Elk & Moose Camp 2024

[waldo54]

Well I have 8 days left to get the rest of my poop in a group before the convoy heads for moose and elk camp for the 2024 season, I drew a bull moose tag for the calling season that opens Sept 24th, I also have a general 3 point bull elk tag in my pocket which opens Sept 17th, we will have 2 more 3 point elk tags in camp as well.

This will be year 46 for me, my first moose / elk camp was in 1978, every year is a bonus, I keep thinking man this is a lot of work getting ready for a 3 week stay in the bush but once I get moving the excitement builds. It's a real family hunting camp so to speak with my BIL, 3 nephews and a friend and his son that have been hunting with us for 20+ years now. Throughout the course of 3 weeks we will have 7 guy's in and out as work dictates, 3 of us old retired guy's will be there for the entire 20 days.

Years ago I started making pre made meals and freezing them before hand, makes suppers so much more enjoyable as we can sit by the fire with our favorite beverage while supper warms in the little BBQ's, 20 minutes and it's chow time. I just finished the last of 60 meals today, pork loin with potatoes veggies and gravy and sweet and sour ribs with rice, I also made chicken alfredo, chili, stew, Italian sausage and pasta and hunters sausage with potatoes and veggies, I think we will be OK for grub . I'll stick a few pics on the bottom for you to drool on of course we will have a bunch of elk and moose jerky for snacks. lunch is usually just sandwiches and everyone fends for themselves, breakfast is coffee and muffins and homemade granola bars that some of the wives send along.

 

[Hmatt]

my wife and I started doing this whenever we go camping. It makes the days and evenings way more enjoyable not having to do the full cook and cleanup every day. Helps with the kids too, dinner time is 20 min like you said instead of an hour. Bout the only thing we don’t freeze pre made like that is steak/porkchops/burgers. Everything is prepped just like you have here.


Edit: those pork Potatoe and veggies look REAL GOOD.

 

[45ACPKING]

I bought a Camp Chef oven for this very reason.
make the meals, freeze em and stack em in the coolers. Toss em in the camp chef while the coffee is brewing and enjoy home cooked meals by the fire.
Good luck on your hunt!

 

[jlovie]

A++

 

[boxhitch]

the food looks great but the point that sticks out for me is how you can carry on a tradition with such a long lasting group hunt
we've tried...a couple times...but things never melded
Colour me envious green

Congrats and good luck

 

[Hartfn]

Well I have 8 days left to get the rest of my poop in a group before the convoy heads for moose and elk camp for the 2024 season, I drew a bull moose tag for the calling season that opens Sept 24th, I also have a general 3 point bull elk tag in my pocket which opens Sept 17th, we will have 2 more 3 point elk tags in camp as well.

This will be year 46 for me, my first moose / elk camp was in 1978, every year is a bonus, I keep thinking man this is a lot of work getting ready for a 3 week stay in the bush but once I get moving the excitement builds. It's a real family hunting camp so to speak with my BIL, 3 nephews and a friend and his son that have been hunting with us for 20+ years now. Throughout the course of 3 weeks we will have 7 guy's in and out as work dictates, 3 of us old retired guy's will be there for the entire 20 days.

Years ago I started making pre made meals and freezing them before hand, makes suppers so much more enjoyable as we can sit by the fire with our favorite beverage while supper warms in the little BBQ's, 20 minutes and it's chow time. I just finished the last of 60 meals today, pork loin with potatoes veggies and gravy and sweet and sour ribs with rice, I also made chicken alfredo, chili, stew, Italian sausage and pasta and hunters sausage with potatoes and veggies, I think we will be OK for grub . I'll stick a few pics on the bottom for you to drool on of course we will have a bunch of elk and moose jerky for snacks. lunch is usually just sandwiches and everyone fends for themselves, breakfast is coffee and muffins and homemade granola bars that some of the wives send along.

Fantastic effort!

 

[tigrr]

I just wish we were related!!
My group of 12 since 2013 is 57 to 88. I am the second youngest at 64. We are down to 4 that still can hunt. No moose draws this year so we are all solo. I am trying to learn to elk call in 6 days. I know how to deer grunt, call geese, ducks and moose. But this elk diaphragm thing is strange. Just like turkey they say but I don't hunt turkey.

 

[45ACPKING]

it's always been a struggle for me to put together a solid crew.
My buddy's kids were coming every season but got into the 4x4 clubs and girls and all that jazz so it's not a priority for them.
That and our favorite moose area went limitted entry and that really bummed them out. Thier dad is transitioning to a retirement in Poland of all places so I am back to being the solo hunter. My brother has started hunting the past few years but he has limitations so it's just deer hunting for him. My other good friend who used to hunt with me an was my go to friend for fishing trips moved to ontario several years back but he just got his PAL finally LOL and is looking to move back to BC in a couple years. looking forward to that.
Might be hunting my moose draw solo this year as my buddy that normally comes on moose trips is in Poland right now and gets back 5 days before my hunt...... could be an interesting hunt this year. I'm going whether it's solo or not !!
Gonna learn to Elk call for next year...... hopefully have a guy to hunt with but regardless.... I'll do that solo if I have to as well

 

[kevin g]

Best of luck on your hunts !

PS....DAYYYUUUUUMMMMM....those meals look deeelishious ! Got me rootin in the fridge now fcs ! lol

 

[Suther]

We've been doing the same sort of thing for a few years now with regards to food. Although not in foil trays. We mostly focus on stuff that can be dumped in a pot and heated up - this year we're taking Chili colorado, stew, and a meaty pasta sauce.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[waldo54]

Well it's in the books for 2024, 4 of us had a solid 19 wonderful day's in the bush, 3 more were only there for 7 days, 1 nice elk down and I bagged a nice moose, lot's of meat in the freezer and no food left over, imagine that, those 4 boy's have hollow legs, reminds me of me when I was that age.

Arrived home very tired but very satisfied, year #46 in moose and elk camp was every bit as good as year 1, it never get's old, I still soak in and embrace every minute of every day there, especially when we have late night skinning parties and midnight supper, sleep in the next morning and enjoy coffee and Bailys with a muffin or 2 before heading off to the meat plant, life is good.

 

[waldo54]

the food looks great but the point that sticks out for me is how you can carry on a tradition with such a long lasting group hunt
we've tried...a couple times...but things never melded
Colour me envious green

Congrats and good luck

The long and short of it is that the core group which is myself and my BIL is now going on 40 years, we are getting long in the tooth, I'm 70 and he is 75 and we are both dealing with some health issues but as long as we are able to do it we will be there in the bush. We have nephews that are pretty consistent, they book holidays around hunting so they are there most years, a friend and his son are regulars and they to book holidays that coincide with hunting season, us old retired guy's are in camp for the full 3 weeks while most of the others come and go mostly for a week or so at a time which works well, us old guy's and a couple young strong boy's do the set up as we go in a day before the season opens and usually there is more guy's in the last week so tear down is a bigger crew and goes pretty smooth.

For the most part everyone get's along just fine, we are all big boy's so if someone has a problem with something speak up and we'll talk about it as a group. We have however over the years had to boot a couple guy's that just couldn't seem to stop #####ing about everything all day long, ironically they are the ones that did nothing to help because they were on holiday's ?? just brought their rifle and bed roll when they showed up and expected to be served, I had a chat with them and said we are not outfitters and you are not clients so get off your butt and pull your weight but nothing changed so we just told them boy's that's it nobody wants you around anymore so your out, and that's tough when it's family as it causes some hard feelings, but it is what it is, hunting camp is supposed to be enjoyable and stress free, don't need drama and crap on a daily basis.

Anyway it seems to be working and if it aint broke don't try to fix it, God willing we will get many more good years, but nothing in life is guaranteed.

Happy hunting boy's

 

[45ACPKING]

it's been tough keeping a solid hunting crew together but spent over 12 years doing so. In recent years, since my hunting partner's wife passed away, he is a different person. New lady has him convinced on retiring in Poland on her family's land in the country. So now he is gone for several months and when he is back he works.... even though he is retired , sold his business to his son's ,,,,,, they are all work aholics and don't seem to remember not to book work during October LOL The other two guys that were attached to that group have proven themselves to be f^ckup alchoholics well into thier 50's and still do stupid things one would expect from a slow 20 year old. Like shooting at a moose that came between us and I was a mere 150 yards directly opposite him when he decided it was a good time to shoot the moose.
So ...... I've been a solo hunter much of the time since LOL
I leave for moose camp on the 19th for my draw...... luckily my brother might join me.... and a friend up country near the area has assured me he is a phone call away if I drop one and will come spend time with me in camp for a few days.
I guess what bugs me about the "group" was the time invested for one, and the expense to make sure I outfitted myself with the gear needed to pull my weight. I put that gear to good use regardless

you are very fortunate to have such a long standing tradition with good people.... I do envy that.