Hunting Camps need to be cozy and dry. It is important to have a place where you can sleep comfortably. Having the option of a shower and a rustic sit-down toilet is also important. Not everyone knows how to do their duty on a log.
You can set up a quick privacy tarp, or tent, for a shower. Use heated water mixed with cool to get the right temperature. Place a submersible pump in the shower water and enjoy a warm shower. Hygiene can end a hunt in a hurry.
Hunting camp need to also be Dry. This means no drugs or booze. Back in the day, this may not have been the case. Many people went to camp to party and test their limits with booze. Hunters are often labeled as Beer Belly Rednecks that are rowdy and unsafe.
Our camps allow limited booze, after the hunt. You are welcome to drink but once you do, the weapons are put away and you will not head out. When we come back after the hunt, the drinking light comes on. Hunters invest a lot of time and money to pursue wild game. Why compromise yourself with booze or drugs?
Campers can relax, shower, change clothes, and settle in for the evening. Gear and weapons are checked and prepared for the next morning before you crack a cold one. Dinner is served and dessert is around the campfire. This is when the drinking lamp goes off.
There is no room for hangovers at hunting camp. In Montana, you may be miles from a dirt road. Hunting Big Game at high altitude is tough enough when you are stone sober. Just the altitude can impact hunters. Excessive hiking and long days make hunting hard enough. If a hunter is hungover, they don’t get to hunt.
If you are at an upland bird camp, shooting requires a fast, safe, and focused marksman. You can’t take a shooting accident back. Flushing birds are exciting, dogs are roaming, other hunters are nearby, and a moment of poor judgement can ruin everyone’s day.
Establish these limits in your camp. Everyone must follow them together. No drinking challenges or competitions. Some limited beverages can relax and mellow the hunters in preparation for the next day. If you need more alcohol than this, don’t hunt. You certainly will not hunt with me.
Cheers!
Montana Grant
