Grandpa would put a camper on his truck at the beginning of deer season and take it off when deer season was over.
2 lane hwy all the way back then.

The old ways also involved showing up Labor Day weekend to fill a feeder and never coming back after your tags were filled. I can recall square head "hunters" easily filling all their tags on opening weekend and never to come back until the next season.

Cannot fathom the firepit comments. We have two. One for cooking and one for the more important stuff. We bring in ample supplies of wood and that there fire roars every night. The success of the season is much more about what goes on at the fire pit than it is about the 64 deer we get to harvest. Our camp is set up with a central area where most choose to gather. Although I spend a lot of time out there, our camp has the "House Cats" and the "Outsiders". Our camp is set up so I can hunt a whole lot and actually enjoy the place when making the excuse to come back during the spring, summer & fall to fill feeders, mess around and/or whatever.

Some harken back to the ol' times as if it was some illustrious presentation of dignity, when it in fact, most were just young pups relishing the attention of adults. Trying to be an adult, thinking they were more adult like just because they were at deer camp. Rights of passage do have virtues. It was good back then and it can be good right now - only if you allow it to be that way.

Note to everyone - if you are not enjoying your current hunting experiences, consider upgrading who you hunt with. Just a thought.

Wow!
Modern deer camp = Just make more rules!

I love these threads, especially all the old pictures. I grew up deer hunting in the Jefferson National Forest in southwest Virginia, what a great place to learn to hunt.

We have some. All were agreed to when implemented and then reviewed and agreed to when a new hunter gets on. Is that a big deal?

If you don’t want rules when participating with others, buy your own place.

Hmmmmm...that about sums it up.
Adios,
Gary

Or get on a lease that has zero rules - that always goes over well

ATV's are one of two things I wished had existed when I started hunting as kid back in the 70's. The other was the Little Buddy Heater. ATV's have made it much easier to get deer out of the woods and onto a meat pole, not to mention getting your setup equipment (deer stands, ground blinds, etc.) to their destination. And small, propane heaters make those cold, frosty mornings far more tolerable. GPS and cell phones would have been great to have back then as well. Being able to see (via online radar) when rain from a passing front should clear the area is another great advantage. Of course, those radar images can also make a warm bed a lot more attractive.

Ground blinds or just sitting against a tree were common methods back then. The BIG DEAL was you couldn't MOVE. On the camo- same thing. If you are younger you have been "Sold" on the absolute necessity of camo. I had this doe come in and simply didn't know what I was or knew what I was but couldn't figure out why I didn't move. Stamped its front hooves, walk about another 5 yards toward me, more foot stomping. Finally it was 10 feet away and I was afraid it would be in my lap so I winked at the thing. Turned inside out and bolted away. I had olive green army pants and a wool/flannel shirt of gray, brown, black. Back then folks would smoke a cork from a wine bottle and blacken their faces. I did use skunk essence. These "soft" flannel or wool shirts. I am convinced they are better than twill or regular camo type fabric.
And, yeah, I was the "kid" when I started so I got stuck cooking breakfast but I ended up being a pretty good short order breakfast chef. You name it, I cooked it.