Deer hunt around home vs heading to camp
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
Want to pose this question to see what others think. Would you rather hunt quality deer near your home (say within an hours drive) or would you rather hunt less quality deer and but be at an established camp with family and friends? (this is for both archery and gun hunting). I will try to explain my situation to put this question in more context, and appreciated your responses along with context as well.
While I don't own land or have much access to private properties near my house, there are some areas I can hunt that have the potential to hold some really nice bucks, in fact over the last week I saw several which I would shoot (not monsters but some nice deer). Now, I didn't get anything, but it was a fun hunt. The places I go to I pack in my stand, setup, and tear down for each hunt, and are within 1/2 hour to 40 mins of my house. There are others on the properties where I go, but the pressure wasn't too bad. Now, the deer camp I go to I have access to quite a bit of private land, however the camp is actually pretty 'busy' in the fall, meaning many other members are up whether archery hunting, messing around in the woods, riding side by sides, etc. And most members of the camp don't really do much for passing up 1.5 year old bucks. That being said however, it really is a good group of people, they are fun to hang out with, have some dinner and beers with, tell stories with, etc. I live about 2 hours away so its not a day trip for me, and I constantly get asked in the fall "You coming up this weekend?" So part of me feels bad when I don't go and help out or hunt with them. I hunted up there the last couple weekends and saw 8 different bucks, one which was 'ok' (which I missed, and I'm glad I did actually), and two of the small ones I passed on ended up getting taken by others. This year I took some vacation during the week and hunted around home and ended up going up north on the weekends which in retrospect seemed to work out ok. What are your thoughts?
I'm in a similar boat. Hunting camp is about an hour away for me. I go back and forth a little bit and do some hunting at camp, but in an effort to create less pressure there I don't hunt much there. I love hanging there for opening weekend and over Thanksgiving seeing people that I don't see a whole bunch during the year.
It is convenient to hunt by home, but not the same as camp.
Do whichever makes you happy. When I'm on my deathbed someday I think I'll remember the laughs with my friends more than the deer I saw/didn't see., but that's just me.
If it wasn't for our deer camp and where we hunt (the CNF), I probably would not gun hunt. The love of the gun season I have is the camp and the wandering of big big woods without a lot of people. I have no desire to gun hunt the public lands around Eau Claire and Clark county during the gun season. Nor do I want to hunt a private parcel where I can only walk so far and have to watch where I step while having a rifle in my hand. A bow, that's different to me. I for one am sure grateful for my dad to be part of an old old camp that I am still part of. I am 2nd generation, and our kids are the 3rd. I can't think of anything else during the week before.
I prefer to hunt alone or with immediate family members only. Been to many social camps, not my thing.
You saw 8 different bucks, got a shot at one, but you don't think the hunting up there is that good?
I'm in a little of the same dilemma. I love going up to deer camp, but it's getting tough to find enough time. 3 hour drive makes it tough to get up there enough, especially with young kids at home.
I've started looking for a few acres closer to home for quick hunts, but I don't know that I'll ever give up "camp" up north. I have such great memories growing up, and I want to make sure my kids have the same opportunities.
7 of the 8 bucks were 1.5 year olds. The one I missed was a 2.5 yr 8pt, and I should have let walk and in hindsight I’m glad I missed (maybe my subconscious forced me to miss lol) and am hoping he makes it through next week. The chances for a more mature buck are a lot less in the area I go up north.
Of those 7 1.5 yr old bucks I saw, two are already dead and most will likely not make it past next week
I'm at deer camp right now. I think I have it figured out. I get the best of both worlds. I'm often tagged out before the first week of November, and up here at deer camp, these guys start their vacation to coincide with the last of bow season, and right into gun season. I came up, cooked good food, drank far too much, played some serious poker, and I'm heading home Thursday. I will admit that I look at gun season with far different eyes, than I do bow season. I am going to shoot a couple deer. It 8s not hunting to me, but instead, shooting. I am not as selective, and I will be butchering some venison. Staying home, and hunting a minute from my house on private land by myself is exactly what I prefer. I have to work Monday, so I avoid the deer hunting traffic heading "north", and I find it far less stressful being at home in the comfort of my own bed. The opportunity for a great deer is at home, not so much right here. I have a second camp I can go to, up at the cottage and 4.5 hours from my home on private land, and haven't been there in 9 years. I honestly believe southern Wisconsin is the new north, and actually see far more traffic heading south on the interstate, and far less people hunting at their traditional deer camps as they did in the 80's, when I couldn't wait to smell that musty cabin, and wood stove, and my friend's grandfather's pipe tobacco.
I live 1/4 mile down road from where I hunt in fdl county. It’s convenient not a lot of land 30 acres or so.. it’s usually great for bow hunting. Last year had 13 different bucks on camera. Friday before and all gun season not a single picture, and didn’t see a deer.
I live 1/4 mile down road from where I hunt in fdl county. It’s convenient not a lot of land 30 acres or so.. it’s usually great for bow hunting. Last year had 13 different bucks on camera. Friday before and all gun season not a single picture, and didn’t see a deer.
I live 1/4 mile down road from where I hunt in fdl county. It’s convenient not a lot of land 30 acres or so.. it’s usually great for bow hunting. Last year had 13 different bucks on camera. Friday before and all gun season not a single picture, and didn’t see a deer.
Our old deer camp has gone by the waysides. I hunt out my backdoor which isn't too far from where I deer camp was. I'm a loner now with deer hunting. There are good and bad things about that. I miss the camaraderie, but don't miss the bitching because some didn't see deer.
I had to come back for an unexpected funeral of a good guy that died, that should not have..... count your blessings and your day....
I so far have had a hell of a fall.... leaving tomorrow for back to Vernon County where in the last 2 weeks have passed on shots that I might regret....
nothing beats deer camp, no matter where it is,,,,,,, go to camp and have fun
It’s pretty much impossible to compare bow and gun hunting, bow is much more personal and peaceful to me, gun is about getting together with friends and family to do population control. I used to try to gun hunt like I bow hunted, and only got frustrated and not enjoy it much. I woke up one year and realized that I, and all the others in the group, were not going to be around forever, so I looked at it differently and have enjoyed “deer camp” and gun hunting much more since then.
My situation is kinda opposite of you though, I bow hunt by my house in Lincoln Co. and travel 2 hours to Waupaca Co. for gun hunting, where I grew up hunting. I actually made it back there for a weekend of bow hunting this fall, and love the peacefulness and old memories of stomping around there in my younger years.
If I were you, I’d head to the camp, who knows who might not be around there next year. There will always be deer around, but those that you love and care about are only around for so long....and nobody knows when anyone’s time will be up, it could even be you.
Thanks for all the responses, very insightful
This situation is more than just gun season I guess, and probably more for archery. Gun season I will always go up there, but several of the members use the camp through fall for archery hunting and other recreation. It’s this that I have a conundrum with... head up there for prime days during archery or not
My wife is at home with a long list of crap for me to do, so where do you think I go hunting;) I wait all year just to "get away", not hell, high water, nor a team of horses could stop me from heading up nort!
South Farm- that is the exact reason I'm builimd something 3 hours away.
I had 3 days off last week an much of that time I got stuck with honey do list.
LOL, yep, my wife amps this crap up before I will be gone every time. It's like there punishment. I always let her know, Fall is Short and don't expect me to do anything beyond what needs to be done for winter. But, she try's. She is generally pretty good about it now.
I've got a great wife, that has never bitched about me going hunting, ever. Hell one year she said why don't you go to Colorado hunting since it's been three years since you went. The only drawback is sometimes there is usually something different when you return home, like a new fridge, stove, dish washer. LOL
Hoot, can I rent her next year before September?
In the 38 years I’ve been hitched. My wife has never griped about my hunting and fishing. Wether I’m gone a few hours or 10 days. She’s even hunting now so we have stuff all over and the list gets put on hold.
I live in the north and hunt the north. Kids are coming up Friday for a weekend of fun and hopefully a deer or two. But when I lived in Westport I always headed up to Hayward to hunt with friends. Deer camp there is nothing like it. But when it comes to bow hunting I’m 95% or more solo.
Sounds like a pretty hot wife.
I have two children under 4 and make it out in the field/woods/marsh 25-30 days a year right now. I consider that more than fair on my wife's part.