Looking to become a member of a new hunting camp. anyone?

[hot tamale]

Hey folks, I am looking to become a member of a new hunting camp in Wisconsin. I have been hunting with a group of guys for about 5 years now and while they are nice people, they don't share the same ideals or enthusiasm as I do pertaining to hunting deer. Let me explain:
I am they person that loves to get out in the woods during all the seasons to scout, become familiar with the land, the animals, etc. I like to know where and what the forage base is so I can set up my ambush accordingly. I am a one shot one kill hunter- I don't unload my gun because I haven't practiced with my weapon in 5 years.
so while I have made the trip up north to our camp several times throughout the year to not only scout, but to do chores around the camp(collect and split wood, cabin maintenance, tree trimming,etc.) I have found that the others always seem to be busy those weekends and then complain when they get up to camp that their needs weren't attended to.
I scout a lot. When deer season comes around, they look to me to place them in good hunting areas and complain when they dont see deer. In 2012 one of the guys I placed was taking a dump with his butt over a log and saw a group of does run through the woods. He grabbed his rifle and shot all three of them while still having his rump on the stump. Then he called me over to which I thought was a need for help dragging his deer out. No, he never knew how to field dress a deer and never watched the videos I gave him on how to do so. Then, he called the other guys over so that they could tag his deer as I later found out he didnt have a doe tag.
These guys continually forget to buy their licenses until about 9 pm the night before opener because apparently the 6 months of me bugging them about it wasn't enough time for them to get one.
They don't wash their hunting clothes for years, they leave them in a musty garage inhabited by mice, raccoons, and lord only knows what else is in there. This is the same garage where we keep gas cans, oil, etc.
Then they get upset when I dont want them sitting near me.

I have just had enough. I really would like to become part of a camp that enjoys the outdoors as much as I do.
Is there anybody out there that would like a responsible, ethical hunter that helps with chores and can contribute to the camp? I am serious about this. I really want to start enjoying the outdoors again with a group that is responsible and that has a passion for deer hunting.

Please Please please help me out!!!

Thank you,

[hot tamale]

I would just like to add what the reason was that came to the final straw in the 2012 season.
I had prepared everything for this last years camp. I mean everything.
when it came time to leave friday morning before gun opener, suddenly two of the guys called me thursday night seeing if they could drive up with me because they didn't have much money (that in itself was fine-dont mind helping out another guy).
So friday morning I go to pick up the first guy who didn't have his clothes packed and ready to go. Then he couldnt find his gun (1/2 hour), then he needed to stop at the bank for cash (he took out $600 for the weekend but didn't have enough money to drive his Eco-efficient vehicle 3 hours to the cabin).
2nd guy-go to pick him up-he's not home from taking his kids to school (wife couldnt do it because she was in the shower and apparently they couldnt plan this the whole time), then he get's back home after about 15 minutes of waiting and throws some stuff in a duffle bag, tosses it in my truck and I think we are finally on our way. NOPE!!!!! we have to go to the bank again because he wasnt able to do any banking in the last 6 months either. He takes out $500 and then says he needs to go shopping.
While I'm waiting in the truck for my 2 fellow hunting companions I am thinking that they will chip in with the cost of the food I have already bought and my wife helped prepare most of our dinners (beef roast, lasagna, tamales and chili) all ready to go with bread, crackers, etc.

My 2 partners come out of the store with 5 cases of coke and diet coke. hmmmmmm!

I wanted to be up at the cabin by at least 10 am to get our gear stowed and then show them where I had scouted out for them to go because they don't care up until that point. (let me explain-if I dont have an area for them, they follow me and sit within 100 yds of me, stinking up the area). I also don't mind helping out a guy that truly cant get away and that is learning to hunt.
By the time we arrived, it was a little past noon. So i made the suggestion, that we unload the truck and get out to the woods because we could put things away later and we should get our areas figured out during the daylight.
Well-that didn't go so well as hunter #2 realized he didn't pack socks, a hat, ammo or get his license.
I had been up the weekend before doing a final scouting trip so I walked out to my hunting area and told them to go to the nearest town and get their stuff if that's what they wanted to do, but I would not be babysitting them in the pre-dawn darkness on opening morning. Away they went to town while I scouted.

At about 4:30 it was dark and I made my 2 mile trek back to camp to see that my two ride alongs were not back with my truck yet but there were 4 other guys whom I have never met, sitting in the living room of our cabin. They were invited up from the other two guys which was fine with me, but I didn't prepare enough food for all of these people. later on, 3 others that are regulars show up around 9 pm. someone heated up and ate the lasagna and the beef stew my wife made and they were gone. two large meals gone on friday night. Nobody else brought food, except chips and sodas for themselves, nothing to share.
I'll continue in the next post

[hot tamale]

THE SAGA CONTINUES---

Opening morning i am up at 4 am and letting anyone who wants to ride with me that the truck leaves at 5 am sharp. at 5 minutes before leaving. two guys get up and start to scramble to get ready. cant find hunting gear, hand warmers, etc. I waited fifteen minutes and I left with only one of the 3 that wanted to go.

at about 8 am, one of the hunters that just got out to the woods, wandered aimlessly over to my stand and said"where do you want me to go?" this is one of the guys whom i have never met before asking me to put him in a hunting place. I told him to go back the way he came and go over to the other side of the road about a 1/4 mile in to the clearing. He couldnt whisper and was talking loudly telling me that was too far for him. I then became rude and said i didnt care where he hunted but get out of my area. he loudly broke every branch as he stomped off-oh yeah, and took a phone call on his cell talking loudly because he couldnt hear the person that called.

I was pissed to say the least. at about 11 am i had enough. I went in to warm up n do some things, only to find out that the chili and tamales were eaten up as well by the rest of the guys. I am out of food that was supposed to last 5 days. I decided to not go out that evening as I went down the road to get a dinner from a bar/tavern and to vent to anyone that wanted to listen.

I get back to the cabin about 7 pm to find nobody is there. around 1 am sunday morning, the whole crew came loudly stumbling in the door. when i asked where they were, i was told they all went to the casino.

sunday came and the incident mentioned above with the one guy shooting 3 does happened. I had enough. I would be packing up and going home sunday afternoon. the two guys that i took up had the option of staying or coming with me. then they told me i had to help clean up the cabin before i left. I did help-I washed the two crock pots of my food that i never got to eat, I cleaned up the wrappers from the crackers and snacks that i brought and never got to eat. I then packed my truck up and gave them a final warning the truck was leaving in 1/2 hour for home.

Then i was asked why i was so pissed off. I let it all fly. I got no apologies, money for gas or anything. I helped them out all year long, didn't ask them for anything and then when they dont have money to chip in for food but they have it for the casino-?????

People, please help me find a new group to hunt with.

Is there any room in your camp for another hunter??????
Seriously, I want to hunt with a different group.

Please help!!!!

[Ohio farms]

OMG. If anyone needed some new hunting buddies, it is you. I can't really help you, but I sure hope somebody can. You deserve it.

[unclebuck]

First let me say that just reading this story made me mad. People like that should not be able to hunt. Period. I dont even understand why they would want to hunt? Clearly they dont like to. Do they want to just kill something? You need to get as far away from that "hunting camp" as you can.

[X Factor]

Wow and I mean WOW. Those have to be the worst hunting buddies ever. How did you ever happen to get started with them? One of them owns the place and invited you? Hard to understand. With guys like that it's no wonder deer camps are dissolving.

Don't know that I'd go about asking to join a camp on a hunting forum, though. You'd be better off scouting public land and hunting by yourself if you can't find any buddies to join you. Book your lodging for a couple nights and stay in a hotel and drive to your spot for opening weekend which is by far the best shot at a buck. Finding a camp that fits your needs might be a tough deal, but good luck if you go that route. You may want to try a local sportsmen's club or hunting shop and tell your tale there too.

[Sierra]

Holy cow.... I'd be looking for new digs too. They sound terrible! And I can see your point of view. I hunted with my fiance one time and even he was too slow to get ready in the morning and was too disorganized for my taste. I would flip if I had to deal with these guys. This is probably why I will mostly stick to hunting solo, even though a camp sounds fun for guys.

Hopefully you can find some people on here or through here. Another idea is whatever local hunting/fishing publication you have in your area may have a classifieds section if you are determined to group up. Also, your local range might have a community board.

If it's just an issue of needing a place to hunt because the group you were in has access to where you were going, some legwork can pay dividends.

I wish you luck! And I agree... I'd lose these guys quick.

[hot tamale]

I have known these guys for about 15 years. I play cards with them quite often. my wife and some of their wives are friends as we all get together often. My wife knows how I feel and how seriously I take hunting. I don't have to kill in order to have a good time as any hunter will know. Just being able to outwit the animal and have an opportunity to harvest an animal is what I love.
As far as hunting public land, we do (or I do). Their cabin is bordering on the Nicolet Nat'l Forest and a lot of paper and timber company land is around. thousands and thousands of acres.
I would however like to share the experience with others that feel the same about hunting. that's why I would like to belong to another camp. Even a group of guys that rent out a hotel, but that get together and have fun, hunt and get excited and love to be in the woods.

I actually prefer the large tracts of public land to hunt. I have hunted solo for many years in the Kettle Moraine. I loved it because it is close to home and I always had success. The reason for change? Nobody to share the excitement with. Do I need this? NO-but it's more fun when you can share your experiences with others like you. Even to hear a story about hunting puts me in the mood to be out there. Playing cards the night before opener, starting traditions or carrying on old ones. laughing and joking with other hunters.

I know finding a group to hunt with is going to be tough, I thought here was the best place to start. Maybe putting up a bulletin at a hunting club or shooting range wouldnt be a bad thing to do either.

If I had the money, I would start my own hunting lodge/cabin and then make the offer open to others to join.
well, our season is over but shed hunting starts soon here. That will start my blood boiling and thoughts of a new season start rollin through this bald head of mine.


Stay warm!!

[kellory]

Tamale, if you were local, I'd say come on over! Or if you were closer to Michigan, I'd say check in with Badtoys, I know he wanted a serious hunter to hunt with.
I understand your frustration very well, and I can sympathize, But I'm not close enough to do you any good. i wish you luck.