Hunting Camp 52: Tales from a North Woods Deer Camp

by John Marvin Hanson

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.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction

261 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2016

Reviews

[Jim Gallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is big history and small history. Big history is the wars and elections, great figures and social movements. Small history is the story of how people live their lives. Hunting Camp 52 is small history writ large. It is a memoir of over 50 years of life in a North Woods hunting camp near Hayward, Wisconsin.

Five "Jolly Boys" obtained a lease on county lands near Hayward, Wisconsin in 1955 on which they built Blue Heaven, a rustic camp where the Jolly Boys hunted, played cards, prepared their meals and enjoyed the camaraderie of the other fellows. There are stories of thrill when the big, or someone's first buck is taken. There is joy in the singing and sadness as Jolly Boys become too aged to participate in the hunt and eventually pass away. There is the humor as everyone quietly accepts the poorly cooked eggs. The tradition continues as sons and grandsons take their places in the hunt. Over time the camp, like the hunters, ages and requires more maintenance, but no one wanted to give up their hallowed hunting grounds. I will say no more to avoid any spoilers.

The author, John Marvin Hanson, son of the original Jolly Boys and current member of Blue Heaven, has knitted together anecdotes from the shack log records and personal recollections, supplemented by many photos, into a time capsule of over a half century of hunting life. If you are a hunter, these pages may bring back memories. If not, enjoy this window into the recreation of our friends and neighbors.

I did receive a free copy of this book without an obligation to post a review.

[Michael Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are hundreds of deer hunting shacks and cabins, in the forests of the northern United States. They exist to give a roof to sleep under to the many deer hunters who make the trek into the northwoods each November. However, most deer hunters would readily admit that "hunting a deer" is only a small part of why they return on an annual basis. The stronger pull is the friendship, bonding and camaradaerie of those they hunt with.

This was a fascinating and nostalgic story for me as it brought up memories of hunting with my dad, brother and uncles on the 700 acres of family land in the forests of central Wisconsin. In fact I listened to the audio book as I was driving up and back from a camping trip to that same land where I hold so many dear memories.

Since our family also spends a lot of time near the Hayward area, I recognized a lot of the places the author described.

My only wish was that the author would have tamed down some of the language that was used. Although I know that was a part of his camp experience, it was a little jarring at times compared to the rest of the book.

Overall a great read!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great break from life and the news. Nostalgic and brings me back to the woods of Wisconsin and times hunting. Also helps me appreciate the traditions passed down.

[Matthew Brackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The description of the language spoken during the cribbage games was good stuff !

[Casan Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the author did a good job of writing about a pretty niche topic: his childhood deer camp. He did the story Justin.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book would have benefited from using glossy paper for the photos of the deer kill records and other "written" documents pictured in various locations throughout the book...