Deer camp was a little light this year. three of our regulars had to cancel at the last minute. We had 5 in camp at first then My Grandson had to leave to get back to his job so we ended up with 4.
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Looks like a piece of heaven.
Now that's a motley crew if I ever did see. :biglaugh:
I have a lot more pictures but my server won't post them tonight....I try tomorrow
That looks like a dang nice place to be.
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I always enjoy this post every year. :campfire: :coffee:
Yes, the trip was sorely missed by me. Just moved in to a new home yesterday and the past month has been a whirlwind of packing, purging and cleaning/minor repairs along with a three day trip to see our two daughters compete against each other in a college cross country running race on what was the first weekend of camp. Thus, it wasn't to be for me.
The new 52" Classic Hunter got an appropriate work out and rave reviews from those who shot it at camp. Henry Bodnik bagged his second Shrewhaven deer in as many years at camp and he has been hooked by aura of this magical place. He even stuck around camp for an extra 5 days on his own to soak up all the time he could there.
The food is always great and the night before Greg left for camp I stopped over to give him back some borrowed items (including a bear Target I borrowed to practice for my bear season so I wouldn't have to move it twice) and we sampled one of these smoked venison loins that he was taking to camp. Wow, absolutely outstanding, melt in your mouth flavors.
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We missed you this year Ray
The wood pile is getting low
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Relaxing in the big rocking chair in the cabin
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Kevin at the table having a snack
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Greg likes to read a spends his quiet times with a good book in the old rocker
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While everyone else was resting, Henry, the Hooded Avenger was in the woods hunting
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and it paid off
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A 45# Classic Hunter II and a 175gr German Jager broadhead
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Awesome pictures Ron, always love seeing, and hearing about the adventures at Shrew Haven. I miss the times I got to spend with my Dad and brother hunting in the U.P. It's 4 years ago today that Dad passed and the last time my brother and I made the trip north with Dad and left some of his ashes in his favorite spot. Thanks again for sharing your time spent at camp with us.
Jason
You're welcome Jason. It was a light camp this year from what it usually is but we still had a great time
Amazing adventure an awesome looking new shrew.
That's a great camp house and congratulations on the doe.
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Looks like a fantastic time! I am sure everyone daydreams about going back! I love a good deer camp!
Sounds like a lot of fun. Hunting in the U.P. is definitely different, but also a ton of fun. Congrats to Henry on his deer!
Is Shrewhaven near the CWD area? I know that they can shoot does down there. Wish we could a bit further north.
Looks like another great time. I love this thread every year
I always look forward to this thread. Thanks for taking us along Ron.
Nice place Ron. If you wouldn't mind what are the basic dimensions of the cabin?
Thanks
Gun
Gun, I believe it is 16x40. On one end we have six bunks, although only four usually get used because the top bunks get roasted out. The bunk room is closed in and is about 6 feet deep and the width of the cabin. Dining room table consists of two 4x4 tables pushed together.
Quote from: Ray Lyon on November 03, 2019, 09:32:33 PM
Gun, I believe it is 16x40. On one end we have six bunks, although only four usually get used because the top bunks get roasted out. The bunk room is closed in and is about 6 feet deep and the width of the cabin. Dining room table consists of two 4x4 tables pushed together.
Sounds like quite the comfy setup, not to mention some legends that would love to hunt with....
I love seeing this thread each year. There is nothing like a good hunting camp to recharge the batteries and sooth the soul of a hunter. By the way, great photos. Ron, I hope your shoulder is doing well and getting strong and stable. My two shoulders are doing quite well.
Curious where (approx) this is in the UP?? I am heading up early Thursday morning to hunt with my daughter for a few days near Gwinn. She is a freshman this year at NMU in Marquette. Will be my first time hunting deer in the UP, only ever hunted bear there.
Thanks,
Mark
Ron, Looks like a heck of a place to make memories. Since in the end that's all we have just keep on keeping on.
Henry hanging his deer from the overhang on Lil' Haven
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Big Haven and Lil' Haven. Lil' Haven is where "Lobo's Lair" is....where I sleep
oh oh, it looks like Ron's stealing one of Henry's tenderloins
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Just minutes after Henry hung and tagged his deer the loco CO's showed up. Anna the new recruit was won over by Henry's charm
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Before two jerks of a lambs tail Henry had her shooting a Shrew.
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Dave our old CO friend of over 20 years in retiring in February and Anna is taking his place.
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A job I hope to have some day. Looks like a lot of fun.
Me in the morning making my famous breakfast burritos. My son who loves then told me I should open a restaurant and call it, "Ron's Proper food"
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The best you ever wrapped a lip around. Besides the ingredients the key is to fry the tortilla
Kevin asking Henry, is this the place where I should put my stand
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Henry say's follow me
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Henry was anxious to try one of his venison tenderloins
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With onions
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Using his "LaClair Skinner"
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He likes his steak rare
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The 52" Shrew Classic II at my full draw
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I'm sold. Gonna have to get one now.
Awesome thread. Great pictures. Look forward to this one every year. Henry must be fun to hang with.
But Ron, that broadhead is in a scary position to your finger in that last picture it seems. I know you have forgot more about archery than I will ever know, but consider a longer arrow maybe? I realize with the orientation it is likely ok, but stuff happens. Just don't want stuff to happen is all.
Watch this video and you'll see there's plenty of clearance for the broadhead. In the posed photo I stretched out a little.....showing off probably
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4FbDlwIBM5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again
Quote from: Ron LaClair on November 04, 2019, 04:58:10 PM
Watch this video and you'll see there's plenty of clearance for the broadhead. In the posed photo I stretched out a little.....showing off probably
Yup looks better for sure.
Thanks for sharing your pics and stories Ron. They are always fun to see and read. God Bless - Chad
Always enjoy the Shrew Haven tales.
[attachment=3,msg2892907]We had visitors for supper one night, Our good friend Ken Huven brought a friend of his to camp. He was a Finlander...a true Yooper. The mans name was Arlen Good and he was 85 years old. Now Arlen isn't your typical 85 year old, Arlen runs every day, he's always been a runner and he's ran the Boston Marathon THREE times. He's about 5'2" and not much over 100 pounds.
Our ex Chef buddy Greg cooked the main dish that night, a standing rib roast plus we also had some of Kevins famous baby back rib's. There was also a tossed salad and Henry made his delicious German potato salad. For dessert home made raspberry pie.....Lord have mercy.
I was amazed to watch Arlen pack the food away including a big slice of the raspberry pie. I said to him, "Doesn't your wife feed you at home...you must have a hollow leg" He ate slow and steady sampling everything
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After supper sitting by the fire with ytour pipe, a short glass of spirits and just relaxing ....AHhhhh what more could a man want.
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:archer: :goldtooth:
Enjoy this every year. thanks.
What a great thread every year....what happened to roger and the smoked hind quarter.....really enjoy the pictures Ron
Tim B
Looks like a great time! :campfire:
That about wraps it up for this year, I hope you've enjoyed the story. Next year hopefully, God willing, Shrew Haven will be back to a full crew with more stories to tell and more deer on the pole.
Thanks to Henry Bodnik for most of the pictures posted on this thread, his phone camera was always at the ready whenever he saw an opportunity
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Priceless times there
Really enjoyed the thread. Thanks for taking us along! I read this last night just before going to bed and almost posted to ask you to tell Henry thanks from Larry. I have a Slick Stick and just love it! Anyway, I had two or three dreams I was out in the woods hunting with Mr Bodnik! Woke up with a smile on my face.
Thanks again Ron for giving us a small taste of camp! :notworthy:
As always, a yearly enjoyment to all of the readers here! Nice pictures and great memories for you! Thanks for sharing your yearly hunting camp with us!
Bernie
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Glad Henry took one with his bow..been a long trip for no back straps..
Cool stuff........nothing like a good camp :thumbsup:
What a great thread! Good times and priceless memories!
Not so fast Lobo. Part of the benefits of packing and moving (and the only benefit of missing camp besides seeing my daughters for the first time in 2.5 months) was finding some squirreled away photos in my Shrewhaven scrapbook album. The pictures cover the 1993 and after camps. The original camp was Ron, Greg, Tim and Tom Rodgers. The following year (1993) I took Tom's place. In 2000/2001 we acquired the current Shrewhaven cabin and remodeled it extensively. The exterior wasn't pretty but hundreds of hours of labor put a polish on things.
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Awesome guys, looks like a lot of fun!
Finally got on. This is new to me, so bare with me. These guys have been my friends for years. Better Friends to hunt with, you could not find. Great Camp, Great food and Good Hunting. What else is there. I hope I get to Return there some day.
Tom Jenkins welcome to Tradgang!!!!! A finer tracker and sportsman you won't find than Tom. He's also one of the premier historians on Michigan bow hunting history.
Ray, thanks so much for posting all the pictures. I always love to look at old pictures from camps and see how they have grown, and how true friendships are made.
Jason
Hey Ray, was that one of those old camps that were for sale on Hwy 2 south of Crystal Falls years ago ?
That's exactly where in came from. We paid 3,000 for it
Ray, that scrapbook is the coolest thing since sliced bread!
Quote from: Captain*Kirk on November 06, 2019, 10:19:01 PM
Ray, that scrapbook is the coolest thing since sliced bread!
👍👍 thank you sir.
Quote from: Ray Lyon on November 06, 2019, 10:41:30 PM
Quote from: Captain*Kirk on November 06, 2019, 10:19:01 PM
Ray, that scrapbook is the coolest thing since sliced bread!
👍👍 thank you sir.
No, thank YOU sir! What a treasure!
As a frequent visitor to the Area to the Crystal Falls , this is the One post I look forward to EVERY year, incredible storys
Ron :clapper:
Quote from: flightmedic on November 08, 2019, 09:03:31 AM
As a frequent visitor to the Area to the Crystal Falls , this is the One post I look forward to EVERY year, incredible storys
Ron :clapper:
Going to Crystal Falls is like stepping back in time.
Quote from: Ray Lyon on November 08, 2019, 09:33:08 AM
Quote from: flightmedic on November 08, 2019, 09:03:31 AM
As a frequent visitor to the Area to the Crystal Falls , this is the One post I look forward to EVERY year, incredible storys
Ron :clapper:
Going to Crystal Falls is like stepping back in time.
Lol, you should have grown up there.
I really liked living in that area.
Thanks for sharing those pics Ray. Very cool.
Man, we don't have any game wardens that look like that!
:biglaugh:
All those stories from all those years would make an outstanding book. One that could keep a fella occupied for days.
Great thread.
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I have a 40 up in the Keweenaw that I always wanted to put a camp on but never got the money together to do it. Now it is being select cut then it will go up for sale. At 73 I'm too old to build on it now.
Ray Lyon, I'm sorry, but to correct your great story and pictures.........The first camp was Ron, Tim, Les Dunkle, and myself. I have the picture hanging on my wall. We came up with the name, "Brule River Rangers" to call ourselves. What a great adventure that was !!! What a great group to bowhunt with.....good friends we were. Talk with Ron and Tim at the Expo when I can make it. Haven't seen Les in a long time. Thanks for the stories Ray. Tom Rogers (AKA-Horserod)
Thanks for the corrections!! Everyone who's been a part of the camp has fond memories, but sometimes the memories are mixed up a little 😉
A place like that is a dream of mine!! Thanks for sharing!
Tom, the FIRST camp was just me in my wall tent on the north side of banana ridge. I spent two weeks by myself trying to find the boundary's of the property. I shot a small fork horn and decided to play a joke on Bob Garner who I knew was going to come up for the gun season. I had brought a large set of mule deer antlers with me and I wired them onto the small fork horns then pulled the buck up about 10 feet up into a tree.
When Bob showed up in my camp a couple days later he saw the huge antlered buck and was very impressed. He ask, "Ron are you getting the buck mounted" I told him no I was waiting for a bigger one. He said I don't think you'll see a bigger buck then.....suddenly he noticed the horns were wired on to the small buck and he said,...."YOU.... $^&*#%#. I got a good laugh out of that one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nseMgvu0KE0
Ron, where can we find info on the new Shrew Classic II including pricing, wait time, etc?
http://www.shrewbows.com/
CALL OR EMAIL FOR BOW DETAILS AND CURRENT DELIVERY TIME
Quote from: Roy from Pa on November 21, 2019, 01:17:08 PM
http://www.shrewbows.com/
CALL OR EMAIL FOR BOW DETAILS AND CURRENT DELIVERY TIME
Thank you, Roy. :thumbsup:
The new 52" Classic Hunter II will be available to see and try at the Kalamazoo Expo in January.
Thanks, Ron.
Nice video guys 👍👍
:clapper:
I look forward to seeing this thread every year. I would like to see photos of some of the stands you guys hunt from.
Great video, finally got time to sit down and watch it. I will be stopping by the Shrew booth and giving one of these a test drive!!!
Jason
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6unRltwPOI
That's Armstrong Creek in the video. The cedar swamp behind the guys in the canoe is where the Ghost resides
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