Deer camp opener
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
Where's everybody going???
Me. Camp is the cornucopia area, nothing like the big woods!! Wishing everybody a safe n successful hunt!!!
I've been hunting out of my cabin in Barron County for the past 20 years. Not as nuts about gun hunting as I used to be, but still enjoy the outdoors and time with friends. I shot a deer with the bow so probably will not shoot another deer especially a doe. I like keeping the doe population up as best as I can. ENJOY YOUR HUNT!
The boy and I are heading back to Fairchilld for the opening two days. That's all I can take off. I'll be putting down the Martin and picking up the mossberg. I'm hungry so if Collin can't connect in a doe opening morning I will try. I'll also be looking for one of the big boys that were out of range during our bow hunt.
Good luck and be safe!!!
I'm headed south this year to Columbia County for opening weekend. Won't be any type of Deer Camp as I'll be staying at my daughters and hunting solo. If I'm lucky to get the buck I seen with the grandson I'm not sure how I'll get it in the back of the truck. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
Good luck and be safe.
We have run camp out of my house for the past three years. Father, brother, sons, and this year stepdaughter is joining the motley crew. We convert the garage to the "Deer Lounge" for the week and make a bunch of great memories. Biggest buck so far was shot from the stand thats 100 yds from the house. Go figure
I don't gun hunt Wisconsin anymore. THe area I hunted in Oneida county for 30 years has turned into a wasteland in regards to deer. I don't have to kill a deer every trip or every year but I'd at least like to see a deer every year or two. The last year I walked about 3 miles on logging roads and cut one set of tracks. Hunting "down south" just isn't the same with a gun, for me it's a bow hunting area.
I greatlly miss the tradition of deer camp though but sadly it seems that's a dieing tradition nowadays. And even more sad is if it was up to some of the elietest bowhunters on this site it would be even more dead.
2 grandkids & I will stay at the house. We have 4 hunt spots within 8 miles in lincoln cty.
I have not carried a rifle for the last 4 years. I focus on grandkids & others that need some guiding.
Its so different now. In the 60's we hunted near Hurley in a true Deer camp . 15 hunters in a 1 room cabin with a pot belly stove. My highlight ?
My first day in camp, Friday, the leader asked if my British 303 war rifle was dead on. I said yes and I was told to go shoot a Doe for camp meat. Wow what an honor.
3 hours later I walked in with a big grin and asked, " how do I gut this thing ? I loved Deer camp.
My Dad, a cig in his mouth and a beer in his hand was very proud.
I'll be up in northern bayfield co. No camp just stay at the house. Solo
I'll be hunting our land in Pierce county with my 16 year old son and a friend of mine. We use to leave the camper down there all fall, but I got sick of putting it in storage so late in the year. Now we stay with relatives or friends. We only live 1.5 hour away in Chippewa county, so I could drive back and forth every day. But that gets old when you hunt all day. Good luck to all that go out, be safe and have fun. Hopefully none of us will have to deal with any of the douche pickles that gun season seems to bring out.
I'll be hunting with my buddies who don't bow hunt. We'll be near Spooned and in the Chequamegon. They're great guys. This is about the only time of year that I see them. I'm looking forward to it.
I have one that's contemplating taking up a bow though.
We will be hunting with the inlaws in Vilas Co. Not much for deer but good time spent with the family.
Like the last umpteen years we will gather near Ogema in Price County. I haven't figured out which weapon I want to take with me but I am leaning towards taking the bow.
A smaller camp for us this year due to a few members not making opening weekend due to school. We will gather at the hunting shack in Portage Co. Friday will be our fish fry and a few beers then off to bed. Saturday is pizza night with cooks choice for Sunday as we watch football that night. Been doing this for over 20 years and our group has grown as members have been added as children have reached the hunting age. The bottle of Travis Hasse apple pie is ready for someone bags a big deer. Good luck all!
I will be out on the National Forest hunting. It is not as much fun as bowhunting but still enjoyable to hunt.
I miss the old hunting camp and the tradition but all the other guys are gone now.
Good luck, be safe and make great memories.
I have been going North since 1953 haven't missed a year but my wife just had 2 surgeries so I have to stay home and hunt. That's not bad as we live in Waupaca Co. But I will miss the old guys
North of Winter for me in the Chequamegon forest. Its been a deer camp up there for our group since the 40's. Good luck.
Small camp this year for us near pembine. Only myself, my father, and my uncle staying at my uncles place. Brother in law won't be going as they had another baby. Other sister has young kids too and won't be back for a few years. Add a buddy who moved to California and another who's with the Army National Guard in Iraq and I suppose we won't need as much beer for the evenings. Good luck to all!
Hunting on our family property in Chippewa county. Hunting with my brother and family. Never hunted with anyone else. Son moved back home within 3 hours anyway, closer than 28 hours. Will stay at my moms with my wife in my bedroom downstairs. Kind of strange to think about it, I been doing it similar to this since I was 8 , got to track and drive then, so 45 years now. Dad's been gone 30 years now but got us started on hunting and buying land. Thanks Dad. All be safe and enjoy.
Great bunch of family and friends get together at our family shack in douglas county, some for 2 days and others won't leave until we kick them out. We hunt private and public and most have put in at least a few sits bow hunting this year so rifle season is more for the camaraderie and family time. Have a safe and enjoyable hunt.
Will be at the shack (no running water, no power) in northern polk county. Our group has owned the land since 1971. We run propane lights, oven, stove and furnace, along with a wood fireplace.
I haven't missed an opening weekend since I since my first one in 1981. (We now have a generator brought in for the season, that we charge our radios with at night, and use for some additional lighting in the kitchen when cooking.)
We should have 17 hunters for opening weekend, and 12 for for second weekend.
6-7 of us will hunt nearly the entire season (most go home for Thanksgiving)
two bunkrooms full of military bunkbeds full of snoring, farting, smelly men and teen boys. Evenings around the fire place, or if it's nice, outside around the fire pit.
We've lost some of the originals from the group, with only 1 of the original 4 dads still hunting, another two are medically unable to hunt anymore, and my dad passed unexpectedly in 1996. Still we have a 78 grandpa, who will be hunting with his 13 year old grandson; and various ages in between.
The big bucks have disappeared from my trail cameras the last 2 weeks, but I'm hoping they were just tied up with does. Though the big 11 pointer was wounded by a guest, and despite hours and days of searching was never recovered.
I spent this past weekend getting camp somewhat ready, and a few of us will head up Thursday to get everything ready for the Friday night invasion.
Friday night before opener is my favorite day of the year, and it is magical to spend it with family and lifelong friends. Only thing missing is dad.
We will hunt hard, reward ourselves with great food and drink, and then continue to hunt hard the next morning. I can't wait.
Unfortunately I'll skip Cornucopia and Bayfield County altogether again this year. Lack of deer and too many illegal baiters congregate what few deer there are and then claim "their" area.
Vern say hi to Pat and Amy this year, I'm sure they'll be visiting you again at your stands :)
Headed up to Stone Lake. Washburn Sawyer counties border, Thursday night, with my brother, niece and my father. Typical camp opener. Get there turn the heat on and start un packing. Friday go out and make sure the stands are in order. Then put " The Ham" in the oven. Graze over the ham for dinner. Head in to town to sign up for the buck boards and wish our local friends luck. Back to the cabin for a night cap and off to bed.
My brother in law and my nephew are coming up on Wednesday for their first Wisconsin hunt. So that will be fun.
Gun season has always been my favorite time of year, spending the week with family in the woods. No expectations for a kill this year. Number are low by us too. But I can guarantee a lot of fun to be had. Great thread. I love reading about everyones camps.
passed down Family Land in Southern Taylor county. Were lucky and numbers are still good, and big bucks a plenty.
Not what its about though. 6 bunk bed shack, with a kitchen, wood burning stove for heat (great cover scent), electricity but no running water, we get that from a farmers well down the street, and an Addition added on as a "party" room 16 years ago.
There will only be 7 of us this year and one of those just comes up to hang out, and doesn't hunt. Mostly family and one friend. Only two generations of family this year. We lost the King last January, he did not come up last year due to bad cough that ended up being the end of his impact-full 85 years on this earth. I'm sure that will keep us a little grounded this year. But we will "KEEP THE TRADITION ALIVE".
Good lucky guys. Enjoy every moment, especially with those older folks at camp. Be safe and shoot straight.
Bigfknjay. The camps are the best part, always great to see what's on the backboards for deer, it's part of the hunt, When the day of the deercamps go we will. Never see hunting the same. Especially gun season
Times have really changed for our hunting group over the years. We used to hunt the CNNF "old school" using a wall tent and wood stove for a good portion of the week. Didn't have alot of success, but it sure was fun. We've since added young ones to our families, so the time afield has diminished as has our desire to rough it.
We'll be stomping around N. Oneida County this year. The Big Woods swamps will be our destination. Weather (knock on wood!) looking favorable for once. We were lucky to drop one buck during archery, but the freezer is still a little light. We'll hit it hard, but we won't lose sight of the fact that the hunt is more than just putting deer on the ground.
Good luck to everyone out there.
Tack, your spot on. I hunt hard opening weekend, then I hunt as I want to . I Spend time with my family telling stories and creating new ones. Playing cards and running our mouths. Like my grandfather did before his eyesight took hunting away from him.
I can still see him in his long underwear making sandwiches in the morning as we rolled out of the bunks . And the stories he tells are still camp favorites. If it wasn't so far away from home we would break him out or the nursing home for a night just to be there again.
Split Rock, WI. A safe hunt to all !
Yup we have nothing fancy for camp but plans are in the work to replace it with a better building. It will always be the "Big Rack Shack" as my step-grandson points out!
Spent most of the weekend working on guns for friends & customers . I spent a lot of time giving safety lessons to the older hunters . The under 30 crowd seems to have benifited from hunter safety . 1 guy about 60 turned and pointed his gun at me while asking a question . He gut his butt chewed .
I picked up a Savage Model 99 Sunday . Made in 1927 in 300 Savage . A rare takedown model with a Marbles peep site . This will be my shooter next week if I carry a gun .
Year two with the guys at my cabin in Burnett County...and judging by all the slow-moving pickups cruising around the last two weekends I think we'll have plenty competition. Oh well, somebody's gotta get 'em and I like our chances just as much as the next guys.
Gordon only 12 left out of 26 . We still make the best out of what is left with animals and with the tradition since 1975.
This thread is more encouraging for me to get friends to join us next year then anything else I've ever read. Almost forgot this guy will be joining us too while guarding his spot at the cabin.
BIGFKNJAY I was just up in that area (just into Washburne from Stone lake) on Saturday and Sunday. Saw 12 deer Saturday morning before 10! Most deer I have seen in a single sit in years. 1 spiked at first light, then groups of does. No bucks following as hard as I hoped, but it was awesome. Good luck all
Bigfknjay i know what your going threw . All you can do is look at the future grand kids will fallow the tradition we all went threw .
Good luck to all the deer camps out there may the tradition move to the next generation
Going back to wood county to hunt with my brothers for the first time in 17yrs. I now live in Colorado and have become a strict bow hunter hunting whitetail a in river bottoms and chasing elk in the Rocky Mountains. I can't wait to get back and tell stories, drink beers and teach my nephews what I have learned over the years good and bad. I don't even care if I see a deer! It's about one of the greatest traditions that Wisconsin has!!!! Good luck to all and make sure safety is number one on your list so you and your camp can continue the tradition! Cheers!!
Birddog....
Spot-on Birddog. "The" best tradition WI. has !!
Grew up in Bayfield county in Washburn but moved away many years ago. Go back every year since late 60's. Will have 4-5 in camp this year. In the last 3 years our group has seen 2 deer total(4 bear and a dozen wolves also). Did see 3 deer on my bow hunt there a couple weeks ago which is encouraging. Been hunting there since I was 10 with my dad. Would be nice to see deer but time with my sons and friends are what makes this special. We will likely not see another hunter in the woods all week which is what makes this doubly special. Can't resist the big woods.
orionsbrother - "We'll be near Spooned..."
I spent a lot of time in high school trying to 'be near Spooned', but I am betting that wasn't what you were talking about. Good luck!
We hunt in MN near Canada. In a 14' x 16' wall tent and wood stove. It gets very addicting.
Heading up to Iron County (Pleasant Lake) Camp Tumblenub. Looking forward to cards, beer, deer camp phrases, snacks, and probably no deer. We couldn't get there last year due to snow, first time in 22 years. Going to be nice to be back in the woods.
I will be hunting a few farms in Lacrosse Cty. Gun season always means the end of early bow season so its a little depressing. Besides that, it's about being around family and having fun for us. Being mostly a bowhunter, I am honestly hoping for torrential rainfall all 9 days.:)
Traditional camp started in early 50's. We are in Douglas county. This will be my 50th year. Used to be everyone stayed for the season. Now most guys are going home on Wednesday because of lack of deer the last 5 years. We still have fun and laugh a lot.
Will be heading to Burnett county, my dad and a few family members and friends bought cabin in 1987. I became a part owner a few years ago, we now have 7 owners. Normally have a decent sized crew that stays up for the entire season. I have a new job so won't be heading up till Wednesday. It's my favorite time of year, staying up late drinking and listening to the same stories being told year after year. Thanksgiving every year we wake up head to local bar and drink bloody Mary's and shake dice while waiting for football games to start. Grandpa stays at cabin cooking a 5 star meal, about 2pm we head back to cabin for the feast and more drinks and dice. It has been years since we have killed a deer, we hunt hard all day but we have a great time with old friends and family at night. The memories created over those 9 days will be cherished for a lifetime.
Going to Waupaca County, no shack, just stay at my parents house. Most of our crew gets together there Friday night for dinner and drinks. Some stay at my parents house and other stay at one of my uncle's house. We all meet up for lunch on Saturday and all the neighbors come over to visit in our gravel pit. It is nice to meet up with the group on Friday and the neighbors on Saturday, we usually meet about 11:00 for lunch and about half go back out for an afternoon sit. I used to sit all day, because I was there to hunt, then one year I had a buck down and decided to go to the pit for lunch....I couldn't believe that I had missed all of that over the years just to try to kill a deer, I haven't missed a lunch with the neighbors after that. My daughters look forward to going hunting there every year too, one is 11 and the other is 9, I started having them come with when they were 7. We have about 15 in our group and has actually grown over the years, when I started we had about 11, lost a few over the years and gained young hunters, kids of hunters in our group.
Going to camp in Blue Hills in Rusk County. This will be my 29th year. Used to stay all 9 days, but in the past several years I only hunt a few days out of the year. Will probably hunt opening weekend, maybe Monday too, won't be back up until after Thanksgiving as I work on Tuesday and Wednesday, have to cook on Thursday back home. Will have all three kids with this year, kids will only hunt opening weekend, and maybe after Thanksgiving, boys have basketball and wrestling practice during the week as well. Like others on here I mostly look forward to having a few cocktails and hanging out. My 12 year old daughter is coming this year, so hopefully the weather isn't too nasty we can see some deer.
can't wait, my favorite time of the year. Taking my 13yr old son up for the first time and the whole camp is very excited. Our camp in Barnes started in 1958 w/ around 10-12 guys and we've been holding steady ever since. Leaving tomorrow night and the group will stay up all week. No corn, quads or treestands but lots of wool, walking, getting lost and seeing a few deer. If you need some inspiration for the hunt go to
https://instagram.com/redplaidgang/
have a great and safe hunt everyone
Like Dampland commented above, I too will be in North West Polk County hunting the Sterling Barrens!
My family owns a rather nice cabin, all off grid, with solar power with gas and wood heat. Sleeps 24 people in five bunk rooms. While sleeping space is not an issue, general space can get a little cramped, but is manageable. Great place. Gets used year round by the various family LLC members.
Novemberforever's Link
simple camp rule reminder video
The rain has stopped here, temps in the mid fifties and dropping soon. Snow on the way 0.5"-1.0" and forecast for the weekend here in NW WI. is NW winds, temps mid thirties and mostly cloudy. Nice
TD Bauer's Link
Wanna know what Deer Camp is all about?
Read this: http://www.tdbauer.com/deer-camp-anyway
Ill be in Iowa archery hunting. WI is a joke!
DBL Perhaps you should consider staying there then...
dbl...don't feel obligated to return !
Dbl, the iq of both states will go up! :)
Sounds like some good times to be had. I'll be in northern Douglas Co. Hunting my 120 acres behind my house by myself. I think I need to find some friends.
Just scored packer/bear tickets with a 16 man limo from big falls. 2 hunting camps wil empty. Fun week!
"The rain has stopped here, temps in the mid fifties and dropping soon. Snow on the way 0.5"-1.0" and forecast for the weekend here in NW WI. is NW winds, temps mid thirties and mostly cloudy. Nice"
One thing I've learned...if you are going hunting or fishing then you need to add 10 mph to the forecasted wind speeds. Never fails..
Probably stay in the shop (window looks out into our woods) and get some more woodworking done.
It's getting close ! Let's all have fun enjoy the hunt! be safe! Share some camp photos. And pictures of the lucky hunters.
Heading to camp black lake. Good luck, shoot straight, be safe.
Went to Walmart for batteries at 8 am. The place was packed . A guy in front of me at checkout had a cart with 7 cases of beer, 4 cases of soda, 5 bottles of Brandy, and about 100 lbs of sausage & cheese. Hipe their not hunting next to me ..
Be safe gang, you can't call the bullet back.
Tack Driver, what time you going to crawl up that comfy treestand overlooking those big bait piles? Are you planning to wear the orange this year? Backtag? How many violations you planning to add to that rap sheet this year? What is it like looking at all those nice bucks that you have taken illegally? It must sure make you proud! Do you tell people the real story on how you harvest them? We've got our GPS coordinates and we'll be out nice and early in the morning, looking forward to seeing you in the woods....don't forget to look over your shoulder every now and then :)
Keepitreal. Your. Either stupid. Or. Dumb You probably have to stay home to keep a eye on. Your. Lady!! ??
Keepitreal. Your. Either stupid. Or. Dumb You probably have to stay home to keep a eye on. Your. Lady!! ??. Heard some. Pretty. Good. Stories. About the homefront!!
Keepitreal. Your. Either stupid. Or. Dumb You probably have to stay home to keep a eye on. Your. Lady!! ??. Heard some. Pretty. Good. Stories. About the homefront!!!! Enjoy your season!!
Good luck all! We'll be back out on the Chippewa County Public land. We're all anxious to see what happens!!