Deer Camp

In addition, a couple of years ago I was hunting a stand up north that I have liked for quite some time. After shooting at a deer a man came from his property to yell at me that I was shooting too close to his property, and even claimed I was trespassing. I have plat books/GPS/ and know where the survey markers are in the area and know I definitely had the right to hunt that piece of public land. My dad walked over to talk to the man and he started threatening to call the warden and took his picture. My dad told him that he was going to wait until the warden arrived. The man then started shouting/shooting his gun in the air. I had already left and was quite worried that this man had killed my dad. Back home our neighbors are friendly and we have access to hundreds of surrounding acres if we want to branch out.

The past few years I have tried to convince him that we should move deer camp back home, and this year he finally put it to a vote. I lost 5 to 3, with my dad and I both voting to stay at home. The other 5 guys want to go up north because of tradition. We are not drinkers, we do not go into town to go to bars, we sit around and play cards until we go to bed at 9:00.

I told my dad that I was going to hunt his land this year, even though the vote failed, granted that he gives me his permission. I proposed that my dad, brother and I take a weekend, I'd pay to rent a cabin up north and we would just sit and watch the squirrels for the weekend (this is what deer camp is to us anyway) then we could sit around and play cards at night. That way I don't feel guilty about missing spending quality time with my ol' man and brother and I can still hunt some great property and increase my chances at seeing some deer.

He's still pretty bummed I won't be going to deer camp for the first time. I kind of am too.

Whatcha think? Am I a jerk?

UPDATE 2019:

Yes, I realize it can be done that way, as long as the other hunter is within sight or voice.  His video does not mention that being the case.  You would think If the person shot two bucks in the same day, he would clarify that.  If he did, I could have missed it in the video.  

Assuming he had another hunter in his party out hunting and within earshot. 

How do you legally shoot two bucks in one day?

Wow mudbucket.  It really puts into perspective the value of our hunting traditions beyond what was killed or seen.  Thanks for sharing.  This community is pretty impressive and I love that we can all share our stories.

Here is an update for this year's deer camp:

I ended up getting the two biggest bucks of my life in one day.  I had never even seen bucks that big in that area before and then I had a crack and capitalized on two in one day!  The first one was aged by my taxidermist at 4.5-5.5 years old and the second one was aged at 3.5 years old based on tooth wear.  I am having the first one shoulder mounted and the second one Euro mounted.  

Thanks for watching, and if you could, please click the subscribe button.  I just really like watching the number go up more than anything else.  It's free, there's no obligation to do anything else, but it makes me happy to see more subscribers.

It was a tough one this year. Headed up to deer camp Nov 5th to the 7th to hunt the rut and spread dads ashes. My son wasn't ready yet, so it was just me. Spread the ashes Saturday morning, 2 eagles soaring above.  One more flys from a nearby tree to join and they disappear into the distance. Reminded me of his Harley ferring he had painted in remembrance of his 2 buddies that were killed. Climb up into his stand.  Had a deer walk past and just stared at the stand. Seen quite a few deer that weekend.

Headed back up for rifle season with my son and 6 other guys. All packed up Friday night and my Ford van wouldn't start. Finally give up, pack all the crap into Dads truck and head up. Another year of making memories. Son shot a doe as we were getting ready to head home Sunday morning. Right near Grandpa's stand and shortly after saying our goodbyes....

Hope everyone had a safe and memorable deer camp this year. We had a lot of laughs great food and made lasting memories..Wish the kids would have seen more deer, but that's hunting. The weather Saturday was perfect by us..

Can't wait for next year's deer camp...

Like MB's story. I'm sort of in a same situation. When I started hunting, we had 4 patriarchs in camp. Two uncles, a man who I've always called uncle although we're not related and my dad. We dwindled down to 2 "old guys" the past couple of years. One of my uncles and my dad retired from hunting (and the cold) and now head to AZ long before the blaze orange comes out. The remaining two likely aren't going to make camp this year. One has end-stage lymphoma and the other is in the hospital waiting for a heart valve transplant. If he gets it in the next day or two, he may be able to at least come to the cabin for a hand or two of cards but he's definitely not going to be hunting. All of the kids are in college so they don't come anymore. Exception will be my son this year. He hasn't been in camp for 3 years but can break away from classes this year to spend a few days with us. Thank God he was offered a job where he interned last summer in Milwaukee so he'll be around for at least a few more years after graduation. I'm envisioning 5-6 people in camp this year. Used to be 9-11. And now my cousins and I are the "old guys". 

Mudbucket,  That's what it's all about.

God Bless

Great story MB.If everyone who reads that story says they did'nt get at least a little misty eyed,their lying.

I wish you the best of luck this season. 

Thank you mudbucket. 

Sitting in my stand now with tear in my eye!!

Great story Mudbucket!!!

Great story Mudbucket. Thanks for sharing. Be thankful you had such a great friendship and cherish the memories. 

God bless, mud bucket. 

Mudbucket: What Percheye said.  

Wow Mudbucket just wow. 

This years going to be tuff. My hunting partner for the last 35 yrs past away early October. Going to miss him in camp this year. 

Last year he came up with me for the rut. Nov 5 we walked out towards his stand and he just couldn't make it. Its about 3 hundred yrs from the cabin and we made it 50yrds from the stand. Tear rolling down his cheek he says, 'you go ahead I don't want you to see me like this'. I hustled back and grabbed the old john deer and had him drive himself back. We just sat by the truck and talked about previous hunts.. Next day about 1 o'clock he says let's go. Start up the mower and he hops on. I carry his  gear out and up the stand. He drives the mower to the ladder and I park it a short distance away and head to my stand. My phone vibrates at 4 he thinks he hit one. Hour later I'm gutting his Buck. He was grinning ear to ear. Almost done and he looks down at me and says "this is it, I said my good byes before I climbed down the ladder. Didn't believe it at the time, but he knew..

We will have his Honors service later this month. His ashes will be placed in the wall.  He wanted a Mason jar of ashes spread by his stand. Going to do that this weekend hopefully. 

Probably 8 or 9 of us going up for rifle season. 2 teenagers to energize camp..

Good luck hunting guys and stay safe. Make a ton of memories and remember next year is not guaranteed..