Wondered if other camps have trouble rallying members to either show up early to set stands and clean trails or participate in work activities throughout the year
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Wondered if other camps have trouble rallying members to either show up early to set stands and clean trails or participate in work activities throughout the year
This question will probably elicit quite a few responses. I've hunted solo for a good many years due to the "gang" not getting along pre-season from one conflict or another. Looking back, it was mostly the spouse's who caused a lot of it by not wanting hubby to take off to the hunt camp for a party?
Yes, but over the years I've pretty much resigned to the fact that only so many of the group are truly the thinkers and workers of the group and the rest just want to come along for the hunt. There are ups and downs to having too many of either.
You'd think it would be beneficial to have lots of hands on members and different opinions on hunting strategy, but often it ends in too much disagreement. On the other hand, if you have too many slackers nothing gets done.
For the past 10 years we've formed a tight group of close friends and family, equally split between hands on hunters and holiday hunters. We all know that only a couple of us do most of the prep work and planning. The rest of the group is appreciative in other ways. Chipping in for more groceries, doing more work during the week of the hunt (dishes, firewood), or buying breakfast on a rainy morning. It's more important that you get along as a group and find a way to make it work than focusing too much on equal input from the members, at least in my opinion.
Yes, sometimes the holiday hunters get lucky and fill all the tags, but at least you have the satisfaction of being part of making it happen and contributing to your success as a group.
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It’s a fact that 90% of the work is done by 10% of the people. It’s just the way the universe works.
I'm sure there are others that are like me, I enjoy the preparation (work) and planning just as much as hunting. Probably why I enjoy hunting solo.
As Sam said, 10% do 90% of the work just take a look around your workplace and I'm sure you'll see at least some truth. If you don't maybe you are the 90%? Haha
I'm reserved to hunting with one other family member or on my own. No BS, every hunt is great. No camp bosses aloud...lol
We have 2 work weekends a year at our camp. Spring and fall. If you dont show its $100 fee for the spring and $200 for the fall.
And if you dont help your the dog and camp cleaner for the entire hunt.
Struggle every year trying to get members to help out, The fine is actually cheap because the people that go do the work are spending more than that in fuel to get there/chainsaws/generators/food etc.
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Hunt camps are strange places where people can walk past something that needs picked up or a job that needs done and completely ignore it, they have to be asked or told to do every little chore. Sometimes makes me wonder how they ever feed themselves sometimes or reproduce ??
I view the preparation and planning as an extension of the hunt. IMO, this work enhances the enjoyment of the fall hunt. It’s a win-win!Quote:
Originally Posted by dean.f
Like in " Beehive " there is who working and there is who enjoying ... And hard to stay calm ...
Some Hunters come to the kitchen tent with a chair plate and spoon and fork .... when is ready ...
And is hard to teach them that have to share the chores to , without fight ...
Some hunters can go pretty far ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlmorgan
I've seen two camp bosses be put in their place. One got punched out for trying to order guys around at night when the booze is being consumed. I don't have time for BS when I want to enjoy time away hunting. I have found over the years hunting with gangs never go's quite as planned. More entertainment than hunting in some groups. To each their own, if you have a good group of hunters that all get along every year, consider yourself lucky
We found the best way to have a work weekend was to make it a wives-included adults only weekend that was the "go to" event of the year starting on Friday and ending Sunday PM with enough beer and whiskey to float a battleship and enough food to sink it. You wouldn't believe the amount of work that would be done when we knew there was a giant corn roast BBQ when we got back. The women loved it because they could relax and enjoy themselves without cooking,cleaning,watching kids or being politically correct. Unfortunately,those days are now behind us thanks to Moose license/tag unavailability,an employment "high risk" demographic (first responders), Covid-19 and some older members who are about to retire from "long haul" hunting trips also being higher risk than most, For 21 seasons,we had a fabulous crew and memories that will last a lifetime.
I've missed fall prep a couple times, but the weekend that was chosen, was out of my control. Last year, the guy who thinks he's camp boss cause' he owns the actual camp, was coming up the week earlier. We hunt the 2and week. He would go to everyone's baited watches, and hunted every day until we showed for the 2and weeks actual hunt. It was brought up as I and a few others thought it wasn't a good idea. Personally, if we all pay to bait watches, one guy bouncing from watch to watch for a week before we hunt, rises the chances deer are spooked out of the area. Am I over thinking this, or am I justified being a bit upset with it.
I totally agree with you, I'd be ticked off for sure knowing that my stand was being used before the hunt like that. But seeing as he owns the land not much you can do.Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveBates
Well that's just it. He owns it..so if I dont like it, it's my choice to stay or leave... I've been thinking lately of just starting my own with my cottage. My 5 yr old daughter and 12 yr old son will be the first members....lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty55
Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveBates
Are you saying you looking for members join??? I've had the issue more of me wanting to do the work and someone saying no I can do it and then complain they have done all the prep work. Been looking for property for me and my wife to do all the work and enjoy the hunt ourselves because the one thing I cant stand is ppl changing their minds last minute when I'm planning and looking forward to a hunt especially the spring bear and fall bear/deer season.Quote:
Originally Posted by bucketboy
And I unfortunately I dont know enough ppl or social enough to try and make my own hunting group going lol
To answer original post ? YES ! Always ! Sometimes I get help ... most times it's up to me. I now live on the land we hunt and even before that due to my age and connection to the properties I seemed to be designated "Captain of the Hunt" every year.... go figure ? I try to run a fair camp by putting most issues to a vote but if need be my word will be final . So far this works as the crew I put together work well together when here. One guy lives a 7 hour drive away so I don't expect him and 3 more in Toronto have family or work issues to contend with. Had to give my cousin the boot because of lack of participation during the hunt. Another guy opted out right at the begining because he didn't like the idea of having a Captain of the Hunt telling him what to do....too bad his loss. You just can't have 6 or 8 guys running nilly willy all over the place. I plan out the weeks menu , figure out who bunks where and who hunts where . All I can say is finding the right guys that fit can make or break a camp.
That's the biggest problem with having a camp so far up. A lot of guys don't have the time to drive 16 hrs one way for a work weekend. You need more retirees LOL.Quote:
Originally Posted by bucketboy
That’s a good summation! Our group has been together since 1988. Although we have the occasional difference of opinion we get along pretty well. I wish we did more together in the off-season but we all live far apart from each other. I like doing prep work and scouting for new areas, whereas the other guy are content to stick with the same areas and stands. To each his ownQuote:
Originally Posted by longpointer
Sometimes it can be the littlest things that cause grief in a hunt camp. One guys snores too much, one guy drinks too much, one guy insists on smoking in camp, one guy cooks with garlic, all these annoying habits. Like most have said it takes a special group to get along with each other especially when confined to a small hunt camp. Camp owner or just -a-come, each has to back off a little and be a bit accommodating toward the others.
Lol those are all my best attributes no wonder Ive never been invited to deer camp. Are you allowed to fart or swear or does that put you on the naughty list? Asking for a friend...lolQuote:
Originally Posted by sawbill
interesting to see that I am not alone , having said that there has been some very good advice offered.
You opened up the can with worms ...
When do group split up ... over something ... In hunting groups ,
the problem not necessarily goes away , just get redirected on somebody else .
Camp bosses is not good to have ... but leaders in the group yes good leaders ...
Who have a vision and implement new thinks for the benefit of the hole group ...
Some group not like that not want that ... that is then a negative selection ....
If you know what I mean ...
Some group get more successful others not , some hunters go to outfitter some hunters not ...
The group can help members to secede to harvest the game ...
But they have to go hunting more often , and not to give up in the middle of the week and go home ...
When other prepared set up a camp for them brought a Canoe just for them for little fishing .
I changed my tactic I don't invite people I don't call them to come ,
I let them ----- ASKE US , CAN HE COME WITH US ----
It become a hole different ball game ,
that is the first step of selection...
They selecting themselves ....
for inn or out ...
Not everybody can afore same amount of time time , and that is fine
But they can participate other way get a wood for salt box borrow a trailer make ice for hunting trip supply some straps which they can get for free , get a pail of cooking oil or lard for baiting , printing out tags for others , get a free pails from home wine brewers , make some good wine for the rest of the guys . There is a ton of opportunities if they can't come to the work party ...
There is a ton of opportunity to help other way
We don't need camp bosses ( sorry guys...) We listen the wives all year long lets have a week freedom ...
We need a safe relaxed week of hunting ,
on which everybody can enjoy hunting the way wanted and planed the hole previous year.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by bucketboy
Being part of a camp that has been active since the 60’s we have witnessed and tried most everything mentioned. I am proud to say that today we are a well oiled machine with little operational issues. It takes time. Over time with the ebbs and flows of new members Some issues may resurface but with all of us on the same page it should be a quick correction. No matter the couple work weekends we have, the moose hunt and the deer hunt are my favourite times of the year.
No camp boss at ours either. all members have the same stake in their shares hence the reason we want everyone to pitch in the same.
We have a couple guys that are in charge of organizing the moose hunt, Different couple run the deer hunt. All members can hunt that week for about $20 a day (that's just for food and gas for generator)
We expect all members to do their share in maintenance. Some guys are older now so they usually end up hauling stuff we need on the truck/quads and the younger guys do the bull work.
The part that pisses me off is a few members that rarely show up for work weekends,But go up 2-5 times during the summer, Bring a bunch of friends and completely trash the trails on their quads. Then work weekend comes and they cant make it, So the other members are fixing the stuff that crew caused over the summer, Not leaving a lot of time for stands, Clearing shooting lanes.
That's why we charge members now when they dont show up. Always work to be done, When we have all 12 members there plus a few more helpers, we can cut and split enough wood for 5 years, Clear trails and stands so everything for the hunt is looked after.
Always lots of drinking after the work is done, We have a couple cooks (dont need to do Bush work if they cook) So the odd time some words might be said, But we all get over it and if they want to fight it out, Go for it, They all know we are miles from the nearest road so if you need a hospital we will just bury you in the bush. (Joke that goes around camp every year as we get older)
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We have a mix bag of us older farts and young lads. The problem is not that the young guys dont want to help clean trails, bait barrels, hang new stands etc its that they do not have enough vacation time to do everything so we give them a free pass......for now!
Wise ... They going to have a time later ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by huntnmachine
Depends, are the guys all owners? Do they come up and hunt for free or do they pay? We had work weekends and work weeks but it is hard to demand people who are paying to come without any rights to the property to develop it.
This thread has been an eye opener.
The older I get the less tolerant I am of stupidity and I would remove myself from a group that caused me grief.
We have a small group of 4 for black powder week.
The cottage is rented so that eliminates the maintenance issues. :)
All 4 of us bring a dinner to share. Your on your own for breakfast and lunch.
Clean your own dishes and when it's your dinner day that includes the dishes.
We all clean the place before we leave.
The rest of my deer season is usually a solo effort by me with my bow. :)
There ya go! Black powder week matters!
The group I hunted with were all good. There was no Camp Boss and everyone did their won thing but pulled together during hunting time everyone had there own trailers. I was the odd man out as I didn't have much back them and really could not contribute much. But to help out I usually brought some beer for everyone and helped the wives cleanup after dinner. Sadly our group fell apart an d since that time a few have now passed away.
Been a member of our group for 40 years ,started out at 13 members. Lost a lot of good guys over the years, now down to 4.
Getting people to show up for work parties as always been like pulling hens teethe.
Might be time to just hunt with my son.
We have a good group and have never had work weekends but always seem to get everything done. Two of the younger guys have taken on the wood duties and know they need to get it in for the rifle hunt. They usually do this when up there duck hunting. My Father and I have taken on the stand maintenance and placement. One of the guys that comes up cooks and is good, so that’s his job(we all bring food).
Young guys that have not shot a deer or guys only up for 2-3 days get the pick of the stands first. The other’s fill in what’s left and if you have shot a deer already you better pick last lol. The pair that lose the euchre game do dishes.
It works for us and some fantastic memories have been made. It has gotten to the point that I use to leave some of the best whitetail deer hunting out west to come “home” and hunt in the camp atmosphere. Had a guy fly out from Victoria last year for the two week rifle season because he missed it so much. His wife got him the tickets as a gift.
The only deer he saw was helping drag them out but one of our young guys shot his first deer and he said it was worth the flight just for that.
Those that think it’s just about hunting have never been in a good camp.
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I guess i`ve had it easier than most over the years. Camp established in the 50`s, we took over in the early 80`s as the originals got older and died off. Very particular who we let in. Everyone helps out in their own way and in all our opinions we have the best bunch ever. All of us are like family..some of us are in reality. looking at the comments from others I feel privileged to be part of the best group of guys I have ever known. If we get moose or deer we call it a bonus. Its the laughter and friendship that makes memories, that I will cherish forever. I wish everyone the same experience that we still enjoy.
Amen Saskfly... Amen ! A good hunt is when everyone has fun and nobody gets hurt the bonus is meat and the memories to take home and we always seem to do well in both those departments.
Well said Saskfly