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Camp Lodging

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Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 1]

Over the years I have used a lot of different things for hunting camp lodging. I have hunted with no lodging at all for short periods. Sometimes a tarp was all I had. I have had several tents, a couple of cabover campers and several travel trailers. I have slept on the ground in my sleeping bag, slept on a foam map or air mattress. Now I have a wall tent I got from the Wall Tent Shop, and sleep on a cot with a foam pad on it.
I like this set up the best as it is easy and comfortable. My brother says I am a minimalist, but this arrangement has been the most reliable and comfortable for me. He likes it enough that he bought a tent just like mine for his daughter and her family. We set up a gazebo for our kitchen and a place to be in the shade when it is hot out. Life is good.
Now I am wondering what others have decided on. Do you have a camp that is what you want or is it just what you ended up with trying to piece together enough to get by on?
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Lefty » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 2]

My years in the desert started with this tent.
2012-09-08 11-25-29.JPG

Ive used a bunch of tents since then, too many nights in the back of my pickup,, most often with a shell.

$5.00 tent from Deseret Industries: retailed over $550, handled some big snows.

IMG_5855.JPG
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 3]

Lefty, I like your outfit for its ease of setup and mobility. For shorter stays it would be hard to beat.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Lefty » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 4]

When I hunted every waking moment That tent was slick and quick. The little blue tent took seconds to set up,
unroll my pad,
put a bag on top
toss pillow in,
strip down to my underwear and crawl in and sleep.
But the mornings got colder, the tent shorter and putting socks and boots on became a chore, add snow,,,,,
I use to hunt on the cheap, worked hard my whole life and decided to get a trailer,, my wife thought she need to make some decisions and we ended up with this. 8-)
Being able to sit up right to put boots on , stand to put on pants, do it in the warmth of a camper that’s good for me




20210902_090906.jpg
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 5]

That little trailer is probably just about as quick and easy as the tent. If you have the room at home it is not too hard to store either.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 6]

funny you mention it..... we just got home from Wyoming a few hours ago. here's a picture of our setup for this year. we've standardized on the 16x16 expandable frame tent (army issue). it's scalable.

as you see the picture, the left is our 16x16 kitchen. middle is a covered walkway. right is a 16x32 sleeping arrangements. we had a big camp this year with 8 men. it's definitely a "heavy" camp - takes half a day to setup or tear down, but it was pretty glorious in use.

the only thing I DONT like about it is the vinyl material. when it's cold outside, moisture inside the tent will condense on the interior of the tent, run to a low spot (typically a support purlin), then drip. I'm told it's the nature of a vinyl tent, so not much we can do about it. we used a solid fuel heater this year which pulled in additional ventilation which reduced the problem considerably.
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2021 WY tent setup.jpg
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Lefty » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 7]

Sweet tent camp Billy!!!


Using a tent was 22 minute set up, 24 minute breakdown.
With the RV camp was 2 plus hours setting up, and nearly two hours breakdown. But that was for the whole month of Sept.
I can set up and load in 20 minutes for an overnighter or move down the road.

We do not use the toilet. No need to where we hunt . I dig a pit with a seat over it. Only problem sometimes is moo cows
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Jhg » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 8]

If it is warm I prefer no walls

My 1st truck camper wish I still had this one
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Then I went bigger but on a truck not great for mobility
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Now its a small 5th wheel I can unhook and go
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Set up times were never more than 20 minutes on unleveled ground. On level ground I just would turn off the truck, get into the camper and be in bed(or whatever) in 5 minutes
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Jhg » 10 23, 2021 •  [Post 9]

This is one reason I like a camper- a gas oven

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Because when it gets cold or wet its warm and dry. Just hit the thermostat

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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 24, 2021 •  [Post 10]

DSCN0534.JPG
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My camping buddy Blizzard guarding our lodge and watching over the hunting gear we will use on our evening hunt.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 24, 2021 •  [Post 11]

we have a propane stove/oven in our tent setup. my dad bought a used one from an RV lot, then built a frame around it. bulky/heavy, but is GREAT to have 3 burners + oven.

heck, we made him a birthday cake while on the hunt just cause we could. :) he turned 68 on our trip to WY.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Jhg » 10 24, 2021 •  [Post 12]

Thats a great idea!
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 10 28, 2021 •  [Post 13]

You haven’t lived until you’ve headed up to the high country in the Big Sky State, in the 80s, with your hunting bud after work on a FRI night with what think is an ample set of gear for a two day/two night elk hunt in late September. 3.2 miles in on the ridge trail, you get your “two man” tent set up around 2200 hours in a light snowfall. Before u rack out in the down bags you think are the cats meow, you walk to 100 yards to the edge of the semi flat area you’ve set up camp and throw a locator (of course using your super cool, camo PVC pipe) over the edge. No less than 5-6 dinosaur sounding beasts scream obscenities back your way from the dark abyss. Cool, all is well. Around 0200 in the AM, your awesome "two person" backpacking tent (probably a Kmart purchase) collapses on your sleeping bodies and soaks through your awesome down bags (perhaps another Kmart purchase). You and your bud do your best to prop the tent up and off you using knees, the sagging poles, to no avail. Not much sleep that night but at least you're alive (kinda) in elk country. At daylight, you crawl out of your den and realize that a good foot and a half of white stuff had crushed your tent. No problem... we're not pusses and are in our 20s! Off we go, dropped off the edge of the ridge in to elk nirvana. Yep, got into some heavy, heavy action but no clear shots materialized. Had one hell of a time getting back up that sidehill! Grabbing at huckleberry bushes and alder, sliding backwards as the snow fall increased, but finally getting back to the top where the tent, err, pancake is. Tried to start a fire but everything (including the fire starter kit in our fanny packs) did not want to help us out/soaked. Enough..we wanted to live longer without losing any fingers or anything more important. Packed up our soaked gear into our packs and out we went, getting back to Joeys old truck around midnight...There was not trail, it was obliterated by the now 2 plus feet of snow. What's the good news of this story? Joeys old truck had a great heater? Nope, it didn't work that well at all. The good news is that I once again, learned by experience the wrong of doing things in the elk woods :)... oh, and hunting with guys name Joe is not wise :lol:
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 29, 2021 •  [Post 14]

Jhg wrote:Thats a great idea!


this isn't a great stove picture, but you can see it. lower right side of the picture. coffee staged up for the next day.

they framed it with plywood and added a set of carry handles on either side for mobility. it's handy, camping with construction guys. :)
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 29, 2021 •  [Post 15]

that picture also shows our "stacked" kitchen tables. handy for storage of dry goods without eating up all the floor space. it's easier than bringing a china cabinet.... :)
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Jhg » 10 29, 2021 •  [Post 16]

That heater looks like another smart feature.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 29, 2021 •  [Post 17]

Jhg wrote:That heater looks like another smart feature.


smart yes, but fickle. it's a regular propane heater with a thermostat on it so it self-regulates. unfortunately.... it has a few too many features. on the past 4 trips, I think that particular heater has failed in some manner 3x.

we have adopted older style Dearborns as our favorite answer. they are heavier, but far more consistent in use and uber dependable.

we also used (this year, first time) a 55 gal drum heater using one of those kits you see available on Northern Tool/Sportsmans Guide/etc.

in this pic, you can see both the Dearborn and the 55 gal heater. you didnt want to be sleeping too close to that 55 gal drum. it was roasting. I felt like a chicken on the grill.

FWIW, one mistake we made was downsizing the exhaust flue from 6" to 4". I'm re-ducting it this off season. should do better next trip. I may also cut in some additional combustion air makeup ports to increase air intake as well for better flow.
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"First teach a child to love God,
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 29, 2021 •  [Post 18]

Billy Goat wrote: I may also cut in some additional combustion air makeup ports to increase air intake as well for better flow.


For even more heat. Your eyelids will feel like scorched bacon rinds. :lol:
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby >>>---WW----> » 10 30, 2021 •  [Post 19]

I think one of the very best ways we ever found to heat a tent was with an old Monogram oil heat stove, the kind with the fuel tank on the back of he stove. (for truck camp) I think we ran almost a whole week on less than 10 gallon of fuel oil.

But no need talking about it because most of you young whipper snappers on here wouldn't know what I'm talking about anyhow! ;)
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 30, 2021 •  [Post 20]

When I was a kid, we had a similar, but larger oil stove for a couple of years in our home. We had it for the winters dad was away, working in Seattle. I preferred our wood heater, because it was more reliable. The oil stove was fed by an above ground line from an outside barrel, set on a stand. When it got cold, (20*F or less) we had to thaw out the oil supply line and metal sediment bowl with a blow torch. Most younger folks have never dealt with them or their soldering iron either.
When dad was away and we had the wood heat stove, I got to drive the pickup to the nearest sawmill and load up planer ends for fuel. Mostly I gathered up 2x6 and 2x8 pieces as it was not a stud mill. I do not know where you could do that today either.
Actually, I am glad I do not even know where I could get one of those old oil stoves. If nothing else they, and you always stink of oil at some time or another. I will keep my propane and wood heaters.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Billy Goat » 10 30, 2021 •  [Post 21]

Swede wrote:
Billy Goat wrote: I may also cut in some additional combustion air makeup ports to increase air intake as well for better flow.


For even more heat. Your eyelids will feel like scorched bacon rinds. :lol:


I know, I know. it'll produce yet more heat. :(

but the 4" duct built up nearly half inch of soot on the pipe ID in just 2 weeks. so our 4" duct was really only 3".

I will definately be moving my cot farther from the heater on subsequent trips.
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teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby Swede » 10 30, 2021 •  [Post 22]

I am sure you can damper it down so it is not too hot. It is nice to have the heat when you need it. My neighbor talks about their hunting buddies burning down their tent and losing everything in it one day while they were out scouting the area. I guess it was a different way of getting a lot of new hunting gear including rifles. The moral of that story is just be careful and don't pack things in too close to the stove.

BTW: Pine soots up a chimney real fast.
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Re: Camp Lodging

Postby saddlesore » 10 31, 2021 •  [Post 23]

Billy Goat wrote:
Swede wrote:
Billy Goat wrote: I may also cut in some additional combustion air makeup ports to increase air intake as well for better flow.


For even more heat. Your eyelids will feel like scorched bacon rinds. :lol:


I know, I know. it'll produce yet more heat. :(

but the 4" duct built up nearly half inch of soot on the pipe ID in just 2 weeks. so our 4" duct was really only 3".

I will definately be moving my cot farther from the heater on subsequent trips.


I have one of those Blue Flame heaters too,30,000 BTU's.I used it in my stock trailer when I set up camp in it. Anything burning propane will produce moisture.You did good going to a wood burner.That isn't a camp,that's a city. :lol:
I have made camps from a bed roll and a pauncho carried on the back of a horse,to a 16x22 ft wall tent, stock trailer and now a short bed popup camper.By far the most comfortable was wall tent with a good wood burning stove in it.

Here was my latest. I didn't have the trailer attached when I had a longer term camp and I have a different truck now.
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