Traditional deer camps are dying, but I don’t believe hunting is dead.
when I was growing up we got together as a family every year on opening pheasant weekend and deer season. Aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone. Pheasant camp died as the pheasant population did, deer hunting camp died as the cousins either didn’t continue to hunt or moved out of state for employment and the uncles who were half hearted didn’t care any more.
I met my wife in 2003. Our hunting camp was fading, mostly gone, but her family camp was in its hay day, 20-30 people. Lifelong long friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, neighbors and more. It was held together because my FIL owned or rented most of the land that was not public that we hunted on. Almost 20 years later we are still going strong, but the future is not bright. Of my wife’s family, her dad, myself and my wife are the only ones that are there annually. My wife’s brothers and sisters do not care to hunt but still come back to socialize if they can. One of my wife’s brothers is married to a hardcore vegan and he can’t even think about hunting. So it is my wife, my FIL, and myself from the family. The rest is friends or 2nd or 3rd cousins or even their kids. The worst part is much of the land that we hunt is being sold or a family member of the owner wants to hunt it even though it’s a small parcel. That has fragmented our land we hunt on.
Now comes the complicated part, my FIL has always only shot bucks himself, but He could care less what you shoot as long as it doesn’t go to waste. About 1/3 of our group is looking for a true Iowa trophy. Which is very possible where we hunt. 1/3 our group just wants to get a little meat for sausage. They don’t care if it’s a doe, a spike or a giant. and 1/3 could care less if they get a deer as long as they have fun, and are safe. THIS is tearing our group apart more than anything else IMO. The ones who want a trophy cuss the hunters who shoot a small buck and vice versa. The ones who don’t care and are just happy to be outside are indifferent. My FIL is trying to get out of it as he is 70 years old and doesn’t want the drama anymore, so it is starting to fall on me.
but since I get a say, my dad and brother are in my in laws hunting camp now. Awkward at times, but when it comes down to it if I can’t hunt with family anymore I’ll be done with deer camp too.
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