[BlackBruin]

This year was sad. Saw 3 members pretty much relegated to cabin boys even though their hearts are into it but bodies aren't. Several others disgusted with themselves cause physically they can't do what they want to anymore. And the younger ones kinda giving it up cause of these things I said before. It's sad, makes me wanna cry.

 

[Dale Sholder]

Our camp is down to 10 members 3 of us over 60 and me almost there. 3 members in theirs 20's and a couple in their 40's. We had 7 guys for the first week at camp. Hard to push those mountains anymore with that many guys we give it our best but we dont do that well. The buck we got this year is the first buck in 7 years for the camp. Combined with low deer numbers and really never having that many deer there plus aging members I can see camp being more for vacations than hunting in the future. I still love going to camp but hard to keep the younger guys interested when there are more deer around their houses.

 

[Wayne Valentino]

Keep your chin up guys. Things usually go in cycles, hopefully the cycle will swing back the other way.. It is tough to deal with negative change...

 

[Blaze Cammo]

This year was the first year I was not at camp for the the buck opener since 1989...It paid off too..I got a nice 8 pt on the first day...only had 2 guys at camp this year ..my brother and his grandson...we used to get a dozen or so guys..not any more!

 

[ruger1v]

In the past camp was so full their wasn't room for everyone. Typically 13 to 16 hunters. This year there was 4 of us. Barley any one in woods. They guys at my camp slept til after noon everyday. In the past everyone was up n excited. In the woods all day with a lunch break. Some sat all day. Some walked a bit. Kept the deer moving. This year I only saw one hunter in the woods. The pressure is so low in the area I hunt. Good news Is a few of us have kids getting old enough to go to camp. So guessing a new.generation will bring it back.

 

[blind202]

stayed away from my camp after my dad passed 5 years ago last friday started back 3 years ago and have had a great time my cousin has a camp near me and we just have a great time now i have my son on this coast he's in the Navy and my son-in=law great time are here again

 

[Joe the Logger]

We once had a full camp, and kids sleeping in the hallway. Things have changed all over Pa. We now have some serious bowhunters who usually tag out, so they don't make the trip to camp with no tag. I have accepted that its probably never going to be the way it was, but to make the most of what its become. I really don't mind if I ever take another deer at camp, I enjoy the solitude and the property much more now than when I was younger.

 

[pumpgun]

nothing wrong with going to camp for stuff besides hunting. i love going up and fishing, biking, hiking, and just sitting around and "relaxing". oh, and we hunt some too.

 

[oaktowntom]

i was at our camp for a total of 85 days this year from march till dec. and it still didnt seem like enough.

 

[25ftup]

Had 13 in camp for rifle. 7 were junior hunters.

 

[Potter Co. Joe]

The problem is we are all getting older.
I love humping those mountains in Potter Co.
Truth be it, I just can't do it like I use to.
There was a time when it never even dawned on me
that the day would come when I just couldn't do what I was doing then.
So as much as love being at camp sometimes when I'm there I get a little depressed looking up at those mountains
wondering how many more times will I be able to get to the top.

 

[RYANF]

Our oldest and last one of the founding members just passed away, now passed on to the next generation,it is sad.

 

[Pine-Creek]

Gentlemen,
Its not just the members growing old that shrink the usage of once great hunting camps, the cost in Taxes, Food
and fuel for heating and Gasoline to travel has increased so much that lots of people hardly use thier camps any more, its a shame. My wife and I own our property, we have no membership here, however I do off set the cost by training gun dogs. My full retierment starts as of March and I am planning to cut back on the number of animals I was going to train, however with the incresases in the Taxes, I may have to reconsider
what my plans will be.
Pine Creek/Dave

 

[scapper]

I thought about this post over the weekend. I believe your going to find this more and more common. Thinking back at our cabin we had at least 4 or 5 junior hunters at one time now we only have one of maybe the first day.Except if it's some kind of a picnic or party.Our cabin has always been one deer per member and with archery becoming more popular we lose a couple of regulars each year to this rule.I guess all we can do now is remember when.(Or drink on it)

 

[Mike M.]

Camp was full this year only one member could not make it because of a work related issue.

 

[Clearfield12]

Moshannon State forest is filled with camps. Those camps aren't filled with hunters though. I would say it was about 30%-40% of camps had any hunters at all. We were one of the few that was filled. Most had 2-4 guys. I personally did not see another camp with any deer hanging at all except our camp and I drove past at least 100 camps during the first week of buck season. The steady decline of guys going to camp to hunt started with the seasons after HR started.
Is this a coincidence?

 

[Big Don]

What's HR?

 

[Steely Ran]

What's HR?

Herd Reduction. Hammering antlerless and the mere sight them.

 

[buckspa]

In all sincerity...I am starting the process of looking for a camp for my family, so that I can at least try my darndest to carry on some kind of camp tradition. It was such a positive influence in my life that I want my kids to have the same kind of opportunity in theirs. If you find that your camp is dead,dying,or dwindling, and you would like to see it go to good use rather than rot, please drop me a line. It might work out for everyone.

 

[clermont]

We had 7 for bear and 11 for deer I think, highs for both. Of course the cabin has only been there for 4 years.