My husband went to the deer camp Saturday morning and stayed until Sunday. He rarely ever misses church but this weekend he even missed church because...he had important work to do. Now deer season doesn't start for 4 weeks but it will take several trips between now and that date to have everything ready. This is what I understand had to be done:
Photo by Flickr
1. Check the deer stand to be sure it hasn't rotted since last year. If the boards have rotted they could break while you're up there and you could fall to the ground and you could break your leg. Ask me how I know that. Yep, it happened to him. That year he was on the side of the mountain and had to walk a mile or two out. Thank goodness he had a friend with him to lean on. I was at home having a yard sale when his friend drove up in the truck with my husband in the passenger seat and said I'm taking him to the hospital - you wanta' go?
2. Put out the deer feeder. You have to train the deer to go where you want to aim. If you're going to sit up in one of those deer stands then the deer have to come to you. Doesn't seem fair to me but there you have it.
3. Hurricane Ike knocked out the electricity in lots of Arkansas last week, including the deer camp. Yes they have electricity, satellite television, and central heat and air. A concrete block house with one huge bedroom (wall to wall bunk beds of snoring men, shudder), a living room and a kitchen but with all the modern conveniences. Including a shower which is rarely used. I digress. The electricity went out for several days and the deer meat left in the freezer thawed. No one was there. Someone came out to check. Found a freezer full of rotted meat. Don't think about it - you'll have nightmares. And now they wonder why they can't get the smell out of the freezer.
4. Deer season is over by Christmas. The deer camp is left empty until the next fall, except for an occasional visit to "bushhog" the grass. Cleaning might be a good thing. Even for a group of men the 2" thick dust, spider webs, and mouse droppings are not what they want to come home to after a long day of hunting. I wonder if they just hose it out but I don't dare ask for fear they might think that's a good idea if they aren't already doing it.
5. He had to find a good spot for his GameCam. That is a camera that you mount out in the woods neer your feeder (see #2 above). It is on a timer and every few minutes it takes a picture, all night long. You get great pictures of startled & big eyed deer, raccoons who could care less if a light is flashing as long as there is food, coyotes who really are sneaky creatures, and occasionally critters you can't identify. The purpose of this is....I haven't figured that out yet. I guess they sit around and watch their pictures and brag about who has the most animals feeding at their spot.
6. Wood has to be cut for the fireplace. Never mind that you don't have but a little wood at home for the fireplace that is supposed to keep your wife warm. Besides, at the deer camp there's lots of wood there for the cutting. And men must cut wood. It's a manly thing.
Edited: I wrote this post on Saturday and set it to post on Sunday. According to my husband the mosquitos were so bad at the deer camp because of the recent rains from Gustav and Ike that he couldn't spend the night. He arrived home just at dinner time. You know how they do that? Tell you they won't be home for dinner, arrive at dinner time and ask what's for dinner? I need help here girls. What is your response when your husband does that. Because I'm pretty sure screaming isn't the right one.
Good morning, Marlene -
ReplyDeleteAh yes, deer camp! I know the routine well. My sweetheart and his brothers are deer hunters. We are getting ready to send them off in about two weeks. They don't have a deer camp like your hubby's - they all have travel trailers so we are stocking and planning and getting them ready to roll.
Tell your hubby that the way to deal with the horrible smell in the freezer at deer camp is to put charcoal (briquets will work) in there, close the door and let it absorb the smell. They will be amazed how well it works. They may need to change briquets from time to time but it really does work. I know because when I was a little girl we came home from the vacation to find that the power had gone off while we were away and our freezer was in 'bad' condition with rotted meat. We've used the charcoal solution a time or two in other situations.
~Adrienne~
I wanted to read this post to my hubby but I couldn't because I'm afraid he will want to deer camp for himself! I do know the preps for hunting season--ours usually require a trip to Sportsman's Warehouse for a few things. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am curious as to why they left anything in the freezer when nobody would be there. Doesn't anyone eat the meat at home? Yummm, venison!
The dinner thing--I'd tell him I thought he was brining it home with him! Isn't that what hunters do??
Great post!
Did you read about the man who fell out of the deer stand and broke most of the bones in his body? Tell your husband to watch out--it's not only the deer who are in danger during deer season!
ReplyDeleteWhen BT sits down at his computer tonight, I will be sure and show him your blog.
ReplyDeleteDeer camp is quite a routine for him too. We rent a farm that is next to hubby's home place. In total about 200 acres to hunt on.
The rental farm has an adorable little cabin. No elelctricity, but several years ago they piped propane in and use portable tanks and we have ceiling lights now.
It has a fireplace and water. The water is from a big barrel outside that is gravity feed. Every year they take a generator down and a big tank of water and power wash the walls and floor.
And soon they will start the cleaning thing too. I like deer camp, the women get go and eat the evening meal and the men usually do dishes.
As for if he came home for dinner with out reservations, I tell him there is Deer sausage and cheese in the refrigerator. And the crackers are in the cabinet. LOL
Osagebluffquilter
Hi, Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such a sweet message. I have throughly enjoyed reading your blog this morning and also the one of the aprons, made me think of mama. Have a great day. Blessings and hugs, Marie
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun camp. You know, outta the ordinary. We kinda need that sometimes, to break free from the mundane.
ReplyDeleteAs for dinner, I'd tell him, I was having popcorn, if you want more, you gotta take me out!
Once, when I was a child, we came back from vacation late in the evening. Mother opened the refrigerator door and oh what a smell! We had been gone two weeks. Don't know when the fridge quit working but what a black mess. She tried all kinds of stuff to get rid of the odor like kitty litter and charcoal. We are in the basement for a couple weeks as there was a stove down there.
ReplyDeleteIf my husband asked me, "What's for dinner?" I'd say, "Pizza, here's the phone book!"
ReplyDeleteWow - that was a true education for me. There are no hunters in our family so I didn't know there was so much to it. I thought they went out in the woods and sat still and slept in tents!
ReplyDeleteMy husband sometimes says he'll have to eat out with business associates and then that doesn't happen and he forgets to call to tell me duing the ride home you know, the hour ride home. I tell him his choices are cheeerios and milk or of my frozen Lean Cuisine meals! LOL
I liked this post... it sounds just like the men in my family. I'll have to do a post on our cabin. My husband built one by himself to share with our sons and his extended family. It's a big hit with the men.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dave comes home asking about supper... I pretty much decide we're going out!
What do you do when he says he won't be there and then shows up and there's no supper? Easy......... "I'm going to Sonic...what do you want?"
ReplyDeleteMy response is..."and...what will you be making for dinner?" This post was great.
ReplyDeleteROFL! This is hilarious! Much love, Raquel XO
ReplyDeleteLove your post. My husband is a deer hunter, too. He was able to get the wheat in before Gustav blessed us with some rain, so it's coming up beautifully! Last year they found a game cam that emailed the pictures to them. My husband and son work together, and I'm pretty sure they spent most of the day looking at the emails. We own our own business and come deer season, one of them is always leaving early. Must be nice!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I kind of like the deer season. It gives me a chance to enjoy some "alone" time.
BTW, got a Great New Giveaway going on over at my place, to commemorate my 100th post--please stop by!
ReplyDelete"How about a bowl of cheerios, dear?"
ReplyDeleteThis was too funny. I guess I have too much testostrone at my house and it was so real. And men think we are strange. Go figure. When my hubby comes home before expected. I tease him about not being able to live without me. As for dinner cold cereal works.
ReplyDeleteOH that's an easy one...Dominoes Delivers!
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm. I think I LIVE in deer camp! We have a feeder and a camera up on the ridge, another feeder in the lower pasture. Our house is . . . . lets just say that the deer camp probably has better amenities at this time. Only difference is, my hubby only has a short jaunt on the four wheeler to check on the feeders and the camera so he's ALWAYS home for dinner! :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings from the creek!
Liz
My Hubby just came back from deer camp too-he scored a 7 point with a bow! I enjoy deer camp-we stay in a camper-but do have electricity and running water. Kind a like camping but with the convenience of home.
ReplyDeleteMy Uncle Harold and cousin Sherrie have a deer stand and catch one or two every year. Their freezer is always full of deer meat.
ReplyDeletePB leaves this weekend to go scout for elk. Good times.
ReplyDeleteMy Hubby isn't a hunter, but if he came home at dinner time when he wasn't expected it would be a can of soup or out to dinner. It is a shame about the mosquitos but we have the same problem here in our area brcause of the heavy rains. Unreal!
ReplyDelete