Help! does anyone hunt out of a Camper Trailer?

[Tacman]

I am considering buying a piece of hunting/recreation property in a remote part of Montana. There is literally nothing but a county road where i am looking. My question is to anyone who owns a camper and how well they serve you.

My two vehicles are a Dodge full size and a Toyata Land Cruiser.

I am looking at something like the Starcraft 34RT due to the fact the roads and conditions will be rough, but I also have to do some over the road travelling.

http://www.starcraftrv.com/starcraft...ighlights.html

I will also be using it year round while travelling and fishing out at the lake, etc.

I need some opinions before I drop a bunch of money on the wrong thing.
Thanks

[guntotin_fool]

WE did for years, the negatives, they are hard to keep warm when it REALLY gets cold. Not as much packing room when they are all folded up, vs a regular airstream or travel trailer. No crapper or shower.....

Positives, pretty much can go anywhere your pick up can go, within reason.

light weight, easy tow.

if you only have two or three guys, they have enough room, more than that and it gets crowded fast


Before you buy new, look on craigslist or at local dealers for a Used one, we bought ours out of a local paper for about 1/2 new, and it was still in near new condition.

the next step for us was a pu topper camper, then a real trailer, which is what we still have. we found a very good used Airstream for not a lot of money and its been great, its big, roomy, warm, and tows easy on real roads, we do not off road it as we dont have too. I am looking now to drop back to a full size pu camper so I can tow my boat now that the kids are on their own. . .

[bufordtjustice]

I have a small camper on my farm that we hunt out of during deer season. It only fits two sleepers so we also use a tent. We can cram all four of us hogs in there for brief periods of time but it gets crowded fast. My personal opinion is that the camper you suggested would probably be more of a three season type but better than nothing. You could also look at a good canvas or outfitter type tent that you could use a small stove in. Possibly go the route of small tents for sleeping and an outfitters tent for a common area. Those would definitely fit in your truck and not cost a ton.

I love camping out over deer season (in NE Missouri) but when I get cold, I don't have as much fun and don't hunt as hard. Being able to warm up for a few hours here and there and having a place to sit around out of the wind and rain is pretty important to me.

There are tons of other options if you are worried about portability or cost. You could also look at the tents that attach to the bed of your truck. That would be another way to make use of space and go with a smaller pull behind like the one you listed. I think that one is going to get pretty chilly though.

As for the guy who suggested airstreams, I really like the look of those as well but have no practical experience to comment on. I have never even pulled one.

With the cost in gas, problems with economy, etc., I think now would be a great time to get something if you have the money. Buying used is always a wise choice as long as you know what you are looking at.

Good luck and keep us posted. I am interested in possibly upgrading as well.

[Wuchak]

If you are going to own the property I think the money is better spent on a permanent, cheap structure. It could be an old pull behind camper dropped into a permanent spot with a pitched roof added (those flat roofs are the Achilles heel of campers) , a steel building (Quonset hut style), or a simple small cabin. The floor can be packed dirt (very common until 100 year ago and they have a number of advantages) so all you need is walls and a roof. Add a woodstove, portapoty, Coleman Camp Kitchen, propane stove, propane lantern, and propane heater, a couple of camp cots from Cabela's with gear hangers and you're in business. A stop at the local Salvation Army will let you add table, chairs, and cooking gear for about $50. The Quonset hut is easy to assemble, inexpensive, and durable.

Below taken from http://www.steelbuildings.org/Buildi...s.html#quonset

Quonset Hut Steel Buildings:
Most guys who have had at least 55 birthdays will likely remember quonset huts from their military days. Named after Quonset Point Military Base in Rhode Island (where they were first introduced) a quonset hut is usually defined as any self-supporting structure, usually in an "arch" or curved shape. There are no interior posts, trusses or support beams of any kind. The exterior sheeting IS the building. Imagine a giant tin can, cut in half lengthwise and set on the ground. That's a quonset hut, also referred to as an arch building.

To assemble a quonset building, you'll first lay out on the ground each individual section of the arch (each single piece of the arch is usually no more than 8-12 feet (3-4 meters) long. Then you bolt all the sections together to make the first full arch. You'll then pull up the assembled arch and attach it to the foundation. Each subsequent arch will also be assembled on the ground, pulled up and then attached to the other standing arches. Each arch is usually about 2 feet (1/2 meters) wide. To make the building longer, you just add more arches. End walls may be provided by the company, you can build your own, or you can leave one or both ends completely open.

Quonset hut steel buildings are generally available in two different styles. First is the old-fashioned "full arch" steel building (the semi-circle shape) and, second, is the newer modified quonset, which has perfectly straight walls and then a curved roof with a traditional gable end peak or a round peak. This design is sometimes described like a giant "loaf of bread" or a "mailbox" . The modified quonset buildings are becoming quite popular in that they have eliminated one of the biggest problems of the older full circle buildings: there is no wasted space on the sidewalls since the walls are completely straight.The width that you need for your building will determine somewhat the style you can use, since the modified quonset buildings are usually available only in the narrower widths of 18 to 40 feet (5-12 meters). And if you want grain or crop storage (something stored against the walls), you'll have to stick with the full arch building, not the modified quonset. Full arch buildings can store grain; modified arch buildings would burst like a ballon with any weight pressure on the walls.

Quonset building can be attached to the foundation in one of two ways. First is with a baseplate connector. You'd have a flat, level concrete pad and the then you'd bolt the baseplate to the concrete, and then the building would bolt to the baseplate. The second method (the more traditional method) is to use the trough method. As you form the foundation for the concrete, you have a trough, rathr like a reverse curb about 6 inches wide and 8 inches deep. You assemble the arches and set them into this trough, and after all the arches are up and secure you then go back and fill in the trough on the inside, and go outside and fill up the trough. Now she's all sealed up at the base and secure.

There are wide variations in the quality of quonset buildings based on the type of steel (grade, coatings, tensile strength) the gauge (thickness) of the steel, end wall configuration, door openings on the end well, foundation attachments, door options (either sliding doors or garage doors) interior height, and the amount of on-site work necessary to erect the building. When you are shopping for a quonset hut steel building, be sure and address these important areas!

[Pahoo]

Oh yes, as my hunting/fishing buddy has one and pretty much used as you have stated. Last summer we were fishing in the Trinidad, CO. area, last week in Missouri, dove hunting and last fall, deer hunting at Boulder Junction, Wis. Will be going back to Missouri for deer season. When close to home we take it to private land and park it there during the season. It's warm and comfortable and so far, have not taken any shots.

Be Safe !!!

[davlandrum]

Strictly my opinion, but I would look for a regular travel trailer or a toy hauler. You have a lot more storage in them, can keep them much warmer, have "facilities".

What most people around here do is flip the springs upside down to get more ground clearance. Also don't go really big, or you start running into clearance problems on back roads. No hard and fast rule on length, really depends on what you are doing. Where we deer hunt, anything longer than 25' will drag bottom as you get off the gravel road down to the camping area.

+1 to the suggestion of buying a trailer and then putting a roof over it, since it is your land. You can pick up used trailers pretty cheap. Leave that one there and get something else to use at other locations.

[Scorch]

I used to hunt out of a bare-bones camper trailer, but got rid of it years ago. Now I'm looking for another. They really are very nice for hunters.

Good things:
* gets you out of the rain, wind, and snow, and you don't have to deal with frost on your head in the morning.
* beds are more comfortable than ground pads, which may not be a big issue for one night but at the end of a week it makes a huge difference.
* you can cook a real meal without having ashes in everything. You also can turn on the heat, which is hard to do in a tent, and you have electric lights.
* new tent trailers have showers and toilets, which can be good or bad depending on who you are with.

Bad things:
* it's cramped if you have any more than 3 or 4 people.
* you have to stash everything before packing up. No different than a tent or camper, but it really is a different level of packing up.
* you have to dry out the tent before storing it for the winter or after any rain/snow/frost on the canvas.
* low ground clearance makes it hard to get into some areas with a tent trailer. Makes you wish for a skid plate.

I remember one time I 4-wheeled into a quail/chukar hunting area in northern NV and set up my tent trailer and went to bed. Next morning I get out to go hunting, and a guy pulls in with a luxury 5th wheel trailer (generator, satellite TV, VCR, microwave, even had a chandelier) and sets up about 200 yds away. I wondered how he got in with the trailer, but it had plenty of ground clearance. Every day while he was out hunting, his wife would stay in and watch TV and read romance novels and cook for him. When he got back he showered, ate a deluxe meal, then went to bed in a real bed. By the 5th day, he was still fresh and ready to go, but I was ready to go home. So, moral of the story, get the best and enjoy it.

[kraigwy]

I like 'em, I'm too old to sleep in a snow bank anymore. They make a pleasent hunt or camping trip. Nice not to have to break Ice to make the morning coffee. You can still have your camp fire, but sleep in a warm bed.

Ok I admit, I'm getting wimpy in my old age.

[chuckscap]

I've got a 27' Artic Fox camping trailer. It's got more ground clearance than a lot of others, which also means it's a bit harder to tow. I paid $22K for mine with a built in generator (a really nice feature). It's warm, got a slide out and I could live in it if the wife kicked me out lol .... Here's a link to a new one, it's just like mine

http://www.panpacificrvs.com/6020.html



Chuck

[Tacman]

Wow Guys,

That is alot of info. I was pretty busy yesterday and finally sat down at my desk this morning to surf for a few minutes. Now I know what I am going to be researching the rest of the day in my down time.

I like the idea of a permanent structure after a time. Has anyone seen what can be done with a conex?

[P97]

A few years ago I bought an older, remodeled, 30's travel trailer for 5000. and set it permanently on my land that is isolated with no utilities available. Spent another 3000. on solar panels, windmill, and battery bank for power. Have all the conveniences of home and Wife and I spend from March to end of November there every year. Love it! and so does the Grandkids

[kayakersteve]

Here in western NY state, I had the local Amish build me this cabin - It is tucked in the middle of my land and far from the road - Serves as a great hunting base, but also a recreational cabin for our whole family during the warmer months.

[L_Killkenny]

Want to travel more and save gas? Try one of these:

www.mini-camp.com

LK

[Wuchak]

I'm curious. What's a conex?