The Complete Deer Camp
From a classic Dutch oven to a roomy tent, here is everything you need to put together your own ultimate whitetail expedition--and it'll all fit in the back of your truck.
1. Camp Chef Big gAss Grill
Keep the crew fed right with this spacious (14×32-inch) grill that features two propane-fired burners, appliance-style temperature controls, and a heat-box housing. $285; 800-650-2433; www.campchef.com
2. Slumberjack Big timber Sleeping Bag and Big XL Cot
For large hunters, a night in a mummy can feel like doing time in a straitjacket. The extra-roomy Big Timber, however, will keep you warm and comfortable. Stack it on a Big XL cot and you’ll get the sleep you need for more hard hunting. $90 (bag); $80 (cot); 800-233-6283; www.slumberjack.com
3. Icey-Tek It-125 Cooler
Most coolers are so cheaply made that they’re practically disposable. Not the tough-as-nails Icey-Tek. It has welded hinges, a lockable latch system, and a heavy-duty construction designed for superior insulation. Available from the National Wild Turkey Federation. $200¿¿¿$220; 800-843-6983; www.nwtf.org
4. Browning Black Ice 1-Watt flashlight
This superbright light will help you find your stand before dawn or the outhouse in the middle of the night. The 1-watt LED will burn for 100,000 hours. $55; 800-333-3288; www.browning.com
5. Coleman 4D Rugged U-Tube Lantern
This lantern doesn’t have that great old-time camp smell of white gas, but the four D-cells that run it make for less mess and lighter carrying. $18; 800-835-3278; www.coleman.com
6. 52 Wildcat Poker Cards
Camp and cards go together like bourbon and branch, and this hunter’s deck (deer are diamonds, moose are spades, elk are hearts, and antelope are clubs) will give those games a wild twist. $5.50; www.52wildcard.com
7. Lodge 5-Quart Dutch Oven
The best camp food comes out of a cast-iron Dutch oven. Make everything from stews to biscuits to cobblers in this slow-cooker. It comes preseasoned, but it’ll only get better with every meal. $29; 423-837-7181; www.lodgemfg.com
8. Mundial 4-Piece Butchering Kit
You can spend more dollars and pack more cutlery, but the three blades in this quality kit will easily cape, bone, and butcher every buck on your meat pole. $36; 630-434-7768; www.chefdepot.com
9. Chuckwagon Supply Blue Enamel Coffeepot
Lattes are okay in town, but a day at camp must start with old-fashioned joe. This 12-cup pot features a kiln-dried blue glaze that’ll take on the right patina after sitting on a campfire. $15; 208-221-0147; www.chuckwagonsupply.com
10. Kni-Co Alaskan Camp Stove
Want deer camp alchemy? Watch 18 pounds of cold steel morph into the psychological equivalent of a hot toddy and a warm blanket. Stoke the collapsible Alaskan (the parts break down and fit in the chamber), and it’ll not only heat your tent-it’ll be the center of camp life. $130; 541-886-8055; www.kni-co.com
11 Cabela’s Big Horn II Outfitter Tent
The 81/2-foot ceiling, generous sidewalls, and hexagonal floor plan make the Big Horn II seem larger than its advertised dimensions (12×14 feet), something I learned on a recent Wyoming deer hunt. $600; 800-237-4444; www.cabelas.com
12 H.S. Papason Lounger
You sit on stools when you’re on stand-not at the end of a long day in the field. Kick back in comfort in this foam-padded, steel-frame chair. It’s like a La-Z-Boy that is collapsible and comes in a carrying case. $99; 319-395-0321; www.hunterspec.com
