Ode to da Shacks

[lanyard]

There is something special about the way bacon smoke haze hangs in the air of a plywood or or particle board walled shack.

Propane heat.

No running water, so pans are always 'seasoned" vs Dawn degreased.

Building code defying floors.

Porches that forever feel they are held together with too light of monofilament and duct tape

"Pissers" row and outhouses.

Always a gun loaded by the door in season.

No one counting how many eggs you ate.

The only time a strong Cribbage game is a "flex"

Sad and sorry wildlife prints warped by humidity and blurred by bacon smoked glass

Sometimes, an ACTUAL county plat book

A drawer/cupboard full of Crown Royal bags

Glasses from the bar, coasters from the bar, maybe a "wooden nickel", and a "that one waitress/bartender' story (once, like 26 years ago, with the guy's brother in-law that came up the one-time...)

Chipping frost from a propane freezer for drink ice

Muddy boots, muddy paws, and b!thcing about cleaning up the floor at the end of a trip

Eating sh!t-you-shot game bag to grill

Campfire: always planned, rarely achieved

Bunk mates : somebody snores, someone is up 4 times, and holy pihucking hell if a C-Pap shows up

The "early riser" waking everyone up with a smile, a sadistic "I told you b!tch' smile

The "war" between factions: breakfast BEFORE or AFTER the morning hunt

Booze pool: bring to share, but don't blame others after YOU drank all your own whiskey. And if someone tosses you a $20;for their "appreciation " of your booze, take it.

The final tally... Who: doesn't take birds, or only selects the "best" birds, or only wants "a stick of sausage", or isn't at the cleaning table, or needs someone to gut/drag, or shooting time and "in stand time" are the same on their watch, or calling the spouse rather than losing at poker....

Shacks, man. Nothing better.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

Ya that's deer camp nice write man

Just learned "our" hill is for sale in SE mn. We used to have access to like 4 farms that got whittled down to one about 10 years ago. And now that piece is for sale

I'm 38 so this will be my 26th year actually carrying a gun there...but started going when I was 6-7.

I've watched my dad and his college buddies age there. It's clearly the greatest time of year for them...one thing they genuinely look forward to all year. And pretty sad to watch it fade into the sunset.

We got options to go elsewhere if necessary but it will never be "Mabes"...end of an era

[Fish Felon]

Gene Hill himself couldn't have done it up any better lanyard....beautiful written art....thank you for sharing.

[Nershi]

Great little write up. And agreed, nothing better.

You and felon should have been writers.