Camp Kitty

[Wobbler]

We have had a camp for 24 years (I was 12 when it started) with another family (5 of us). Seems like my dad, my brother and me always buy the extras (Paper products, propane etc.) when our other members don't donate or provide their fair share. My 2 brother in laws have never been part of our hunting shack but next year they are set to go and are pretty excited. I was just wondering since we really don't have a kitty I think it is a good thing and just wanted to here what other camps do for new members and what is fair for everyone else. I think a $100 kitty for the year is fine to buy all the misc. stuff but any imput would be appreciated.

[tealitup]

We always have two people buy the food and extras at one time. The receipt is brought up and placed on the table. Divide by the number of people in camp and pay that amount.

[mrklean]

I think what teal said is a good idea, just divide it all up at the end

[winniewalleye777]

The receipt deal is what we do for our annual fishing trip to canada. We even include gas prices for those who drive to split for those who ride.

[machohorn]

I buy all the groceries, It is split among us, as far as driving I drive one year , my hunting partner drives the next year. it all works out, One year we had one guy only comming for the weekend while we stay for the whole week, He thought he did not need to ante up for food because "We" had plenty. Out in the woods nature calls and he asked me for some T.P. I said yes I have plenty but we will be here all week and I realy do not want to run out. He now chips in.

[Wobbler]

That is what we have always done but we have been hearing the excuse "When you were little we paid for you, now that you have a job you foot all the bill". Which since I have been employed (12 years) do more than my share. To me it is not about the money but the principle of everyone paying equal. For instance, I bought a new propane light we needed in our shack to see while we cook. My brother and dad foot paid their part the other family said "We did not need it". Of course when they cooked "Hey this light is pretty slick good thing you bought it." and still don't pay. I guess after doing things like this all the time it gets old. I just think the kitty would eliminate that!

[hartner62]

The kitty is a great idea and is what we do with every mancation we take. It takes all of the hassle out of it and nobody ends up paying more than the others. Which makes everyone happy.

Of course the other guys in your party won't want to do it because then they can keep paying less than everyone else every year.

[Froggy4371]

I buy ALL the grocries, paper stuff and any other things needed except pop, beer, and booze. I lay out the recept it is split evenly. You don't pay you do not eat. It is paid for on the first night. You bring your drinks except coffee and it is all done with. Everyone drinks somthing differnt that is the reason for them buying there own. We had one person not pay one year and he was NOT allowed back. That is why we went to paying the first night.

Froggy

[Wobbler]

Well there is no time like during deer season to iron this out for next year. My dad recently bought the land around our lease because being in a National Forest you can't even put a nail in a tree anymore unless you own land. Our shack is old and is in dire need of major repairs soon which brings up the next issue, 'Why fix the county lease when we can build a new one on the land my dad owns if they won't start helping out". It is going to get ugly and I thought the kitty idea would help. If they "Buck" the idea, I think we will be building a new shack and moving on. We are all sick of it.

[hartner62]

Deer hunting is supposed to be fun and you shouldn't have to worry about arguments every year or wonder if someone will finally pull their share. It sucks to break up a party that has been hunting together for a while but sooner than later it will get ugly. I bet they won't be happy when you take all of the stuff you bought that the others said you didn't need.

[Wobbler]

Well there is that and a few other things that we are sick of. The dad (54 years old) has broke our shack rules 2 of the last 3 years. We have a rule that you only shoot deer for yourself unless some "Gives Permission" to shoot them a deer. 3 Years ago opening morning (7:30am) he shot 2, 8 pointers (As he called it "The hunt of a lifetime" 2 basket racked 8 pointers) 10 minutes apart. The night before he told us not to shoot his deer or buck which was fine by me it is one of our rules. Anyways he comes up to me at lunch and said you need to tag my other buck. I was ticked. I had 8 and 1/2 days to hunt left and let 2 smaller deer go that morning. I was the only one who could shoot 2 deer because we were in an area with only 1 deer. I had a all season one so I could shoot 2 deer (1 buck or 2 antlerless). Needless to say that is where it all started. Last year I let a spiker go on the 2nd day. 30 minutes later he shot it. Great you have made your choice now live with it. You would think from his previous experience he would have learned. I let a small 8 pointer walk, he shot it and made one of us tag it again. Needless to say, when you share a lease it really sucks. He would have been done hunting with us had we owned the land or he was not under the lease with us. We offered to buy him out, have him buy us out, he does nothing. You would think that someone who is a father figure would realize this.......NO! That is why my dad bought the land around. That is why we try again this year. What do you do? Give him the lease and the shack which is what we are starting to think because I agree deer hunting and camp is about fun not being a selfish one-who-thinks-I-am-silly. I want my son to be a part of a tradition of hunting (6 years to go) that I can be proud of and pass on the knowledge and honor I have learned. After 24 years, this will be our last year hunting with them I am sure. It stinks because his son is a good man but his dad does not honor the camp code of honor. I think the realization has hit him this year when we hardly say anything and we told him he can't set foot on the land my dad purchased.

[Johnny_Namakan]

We do the receipt thing for food, but propane, generator gas, misc. supplies are pretty much covered by my brother and I. We own the property but we have three uncles and three cousins that join us at camp. The deal we had was, they help us build the shack and then they can use it free of charge whenever they need to. So we figure the time they put in building and hauling materials covers them for life. Sometimes the guys will give us a few bucks here and there for propane, but we don't ask for it. The uncles wanted to buy into the shack but we wouldn't let them. It gets to be a lot of problems when too many people own something together. If one guy doesn't have money to pitch in for repairs, or if a guy wants to sell his "shares" it ends up ruining relationships and burning bridges. So my brother and I end up getting taxed more, but it's worth it to keep everybody happy.

[tealitup]

Wobbler,

This year on the first night you and your father should both say "no one shoot my deer." If this guy shoots two then DO NOT TAG IT. Make him figure it out. OR this year tell him that he is going to tag the first deer harvested since he has used other peoples tags. See his reaction. Under no circumstances tag his extra deer for him this year.

On our land it is understood that you CAN shoot two deer if you get the chance. We usually only shoot one or two a year out of six or seven people.

[Wobbler]

tealitup,

Without going into more detail he was told that last year and he did it anyways. 3 Grown men telling another man do not shoot another buck and he does it anyways. For me it is about being out hunting for 9 days and if I find the deer I am looking for great. It is one thing also to pass up 7 bucks and someone shoots the bucks you pass up and then tries telling you to tag them. I don't want to be associated with someone breaking the law and I have tagged them. See with a lease, you can lose it with a violation for someone being a bonehead like that. For him it is about killing. For me it is about hunting like everyone but him at the shack. You can shoot 2 deer at our shack too. It is just that only 1 can be a buck. See he is a weekend hunter and wants to drop everything he sees. Unfortunately, you would think the more veteran you become the less it is about killing but more so about the hunt itself. Pretty sad when someone who is a shack elder and one who should do things right and be looked upon to do things right has to be told year after year what the "right" thing to do is.

[tealitup]

Wobbler,

I feel sorry for the situation you are in. I dont think I really know about the lease, but if you break the rules they take it from you? If you bought land next to you then who cares - and get him a ticket... if you loose the lease at least you know he will not be there hunting your land next year.

[Wobbler]

tealitup,

We have a county lease that is renewed every year. If we lose the lease, another group can come on the public land I have hunted for 24 years and hunt. We own land but in a National Forest their is very little public land. Another group of 6-8 people hunting by us would really affect our hunting. There is more to the story and it all is not good. I worry about him seeking revenge when all of this is laid out when we build and move on. I have learned through all of this that when someone is mentally sick there is no way to speak rationally with someone. My 5 year old is more mature than him and cries less too. Plus with a high power rifle in the woods. It is easy to say many things until you have to confront someone. Who knows? He could get mad and leave and never come back. He could shoot himself, he could turn his gun on us. It is just a shame for me to give up 24 years of my "shack" because someone can't function like an adult. It is a mess. I sure hope nobody else ever has to go through this. When I read the camp stories on another post that is what it is about. An escape and not somewhere where you should walk on pins and needles. Here is one of his new rules he wants at our hunting shack and since I am younger I got lectured about in front of my 7 and 5 year old when my dad was not around that he can't see people drinking because it makes him want one. I told him it was his problem and he needs to change his behavior not me change mine for him. I said I am an adult and it is my choice. Since he has stopped drinking 3 months ago "No drinking at the shack" and we said no but we never store any where he can get at. I wish I was making this up but it is all true.

[picksbigwagon]

Wow, I think you need to sit down this weekend, and not wait until opener. if it waits until the night before opener so be it, but something needs to be said. Keep your cool, get a hold of the other older members of your party and let them do the talking. Keep that lease if at all possible, but the older hunters in your group must be just as upset about this as you are. He will fight this if it only comes from you. The No drinking rule, good luck with that one.........Good luck with this whole situation, I lost 640 acres of hunting access in Houston county due to my brother in laws mother leasing land to a couple guys from the city and didn't let the major land owner know anything about it. the whole valley is 720+, she owned 80 but we had reign over the whole valley. These things get ugly fast.

[tealitup]

Wobbler,

Tell him you saw a Mountain Lion next to him walking down a trail.

If he is the lone man out - you all should completely ignore his ignorant [PoorWordUsage].

Charge him for something on the lease - Make a run that the first person to shoot a deer pays for the weeks worth of food?

Do not tag his deer - if he gets two follow him out and call the DNR off your property.

No drinking in deer camp is like no sex on your wedding day Do your normal routine. Heck, if you have 9 days of hunting and he has only two - I am sure you could set up close to him making some noise. Maybe even go say "hi" every morning and evening while he is on stand - make sure nature calls

[Wobbler]

tealitup,

My father, brother, and I discussed it last night. We will just ignore and carry on like nothing happened this deer season. After deer season, we will be building a new shack on my dad's land and just exclude him. Since all 5 of us are on the lease (him and his son too) we will pay the taxes 5 ways. That way we do not lose the lease either. If he shoots something that he can't tag or his son, I will be turning him in. No doubt! My 2 brother in laws will be hunting with us next year so it will be way better. I just want a kitty so my brother in laws feel like it is all equal. My dad bought the land, I am paying for the shack, my brother gets the equipment we need etc. I appreciate your input. All my buddies said we should have dumped him long ago but when 5 people are on the lease and someone is nuts there is no easy way to get them out.

[tealitup]

Bring mental health pamphlets and place them in the shack! Make a rule that EVERYONE who comes to camp has to go through gun safety.

If you move off the lease next year tell him that they owe 75% of the taxes since you are not using the homestead acres.

[tealitup]

Or make a rule no alcoholics can be at camp.

[DonBo]

At our camp we have a policy that every night spent is X$ put in "the kitty". For us, there are 8, we use it year round, it is $2 per night. For yours, used mostly during gun season, it may be $5 per night.

Might take a couple years to figure the right charge, but it is a fair way where those who use it most pay the most.

Should have said this is just for the stuff used around camp. For the expenses, taxes, power, phone, etc. we buck up equally at the end of the year.

[Wobbler]

tealitup,

Already took him to psych floor and detox once. Another great story what led up to that, lets just say he was talking about my wife and what he would do if he was me. He is lucky my dad did not beat him to a pulp and I stepped in. I warned him twice to shut up and he said it again. Good thing I only tipped a few back and was in the right frame of mind. Of course his son was not up to witness it so he believes his dad and his side. We loaded him up and on the first Saturday night we said he needs help 3 years ago. The same night he shot the 2 bucks the first time. He was out 96 hours later! He did apologize but of course some dr. said he is mentally stable.

[Double D]

Incredible story. What people have said here is right, Wobbler, deer season should not have to be like this.

DD

[Wobbler]

Double D,

I wish it was only a story! I live to deer hunt and last year my hunt was ruined. This year new attitude, new shack to look forward to for next year, and moving on! We will have an ugly situation after deer season but when the dust settles no more garbage to put up with. His son said we should give him chances and I am all about helping out a friend. I think we have given him enough. Hunting partners don't do this to each other.