. Lots good times, and we other members of our family to comeup which was cool. Eventually though it got out of control with some of the folks who came up there. I was really wanting to deer hunt and not party quite as much, so after hiring into the shop I bought my own place near Evart. But like all good things, the good times came to end in Flint in 1981, unemployed with 2 kids and just bought house, well the cabin had to go. But I have some great memories, some of coolest people I ever met, real people.


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## Wild Thing

Throne at a rustic camp..










Shower...










I will eventually find a photo of the outside of this camp. It was pretty rustic - a 12X16 tarpaper shack. There were never any women at this camp during hunting season, but occasionally on a side trip...


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## old graybeard

Our current outhouse at camp.


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## skipper34

old graybeard said:


> Our current outhouse at camp.
> View attachment 581961


Wow if that’s the crapper i’d love to see your deer blind !


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## BILC

You guys with a cabin and a wood shed have it made. One year we got into camp and set up in the afternoon. We then had people we knew stop by for a couple of drinks. Didn’t gather a supply of wood and I woke up early morning with a full bladder shivering. I hoped that my buddy would get up first and toss what wood we had left and get some heat in the tent. I learned that you put produce in a cooler that year and five gallon buckets of water would freeze inside the tent. I don’t know if it was the next year or a couple later we were scheduled to leave home early Saturday morning to head to camp. I looked at the forecast and it was going to turn to crap early Saturday. I called the other two guys Friday morning (one was driving separate) and the guy riding with me could leave. The other guy said that he had to work but he was never ready to leave on time. We went through Cedar Springs about 1:30 and got to the campsite about 9:30. We had not packed for setting up in the dark. First job was to suit up in warm gear. Next find the lanterns and replace globes and get them lit. My partner thought that we got the tents set up in record time. As soon as we were set up the snow came. The other guy heard me outside fussing with the chainsaw. He said what are you doing? I said that we are going to get some firewood. About one am we drove the logging roads and found a nice eight inch base dead hard maple. The spotlight came in handy that night and I wasn’t going to wake up freezing my behind off again.


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## Lever4ever

BILC said:


> You guys with a cabin and a wood shed have it made. One year we got into camp and set up in the afternoon. We then had people we knew stop by for a couple of drinks. Didn’t gather a supply of wood and I woke up early morning with a full bladder shivering. I hoped that my buddy would get up first and toss what wood we had left and get some heat in the tent. I learned that you put produce in a cooler that year and five gallon buckets of water would freeze inside the tent. I don’t know if it was the next year or a couple later we were scheduled to leave home early Saturday morning to head to camp. I looked at the forecast and it was going to turn to crap early Saturday. I called the other two guys Friday morning (one was driving separate) and the guy riding with me could leave. The other guy said that he had to work but he was never ready to leave on time. We went through Cedar Springs about 1:30 and got to the campsite about 9:30. We had not packed for setting up in the dark. First job was to suit up in warm gear. Next find the lanterns and replace globes and get them lit. My partner thought that we got the tents set up in record time. As soon as we were set up the snow came. The other guy heard me outside fussing with the chainsaw. He said what are you doing? I said that we are going to get some firewood. About one am we drove the logging roads and found a nice eight inch base dead hard maple. The spotlight came in handy that night and I wasn’t going to wake up freezing my behind off again.


That's why we moved to propane heat, no fussing around trying to get dry firewood together. Pick up a blue-flame you will not be sorry you did, I don't like the radiant styles heater with the IR heat, but the blue flames are nice.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

We have a wood stove, keeps the camp toasty,but will get chilly if no one puts wood in over nite. Before we had the insulation in woke up and u could see your breath. Lol I sleep in the loft ,always toasty up there.


----------



## stickbow shooter

In our old tent (16x32) camp we had 2 heat sources. A fuel oil stove at one end and a wood stove at the other end. The fuel oil stove gave us fits one year . We woke up to the smell of oil and the air was thick with smoke like exhaust inside of the tent. Well after messing with it several nights in a row,one of our group had had enough. After a big Mexican night dinner including " lots "of sangria we awoke to a loud noise and cursing. It was or buddy dragging the stove outside, then gun shots. Dude snapped. That stove never gave anyone anymore trouble.
We then ran strictly wood.


----------



## Bow hunter on a Mission

some pictures from recent years. Wish I had some older ones but the old farts of the camp are in possession of those.


----------



## Bow hunter on a Mission




----------



## Carpenter Bill

Loading the truck now be headed up to the rack shack bright and early tomorrow morning And get our 2020 bowkamp Started. Good luck to everybody , Be safe. Amber remember post up the picks of your camp and your buck


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Not sure how Amber got on their Got to lovevoice texting. Sorry I am old school


----------



## sparky18181

old graybeard said:


> Our current outhouse at camp.
> View attachment 581961


Can you stop by and build me one of those. That is awesome OGB


----------



## LabtechLewis

Carpenter Bill said:


> Not sure how Amber got on their Got to lovevoice texting. Sorry I am old school


"_And remember...shoot 'em through the lungs with a razor sharp Muzzy"._

There, you can if that if you want. Seems to suit you.


----------



## Lever4ever

Carpenter Bill said:


> Loading the truck now be headed up to the rack shack bright and early tomorrow morning And get our 2020 bowkamp Started. Good luck to everybody , Be safe. Amber remember post up the picks of your camp and your buck


Good luck Bill!! Hoping you have a great camp!!!


----------



## Carpenter Bill

I put a rage in the cage. Lol having a few cups of coffee and I'm gone 
Post up some pics when I get to the rack shack. 


LabtechLewis said:


> "_And remember...shoot 'em through the lungs with a razor sharp Muzzy"._
> 
> There, you can if that if you want. Seems to suit you.


----------



## DM90

GrizzlyHunter said:


> Yes, it's public land. The camp itself is located 3 miles from the nearest road. In my mind it was like hunting in the 1800's. Before cell service you we were gone from outside world for a week. With the exception of listening to "Hunters Roundup" on the radio. It was such an incredible experience. Since then my brother and his adult kids have moved to Northern Wisconsin, and I've been hunting with my cousins by Republic a couple years and with my Dad at his cabin for a couple years. He's getting up there in age, so I'm choosing to spend time with him while I still can.


Sounds like heaven! Good luck this season to you and your family. Keep making those memories!


----------



## DM90

kevind said:


> My deer camp established in 1949 by grandfather. I am a 3rd generation hunter beginning in 1968 and have had a 5th generation hunter over the past few years. This camp and the camaraderie makes November the best month of the year. Cabin uses a 19th century wood cook stove with hot water reservoir for heat and cooking. Property is 40 acres surrounded by state land in N.E. L. P.


So cool! Good luck this year! I'm over that way as well, Hawks/ Posen area.


----------



## mustang72

kevind said:


> My deer camp established in 1949 by grandfather. I am a 3rd generation hunter beginning in 1968 and have had a 5th generation hunter over the past few years. This camp and the camaraderie makes November the best month of the year. Cabin uses a 19th century wood cook stove with hot water reservoir for heat and cooking. Property is 40 acres surrounded by state land in N.E. L. P.


Got any inside pics?


----------



## Carpenter Bill

put 1 on the pole,5pt .fun hunt this morning ,they were moving.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

View attachment 583527
put 1 on the pole,5pt .fun hunt this morning ,they were moving.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

View attachment 583527
put 1 on the pole,5pt .fun hunt this morning ,they were moving.


----------



## Carpenter Bill




----------



## 3X8

Have any luck today Carpenter Bill?


----------



## tcmsu

Here is a video on the subject of those cabins that were lost during the wilderness designation:


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Not sure how that got posted that many times, but yes I did have a good hunt this morning. Everything I do I do old school not sure how that got there probly clicked the button a couple times extra. Lol


3X8 said:


> Have any luck today Carpenter Bill?


----------



## GrizzlyHunter

tcmsu said:


> Here is a video on the subject of those cabins that were lost during the wilderness designation:


tcmsu,

Yep, that is about what happened to all of the camps including ours. I have this on DVD. It's a very well made video about what happened, and it was an attempt to try and stop it.

Her father Armas (?) who is also in the video, has been to our camp multiple times. He's close friends with my brother, and I know him well also. Their Deer Camp was very close to ours, literally downriver and across the river from our camp.

Thank you for posting.


----------



## Jiw275

Carpenter Bill said:


> View attachment 583531


Looks like some linemen are missing their rigging.


----------



## kevind

Picture of the 19th century wood cook stove and an interior picture OF THE 1949 N.E.L.P. deer camp.


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## sparky18181

Carpenter Bill said:


> Fresh as rose.shatter sitting on a fresh hole this season. Lol


You never want to be the guy who has to redig a chitter hole


----------



## Biggbear

I love this thread, I'll have to see if I can dig up some pics of my families old camp in the U.P. near Pickford. I spent my first couple years hunting there until my Grandpa passed away, and the camp changed hands.

By the time I was 16 I was hunting on my own at my Aunt's farm in Gratiot county. My "camp" was the Petticoat motel in Alma. Meals were at the Petticoat Inn, a little restaurant at the truck stop next door. A couple guys who had permission to hunt my Aunt's farm took pity on my poor hunting skills and taught me to hunt. My Brother and I hunted out of there for many, many years. When we got married, and had kids I cooked on the tailgate in the motel parking lot to save money instead of eating out every meal. Luxury was going for a County Line burger for lunch mid-day to warm up at Marl Lanes bowling alley near Vestaburg.

Even though we didn't really have a camp, we had some great times. Experiencing Deer camp isn't so much about the place, as the people. My daughters youth season, as well as my nephew's were from our "camp" in Alma. On Deer Eve we used to drive the surrounding dirt roads looking for deer.

Even though I have my own property, my own house on The North Forty-Five where I can step out the door and hunt, I quite often miss the Petticoat motel, and a County Line burger. I should probably stop and take some pictures of the place before it's torn down, if that hasn't already happened.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Well just got back from the rack shack. Had a blast. Wanted to stay for another day or two but decided to save it for the rut hunt. Great time at camp. Got buck I was after. Time to chase a freak.


----------



## Dan Jr

Looking at these got me looking my pictures - Deer camp near Powers, MI in the UP. Mainly family camp from ~1980 until about 2015 when the deer population bottomed out and many of the guys found other places to hunt. Great memories...


----------



## GrizzlyHunter

Here’s a pic of my Grand-Dad's camp in 1949 around Frederic, MI:










He was a guide back then. He’s the only guy without a coat, sitting in the bottom left. He’s also the beginning of our family hunting heritage. He started our family tradition of hunting. Thanks Grand-Dad!

Check out all the wool coats and rubber galoshes they wore back then.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

That's back in the day when men were men and women were women


GrizzlyHunter said:


> Here’s a pic of my Grand-Dad's camp in 1949 around Frederic, MI:
> 
> View attachment 584977
> 
> 
> He was a guide back then. He’s the only guy without a coat, sitting in the bottom left. He’s also the beginning of our family hunting heritage. He started our family tradition of hunting. Thanks Grand-Dad!
> 
> Check out all the wool coats and rubber galoshes they wore back then.


----------



## JPWARD

Just bought 80 acres in Presque Isle county and doing an old school wall tent this year. A pain to set up but cozy.


----------



## Quig7557

U of M Fan said:


> The biggest challenge with living down state and having a U.P. Deer camp is having other guys that you get along with that can and want to have a camp up there. It’s a commitment. Most guys complain about the drive. And then there are guys that can’t get that much time off work to go that far. My camp has always been my Dad, his buddy, and myself. There is another guy that has been coming the last ten years for a few days. We’ve had a lot of guys come and go usually only one year. It sucks because once my Dad can’t do it anymore my camp will be done. None of my buddy’s will drive that far or take that much time off. I’ll be there for over two weeks.


It’s hard to keep the camps going. We had one when I was a kid in 75. My dad had started it in the late 60’s. We moved around from the original site, tried Lake county, then the UP. Ended up about a mile from my house, that was anticlimactic for me, I seldom stayed there.
Had a 16x16 tent, a 20x16 building for cards and cooking. The building was too much to haul and a pain to store. A umbrella style tent is the easiest to set up, but we never had a good rain fly. The ridge pole worked out and seemed the warmest, it had a good rain fly.
Ours camp seemed to fad as people were hung ho to set up, tear down I’d be alone or not much for help, that got old.

A lot of good memories, it can be hard to find and recruit new members, but that’s what it takes to make one carry on. Good luck to you.


----------



## CHUCK n BUCK

Quig7557 said:


> Your pops did a hell of a job bringing you to camp back then from Detroit. Enjoy your time together this year, I hope the deer gods shine on ya’ll.


Thanks man. It was a long but exciting journey for me. My dad bought my ticket every year. Always very sad when time to go back to NC. We have some awesome DVD videos we watch when we get together.


----------



## sparky18181

CHUCK n BUCK said:


> Thanks man. It was a long but exciting journey for me. My dad bought my ticket every year. Always very sad when time to go back to NC. We have some awesome DVD videos we watch when we get together.


Where abouts is camp Great story. Always got my son to camp thanksgiving week. Thanks for the memories.


----------



## CHUCK n BUCK

sparky18181 said:


> Where abouts is camp Great story. Always got my son to camp thanksgiving week. Thanks for the memories.


Eastern UP. Dad and grandpa use to go to camp near Mancelona in the 70s/80s. That was the real old camp. They stayed in an A frame shack that they put up each year, got some great old pics of that. It was more of a party time then for them. When they moved to the UP for hunting around 1990 they started hunting a lot more seriously.

I love the big old pictures of old deer camps in Jay's Sporting goods in Clare.

Another memory is that first year I came up when I was 14 we stopped at the Big Buck Brewery buckpole. Talk about an amazed boy. There were some nice ones on there.


----------



## CHUCK n BUCK

Does anybody here still wear the red and black plaid hunting clothes? I mean the top end heavy wool pants and coat? My dad and uncle still do, they just love the tradition. It doesn't get cold enough down here in NC most of the time but I do have a jacket.


----------



## Woodsman Traveler

Our camp. Many changes over the years, this is my latest camper.


----------



## GATORGETTER

I will share pics when I get back. My tent is in the red box on the front of my trailer. Leaving Friday coming home the night of the 17th.


----------



## stickbow shooter

CHUCK n BUCK said:


> Does anybody here still wear the red and black plaid hunting clothes? I mean the top end heavy wool pants and coat? My dad and uncle still do, they just love the tradition. It doesn't get cold enough down here in NC most of the time but I do have a jacket.


I still have all of my Red and Black wool coats . But they shrank over the years.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Good luck, prime time in the woods. One year l will be able to go to camp for that long. This year I'm going November 6 thru 18or 19.my birthday is on the 17so I don't like driving home on my birthday. So lucky to have a birthday at deer camp .been at deer camps for my birthday the last 43 years .what a tradition. Good luck to everyone and be SAFE. 


GATORGETTER said:


> I will share pics when I get back. My tent is in the red box on the front of my trailer. Leaving Friday coming home the night of the 17th.
> View attachment 594757


.
.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

I have dad's and grandpa's but they are to small. 


CHUCK n BUCK said:


> Does anybody here still wear the red and black plaid hunting clothes? I mean the top end heavy wool pants and coat? My dad and uncle still do, they just love the tradition. It doesn't get cold enough down here in NC most of the time but I do have a jacket.


----------



## Quig7557

I have several sets of the red and black wool, new and old. Depending on the temperature and where I’m hunting, I wear them. I don’t like going in the swamp with them too much, too much walking and they get heavy.

This year I’ll be traveling some of the time in a willys truck. It belonged to a oldtimer I was pals with. A ton of good memories in that rig. Hoping I get a good one to put in the back or over a fender.


----------



## jiggin is livin

Quig7557 said:


> I have several sets of the red and black wool, new and old. Depending on the temperature and where I’m hunting, I wear them. I don’t like going in the swamp with them too much, too much walking and they get heavy.
> 
> This year I’ll be traveling some of the time in a willys truck. It belonged to a oldtimer I was pals with. A ton of good memories in that rig. Hoping I get a good one to put in the back or over a fender.


That would be an awesome picture to see! Wear the plaid too when you do.


----------



## Woodsman Traveler

We had


Quig7557 said:


> I have several sets of the red and black wool, new and old. Depending on the temperature and where I’m hunting, I wear them. I don’t like going in the swamp with them too much, too much walking and they get heavy.
> 
> This year I’ll be traveling some of the time in a willys truck. It belonged to a oldtimer I was pals with. A ton of good memories in that rig. Hoping I get a good one to put in the back or over a fender.


 We had a 53 Willys Station Wagon in our camp for years.


----------



## Tilden Hunter

CHUCK n BUCK said:


> Does anybody here still wear the red and black plaid hunting clothes? I mean the top end heavy wool pants and coat? My dad and uncle still do, they just love the tradition. It doesn't get cold enough down here in NC most of the time but I do have a jacket.


Yes, the only way to fly.


----------



## Tilden Hunter

2019 Buck




__
Tilden Hunter


__
Nov 18, 2019


----------



## Swamphound

This my new old school deer camp. We have stayed 5 nights in it so far and really like it. The stove does a great job and has tons of room. It is on private, not too worried about idiots, but it would not be out of the realm of possibility to have a meth head squatter that would need evicting.


----------



## Former grunt

Swamphound said:


> This my new old school deer camp. We have stayed 5 nights in it so far and really like it. The stove does a great job and has tons of room. It is on private, not too worried about idiots, but it would not be out of the realm of possibility to have a meth head squatter that would need evicting.
> 
> 
> View attachment 594899
> View attachment 594899
> View attachment 594903
> View attachment 594907
> View attachment 594907


What tent and stove is that?


----------



## wolfeman50

U of M Fan said:


> The biggest challenge with living down state and having a U.P. Deer camp is having other guys that you get along with that can and want to have a camp up there. It’s a commitment. Most guys complain about the drive. And then there are guys that can’t get that much time off work to go that far. My camp has always been my Dad, his buddy, and myself. There is another guy that has been coming the last ten years for a few days. We’ve had a lot of guys come and go usually only one year. It sucks because once my Dad can’t do it anymore my camp will be done. None of my buddy’s will drive that far or take that much time off. I’ll be there for over two weeks.


Heck UofM fan I will go to the UP with you.
Not afraid of work, have 5 weeks vacation per year, and very close tor etirement.


----------



## Swamphound

Former grunt said:


> What tent and stove is that?


19-foot diameter bell tent off of Amazon with camp chef stove from Bass Pro


----------



## mwp

Chuck and Buck..your story is what its all about.
Cats in the cradle


----------



## uofmball1

CHUCK n BUCK said:


> Does anybody here still wear the red and black plaid hunting clothes? I mean the top end heavy wool pants and coat? My dad and uncle still do, they just love the tradition. It doesn't get cold enough down here in NC most of the time but I do have a jacket.


I wore these pants that were my Great Grandfathers for several seasons when I started gun hunting. I liked them but for some reason they shrunk and no longer fit me. My Dad had the jacket for a while but can no longer find it. The pants sure were warm.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Back at the rack shack, gotta luv the smell of the fall woods and the wood burning. Quick dinner.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Getting pumped, Heading up to the rack shack Friday afternoon for the annual rut a hunt. Be live in the camp life for about 15 days or so. Good luck everyone. And post up pics of your old school buck pole.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

So pumped up to get up to the rack shack I can't sleep well. I get my best sleep at camp. Ready to go after a michigan freak. Do a little grocery shopping, pack some gear, heading up Friday afternoon.


----------



## NormD

I'm 9 days from heading to the Yoop, and I already can't sleep. Wife senses my restlessness. Work this weekend, off next Wed for Veterans Day, work Thursday then heading up.


----------



## Biggbear

stickbow shooter said:


> I still have all of my Red and Black wool coats . But they shrank over the years.


It must happen when you hang em up wrong or something. Mine did the same thing. Damn plastic hangers.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Truck is loaded, cooler packed for the food. Heading to the rack shack for the rut hunt 2020.ready for the camp life.


----------



## U of M Fan

NormD said:


> I'm 9 days from heading to the Yoop, and I already can't sleep. Wife senses my restlessness. Work this weekend, off next Wed for Veterans Day, work Thursday then heading up.


It’s a heat wave up here now but after Tuesday it should be good.


----------



## Glenn_S

Packed the utility trailer last night, loading the SUV and pickup tonight. In the morning, pick up the camper and head north. I can't wait, even with the warm weather, the deer are moving around here. 

We hunt about 35 miles south of Duluth, MN on former Potlatch land that we lease. It's here, boys!


----------



## Carpenter Bill

It's go time boys, another restless night. Been waiting for this day. Time to head to the rack shack.


----------



## fishdip




----------



## fishdip

Heres my little huntin shack,no electricity,no running water,but comfortable.Propane stove,propane wall mounted fireplace,25 years and still going.


----------



## Multibeard2

What you guys are calling old school are palaces to the one I stayed in years ago that belonged to a boy scout leader freind. I was up there trapping bever so i never hunted out of it. It was really old school. It was made out of packing crates and popple poles. It had roll roofing and tar paper covering the out side. In places you had to duck to get under the popple poles holding up the roof. 

Sadly some one left the draft open on the wood stove open when the left for the woods. That piece of history burnt to the ground.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Old school it's a lifestyle of the camp life, Could be brand new building could be 100 year old building could be A Tent or RV. Buck pole, A place where you see old friends and make new ones. Hunting the way our grandfathers used to do it. Been a tradition for me 43 years the season, Every November to head to an old school deer camp somewhere in Michigan. Good luck to everyone and post up the picks of your camp and buck Pole


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Some people prefer the salt life, I prefer the camp life. Enjoy your time in camp.


----------



## JPWARD

Got to camp today and found that the last high wind storm took out my tent. Looks to be salvageable. Just need a saw and some time


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Got to camp and my buddy was carrying out crooked brow on a back pack, we had a runner. No more dragging. Nice 8pt.he hunted for 45 minutes. 2:55.post pics tomorrow.


----------



## GrizzlyHunter

This was our first deer camp in Da’ UP!


----------



## GrizzlyHunter

Carpenter Bill said:


> Some people prefer the salt life, I prefer the camp life. Enjoy your time in camp.


Actually...I enjoy both a lot!!!


----------



## GrizzlyHunter

Here’s some pics from our old Deer Camp. Who here remembers the “Snowmageddon” (2014)



































?


----------



## Carpenter Bill

It's a old school westmen dam rd camp. Lol or the original camp hammer.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Tent frame?


----------



## Carpenter Bill

I would say so, kind of cool. 


Trophy Specialist said:


> Tent frame?


----------



## sparky18181

Trophy Specialist said:


> Tent frame?


Absolutely. I ve seen a few around me but this is first time I ve seen this one. That’s what happens when you move up here and have a lot of time to explore.


----------



## U of M Fan

sparky18181 said:


> Absolutely. I ve seen a few around me but this is first time I ve seen this one. That’s what happens when you move up here and have a lot of time to explore.


Have you driven down 69 through LaBranch lately? Just curious if that log cabin on the south side of 69 had any nice bucks hanging on their buck pole. Back in the day that thing would be loaded with nice bucks. When I drove by on November 16 they had one buck and a coyote hanging.


----------



## sparky18181

U of M Fan said:


> Have you driven down 69 through LaBranch lately? Just curious if that log cabin on the south side of 69 had any nice bucks hanging on their buck pole. Back in the day that thing would be loaded with nice bucks. When I drove by on November 16 they had one buck and a coyote hanging.


I have not been that way this season.


----------



## stickbow shooter

U of M Fan said:


> Have you driven down 69 through LaBranch lately? Just curious if that log cabin on the south side of 69 had any nice bucks hanging on their buck pole. Back in the day that thing would be loaded with nice bucks. When I drove by on November 16 they had one buck and a coyote hanging.


Hey that's my place lol,I know wishful thinking.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

I thought more pics of old school deer camps would be posted this season. Maybe old school deer camps are a dying breed. Found a bunch of camps Sunday afternoon wigwam bay area. Never new they were there. Keep posting up the pics of your old school deer camp, It is our heritage to pass it on.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Well hello fellow hunters ,it's my favorite time of the year. Deer camp. Let's see some pics of your deer camps, and buck pole. Good luck to everyone. Heading to the camp rack shack Saturday morning to get a few things done before the bow camp opener.


----------



## fishdip

Had a work and play weekend last week,put the cameras out,grilled some steaks & drank a little.


----------



## NormD

Yoop Camp










Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## NormD

Inside Yoop Camp

















Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## fishdip

I would keep those propane tanks outside just to be on the safe side.


----------



## welder72

NormD said:


> Yoop Camp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Looks awesome!


----------



## stickbow shooter

NormD said:


> Yoop Camp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


I'd live there.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Nice pics guys, keep them coming. It's a tradition that we must pass on. I prefer to get my groceries at God's Store.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

I luv it, this is my morning paper ,lol much better than watching the news. Keep them coming.


----------



## NormD

stickbow shooter said:


> I'd live there.


Only a bunk room in back and main room. Heated by wood burning stove. We haul water in for cooking/cleaning. Wood shed on side. Privy out back. It’s cozy!


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## stickbow shooter

NormD said:


> Only a bunk room in back and main room. Heated by wood burning stove. We haul water in for cooking/cleaning. Wood shed on side. Privy out back. It’s cozy!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Sounds like my camp. But ours is just a 16x20 one room with 6 bunks,stove,cook stove,propane lights,table counter with sink and pitcher pump.


----------



## R.J.M.

I like to think that myself and my son are hunting in as close to a old School as there is . Lol







only up grade to this 100 + year old gal has been electric my dad had brought in underground to the front entrance.and insulation 2 inch foam sheeting to the west wall . You could feel the heat transfer on those Late spring - summer days. 
I got tired of stepping on cords so I ran conduit and outlets on one side during the 4 months of riding out the first wave of the (damn)pandemic . Still use an outdoor two hole privy. But even that can have an electric cord and space heater for conditions. Also bought a single shower stall 
We use a seven gal bucket with a 12 volt battery and a bilge pump hooked to a switch in the shower .Water is heated by an electrical bucket/ trough heater for livestock . This set up works perfect 
In 15 minutes it’s hot enough to shower 30 minutes and you have to add cold water. Fuel oil heat and a old 4 burner propane stove W/ wood burning attachment. It’s small 
And needs 16 inch length wood so any wood bought has to be cut to fit . As far as having electric — priceless. Microwave, hot skillet 
And a crockpot for dinner after the days hunt . Eat minimal cleanup a move downloaded to my son’s computer and then to bed . Very easy to shut off fuel tank and furnace . Unplug electric lights and then kill the power lock the place up lock the gate and leave for the winter . The key is to not leave any thing that can be stolen of value when the B&E occurs. Fingers crossed 🤞


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Made it to the rack shack, going old school screw that generator. So nice and peaceful, a few back in the sticks. Can't believe it is here already another one of my favorite time of the year .be SAFE and enjoy ur hunt. Post up your pics of the hunt and camp


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## fishdip

Good luck Bill,have a safe weekend.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

The outdoor sitting area at the rack shack. Be getting the fish fry going shortly.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Dinner was awesome, perch and hushpuppy and bacon raps back strap.enjoying opening night eve and a few cigars. It's game time.


----------



## Carpenter Bill

Da rack shack


----------



## deagansdad1

Good luck! Looks like the perch get a well needed break

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk


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## Carpenter Bill

deagansdad1 said:


> Good luck! Looks like the perch get a well needed break
> 
> Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk


With the wind I have this morning, Wish I would have put up one more stand for the South Southeast, southeast winds of course. Spent too much time Chasing perch lol. Doing it old school this morning just sitting next to a tree off a runway. Well let's see what happens,


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## Carpenter Bill

Back at the rack shack, buddy put his first 8pt on the pole tonight. Finally getting to have a fire. Lol


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## Carpenter Bill

new bow hunter, 8pt camp rack shack. Good weather tonight.


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## bansheejoel

old graybeard said:


> Not as old school as our wall tent/woodstove years but we're still at it in the UP. Started in 1964.
> View attachment 578777
> 
> View attachment 578773
> View attachment 578775


Badass beard and a bud as well! 🤘


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## Woodsman Traveler

Camp CBM, Arenac County est. 1995. Many changes over the years. Lots of great memories and stories.


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## wolfeman50

Well after many years of staying in a cabin during firearm deer season, this year we are going back to a tent.
My sons friends want to start an old fashion deer camp and I am stoked.
I will post pics when we get it set up this year.

CAMP SPEAK FREELY


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## greense1

wolfeman50 said:


> Well after many years of staying in a cabin during firearm deer season, this year we are going back to a tent.
> My sons friends want to start an old fashion deer camp and I am stoked.
> I will post pics when we get it set up this year.
> 
> CAMP SPEAK FREELY


Where you headed?


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## wolfeman50

greense1 said:


> Where you headed?


The UP of course. Banana belt


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## Carpenter Bill

wolfeman50 said:


> Well after many years of staying in a cabin during firearm deer season, this year we are going back to a tent.
> My sons friends want to start an old fashion deer camp and I am stoked.
> I will post pics when we get it set up this year.
> 
> CAMP SPEAK FREELY


 Nothing like an old school deer camp, We have the rack shack , But we are planning a tent camp to the UP for for next season. And yes definitely post up pics of the camp and buck pole. Good luck


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## Big50blaster

CHUCK n BUCK said:


> What a great thread
> 
> I will add my story. I am born and raised in North Carolina, moms family. My Dad, from Michigan moved back there when I was young and I lived with my mom. I have went back and forth my whole life. Summers, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc..
> 
> When I was 14(1995) I made my first trip to deer camp. The agreement was as long as my grades were good I could take the week of Thanksgiving off and go to deer camp with my dad. I would fly out of Charlotte Douglas Airport to Metro Detroit! I started flying back and forth at a young age.
> 
> My first deer camp 1995, Dad picks me up in Detroit and we head up 75, cross the bridge, few hours later head down a two track at 2 a.m. A snow storm had just came through and this southern boy sat up in the seat with amazement off all the snow. I remember being mesmerized by the pines that were bent over the old two track that were were going down. We could of been on Mars to me. You gotta remember I didn't get to do this type of stuff back home in NC. Never seen anything like it, it was a totally different world to me.
> 
> On Thanksgiving Day that year sitting with my Dad way back in the stuff I took my first ever deer. A spike at 1:17 in the afternoon, it was snowing and we had set all day so far. It was my second to last day to hunt and I had hunted hard but had only seen does. Was a moment we will never forget. I have some awesome video footage of after the shot and the drag out and around camp.
> 
> Each deer camp during the 2nd week was me, dad, and my uncle. I have DVDs of of every year as my dad always kept good deer camp footage. I went each Thanksgiving from 14-19 years old. Then went to college and became busy. I haven't been to a Michigan deer camp since 2012. I am going this year to be with my Dad, uncle and brother. Even though its a hell of a drive I cannot wait.
> 
> Here are some pics...they always set up an Army tent. Now we will stay in a motel or a smaller tent.
> The first pic is my 1st deer back in the cedar swamp.


Awesome stuff. I am 52 and my boys are 12 and 10. Raised 4 girls ahead of them. They all have taken a lot of deer at an early age. Hoping I live to be a ripe old age and get to continue the tradition with some grand kids in the future.


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## bucknasty11208

This has been deer camp for 38 years for me and even longer for my dad. Nothing but an old pop up camper in the middle of the Huron National Forest. 
No electric or heat except when we crank the generator. Thank god for warm sleeping bags! No running water either. Just us and Mother Nature.


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## Carpenter Bill

wolfeman50 said:


> The UP of course. Banana belt


U heading to the westman dam road area. Luv that area. I used to lease land around the Stephenson area. Good luck.


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## wolfeman50

Carpenter Bill said:


> View attachment 789626
> 
> The outdoor sitting area at the rack shack. Be getting the fish fry going shortly.


That just looks like a great place to hang out and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
You ever need some more people up there to fill that cabin, just say the word.


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## wolfeman50

Carpenter Bill said:


> U heading to the westman dam road area. Luv that area. I used to lease land around the Stephenson area. Good luck.


Nope actually we will be south east of rapid river down in the Stonington peninsula


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## Carpenter Bill

Perch dinner at.the camp rack shack. Snow is on the way.


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## wolfeman50

Carpenter Bill said:


> View attachment 797891
> 
> Perch dinner at.the camp rack shack. Snow is on the way.
> View attachment 797892


Everything looks great. Even the "salad" on the right


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## Carpenter Bill

wolfeman50 said:


> Everything looks great. Even the "salad" on the left


O yeah at the camp rack shack we always have a all u can eat salad bar. Many varieties.


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## Biggbear

Carpenter Bill said:


> View attachment 797891
> 
> Perch dinner at.the camp rack shack. Snow is on the way.
> View attachment 797892


Snow is on the way? Aren't you in Antrim County Bill? I just got up to the North Forty-Five, I hadn't heard about snow. That would make my day.


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## Carpenter Bill

Biggbear said:


> Snow is on the way? Aren't you in Antrim County Bill? I just got up to the North Forty-Five, I hadn't heard about snow. That would make my day.


Some Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Should be white. Was 12 inches up here last week


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## Biggbear

Carpenter Bill said:


> Some Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Should be white. Was 12 inches up here last week


That would be awesome! If you are around Boyne City or East Jordan over the next week give me a shout. I'm right between them. The beer is always cold, would love to put a face to the name.


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## Lever4ever

Well ol camp Brown Shorts is all up and running for 2021, blinds set, cook tent up, just waiting for opener now.


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## Lever4ever

Looking good for tomorrow, about an inch now, supposed to snow most of the day today, I'm lovin it.


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## Carpenter Bill

Opening night eve dinner at.the camp rack shack, walleye and perch and wild Turkey with mac and cheese. Time for the cup to begin. Good luck to everyone tomorrow. Be SAFE


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## Carpenter Bill

Looking forward to the upcoming season at a old school deer camp.nothing like it. Heading up to the rack shack tomorrow afternoon for some scouting and get some blind and stands out along with a few cameras. Got a bunch of irrigated alfalfa fields near us. Will post up pics.


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## greense1

Carpenter Bill said:


> Looking forward to the upcoming season at a old school deer camp.nothing like it. Heading up to the rack shack tomorrow afternoon for some scouting and get some blind and stands out along with a few cameras. Got a bunch of irrigated alfalfa fields near us. Will post up pics.


Great minds think alike. We’re headed up tomorrow morning to do the same minus the blinds and stands. Cut some wood for next year and get everything else around camp prepped for this year.


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## Carpenter Bill

greense1 said:


> Great minds think alike. We’re headed up tomorrow morning to do the same minus the blinds and stands. Cut some wood for next year and get everything else around camp prepped for this year.


Stop by the rack shack for a fish whistle.


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## jakeo

Question: When someone wants to camp on state land during deer season or anytime, how do they go about "reserving" or setting up their camp legally? If a group just wanted to camp for 15 days as I read is Maximum but can you just go get a map and find a spot?
Always wondered how guys are lucky enough to get their same spot every year.
Sorry if in wrong spot but always just wanted to get away like that. 
TY in advance.


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## Lever4ever

Stop by any DNR location or rest area that is a visitors center and pick up a camp permit, no cost. If you're just going on state land, pick your spot and set up. Fill out both sections of the permit and hang it on a tree or where the CO can see it, they will take the bottom section.


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## skipper34

Gotta be sure that you are not disperse camping within a mile of a designated DNR campground.


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## Lever4ever

skipper34 said:


> Gotta be sure that you are not disperse camping within a mile of a designated DNR campground.


I did not know that, guess I never paid attention well enough.


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## jakeo

skipper34 said:


> Gotta be sure that you are not disperse camping within a mile of a designated DNR campground.


WOW....Sure glad you posted that because the spot I have in mind is very close to a State Park.
Just my luck, been eyeing that spot since I was a young n spending Summers in Grayling.


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## Martin Looker

If you leave your camp permit and someone else comes along and leaves a mess guess who gets the blame.


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## jakeo

I just love the stories and the pics of hunting camps...envious. We did a Pike fishing camp in Cedarville every May , fun getting a group together.
Dad never hunted so I live through you guys, Please continue to post pics and stories.
Just a city boy living through you people.
Ty


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## Carpenter Bill

Great weather this weekend, got a blind moved and shooting lanes done. Be at the camp rack shack for the bow opener in 6 weeks. Things are looking good.


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## Carpenter Bill

greense1 said:


> Got up to camp in Antrim county yesterday. Checked trail cams today and I gotta say this is a first for the area.
> View attachment 858345


Nice, I heard they're a few around the area .expanding to the Jordan river .
None on r cams yet, but I did get a pic of this guy, had him 5 yards from the tower Tuesday morning. Time is wrong on the camera it was 630.


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## Carpenter Bill

It's that time of year boys, let's roll with some old school deer camps pics. Keep the tradition going. Looking forward to the rut hunt at the camp rack shack from November 4 until the 20 .heading up Friday for the weekend hunt and back up the 4 .luv this time of year. Living the camp life. Anyone else heading to a old school deer camp?post up pics and help carry on a Michigan tradition.


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## Carpenter Bill

The count down is on,leaving for the rut hunt at the camp rack shack in 10 days. Getting pumped up to be living the camp life for a couple of weeks .heading up Friday this weekend for the annual Halloween hunt. Looking forward to putting some deer on the pole.


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## sparky18181

Be leaving around the same time for about five weeks. Can’t wait to get back up to GODS country


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## greense1

I’ll be headed up to our place in Antrim county the 3rd to 7th and then 11th to 27th. Looking forward to it and hopefully the action will pick up. Seeing lots of does but almost no bucks. Very strange based on the last couple years.


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## Carpenter Bill

greense1 said:


> I’ll be headed up to our place in Antrim county the 3rd to 7th and then 11th to 27th. Looking forward to it and hopefully the action will pick up. Seeing lots of does but almost no bucks. Very strange based on the last couple years.


If you have does, the bucks will be there for the rut.alot of deer around the alfalfa in the area, we had 6 different shooters on cameras last week. 4 real nice and 2 freaks. I will be doing some all day sits. Setting up the drippers this weekend. I will pm you my #.stop by the rack shack for a fish whistle. Alot of deer up on the high ground now and they travel a ways to get the greens.


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## Carpenter Bill

It's the final count down, heading up to the camp rack shack in 4 days for the annual rut hunt. Was hoping for a old school hunt with the snow and cold but it not looking good. Had some of our best years with snow and cold. I will try to get some pics. Any one else heading up .


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## Carpenter Bill




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## Carpenter Bill




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## Carpenter Bill

We were just talking about the first 2 seasons at the rack shack, no insulation in walls or ceiling. See ur breath in the morning. Lol


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## robert18

Property bought in 20s from great grandfather still to this day old loggers cabin 4 generations hunting the property western U.P


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## Carpenter Bill

robert18 said:


> View attachment 863486
> 
> View attachment 863487
> 
> View attachment 863485
> 
> View attachment 863483
> 
> Property bought in 20s from great grandfather still to this day old loggers cabin 4 generations hunting the property western U.P
> View attachment 863484


Nice camp, and pics. Getting pumped for the rut hunt.


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## Carpenter Bill




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## Carpenter Bill




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## Carpenter Bill

It's almost here, packing up stuff for the hunt, grabbing some groceries tomorrow afternoon and packing the coolers. Be on the road to the camp rack shack Friday afternoon at 3:30.in the stand at 6AM Saturday morning and it's game on.


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## BelieveX

I'll be heading up to PI Sunday for two weeks of R and R. Hunting with relatives and friends. Kegerator will be filled with Alaskan Amber and the meals will be the best of the year. Whether or not a deer gets shot it is still going to be worth it. Maybe even win the lottery tonight and really be able to celebrate. 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Carpenter Bill

BelieveX said:


> I'll be heading up to PI Sunday for two weeks of R and R. Hunting with relatives and friends. Kegerator will be filled with Alaskan Amber and the meals will be the best of the year. Whether or not a deer gets shot it is still going to be worth it. Maybe even win the lottery tonight and really be able to celebrate.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Post up some pics for us.


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## Carpenter Bill

What is ur favorite meal tradition at camp? As u can see in the pics, mine is chicken and dumplings ,old school with hand rolled and hand cut dumplings. This will be 44 seasons of the chicken and dumplings for deer camp. My granny always made it when I was a young buck and now my wife does it. Good thing the lord blessed me with a southern girl. She also does a awesome biscuits and gravy.


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## motdean

Carpenter Bill said:


> View attachment 863708


Looks awesome! Love the fireplace and the "frosty" deer pics.
(Sorry if you posted previously, but) where is camp?


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## Carpenter Bill

motdean said:


> Looks awesome! Love the fireplace and the "frosty" deer pics.
> (Sorry if you posted previously, but) where is camp?


It's in Antrim county. Big woods deer, that feast on alfalfa and potatoes.


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## NormD

Carpenter Bill said:


> What is ur favorite meal tradition at camp? As u can see in the pics, mine is chicken and dumplings ,old school with hand rolled and hand cut dumplings. This will be 44 seasons of the chicken and dumplings for deer camp. My granny always made it when I was a young buck and now my wife does it. Good thing the lord blessed me with a southern girl. She also does a awesome biscuits and gravy.


The last few years I've made a batch of Walleye chowder that we keep heating and reheating on the wood burner top. The fish is a culmination of successful Lake Erie walleye outings since i life near there. We also partake in ring bologna (Horse [email protected]) & onions. 
I took a freezer doe last week so we did up one of the backstraps during processing, grilled up nice on the flat top.


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## Night Moves

Carpenter Bill said:


> What is ur favorite meal tradition at camp? As u can see in the pics, mine is chicken and dumplings ,old school with hand rolled and hand cut dumplings. This will be 44 seasons of the chicken and dumplings for deer camp. My granny always made it when I was a young buck and now my wife does it. Good thing the lord blessed me with a southern girl. She also does a awesome biscuits and gravy.


We ear a lot of venison, grouse and walleye at camp.


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## BelieveX

My cousin has a great recipe for venison in a crockpot with mushrooms and gravy, served over mashed potatoes and a vegetable. I'm responsible for the deep fried walleye while my other cousin is slicing potatoes up for making French fries. One night is boneless T-bone and another is chicken thighs. We have a BBQ in the breezeway and the camp rules state that no one can be outside cooking alone, nor have an empty glass. Another camp rule is if you come in from a hunt without seeing a deer you must take a shot. I think we have many liars at camp.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Martin Looker

There's nothing some Chilli in the crockpot when you get in from a cold day in the woods. The first deer down means tenderloin, fried potatoes and eggs for breakfast.


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## Lever4ever

Our dinner the night before opener, 40ish years and still going. 
We boil a ham, with smoked hocks, red skinned potatoes, green beans and onions. Eat what we do, then slice down the rest for sandwiches and breakfast meat. Depending on deer taken, it could be a long day, so opening night we stick with a simple meal, soup or spaghetti, something we can heat up fast.


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## Ginweed

Not so old school anymore but 4th generation to own the property. After decades of trailers and mobile homes, my brother and I built a cabin about 10 yrs ago. Although we use the cabin year round, still super excited for next week. Will be third year with just brother and I hunting. Dad will come out for a couple nights for drinks. Uncle retired from camp three years ago for health reasons. Miss the old guys. Always fun getting together with other camps in the area.


















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