In last week’s column I expounded on the institution of deer camps. They have been a ritual for as long as anyone can remember here in America. Deer are the most numerous big game animals in nearly all of the eastern states. In many areas they are becoming nuisances. The sport of hunting them is not nearly as popular as it once was and the state at least here in NY is encouraging youngsters to hunt them.

In fact there has been a concerted effort in many states to ease age requirements for first time hunters. There has also been an increase in the numbers of female outdoor sports enthusiasts across the nation. Their numbers have been increasing across the whole range of outdoor sporting activities. Could it be a sign that the effort to turn the country into a gender neutral society exhibits some results that men can appreciate? I think it does.

Deer camps are a nearly total male bonding tradition not likely to ever be affected by any amount of female interest in the sport. It’s a man thing that appeals to a great many men who have little interest in hunting. I believe it is a primordial urge to flex natural instincts that have remained in men’s souls since the beginning of time. I have many male friends who have done little or no hunting who enjoy their time in hunting camp. They are the guys that keep the fire burning and the coffee pot on the stove. They are the old men past their prime and unable to hunt but still like to be out there giving encouragement to their friends and relatives. As one old guide friend I knew in the above category used to say, you have to keep up your reputation.

Story telling is perhaps the best part of camp life. None of us were nearly as good in the woods as we would like others to think we were but it’s always good to be there if only to perpetuate the legend. You can learn more about human nature and life in a deer camp than anywhere else on earth.

Every camp has different traditions they hold to. One of ours was to keep the first drink in abeyance until the first buck was hung on the buck pole. Another is indulging in quirky foods that were seldom appreciated at home. In this neck of the woods I can tell you Croghan baloney and Limburger onion sandwiches top that list. Baked beans, venison stew, boiled dinners and chili are annual favorites. Amenities differ widely from camp to camp depending on how remote or limited modern facilities may be.

The Adirondacks and Tug Hill regions were known for their guides. The sports would hire them to put together camps and locate the deer. Very few of the caliber of men that once guided for a living can be found today. I was fortunate to have associated and worked with some of the last of the old honest to goodness originals. One of the services they provided was entertaining their clients with hunting fishing and trapping tales.

Finally camp life provides one of the most accurate insights into the character of a man. It’s a shared experience and everyone in camp is expected to do his part. The guy that hangs back and waits for someone else to do the chores is not likely to be invited back again. A woodsman can have no higher praise heaped upon him than being referred to as a good man in camp.

In last week’s portrayal of deer camps and hunters I pointed out that I am in, or awful close, to the final stage of both hunting and camp life. I have pretty much given up remote camp life because as I have just pointed out above it’s a shared experience. I can no longer carry my own weight and choose to move on to another plane. Luckily I have a friend who has a rustic camp with all the amenities of the modern world. There I cannot only hold up my end but maybe outdo some of the younger guys that have not yet earned the title of a good man in camp.

My friend is Wally Ifflander of Big Moose and local tavern fame and his camp is in Allegheny County on the border with Wyoming County. It is one of the most rugged rural areas in New York State. The climate and terrain are comparable to our Old Forge region. The area in contrast to our area teems with deer. The icing on the cake is that the region is open to rifles versus shotgun only use.

I will be leaving in the morning with my son-in-law and two grandsons for the opening of the season the following morning. It does not provide me with the same feelings of satisfaction that I once had still hunting the backwoods but it has to do. The camp life will be just as enjoyable with my family and friend Wally.

Stay tuned to learn how we made out.