The End of a Deer Camp

[jmac7469]

Man it really is rough losing property. A few years back we lost the property I grew up on. We've been rather displaced ever since then.

 

[7 point]

I'm going through the same thing in the last 4 months I lost 260 acres behind my house and 500 acres 10 miles away I'm going out this sat to the 500 acres to get my box blind and feeder then I'll be out both pieces I've been on since I was a kid I'm 41 now .

 

[4HAND]

I'm going through the same thing in the last 4 months I lost 260 acres behind my house and 500 acres 10 miles away I'm going out this sat to the 500 acres to get my box blind and feeder then I'll be out both pieces I've been on since I was a kid I'm 41 now .

That's a shame.

 

[7 point]

Yeah it goes to show how much things are changing around here.

 

[Lindseys Grandpa]

We had a lease in Meriwether for 12 years. Had 3 lakes, lots of deer and turkeys along with small game. Had the biggest fruit bearing persimmon tree i have ever seen. Many youngun's including my stepson killed their 1st deer under that tree. The last year we had it (didn't know it was last year) i had a nice 10pt 30 yards in front of me that i chose to let walk for the next year but next year never came. Had a great camping area and due to lakes we used year round. Hated to lose it.

 

[j_seph]

I grew up hunting in Taliaferro county. Went down there since I was probably 8 or 10 with my dad. We had an old home place with running water and power on about 1500 acres. As time went on we lost the 200 that the house was on. Fortunately there was another old house on the property that we put a lot of time in cleaning out, repairing, having a well put in and was back in business. The pres of the club one day handed it over to my dad and we carried on. Then one day it was passed to me when dad just was not able to deal with it due to health reasons and such. I carried along for several years then lost the desire. I had quit looking forward to going down, deer camp had all of a sudden became a place that just was not deer camp again. I would even come in from the hunt in the evenings, change clothes and go over to Jeff Phillips club or another one down the road and hang out with them. Finally the low came when I told one of the other senior members, it is yours if you want it I am done. Learned a hard lesson that not all members in the club are truly friends after I stepped away. I already had a club close to home as well by then and have not been to deer camp now in 8 years or so. Was blessed to hunt the same land for 25 years. Lesson learned in all of this is that is not the land that makes deer camp. It is the family with you enjoying it, and hopefully a few close friends. My deer camp now is driving 15 minutes back home and enjoying time with my wife and kids when they come up and the few we have seemingly adopted now lol. Hopefully one day there will be another deer camp but the memories with dad through all those years will always be cherished and bring a smile.

 

[wingnut2000]

I lost a lease as well that wasn't really a big buck club that I killed maybe 5 or 6 deer, a few turkeys, some dove and predators out of over the last 15 years or so even though I have barely hunted it the last several years but it was the nearest place to home that I could take the kids and let them ride four wheelers or shoot bb guns and stuff or go hunt easily and drive back home after one hunt.


It is also a place I have a lot of memories with a late uncle I hunted a lot with over the years and he passed away a few years ago losing the fight to cancer at 65 (1 year after retiring) although 10 years prior to passing away he was told he had 6months to a year so I am thankful he got to spend those 10 years with us. I made his middle name my now 3 year old sons middle name.

We also had a big super bowl party weekend there every year and this will be the first superbowl of many I haven't spent there.

Just saying I feel the pain. lol

 

[fullstrut]

So can relate to this story. Hate to loose a good piece of land . Great memories will always be there though. Hope you find the next slice of Heaven soon. Good luck

 

[Rackmaster]

I hate that for the OP, I've been lucky to have been a member of a long time club for 40+yrs, initially we camped in trucks, tents, then built a clubhouse to sleep in, then got campers, which we still use today, members have come and gone, I was initially one of the young guys who had to get up and start the fire, and make coffee, now I'm just an old guy who has to do it himself, as we haven't had youngsters at camp in a few years, at one point we had up to 8 members, now we're down to 4, our tradition may be coming to an end in the next year or two, not because the property is being sold, but because we see so few deer now that we're starting to question whether the expense is worth it, we don't take many deer off our lease, but surrounding clubs evidently do, and the states insistence on season long either sex days and 10 doe bag limits have reduced the population greatly, So our many seasons of sitting around a campfire with good friends may soon come to an end.

When I does I'll feel the same way the OP does, things change I know, just not always for the better !

To the OP I hope you're able to find another property and continue on with your traditions,

Same thing is happening on the lease I have been hunting since I was 13.
The lease prices have gone thru the roof and it is getting harder & harder to hold onto!

 

[kevincarden]

Just wondering if this property was on HWY 362 North of Greenville? 1750 acres?