When Tucker causes trouble in his new school he is shipped off to live with his aunt and uncle in a remote area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There is something magical and mysterious about Uncle Ed's place. He is warned early and often by his uncle never to venture into the West Woods. But why?

Neither advocacy nor indictment of deer hunting, Deer Camp documents the rituals and traditions of hunting season in Vermont's fabled Northeast Kingdom, a landscape increasingly threatened by development and changing social values.

For readers of The Stranger in the Woods and H Is for Hawk, a beautifully written and emotionally rewarding memoir about a father, his three sons, and a scrappy 100-acre piece of land in rural Michigan. Some families have to dig hard to find the love that holds them together. Some have to grow it out of the ground. Bruce Kuipers was good at hunting, fishing, and working, but not at much else that makes a real father or husband. Conflicted, angry, and a serial cheater, he destroyed his relationship with his wife, Nancy, and alienated his three sons-journalist Dean, woodsman Brett, and troubled yet brilliant fisherman Joe. He distrusted people and clung to rural America as a place to hide. So when Bruce purchased a 100-acre hunting property as a way to reconnect with his sons, they resisted. The land was the perfect bait, but none of them knew how to be together as a family. Conflicts arose over whether the land-an old farm that had been degraded and reduced to a few stands of pine and blowing sand-should be left alone or be actively restored. After a decade-long impasse, Bruce acquiesced, and his sons proceeded with their restoration plan. What happened next was a miracle of nature. Dean Kuipers weaves a beautiful and surprising story about the restorative power of land and of his own family, which so desperately needed healing. Heartwarming and profound, The Deer Camp is the perfect story of fathers, sons, and the beauty and magic of the natural world.

This second book in the Deer and Deer Hunting Classics series rekindles the deer hunting history and the role of deer camps in hunting's culture. Relive the hunts, joy, and trepidation of famous American deer hunters such as William Faulkner, Aldo Leopold, and Oliver Hazard Perry. Rare historical paintings and photographs capture the spirit of long-past deer camps. This collective biography represents the best of a great American tradition through deer camp experiences, such as freedom, solitude, camaraderie, rites of initiation, story-telling and venison cuisine. More than 12 million American deer hunters celebrate this annual tradition.

Classic Deer Camps is a trip through time, back to the core of America's deer-hunting heritage. In this unique book you will revisit 19th century deer camps through a spectacular collection of writings, historical biography of famous deer camps and nostalgic artwork, plus you'll rediscover the freedom, solitude and camaraderie of this shared rite of passage. Short of providing the faint smell of beans and backstraps cooking on the fire, this book brings you to the heart and soul of this American institution.

Meet the Jolly Boys—five men from northern Wisconsin who built a deer hunting shack in 1955 and established a tradition that has now lasted over six decades. Hunting Camp 52, affectionately known as Blue Heaven, is a place where every trail, rock, and ravine has its own nickname; every kill is recorded by hand on a window shade; every hunter happily croons along during evening songfests; and every rowdy poker game lasts late into the night. The outhouse is always cold, the porcupines are always a problem, and the vehicles are always getting stuck in the mud, but there’s nowhere else these men would rather be. In Hunting Camp 52: Tales from a North Woods Deer Camp, John Marvin Hanson—the son of one of the original Jolly Boys—recounts the sidesplitting antics, the memorable hunts, and the profound camaraderie that has developed over almost sixty seasons at Blue Heaven. Hanson also includes more than twenty recipes for gourmet comfort foods prepared each year at camp, from pickled venison hearts to Norwegian meatballs to the treasured recipe for Reali Spaghetti. As the Jolly Boys age and younger generations take up the mantle of Blue Heaven, Hanson comes to appreciate that hunting camp is not about bagging a trophy buck as much as it is about spending time with the friends and family members who matter most.

FIELD & STREAM, America’s largest outdoor sports magazine, celebrates the outdoor experience with great stories, compelling photography, and sound advice while honoring the traditions hunters and fishermen have passed down for generations.

Complete reference on deer hunting lore, natural history, and science.

This story is true. Not even the names have been changed. I may end up being kicked out of camp for telling "what happens at camp", but it's a risk I am willing to take. After all, I'm innocent! Our deer camp, Camp Abahati, started in 1965. Since then we are in our 51st year of hunting the same piece of ground. Not many deer camps can lay claim to that, and two of the three original hunters are still hunting there. The group has grown over these 51 years to include two more Camp Elders - including yours truly - and their offspring, which now numbers 15 children and grandchildren. There are stories that will excite you. Stories that will make you laugh. Stories that will make you shake your head and think, "did they REALLY do that?" If you are a deer hunter, I know you will enjoy reading this tale. If you aren't a deer hunter, the stories of family and friends make for some great reading. It's not about the killing; it's about the hunting, the friendship, and the camaraderie.