The fire was on top instead of below and it cooked to a turn.    

 

I took this picture before the company showed up to help eat the pig. That's my Grandson in the chair by the fire.

You couldn't ask for better weather, beautiful Indian Summer most of the week.

   

Armstrong Creek in all it's fall glory. 440 acres of ShrewHaven as far as the eye can see

   

 

BEautisuckle, Ron...

I can see dark and shirt sleeves....what's wrong with that picture?

Aint you guys to be bundled up in MI come this time of year???

   

Keepum coming
I love to hear the Shrewhaven stories    

On Tuesday we put a 50# lamb on an electric spit run by one of my Honda generators

   

Have you ever sat and watched a lamb roast?...it's like watching grass grow

 

It's finely ready, VERY succulent    

   

 VERY SUCCULENT Lamb Shank  

   

Beautiful pictures Ron, thank to you, and all your ShrewHaven partners for sharing with us. I always look forward to the posts from you and your "gang".  Sadly my brother and I wont be making the trip across the Mighty Mac this year, I will miss it, but this helps.  Looking forward to more pics and posts.  I hope that the time spent in camp with your friends, and memories of your Red Bird has helped heal your loss a little bit, my prayers are still with you.


Jason

Thanks for posting the pics Ron.I truly love the Western Yoop.

QuoteOriginally posted by Roger Norris:
Blade and Bow Bourbon and pickled bologna, a Shrewhaven classic      

     

This is our camp chef Greg Nicolaou. He trained at the Culinary institute of America and knows his way around the kitchen. The tall jar next to the pickled baloney was filled with 'pepper shooters' that Greg makes. There's about one hundred in a jar that size and Roger eats about seventy five before we know it's been opened.    :p

Just to refresh everyone's memory this year was a Special hunt in honor of Nancy "RedBird" LaClair. Everyone had their special RedBird arrows made by my friend Paul Jalon of Elite Arrows. Paul did a phenomenal job as usual.

Also my friend Randy Gustafson of Northwoods Outfitters had a special sign made that we put on an oak tree 20 feet from where Nancy had her blind every year. It borders our drive that runs 1/3rd mile off the two track to camp. I know Nancy would love it,  


     

The picture of Greg and the pickled baloney was before I got to camp. You may not be able to see it in this picture but there is a "swear jar" on the table. Nancy didn't like swearing so in honor of her anyone that used profanity had to put a dollar in the jar. At first the money flowed into to it pretty fast but soon everyone started watching their language.... I'd like to think it was more in respect for Nancy than the loss of money. Thanks guys.

   

There it is, the silver top square glass jar with money in it.      

 

That's cool Randy had that sign made up. It looks good.

That's just without words .

QuoteOriginally posted by Ron LaClair:
There it is, the silver top square glass jar with money in it.        

   

Ron snapped this photo just before Helga, our camp maid, showed up.   :D

The dish washing system is shown in the background. Two pots of water sit on the wood stove and this year there was plenty of rain water runoff to use instead of creek water.   Dishes and cabin get tidied up after the morning hunt and late morning breakfast.  If we're lucky, Ron makes his famous breakfast burritos.  It's the only thing besides ' we got a blood trail' that will pull Roger off his morning hunt early.

Roger sleeps on the Futon sofa in the main room. He's also the keeper of the nightly fire.  It's a delicate balance of keeping it going and not roasting the upper bunk boys. Wednesday night Roger still had his face paint on when he went to bed. Tim pointed it out and Roger said 'it'll save me four minutes in the morning'.  Nobody beats Roger to the woods in the morning.

So what is it about deer camp that makes it so special. I contemplated that as I sat in the lazy boy chair waiting for the gang to pile back in from the evening hunt. This would be the second year of a deerless camp in a row.  I believe it's the tradition of the little nuances of camp and the characters involved.  As you can see the area is truly special and beautiful from the pictures Ron posted. However I think this group of guys could make camp anywhere there was a place to gather and the chance of harvesting a deer with our traditional bows.

Wht kind of deer numbers did you guys see?
Is it good hunting in that area?