The smell situation needs to be addressed

[Alan]

After three days at camp, we all smell terrible. Some guys don't care, some guys try to stay fresh..most fall somewhere in between. For scent control while hunting it matters, but at camp? What's your philosophy? Embrace the stink or fight it?

 

[Tabby]

It has been my humble experience over the years that it is cold out during deer gun season. The guys I hunt with do not make a concentrated effort to get all worked up when outdoors, they take it easy, so as not to get sweated up and thus freeze their bottoms off when they settle down to watch the beauty of nature as it presents itself passing by as they snooze in the sunlight, attracting the deer because of the buck snorts emanating as they snooze dreaming of the huge bucks that are in fact creeping by them as they sleep it off from the night before. When they wake up from the cold, they are amazed at the number of deer tracks they didn’t see earlier when they stumbled in.

Thus, the only odoriferous scents that usually permeate the area, especially within the confines of the cabin or tentage, have to do with gases. These gases are released because of the consumption of fermented beverages, beans and sometimes cabbage. This odorous phenomenon usually starts with a slight disagreeable scent and builds to manifest itself, transcending to an eye-watering, choking best as the air becomes slowly displaced by sometimes life-threatening sewer gas. This happens between the hours of sunset and midnight, sometimes before, sometimes after, depending on how fast people fall asleep, or pass out. The gas will slowly dissipate overnight until the scent only slightly lingers before daybreak because of air slowly seeping to thankfully displace the gas. The air transfer is further enhanced as the door opens and closes as occupants wake, open and stand in the doorway and produce more drainage to add to the already slick slab of ice that has formed in front of the door. This is a part of the in and out process from the night before, thus adding to the adventure of the hunt trying to get out the door without slipping and falling on slippery residue.

Usually, as the only female in camp I get up an hour or so before the guys start to get restless. I then slide into my unlaced boots, quietly slip out the door, seeking a nearby tree to lean against to dispose of the remnants from the night before. I then sneak back in and crawl back into my sleeping bag to warm back up before the guys start to stumble around, none the wiser and to wonder how I can go so long without relief, so to speak. I stay in my sleeping bag until the men are out the door off to wherever they are going to go. I then get up, grab my rifle, load it and watch out the window as the deer circle behind the hunters heading into the woods and by the cabin or tent where I have my choice of which buck to take, out of the comfort of a chair by the window sipping my morning coffee.

 

[Tom L]

Well planned. But, I am of the opinion that all should be concerned about staying clean and keeping bodily functions to themselves... out where the animals take care of their own. Just sayin. But then I appreciate a hot shower and a real toilet at "camp".

 

[Tabby]

Well planned. But, I am of the opinion that all should be concerned about staying clean and keeping bodily functions to themselves... out where the animals take care of their own. Just sayin. But then I appreciate a hot shower and a real toilet at "camp".

I have been deer hunting for some 57 years, mostly in deer camps in Alabama and Wisconsin and always shared with members of the supposed stronger sex, although from time to time that is proven doubtful. Deer camp is just that, a camp, not a luxury hotel but a cabin or tent or in some rare cases a snow cave or lean -to, to return to after the sun sets. It's a place where you return to, share stories about the day' hunt and the one that got away and other nefarious things that happened throughout the day. How about the time when a deer knocked over your rifle, leaning against the tree you are leaning back on snoozing, only to wake to see it bound merrily away laughing his flagging butt off while you scramble to pick up your rifle, only to have the deer out of sight before you can get organized. The big question is to tell, or not to tell this embarrassing story only to find that your buddy has it recorded the ordeal with his cell phone camera for all to see. Then, when you ask why they didn't shoot the deer they add insult to injury when they say, "You were in the way."

Down in Alabama deer season opens early enough that one could take advantage of one of them solar showers, providing you aren't shy. . You know that somebody is going to be watching and taking pictures. Back in the Good Old Days you could simply grab the camera and rip out the film. If a digital camera was used you just confiscate the SD card. In the event of a cell phone you might as well just smile and wave because any photos or video taken will immediately be sent to his buddies and the local TV Station for the 10 O"Clock news update on the hunting season. . As for a toilet, if the ground is not frozen there is always the stlt trench, just be careful not to fall into it. Having to take a bath in a cold stream or lake is not something you care to do more than once in a lifetime. In the modern world you can bring along a porta potty providing you aren't packing way back into some remote place way out in a National Forest or BLM land.

I get a kick out of these guys in the hunting videos that show up in the morning out in the middle of nowhere looking fresh as a daisy and hauling along all kinds of special equipment to shoot their prize deer, mountain sheep, goat, elk, moose or grizzly supposedly on their back side of a mountain shooting across a valley to the next mountain with winds blowing and gusting and make a first shot kill at 1000 yards. I don't know who they are trying to fool, anyone who has tried a 1000 yard shot on a rifle range, prone with a heavy leather shooting coat from a prone position with a spotting scope to read the winds which are usually shown with range flags and mirage, both of which when shooting across a valley from one ridge to another are not visible with shifting and gusty winds normally found in the mountains and makes an absolutely fantastic first round kill.

I don't know about you, but going to a fancy hunting camp most likely is not in the cards or checkbook for most of us. We are lucky to be able to draw a tag and drive across many states for a do it yourself hunt with your dad, buddy or even mom on public land. Hunting camps are all about the hunt, fun, comradery and enjoying the adventure.

 

[Toyboy]

I've been to elk, moose and deer camps. My hunting partner and I always take care of personal hygiene. Would you not brush your teeth because your in a camp. It's disgusting to see people let themselves go like that.
You have large wet nap wash clothe, or boil a pot of water and with a washrag and soap you can get pretty clean and fresh.
We've even hand washed some clothes and hung them up in camp.
If you don't care about your self, do you care about the others. Do you wash your hands before preparing food?? Hard to believe when one stinks that they really do.
How could you even eat a meal at the same table with all that stench surrounding you.???

 

[Crash87]

Tabby, "...because of the consumption of fermented beverages, beans and sometimes cabbage"
If you may be referring to the other cabbage as in sauerkraut, we tried that once ONCE!
Tom L, ..."But then I appreciate a hot shower and a real toilet at "camp".
Unfortunately that is the way of the new camp. Years ago 4 walls and a wood stove, all hunters in bunks in the same one room, stacked up like the wood outside. Army surplus wall tents, canvas tarp floors cooking done in a fly outside. Most hunters now can only read about these cabins, and camps of not so long ago and, most would want nothing to do with them now. I allure back to the 90's, money was flowing all over, Supply and demand overtook the hunting industry and prices for those once in a lifetime hunts rose to astronomical level. Unlike the economy they stayed and got nothing but higher. I hunt the northwoods and have for the last 40+ years, I saw people finally being able to afford their dream of a "cabin", "up north"!. Then I didnt see cabins built but homes, And im betting there homes during the week werent as nice as the newly built weekend cabins. The 4 walls and a roof are long gone or on there last almost rotted floor joist.

 

[Tabby]

Over the years the methods of camping out have changed almost on a year to year, place to place basis. Way back when down in Alabama simply went home after hunting and wandered back out into the woods the next morning. That is the most civilized means of deer hunting I have ever done, except for a few times when invited to stay at a friend's house. Otherwise I don't think many of you would approve of my version of deer camp. My camps have consisted of chicken coops (no chickens present) barns, sheds, work shops, small one or two person tents, large Army style GP Medium and Office tents and one year when hunting in Michigan's Upper Peninsula not far from Lake Superior where snow is deep and plentiful, dug into the side of a large drift, in a snow cave.

My equipment varies, beds mostly sleeping bags, on a leaky air mattress, sometimes army cot, shelf or cabinet, hammock hanging from rafters, toilet facilities vary from very primitive, hanging one's butt over a deadfall tree, slit trenches, but most often a 5 gallon bucket with a portable potty seat and plastic potty bags. Running water was scarce so 2 1/2 gal collapsible plastic water jugs would have to do. Cold water was never an issue, keeping it from freezing sometimes was. Heat is usually some form of coleman heater using the little green bottles, light was a coleman lantern of one kind or another. You would be surprised how much heat a coleman lantern generates when in a small area. As I am not a spring chick anymore for the past few years I have been staying in a friends shop. It does have hot and cold running water and a heater, but no potty. I no longer freely wander the woods, have a Redneck Blind, with a heater and my 5 gallon potty. I get a lot of reading done when out there, thankfully no cell service so nobody can bug me or send useless political or sales messages. Longest shot is just short of 200 yards over open corn, bean or hay fields.

I've never gone to any fancy hunting camp, nor have I ever spent the night in a hotel/motel when hunting. Probably never will as age is catching up with me. Doesn't matter, wherever I stayed when hunting it was a great experience with great people and hunting companions,

 

[Tom L]

Happy New Year all...