MI Deer Camp 2018 Photos"Deer camp is were friends and family reunite and enjoy being in the outdoors"
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Welcome to MI Deer Camp 2018!
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There might only be four of us, but we still can have a good time. From Left to Right: Larry, Dave, Kruger, and John
Well 2018 was a cold year. There was snow on the ground as we set up camp. It snowed on opening day, and it snowed again on as we left camp. We had to cut Camp short this year. Dave had an Army commitment, so we only hunted on opening day. Kruger and John were still able to fill some of their tags. It was nice for Larry to come back to camp. He had missed the last few years, because of shoulder surgery. Finally, Dave took his oldest daughter Deer Hunting for the first time. She was able to see a nice doe harvested. We hope you enjoy the 2018 photos and stories. See you in 2019!
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| Kruger did you get your truck stuck? |
Kruger is blowing the entire camp. |
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| John is showing off his new filling. |
"This one time, at Deer Camp, I dug the hole…" |
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| Which pole goes where? |
Look, the idiots got the tent dirty again! |
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| Waiting on Dave! |
Hey, it’s the same thing every year. |
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| Dinner at the Faull Inn.
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| “Kruger, are you sure you don’t need a bib?” |
Dave is deep in thought. “I wonder how cold the one-holer is…” “I’ll find out in a hour”
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| Checking game cameras. |
Larry has found his spot. |
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| Dave sat all day on Opening Day. “Wow, I am cold!” Dave had watched some does in the morning, but did not have an Antlerless License.
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Story time with John“So there I was, another opening day in the north woods of Michigan. Got in and settled to freeze way before sunlight but thankfully the heater body suit had me dialed in. Around 8:15 I heard something coming in from my right, being right handed I had to swing around and get set up but also being 16 degrees outside I didn’t want to come out of the body suit to soon. After looking and listening and hearing them coming I decided I had to set up and be in the scope because I was next to a hill and if they took the trail to the right it would put them at eye level and 20 yards away. They ended up taking the left trail and two yearlings passed first and a big doe following them. Fifteen minutes later I caught her in an opening about 40 yards away. A gentle squeeze of the trigger which ended up being more of a yank sent 150 grains out the ole 30-06 and into the lungs. Boom, Boom, Boom had only lung shot or I’d of taken my standard high shoulder and dropped her. First round hit her, second a tree, and third one went somewhere. She took off after the shot running down the hill and back up to my left and I watch her drop about 100 yards from a easy downhill drag straight to my truck!”
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| “Kruger, are you sure you don’t need a bib?”
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Story time with Kruger“I was watching this section of woods where there is a gully to the North East. A deer came out of the gully and into a semi thicket about 70 yards away. The head was partially covered by a tree. I had buck and doe tags. I shot and she ran about 40 yards and crumpled up. Walked up and noticed that what I thought was a doe was a small buck. It didn’t matter because I wanted meat, and it was tasty.”
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| Kruger and John were the only ones with Deer kills in camp this year.
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| Kruger with his spike. |
John with his doe. |
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| Group photo number #15 This is how camp is all week long.
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| The Stars look good tonight.
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| “Dave I think there are UFOs flying around camp” |
“John, I am sure the UFO’s probably saw all the sparks and the heat coming out of the chimney. And no John, you can't shoot an alien. However, I would love to see the look on the DNR's face when you bring that in the check station!"” |
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| The first day of Deer Camp 2018.
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| There is a Night and Day Difference.
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| This was the kitchen this year. We worked out of Kruger’s trailer and just used the griddle. |
Larry is making breakfast. |
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| “Do you guys want your eggs over easy or do you want them over easy?”
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| Fresh Snow on November 16th. Breaking camp and heading home.
One Week Later....
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| Dave’s daughter Addison. She went with Dad hunting at Grandpas house. It was a lot of fun hunting with her. We saw lots of turkeys, squirrels, and even a cat walking through the woods. We made sure we packed lots of hot chocolate, candy, hand warmers, and toe warmers.
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| “Dad can I text mom and tell her we saw a cat!” |
Father and Daughter. “Dad, let’s take a selfie.” |
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Storytime with Dave This was third day where Addison and I had hunted together. This was evening hunt . We ran out to Larry’s house and got dressed. I made sure we had hot chocolate, candy, and hand warmers. We sat for a few hours, it was getting dark, and I heard something in the woods. I told her to keep watching her area for deer. I then saw a doe watching us from behind a tree about 50 yards away. I told her real quietly, that there was a deer watching us and she froze. That doe had spotted us in the blind. I watched her for 30 seconds, but it had felt like minutes. A second deer stepped out from some brush and right into our shooting lane. This doe had not spotted us and was a little bit closer then the first. I slowly pulled up the rifle, and aimed at the walking doe. I gave the doe a “Maaaa” and she stopped. I squeezed the trigger and I watched her jump. Addison said, “Did you get her, did you get her dad? “ I said yes I got her. "Dad, what was that noise you made? " “Let’s go get her dad!” I had to explain to her why I wanted the doe to stop walking. I also had to explain why we don’t run after a deer that has been shot right away. It was a long 15 minutes, and I then let her go to where the doe was standing. “I don’t see it dad. Look here is some blood”. I let her to follow the blood trail, and about 30 yards away she found the doe. “Dad she is so big!” We then went and got Grandpa and he came out to help us. She held the flashlight while I gutted the doe. She then helped pull her out of woods and hang it in the pole barn. A few nights later, Uncle John came over to help cut up the deer. What a great time and memory.
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| Dave and Addison. |
Dave, Addison, and Larry. Three generations. |
MI Deer Camp 2018
Weather: Weather for 2018 was cold with snow when we arrived, and more snow each day.
Nov 14, 2018 Low 16 High 28 | Nov 15, 2018 Low 25 High 39 | Nov 16, 2018 Low 25 High 35
Deer Kill Times: Kruger (Spike) Nov 15-2:04 PM | John (Doe) Nov 16-8:20 AM
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| 2018 The traditions of Deer Camp... |
1959 ...have been passed down from generations. |
| MI Deer 2016 | Back to Deer Camp Photos |