Texas Hunting Forum
Hunting Camp Sewage
Posted By: Night Skunk
Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 05:19 PM
I know there are 1000's of different ways to manage a deercamp sewage scenario. Just wondering for those of you that hunt pretty primitively without running water or septic, what's your best advice on taking care of sewage from an old travel trailer? We do have water toted in but what do you do with the rest? Do you find a good tree, make a septic system out of 55 gal drums or just dig a hole and "Cousin Eddy" into it before going home?
Posted By: Dalroo
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 05:50 PM
Still not ideal, but I think the best option may be a Smart Tote - available at most RV supply stores and Walmart. Different sizes, and still a hassle, but you can hook to Camper outlet, and when done, seal and take home to drain into clean out at your house.
I was on a lease for a couple of years where we had an outhouse. It was the worst! Smell, spiders, scorpions, bees/wasps, ugh! We poured lye into hole regularly, but it still smelled. It did make my morning routine go fast - I tried to wait as long as I could and then make a quick trip in and out.
Posted By: scalebuster
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 05:54 PM
I buried a 55 gallon drum with holes in it for the toilet in my barn years ago. It probably gets used more than a deer camp toilet would and I've never had any problems.
Posted By: FayetteCo
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 05:56 PM
Put in a septic system. Systems protect the groundwater.
TCEQ
Posted By: Roll-Tide
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 06:06 PM
Put in a septic system. Systems protect the groundwater.
TCEQ If you use it sparingly, when hunting, i think the environmental impact is far less than 1 cow.
Posted By: Night Skunk
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 06:12 PM
Very good point.
Posted By: DirtNapTET
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 06:14 PM
Buried one of those blue plastic drums a couple feet. Drilled holes in the bottom half and put some lime in it. fitted a piece on there so the tube from the trailer could be fed inside.
Has worked well the past couple years, no issues yet.
Posted By: dogcatcher
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 06:18 PM
Put in a septic system. Systems protect the groundwater.
TCEQ If you use it sparingly, when hunting, i think the environmental impact is far less than 1 cow.
There is a difference between above ground disposal and in ground disposal.
Posted By: Roll-Tide
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 08:09 PM
He mentioned find a tree. I suspect that is above ground..
Smart tote. Haul off and dump when leaving camp.
Posted By: colt45-90
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 09:28 PM
build a outhouse 4' off the ground cut a 55 gal barrel in half, when it gets full pull the barrel out and pour diesel and burn
Posted By: SapperTitan
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 10:29 PM
I just sheet on the ground and then kick some dirt over it, away from camp of coarse.
Posted By: chalet
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/22/17 11:01 PM
I'm old school. Outhouse about 50 yds from camp with a hole in the ground. Can't imagine the 50-100 poops in it a year has any effect on ground water. Last thing I'm going to do is poop in a bucket or bag and haul it somewhere, that's just stupid.
When I had my trailer would usually find a place in the pasture that had some slope so the tanks drained well and unload on Sunday. Never was a whole lot. If I was parking a trailer there all season would probably go the buried barrel with some holes route. Metal barrel so if I ever left would just cover it up and leave it to rust.
Posted By: krmitchell
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 01:02 AM
We run 55 gallon drum septics off our trailers and haven't had any problems.
Posted By: HS2
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 02:53 AM
I agree with Chalet. If all you're doing is a handful of days during hunting season, then just dig a shallow hole away from camp and cover it with shovel full of dirt. If you have 10 guys staying there for weeks, you'll need one of the other systems described here. But if it were me, I'd find some way not to have to haul it home. I'd pay for a portable toilet on site for the season before I'd haul it home.
Posted By: CRAnderson52
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 03:00 AM
We've got a 55 gallon drum with some holes cut in it buried right beside our trailer. We dump when we leave and add some chemicals to it and have yet to have a problem.
Posted By: tShawnB
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 12:59 PM
I've dug a hole with a backhoe, set a perforated PVC line in the center and filled with gravel. Off of that hole we dug leech trenches and installed perforated PVC @ 9, 12 and 3 o'clock, two joints of pipe per trench or 28' if your using SD 35 sewer pipe and back-filled those with gravel as well. We covered the top of the hole and trench with dirt. We ran our septic on our RV's which we treated as one normally would and when we left camp, we would drain the black water into the "septic system". On the grey water, we just let that out on the surface 20-30 away behind the campers. I stayed there 2 years and never had an issue. I have a house with a toilet now about 5 miles from the lease.
Posted By: DLALLDER
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 01:22 PM
Dealing with fabricated outdoor toilets, plain lime is your friend in many ways!!! Smell, bugs, possible health problems. A gallon jug full every 2-3 days does wonders!!!!
Posted By: redchevy
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 03:34 PM
Had and still have an outhouse about 50 yards from camphouse, never had a complaint with it from us and even though we have a fully functional and permitted septic system with indoor toilet like in your house now the out house still gets used and on a bright morning watching the sun come up is still one of the best seats in the house!
Posted By: TurkeyHunter
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 05:14 PM
You may be better off having good bacterial activity than lime. You want that material broken down. Seed and promote the right kind of micro organisms.
Posted By: chalet
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 05:54 PM
Had and still have an outhouse about 50 yards from camphouse, never had a complaint with it from us and even though we have a fully functional and permitted septic system with indoor toilet like in your house now the out house still gets used and on a bright morning watching the sun come up is still one of the best seats in the house!
Mine is on a little bit of a ridge where I can see aways. It faces the southeast and has a full back to block north wind, sides are only about 40" tall so I can see over them and no front door. Nice place to get your business done in the predawn hours - I tell the kids it is one of my favorite spots in the world. Open sides and front keep the smell minimal, there are practically zero bugs or spiders. I still drop a bug bomb in at the beginning of the year to kill off any black widows or yellow jackets under the seat.
Posted By: DocHorton
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/25/17 06:30 PM
I just sheet on the ground and then kick some dirt over it, away from camp of coarse.
One of life's great pleasures is taking a dump in the outdoors. Here's the view from my bathroom:
Posted By: Dry Fire
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 01:16 PM
One of life's great pleasures is taking a dump in the outdoors. Here's the view from my bathroom:
We had that same set up. Until the LO's dog went over there and rolled in all the fresh stuff and then hopped back into his new truck. Next year we had a septic system.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 01:35 PM
build a outhouse 4' off the ground cut a 55 gal barrel in half, when it gets full pull the barrel out and pour diesel and burn
Well that's a flash back I didn't need.
Posted By: TexasKC
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 01:53 PM
Rent a Porta-Potty.
Posted By: ndhunter
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 04:08 PM
I just sheet on the ground and then kick some dirt over it, away from camp of coarse.
One of life's great pleasures is taking a dump in the outdoors. Here's the view from my bathroom:
That's luxury living right there Doc
Like they say on a popular toilet paper commercial "Enjoy the Go"
Posted By: cabosandinh
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 04:33 PM
This is how I deal with fecal waste on my place
1. auger 4 big deep holes adjacent to each other, 3 ft deep,
- clear the rest by hand to make One Big Hole
Build a chair to fit over the Hole, with a Big hole cut out for the Exhaust of excrements
Go to Home Depot and buy the most expensive plastic toilet seat ($40, ) fit that over the chair seat
Silicone the seat to the chair or use cords
T-Post or other anchoring method to keep chair in place
In the Texas heat , the 'poop' will dry out in 1-2 days, no stink; will break down into particulates in a month
I believe this is the cleanest, most natural way to deal with fecal matter
my hole has been there for 5 years, I have 6-8 guys on the place, and it's only 1/5 full of sediments to this day
2. contractor bag over a 5 gallon bucket
when done, Tie and burn bag in burn barrel, no stink, no problems
Posted By: hook_n_line
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/26/17 04:33 PM
Posted By: passthru
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/27/17 12:58 PM
Heck we didn't even have running water at our home until I was almost 6 years old. I still remember the well getting drilled and the septic system install. Many of our neighbors didn't have running water and some who got it still refused to have an inside privy. Thought it was unsanitary. Playing around the area when you had to go you just popped into the nearest outhouse and took care of business. But if you used the last of the TP you always brought a roll back so there would be some next time.
If you have a water table close to the surface, say less than 25', then you may run a risk of cross contamination. In that case you would need to take steps to protect your aquifer and maybe even disinfect your well.
However the OP said they have to haul water so that isn't the case.
An out house with a tub under the seat, say like a mineral lick tub from the feed store, would be easy to pull out and dump at the end of the weekend off away from camp somewhere and ease some of the odor issues.
Posted By: Txduckman
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/28/17 03:36 AM
All I know is once we ran water and installed septic, don't walk in the greenest grass by camp! I turn the pump sprinklers on before we leave.
I still like a good ole outhouse every once in a while. We still have the chair with a seat screwed on it.
The original homestead outhouse is next to one of our blinds. Only thing left. Has a moon cut window and two seats!!! Were there male and female seats back in the day???
Posted By: chalet
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/28/17 01:31 PM
Lots of big family's back then, think 2 holer's were common.
I was headed from Amarillo to DFW a few years ago and stopped at a fruit stand I want to say around Hedley on 287. Asked if they had a restroom I could use and was directed to a nice 2 hole outhouse on the backside of a barn. Didn't really have to take a dump but figured what the heck, how often do you get to go in a outhouse and I didn't plan on stopping again. Sat down, thought a second, took my pencil out and wrote "210#" on the wall. You're old if you get it..
Posted By: Stub
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/28/17 02:08 PM
When out in the woods I stay in my trailer and it is usually just me. I replaced the small trailer toilet with a regular size one.
If the weather is bad I have it lined with a tall kitchen trash bag and use it, if the weather is decent I have a pooping chair and a shovel
Posted By: Night Skunk
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 09/29/17 05:08 PM
Seems like the idea of digging a hole and letting her go will be a good solution. By simple math there will be 4 of us over a typical weekend. One guy has shy travel bowels syndrome so he is out. That leave 3 hunters = 3 dumps on Saturday + 3 dumps on Sunday = 6 dumps total. This of course does not take into consideration the cheap beer factor or deer camp bean factor so we could easily round it up to 7 or 8 dumps over the typical weekend. With a big enough hole I think we're good.
Posted By: aerangis
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/14/17 03:45 AM
I just sheet on the ground and then kick some dirt over it, away from camp of coarse.
When I was workin on uncle sugars nickle, a squared away bat boy could fsll out of a road ruck, pop a speed shat in 20 seconds flat, then fall back in line in no time at all. The key is, once the urge hits, wait it oout. Wait until you're close to beeing stiff legged locked up. The instant you start to bend over, it will fly out like s TOW missle. A propperly locked and loaded colon will shoot that puppy out so fast you could drill a haji with it.
Best part it requires ZERO effort. When properly executed, it has its own extremely effective propulsion system just likke the launch phase of a TOW. Our company record was around 8 feet. PLeanty distance to clear them britches.
Posted By: Bee'z
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/14/17 04:24 AM
I just sheet on the ground and then kick some dirt over it, away from camp of coarse.
When I was workin on uncle sugars nickle, a squared away bat boy could fsll out of a road ruck, pop a speed shat in 20 seconds flat, then fall back in line in no time at all. The key is, once the urge hits, wait it oout. Wait until you're close to beeing stiff legged locked up. The instant you start to bend over, it will fly out like s TOW missle. A propperly locked and loaded colon will shoot that puppy out so fast you could drill a haji with it.
Best part it requires ZERO effort. When properly executed, it has its own extremely effective propulsion system just likke the launch phase of a TOW. Our company record was around 8 feet. PLeanty distance to clear them britches.
Posted By: retfuz
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/14/17 08:24 PM
All I know is once we ran water and installed septic, don't walk in the greenest grass by camp! I turn the pump sprinklers on before we leave.
I still like a good ole outhouse every once in a while. We still have the chair with a seat screwed on it.
The original homestead outhouse is next to one of our blinds. Only thing left. Has a moon cut window and two seats!!! Were there male and female seats back in the day???
Yes, the wider ones were for females....
Posted By: Hunt n Fish
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/15/17 12:39 PM
Lots of big family's back then, think 2 holer's were common.
I was headed from Amarillo to DFW a few years ago and stopped at a fruit stand I want to say around Hedley on 287. Asked if they had a restroom I could use and was directed to a nice 2 hole outhouse on the backside of a barn. Didn't really have to take a dump but figured what the heck, how often do you get to go in a outhouse and I didn't plan on stopping again. Sat down, thought a second, took my pencil out and wrote "210#" on the wall. You're old if you get it..
If I don't see at least 240, I sorta squat & hold the sides!
Posted By: Hunt n Fish
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/15/17 12:41 PM
When I was workin on uncle sugars nickle, a squared away bat boy could fsll out of a road ruck, pop a speed shat in 20 seconds flat, then fall back in line in no time at all. The key is, once the urge hits, wait it oout. Wait until you're close to beeing stiff legged locked up. The instant you start to bend over, it will fly out like s TOW missle. A propperly locked and loaded colon will shoot that puppy out so fast you could drill a haji with it.
Best part it requires ZERO effort. When properly executed, it has its own extremely effective propulsion system just likke the launch phase of a TOW. Our company record was around 8 feet. PLeanty distance to clear them britches.
......as long as the nozzle's not set on spray!
Posted By: Wacm
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/17/17 11:22 PM
We have the portable camper toilet. It's not bad. Bag it up and throw it into a barrel we keep lined with empty corn bags. It's nice when it's cold outside. Just light a candle and go. Our camp is separate from our hunting land so we dump the corn bags off at a gas station on the way. Even in heat it never stinks.
Posted By: Wacm
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/17/17 11:28 PM
The funny thing is my shower. It's a sun shower. Which is a bag connected to a hose with a shower nozzle. I pour half a gallon into the bag and then I have a big coffee machine that is used to heat a whole liter of water. When it starts boiling I add it to the half gallon and water and swish it around a bit. It hangs up on the rafters of my cabin. I have a shower curtain in the corner. I stand in a huge Tupperware container and take my shower. Man it looks bad but sure is nice after hunting hard.
Posted By: Dalee7892
Re: Hunting Camp Sewage - 10/17/17 11:34 PM
We bought a used porta-toilet, cut hole in bottom, dug a hole for it to sit over. Threw lime in every once in awhile, dump diesel on at end of season set on fire. Had seven on lease. Hooked up heat lamp inside for cold days.