I am considering buying a used camper to go on bow hunts this fall. I like the idea of a lightweight popup, but worry about whether I will be warm enough for December bowhunts, if it can stand up to the Oklahoma winds, and how long the tenting will hold up. I can afford a small travel trailer but would have to have one light enough to pull behind an older toyota tundra. I worry that it would be a tough pull to south dakota for antelope hunting.
Any thoughts, Ideas, points of view or experiences from you all would be appreciated.
Chris Rice
I'll be interested in this too. I drive by a dealer often that has some really neat looking small tent/trailers on the lot. I've often thought that they'd be the ticket for some travelling hunts?
We've used popups for many years during November hunts in Northern Michigan. A Big Buddy Mr. Heater and a good sleeping bag keep it nice and toasty. With the heater, gas lanterns, and the stove going for dinner it gets real warm in there. The popup is a great option for us as a travel trailer would probably not fit too well down the two-tracks through the pines to our camping area.
If the pop-up has a heater, temperature will not be an issue. Propane will be the bigger concern(not to scare you). I've slept in 15deg weather in shorts in a good sleeping bag with no issues. We use the heater only while in it, whether sleeping or back for lunch. Set at 63deg, a 20lb tank will last a couple days, if you're looking at heating only. Cooking will reduce that time. I added a second 20lb'er and an auto switch-over(sucks changing tanks at 2:00 a.m. freezing your yabos(spelling) off), so that a four day trip in a deep freeze is a piece of cake. They pull great, while allowing for some extra stowage of gear. Hope this helps, Jeff. :thumbsup:
We own a Popup and love the convenience of camping at 3D shoots,fall coastal fishing etc.As far as warmth we line our windows,top of canvas and beneath the beds with Reflectix,a foil-faced reflective insulation.You can buy it by the roll at Lowes Hardware.Along with a portable Mr Buddy we stay quiet warm.Some Pups come with a heating system ,most don't.While summer camping we just place the Reflextix on top of the canvas to reflect the heat.This makes a HUGE difference. (http://yfrog.com/0tpopupvj)
I've used one for 15 years hunting elk in Co. Beats sleeping in the tent when its 15-20 degrees outside. room is a issue depending on how many are with. I have a 8 ft.er, 3 guys and gear is quite a crowd, 10-12 would make a big difference.Bring extra propane and a good battery if the heating system is electronic, spent some cold nights because the battery went dead.You also have to make sure you rodent proof it when you put it away for the winter, them little bastards can do alot of damage, I know this for a fact.
Guys an gals, being a fireman I have to warn ya, plz if you use any type heat in an almost sealed area, like a camper or a pop-up(in which I hunt out of one) go somewhere an buy a cheap carbon monoxide monitor, most have a smoke alarm built in also. This is really cheap insurance, just in case anything were to go wrong. I know the Mr. Buddy heater advertizes that it is safe, an I use one, but I will NOT trust my life on it. Just my thoughts.
My pop up's 11 years old, and is still in excellent shape,no issues with the canvas at all, as far as heat goes I use an electric space heater and it keeps it plenty toasty! I know that limits your camp sites but it's well worth the effort when it's cold to camp in a spot with some electricity!
Set ups are quick and easy, they pull well and are light weight. lots of advantages to them but wind is an issue if it's blowing more than say 30 mph it can be a little hairy in one!
Your Tundra will pull one with ease, i pull mine with my S-10 and it's easy to forget that it's even back there!
Dang! I thought I was going to see a pop-up camper all brushed in when I read the thread title.
I thought to myself this is going to be way cool to see..lol
It sounded like such a seriously good idea too!
God bless,Mudd
QuoteOriginally posted by Mudd:
Dang! I thought I was going to see a pop-up camper all brushed in when I read the thread title.
That's what I was thinking!!!
I use a small pop up when we bowhunt the rut here in Wis. during November. mine is 8yrs old and has HEATED MATTRESSES yes thats rite they are heated as long as you have electricity and we also use ceramic heaters instead of gas or propane, then you dont have to worry about carbon monoxide. it keeps us very warm and if you want it to really keep the heat in throw a tarp over the camper and stake it down, no matter how cold or windy it is you'll be in your skivvies.
I have a 1998 Coleman Niagara, and I don'tthink I would want anything else. Keeps me dry, and warm along with plenty of room to move around. It's on the heavy side, butI have a 2009 Sierra to tow it.
I used an old Apache hard side for a lot of years. Was great in the winter w/ the furnace and frig. Kept everyone warm as toast even in Nov. here in MI. Easy to get down the 2 tracks too. Pulled easy and w/ a little help could be moved by hand. The tent styles are even lighter. Can't go wrong w/ that choice I'm thinking.
We have a problem with these lady bug looking beetles in late Fall. The damn things crawl into every possible opening and crevace they can. Our popup trailers are no line of defense. :) A couple years ago, I came back from a morning hunt to a few thousand of them inside the trailer.
We had to take the trailer down during the day and put it back up when it cooled down in the evening or we'd be swamped with bugs. The only way to keep them out.
That'd be about my only complaint, they just don't seal well enough to keep them and the boxelder bugs out.
Just a thought....
Met a guy who lived in one up in Alaska.
Living in the Pacific NW rain is an issue... I have found a 13' Scamp [ actually 10' inside the trailer] all fiberglass trailer is just the ticket.... it needs no drying out before putting away after a wet hunt, only weighs 850#, has refergirator, stove, 20 gal fresh water tank, and has plenty of room for 2 guys and gear. Mine has bunks in front [ back of couch actually folds up to make the top bed]. This is a great place for bows and gear. The dinette is the bed I usually choose as it's a bit bigger than a bunk.. I usually use this for up to a week at a time. I, like others here, heat it with a Mr. Buddy heater... but I use a 5 gal tank. It seems to last forever. I do crack both a window and the top vent a bit at night for safety's sake. I actually scored this trailer for $500 several years ago and can't remember how many have tried to get it off of me for up to 3x or better what I gave for it... They are available with some searching :thumbsup:
For longer, colder trips the 26' Old Winnebago gets the call....got to love that furnace, micro-range, generator and dvd player during late archery elk hunts. I usually leave it set up as a camp for the entire late season. With 5 seperate beds, there is room for all ...but does get a bit crowded if over three guys are using it for extended periods of time.
I also have a Army Squad tent with an arctic liner, but either of campers will beat it hands down for comfort. Plus, I don't have to dry it out when the hunt is over.. before storing it away.
Gene
This is what you need
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/graybuffalo/stuff%20and%20stuff/Bu2FvcQCWkKGrHqRiQEv10B32YBMCnKwIow.jpg)
Jerry I have been drooling over one of those for a few years now. Finding a used one must be an impossible task since I haven't seen or heard of one as yet.
God bless,Mudd
Count me in the Scamp crowd
Last few of Novembers a good friend and I have spent a week in one for the final push of bow season. Works just fine for us, though if it's really windy/cold you'll burn through propane pretty quick - on the coldest year I think we used 140# of it. Two years ago we somehow managed to end up burning up the bussbars to the heating control (can you guess how cold it was?) but we caught it quick. It's since been upgraded, though we've yet to see that kind of cold again so far.
Still a 14'er is a palace for two guys and all their gear.
Just make sure the windows are zipped down when you shoot. If the screens are tight it should not affect your arrow flight. :bigsmyl:
I have been wanting a pop up for a LONG time. I can never part with the money for a new one and don't know enough to take on any "project"
The ones I think would suit our purpose best are this Coleman:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/evolution-header.jpg)
Or this Starcraft:
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/49576696ImG11.jpg)
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/49531841Image000231.jpg)
If a guy had a 4 wheeler, he could take it along, or use that space for big coolers, ect.
Owned a coleman and loved it!! I must say that the propane would be your only issue. The heater really eats it up. One thing we did that cut the propane heater in half was throw big tarps over the canvass and strap it down. This really holds the heat in the camper. Doesn't look all that attractive but works well. Just a thought.
QuoteOriginally posted by rice:
I am considering buying a used camper to go on bow hunts this fall. I like the idea of a lightweight popup, but worry about whether I will be warm enough for December bowhunts, if it can stand up to the Oklahoma winds, and how long the tenting will hold up. I can afford a small travel trailer but would have to have one light enough to pull behind an older toyota tundra. I worry that it would be a tough pull to south dakota for antelope hunting.
Any thoughts, Ideas, points of view or experiences from you all would be appreciated.
Chris Rice
We've camped in our pop-up in very cold weather before. It helps if you camp somewhere with electricity so that you can run a space heater (or two) in there but if not you can still make do.
You might want more insulation than just the thin mattress under you for really cold nights, but they work just fine.
That said, I'd like to sell mine. Tents / camping hammocks are more fun. :-D
My Son-in-Law went to Colorado a few years back and pulled an A-liner. Best pop up camper I have ever stayed in. I can't remember the model but it slept four. The two of us were very comfortable. He took one side and I had the other. The following year my wife and I pulled it to Yellowstone National Park and stayed in it along the way in other National Parks and had a great time. Sets up in less than 5 minutes. Has a hard top and sides. I rented it from Services on the air base I work at. Cost me less than $150 for 9 days. It pulled really easy. Hardly ever knew it was back there.
Louis
Some of the guys that know me have heard way too much about ... teardrop campers!
Not much more than a bed usually, but; there are tons and tons of ideas that work for hunting and fishing rigs. Some are home built from scratch and some are utility trailer conversions.
Do a search for "tear drops and tiny travel trailers" and get ready to see more tiny, lightweight campers than you can imagine.
I'm in the process of building one - slowly but, surely...
I use one most of the season. It's nothing special and I bought it cheap. I use an electric heater in it. If you are staying at a campsite that has electricity, this is the best way to go. Stays warm, and does not cost anymore, since you already paid for the campsite. I've stayed in mine in some really nasty weather and remained comfortable. I also love tent camping, and have done it for years, but to be honest, when it gets cold here in Illinois in November, I like coming back after an all-day sit to a nice warm camper.
This is something I've always thought would be fun. I've thought about turkey season as well. Don't have to get up so early!
-Jeremy
For Mudd Just off I-96 west of Lansing MI, there is a pop up camper in a field that is camoflaged for a blind. The ends where the beds are are not pulled out and are hanging towards the ground. If the heater works it would be a great blind. I used a 1970 Starcraft pop up for 8 years to camp with my family and a fall bow camp. The heater in the older pop ups did not require electricity, it was nice for bow camps and State Forest campgrounds. I have a 94 Rockwood now that like for the family, but if I would have had a place to keep the old Starcraft I would have kept it for hunting.
Another Scamp owner here.
I just bought this little camper last Saturday, so I have yet to use it on a hunt. Its a little rough but a few $ and time will get her into shape. The interior is 10' x 6.5' and 71" high. I have to duck a little when I'm in it, but I think its a cool little camper. This one was made in 1978.
(http://images.imagelinky.com/1275485210.jpg) (http://images.imagelinky.com/1275485210.jpg)
I've stayed in a pop-up camper in the winter and we used a heater to knock off the chill.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd69/BigArcher/elkcamp04040.jpg)
We have used this camper in the Washington rain and the mountains of Montana. In The picture we a are about 8k to 8.5k feet up.
We have a forced air heater. I added a second battery to last the night and a generator to recharge them.
The vinyl end tops will collect condensation and drip on you if you don't use the forced air heater on cold days. It starts raining on your face in the middle of the night.
Comfortable enough though. My wife stayed in ours in Montana and made some great dinners for elk camp.
BigArcher
I bought my first (and only) popup camper in '01.
Got it in May and spent 28 days hunting out of it by the end of the year. I bought it used so had no choice as to heat and ac. Ac came with it but no heater. To this day I have only been in a campground with electric 3 or 4 times. In hunting season we don't have any heat it it other than to turn on the stove when we get up to take the chill off. Been in it in temperatures down to 10- 12 degrees. Not very often thank God. I personally find the ac a waste. I just had to do some roof repair and ending up taking it off and leaving it off.
The best thing is having a dry place to sit, sleep, eat, change clothes, etc.
I pulled a large sized pop up to Colorado a few years ago. We got a heavy snow and the threat of more. Decided to move down the hill. Top would not come down. It had a electric drive. Finally found the hand drive adapter and cranked it down. The dealer thought it was because of the weight of snow on the roof. But could not really fix the problem. The owner, my hunting buddy, traded for a hard side. I think i would get a small to medium sized pull or fifth wheel to use behind a half ton pickup.
I've got a 1987 model thats still in excellent shape. Just got through staying in it with my family this weekend. My Dad and I have hunted out of it ever since we have had it. Like its been said before just use a small heater and make sure to have a little ventilation. The canvas is still in excellent shape. We always make sure it is dry before we leave it down for a long period of time and always stored it in the dry when not in use. I love it. Its easy to get in to some the rough places we hunt and light enough to pull with a small truck or SUV.
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss116/joekeithspics/Camper/006.jpg)
I've got this little Sport Camp. Designed for towing behind a motorcycle. Behind a car or truck you don't even notice it there. It only weighs 300 lbs. It's 52" wide and 7' long closed. Open it's 52" wide and 14' long. Real nice for one person or me and the wife. All you have to do is put down the outriggers, and flip the top open. Drive 3 stakes and use the poles for the awning. I've stayed in it in a couple pretty rough storms up in Sturgis. It held up fine. No heater in it. But with the bike I never used it in the cold.
Here it is opened.
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss116/joekeithspics/Camper/012.jpg)
That is a great set up Keith...
Thanks for all of the replies.Lots of good information here from people who have experience.Sounds like a popup might work for what I have in mind.
Chris Rice
In Indiana, to Hunt from a "Vehicle" You need a Handicapped Permit and License. Please, Correct Me if I am Wrong.
shakes, he's only gonna use it for a base. not as a blind.
but, you're right on the special needs stuff.
I picked up this one last summer and although I didnt use it for hunting camp last fall I will this year for sure! It's an older one (94) the inside looks brand new and it's big, a 14' box 27' extended with a king bed on one end and a queen on the other, dinette, fridge, roof air, furnace, toilet with a built in shower pan base. The small tires will make it hard to get to some of my favorite spots, I will probably upgrade to something like Steve O posted in a couple years.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/jkendall/122_2221.jpg)
Keith that one you have is sick looking.
What a great little camper!!!!!
I went on a New Mexico hunt back in 98 and the guide had a pop up camper and had a lift kit put under it with bigger tires.
Man that thing would go anywhere and it slept 5 people but we were pretty snug.
I have always had a house to stay in down here in the south but i really do like pop up campers.
My brother-in-law and I used his pop-up and it worked great. He also brought a small generator to use for space heaters and for electricity for the lights if there was no hookup.
Make sure you ask for the shoot-through netting.
I second Gray Buffalo's suggestion. If you really would like a light weight camper that lends itself to hunting, look into a camper called an A-liner (note: out west they market a similar-type camper called a "Chalet").
We started out with a Coleman pop-up a number of years ago- and no complaints, it was a well made, reliable camper. BUT if you wanted to take a quick overnight trip somewhere, you always sort of dreaded the thought of how long it required to set it up and close it up. Even after we got quick at it, it still took 10-20 minutes to set it up, and 15-30 minutes to break it down, depending on where we were going, whether it was daylight or dark out, and weather conditions.
Then we purchased an A-liner "classic" with an "off road package". It'll do everything a pop-up will do; go anywhere a pop-up will go (like in your garage when you're not using it); but unlike a pop-up it can be set up or closed up in literally LESS THAN one minute, without having to disconnect it from the tow vehicle.
It's perfect for spur of the moment trip ideas and quick, overnight hunts- or extended hunts or extended camping trips. It works great in either application. It also lends itself to traveling because you can set it up "where and when" as you are heading down the road- at a rest area; a scenic turn out; the parking lot of a Cabelas- anywhere that you can pull over, it can be set up and taken down in a minute flat. It's also great for tailgating or for single day events like traditional bowhunting expos, 3-D shoots, dog field trials, etc.
We find that we do a lot more camping and take a lot more trips since we sold the pop-up and purchased an A-liner. If you are researching ANY type of camper, you should take a moment to check out these A-liners. Be sure to look into the "off road" package with the heavier GVW rating, larger tires and increased ground clearance for true wilderness camping/hunting applications. These campers are the bomb!