When Barb asked me to join the WON Guns with my own blog, several ideas ran through my head. Kinda like when I’m sitting in the woods and the wheels in my head start turning … I start thinking of things to do, ways to improve hunting gear, places to put stands or blinds and the list just goes on and on.
The past couple of years I’ve had the opportunity to hunt out of an enclosed, elevated hunting stand in Perry County, Ill. And there were a few of those days I was very grateful for the protection it offered from the extreme elements!
Hunting out of a structure like this was not a new idea or experience for me. About 30 years ago, my Grandpa Troy and Great Uncle Kenny built their “Ruf It Deer Lodge.” It is a six-foot by eight-foot structure built on a trailer frame with two shooting rests and tilt up windows. There is even a small propane stove top they would use for cooking or as a heat source.
The official Huntin' Hut. Photo by Marti Davis.
Unfortunately, I didn’t ever get the chance to spend a day in the woods with my grandpa in the hut. He passed away when I was 17 and I didn’t start hunting until I was 26. (I didn’t know what I was missing out on.) A few years back I did get to hunt out of the “Lodge” with Uncle Kenny (I’m sure Grandpa was with us too.). It was a very chilly April morning and I shot the first and only turkey from the Hut. Uncle Kenny passed away this past winter and I’m glad we got to share that time together in the woods.
In my next blog I’ll tell you all about the Huntin’ Hut that I built with some help from a couple of my hunting buddies.
Marti Davis is a staff member for Browning Trail Cameras, WoolX and Mossy Oak. She is an authority on most types of hunting in North America, and very active in mentoring the next generation of young hunters. View all posts by Marti Davis
Great first post Marti! Hey you going to share that “Huntin’ Hut” you built with me this year? I just need a corner for me and camera 🙂 So glad I met you and you come over here to God’s Country to chase our monster whitetails 🙂
Several years ago, I posted a short story on a forum about hunting in a shooting house in celebration of my second anniversary hunting. I harvested my first buck out of that shooting house . I had 19 out of 31 responses that did not have a clue as to what in the world I was talking about. I giggle now, realizing that hunters really do hunt differently in other areas of the United States. I have been fortunate enough to experience that first hand. Although it is considered somewhat of a “lazy” way to hunt to those who hunt out West, when you visit Alabama and realize how flat our territory is and that long distance shots that you have out west are far and few between in most areas with the abundance of trees we have, it really does make sense to use shooting houses for a means of hunting green fields. Although I still prefer using climbing stands, ladder stands and lock-ons, it is nice to escape for an all-day hunt in a shooting house every now and then.
I look forward to reading about your new hunting hut.