This article was originally published in Minnesota Volunteers (now Minnesota Conservation Volunteers) from November to December 1979.

The 1978 deer season was very special for our deer hunting camp.

We call it our 50th anniversary hunt.

In 1928, two of my uncles and some of my cronies conducted their first deer hunting in northern Minnesota. They drove a new Type A Ford to the north, towing a trailer full of gears. Their team had very good hunting luck in the first year, with three or four deer in the bag. In the deer season, they continue to return year after year.

On our 50th anniversary, our team hunted in the same boreal forest. In fact, our camp is in the same forest clearing used by the original group. My uncle and other seniors are now either dead or too old to hunt. We now have a third generation of hunters. The first time I hunted was in 1948—I was a high school student—and my brothers started after that. Today, our sons joined us, and the little boys are waiting eagerly.

Our hunting camp is located on public land and there are no sheds or huts. From the late 1940s to the 1960s, there were as many as 10 to 13 hunters in the camp. Then our residence is two large military wall-mounted tents.

Each tent is heated by a barrel stove. A hay bed obtained from a local farmer provides a comfortable sleeping space. Old Joe always suggested that hay and quilted robes were warmer than any sleeping bag, and he was usually right. This comfortable camp takes time to prepare, so some parties always set up camp one or two days before the season.

In recent years, we have moved towards modernity through pickup trucks and small house trailers. But we still have old tents. For our anniversary hunt, we decided to return to a big tent so that young hunters can experience the comfortable atmosphere that we all like.

We are always full. Roasts, stews and pies are pre-cooked at home and ready to be reheated in the camp. More than once, in the late season, we even had Thanksgiving dinner at the deer camp.

Over the years, our hunting team has established some unwritten rules, which are still being followed. The hunting team is mainly composed of family members. Although guests are occasionally invited, no one can join the camp permanently unless they are welcomed by everyone.

Everyone should have fun and participate in work. Usually, cooking is done by the most experienced people, but others will help with dishes and cleaning. Dry wood must be collected and divided. Take turns at night to keep the wood stove burning.

Although it is popular at night, drinking is not allowed during the day or in the woods. Everyone should leave the camp early in the morning, have lunch together, and go hunting all day, unless they are sick or have other excuses. We still remember that the alarm clock rang on the opening day of that year, and we were awakened by the gunshots in the forest during the day. We ate breakfast in a hurry, and despite the late departure, we shot five deer that day.

Guns are always unloaded at night. Every hunter should aim his rifle before the season, and shooting in the camp is usually unpopular. In the woods, all hunters should only shoot at deer, not other prey, even if it is legal, including lotus grouse and porcupine. The exception may be shooting at coyotes or bears. Our party only shot and killed one bear during the deer hunting. That was a few years ago. Several of us have tracked bears in the fresh snow, but to no avail.

When deer are shot, they are usually hung in the woods to cool down, sometimes taking four to five days. Dragging a deer is hard work. Usually, several hunters gather to drag the deer back to the camp.

We have never seen a deer stolen or eaten by predators because it hangs in the woods. We usually think that it is safer for the deer to leave the camp because there is no one there. We always remember that year when my brother was "safe" at home and stole his money from the clothesline pole. Where feasible, the team follows conservation rules: in deer seasons of any sex, obvious fawns will be abandoned in order to preserve next year’s seeds.

Our hunting methods are different. Every experienced hunter does his own thing, it depends on the individual. We hunted on foot from the camp. Some stalls are nearby; others are two miles away. Our stands are sturdy and comfortable, and some hunters stay in place all day.

Others like to walk and still hunt on the way from station to station. Such a hunter might push a deer to another waiting hunter. We rarely drive deer because the forest has not been destroyed, and few of us like to be so strict. Over the years, we have found that certain booths may be more successful than others, and these booths are usually occupied.

Generally speaking, everyone spends the early morning, and then some people may walk around with cat feet, hoping to intercept deer. Uncle Kang tells the story of walking to a stranger waiting in a tree and smoking a cigarette. Kang asked, "Did you see anything this morning?" The pipe flew out of the frightened man and almost fell from the tree.

We put in extra effort to recover several of our disabled people. Our team has learned the importance of well-positioned shots, and clean kills are the rule.

Even if the deer has no signs of being hit or no blood is found, all shots will be closely followed. Even a galloping deer that passes through the lungs can walk a distance without leaving obvious blood stains. If a deer becomes disabled, the hunter will ask for help. Two or more hunters will follow, one on the trail and the other observing from a distance. In this way, a severely disabled deer is usually retrieved.

A boy's first deer hunting—especially his first money—was a special moment. Usually, those of us who just started hunting deer have had experience hunting grouse, pheasant, rabbit or squirrel before. It is expected that a boy’s father will guide him on hunting safety and morality.

Some boys spend some time in the deer camp before legal hunting, and even sit on the deer rack with their father or Uncle Chuck without a gun, just to see what's going on.

The most important thing is that people who are just starting deer hunting should stand on their ground, not wandering or stalking the deer alone. Usually, fathers or other adults will drink coffee or eat lunch nearby.

Although experienced hunters are happy to provide advice and help, boys should dress up their deer. If gunshots are heard from the boy’s stands, the help is usually to hang up the deer in clothes to cool down, or to track the lame when needed. Shake hands with hearty, pat on the back, and even extra homemade pies waiting for the young hunter to return to the camp. Most importantly, a successful hunter can relax and add his story to the many stories told around the campfire.

In the past half century, "our woods" have undergone significant habitat changes.

When this group of people first started hunting, most of the area was open or bushy, which was the result of logging and slashing in the early 1900s. The old felled and burnt pine tree stumps still exist, but most of the forest has grown again. The elders used to stand on top of an old wooden horse barn, where they could see the block. All that is left is the basis of decay. Another popular "log frame" many years ago is now just burnt stumps in hardwood.

Some old, over-ripe aspen forests have naturally transformed into highland hardwoods, mainly maple trees and scattered red oak trees. Although these hardwoods do not allow too many bushes to grow, they are usually good hunting areas and are easy to see and pass through. Other timber stands are maturing, and some sporadic timber harvests are happening again. This timber harvest has created a new viewing area for the deer, and we are very happy to see the lumberjacks at work.

How about successful hunting and the good old days? Over the years, about 200 deer were shot out of this camp, but even then there was lean hunting. In the late 1920s and 1930s, the deer season usually opened every other year, which proves that sometimes there are fewer deer herds.

I remember that in the early 1950s, after a series of severe winters and deer losses, there were one or two bad hunts. In the late 1950s and 1960s, when as many as 13 deer hung on the meat poles next to the big tent, the group especially enjoyed the fun of hunting.

The hunting in the early 1970s was once again terrible, with only two or three deer being captured. But the good hunt is back. Last season, our nine hunter gatherings saw a lot of deer and brought back six dollars. Our anniversary hunt was a good success.

We are already making plans and strategies for this year's hunting. The old tent is waterproofing. Hope we can enjoy more hunting in our camp. Oh yes, if you want to know where it is, I will only tell you that this camp is on public land in Cass County in northern Minnesota. If you find us, we welcome your visit, but please do not plan to stay.

Robert A. Chesness is the wildlife manager of the DNR area in Grand Rapids.

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