Deer Camp Failures

[motley man]

How many have people that comment for deer camp until the week before and cancel out after weeks, months of planing. I know that !?#* happens, but the excuses are very lame for their dropping out. It changes the plans for all as to food, sleeping, stands, etc. I went from 4 people to no people but me. One did go, but can't walk far because bad knee that isn't new, and had to find a spot for him that wasn't great. All of these people where to go up last month to check stuff out, but were to busy. THEY DON'T WORK! We only hunt 40 miles away. Yes this is a rant, but people have to think of others also.

[LightningBG]

Time to get new hunting buddies.

[tunrevir]

Sad to hear but unfortunately, things like that happen. If it is really grating on you then don't ask them back to camp, assuming it is under your ownership. There are tons of folks that are always in need of a great place to hunt and are willing to do some work to get there.

Tunrevir~

[Mike #1]

Thats what happend to me, my buddies got lazy and don't want to do the work that it takes to deer hunt. I have been hunting by myself for the last 5 years (sniff) but I don't mind it.

[perchking]

must be contagious happened to me to in Michigan. It was all fine and dandy until I asked for some help then they all bailed. I have a brand new camp on 200 acres and typically the 3 whom would come to camp brought a fork, that is it. No one realizes how much work it takes for summer maintenance, firewood, gas for generator, upkeep, food, roads, etc... I do get a happy group of visitors each day, but it is just typically me which after year 2 I really like.

[Mr Special]

Sux to hear this is happening to you guys.

to me its kinda weird because everyone in my camp seems more then happy to help out and half the time, we're all lookin for excuses to get to the hunting land.

do some maintenance, look for deer signs "in my case showing big buks were i'll be hutning lol", hanging with the buds/"get away from the fam" and just enjoyin being outdoors. sure it requires wrk, time and money but thats just good investment towards doin something we all love.

i think ya might need some new hunting buds.

sounds like you need,

"Somebody with a truck and two strong arms

Not scared of dirt and willin' to work

till the sun goes down"

i have all the above requirements and would love to hunt a different area.

[picksbigwagon]

We are heading down to Iowa this weekend to make the final preparations for deer camp at the farm. We started this summer, clearing out timber and getting stands built, and general maintenance at the cabin. This weekend is getting the stands finailzed, cutting some trails and spending the early mornings and late afternoons watching paterns, but after 25+ years of the farm being hunted, we know where they are gonna go

[bigbucks]

We don't have a camp like that per say, but even hunting the family farms, people want to be helpful, may not work for all at the same time.

[erikwells]

I have made all of the hunting arrangements myself as if I would be hunting alone. I realize there is safety in numbers but I am just as happy hunting alone or with others. So when someone can't make it or someone wants to go home earlier than expected I experience zero heartburn. More stands for me to chose from and no competition for the deer. I just figured I love to hunt so much that by setting the expectations I enjoy it even more. But thats me and I have been told I'm a bubble or 2 off center for sure. Sorry to hear about your fickle crew.

[skee0025]

Thats a shame, the area around Motley is great. I used to hunt just across from Fishtrap off of old 10 and then some up in leader. If I still had family in Motley I would probably still hunt in MN.

[walleyeking19]

I'd be willing to do work around your camp if you need hunting partners!!

[LightningBG]

I'd be willing to do work around your camp if you need hunting partners!!

I was thinking the same thing.

[riverrat63]

Me to i specialize in tree removal and good talk.ing

[WIMN]

must be contagious happened to me to in Michigan. It was all fine and dandy until I asked for some help then they all bailed. I have a brand new camp on 200 acres and typically the 3 whom would come to camp brought a fork, that is it. No one realizes how much work it takes for summer maintenance, firewood, gas for generator, upkeep, food, roads, etc... I do get a happy group of visitors each day, but it is just typically me which after year 2 I really like.

I hunt on my uncle's property. He asks for $100 from each guy who regularly comes up for hunting/fishing to help pay for electric (costs $42/mo just to be connected to the grid... Probably don't use $40 for electric in a year), taxes, etc. If the shack needs paper products or other supplies, you bring them up or go buy them. If the grass needs to be cut or needs some other maintenance, you take care of it while you're up there. If somebody buys groceries (for a big group) you cut them a check. If it's me, my dad, and my uncle, one of us just usually pays for the groceries and we take turns. Also BYOB.

Sad to hear some guys aren't respectful of unwritten rules of sharing the workload and paying their dues. I guess I've never had any bad experiences with family members, and "friends" who pull that kind of stuff on me wouldn't be invited back up. Thankfully haven't had to deal with that yet.

[Boar]

I too make arrangements an tail maintenance for myself an kids cause i cant depend on others to show up to help or even show up to hunt. kinda sad s were big hunting family an close but life is busy i guesse, i chosse to take time out for the things love an make it happen financially anyway i can. CYOA cover your own A$$

[juniordo1]

This happened to me this year. My buddy and I lease 120 acres and my camper is on it. We have 3 of his relatives that hunt with us. I spent days clearing the trails this summer, fixing/moving stands, mowing the lawn, etc.. I was pretty excited about hunting. I got up to camp at 1PM the day before opener, unpacked and waited for the others to show. At 2:30 PM I got the call - nobody was coming.

Luckily I had a plan B so I loaded up my stuff and left. I have relatives with land 50 miles away so I hunted with them but there are far fewer deer there. I'm still waiting to put some meat on the table.

I can't go to my leased land this weekend but I can go next weekend. Nobody will be coming next weekend so I'm going to hunt it myself. I usually bowhunt myself so its nothing new but it would be nice to have someone around to share in the hunt and create some memories. Besides, its hard to take your own picture in the woods with your big buck.

[Biggerfish]

There are talkers, takers, and doers in life....trying to find the Do-ers is hard these days. We have the same issues at our camp. 3 of us do all the work and the other 3-5 people that show up are the takers and talkers......We just take their money in poker

[gurkster]

WOW - I am suprised to see this trend, but I am also in the same boat. We used to have a very fun and successful deer camp, lots of fun and laughs and decent deer taken. Now I have deer hunted alone the last couple years. Seems old age, divorce and some disinterest has done us in. The last few years we went I also did almost all the work. I owned the land so I had a vested interest in it, but I also set stands, cut trails, maintained the cabin, took care of costs, etc. Most of the other guys just showed up, and then it was for the weekend, a day, had to leave early, etc. My kids are starting to hunt now so I am hoping to get things going again with a new crew. Sad times. Maybe I am weird, but to me that is "fun work" coming up to deer camp in the summer to maintain trails, scout for deer, talk, etc and again in mid october to grouse hunt, scout for deer, do repairs, set stands, etc.

[TRZ II]

One easy rule a my camp. "no work=no hunt"!!! I have told a few guys to find else where to hunt. I can't take care of all the financial work and the physical work. All i ask is a few weekends a year of work, if you can't do that then hunting isn't important to you anyway and I don't want you in my camp. One guy helped me every weeknd for 2 yrs. and now has issues so that he can't, I tole him he is good for life! Made him very happy.

[analyzer]

This happened to me this year. My buddy and I lease 120 acres and my camper is on it. We have 3 of his relatives that hunt with us. I spent days clearing the trails this summer, fixing/moving stands, mowing the lawn, etc.. I was pretty excited about hunting. I got up to camp at 1PM the day before opener, unpacked and waited for the others to show. At 2:30 PM I got the call - nobody was coming.

Luckily I had a plan B so I loaded up my stuff and left. I have relatives with land 50 miles away so I hunted with them but there are far fewer deer there. I'm still waiting to put some meat on the table.

I can't go to my leased land this weekend but I can go next weekend. Nobody will be coming next weekend so I'm going to hunt it myself. I usually bowhunt myself so its nothing new but it would be nice to have someone around to share in the hunt and create some memories. Besides, its hard to take your own picture in the woods with your big buck.

Perhaps you'd like some company? My brother and I, and our two sons just hunted SE mn last weekend, and were planning to go back Sunday for the last day (I have a wedding to attend tomorrow and can't go), but it appears Sunday is going to be rain and 20mph wind, so we're looking at hunting next weekend instead.

We don't know where to go for sure, we just thought we'd get in the truck and head north. Public land can be tough, especially as we didn't pre-scout north. We'd be happy to join you. I'm 47, and he's 43, one of our 20-something year old sons will probably join us. We're as nice a group of men as you'll ever meet. If you're interested let me know.

Garrett

[analyzer]

I find the "process" to be more enjoyable in many respects, than the actual hunt. Well, its a different sort of enjoyment. The hunt has a little bit more adrenaline I suppose. But for me, I love to get out a few weekends a year, and scout/explore the woods. The challenge of figuring out where they'll be, and how to out-smart them, is more than half the fun. Unfortunately I've had to weed through a few folks trying to find the right hunting partner. I eventually had to turn my brother on to hunting. He just started 2 years ago, but seems to enjoy it.

I've had issues with many of my close friends committing to fishing trips, boundary waters trips, hunting trips, etc, and then backing out last minute. I'll give them one of those, but the second time, I stop asking. It's as if they think they are doing me a favor saying yes, but don't realize how much work and planning goes into a trip, and when they back out, it's all for not.

Maybe I have to start asking for a deposit. lol.

[analyzer]

With hunting it's very difficult if everyone doesn't come down and atleast figure out where they're hunting IN ADVANCE. Having to walk everyone to their spot opening morning takes a lot of time, and then I'm not on my stand until almost shooting light.