Burch - The hunting and fishing camp builders guide: a complete guide to building your own outdoor lodge

Copyright 2008, 2012 by Monte Burch

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is
available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61608-466-0

Printed in China

Acknowledgements:
Thanks to the folks at Extreme How-To Magazine for
allowing the use of some of my previously published articles.
For more information visit www.extremehow-to.com

Photography Credits:

All photos and drawings by the Monte Burch
except the following:
Courtesy of Bosch: 17; Logosol: 25, 26, 44;
Wood-Mizer: 26; The Engineered Wood Association: 50;
Johns Manville: 118; Owens Corning: 118; Formica
Corporation: 135; Gastineau Log Homes: 138, 140, 141,
144-145, 184; iStockphoto: 104, 146-147, 170, 180, 183,
216; Vermont Castings: 177

A piece of land in the wilderness and a hunting or fishing cabin or lodge is the dream of many an outdoor man or woman. The cabin or lodge may be a simple, one-room log construction, or a fancy lodge suitable for housing several hunting guests in luxury. This book illustrates how to design and construct standard stick-construction lodges, log buildings, pole and post-and-beam structures. Also covered are the necessities such as foundation construction, fireplaces and wood stoves, finishing inside and out, insulating and other details. Additions that can make the lodge more enjoyable, such as porches, decks and sunroofs are also covered. Full plans are also included for building a shooting house, ladder stand and other projects for your hunting club or property. Even rustic furniture construction is covered so you can furnish your cabin in an outdoor dcor.

A great deal of the enjoyment of hunting and fishing property is building it yourself. I hope you enjoy the information in this book and use it to create your very own hunting or fishing get-away.

Above: A hunting or fishing camp can be as simple as a small cabin in the woods or lakeside, or a mansion-size lodge for a hunt club or extended family enjoyment.

Hunt and fish camps can be as simple as a one-room log or even tarpaper shack. More than one such camp consists of an old trailer hauled to the site. On the other hand, I've been in lodges bigger and much fancier than the average home. The first step is the land, whether it's a large timberland holding for deer and turkey hunting, a marsh or slough for waterfowling, a rolling upland area for upland and deer hunting, or a property located near a choice fishing site. Before plunking down the money for your dream hunting lodge, it always pays to do a bit of planning and assessment.

The hunting is fantastic, is often a major selling point of any rural lands these days. The real estate agent, however, may not really have any idea of the hunting situation. It's extremely important to determine the true potential of the property before buying. Marginal properties can often be managed for better hunting and fishing. If the property is bought for hunting or fishing, ideally you should have the opportunity to actually hunt or fish there to determine its potential. Fishing is usually possible, however, when buying land out of the prime hunting season, scouting may have to suffice. You may find the ideal property that has been managed for the hunting or fishing you desire. Well managed hunting and fishing property will have a higher value and price than more marginal land, even in the same region.

How much can you afford not only to purchase, but to manage for wildlife?

How much does the land cost?

How much will insurance and taxes add to the cost?

Will you live on the land, or is this a weekend or hunting retreat?

What type of wildlife are you interested in?

In some cases your specific desires may not be compatible with the property, even under intensive management. For instance, deer hunting may be your passion, but the property has soil conditions that will make it hard to produce deer foods. On the other hand, a management condition that can improve deer hunting would be a property with old, mature timberlands. Although these do not produce the proper amounts of food and cover to sustain much of a deer herd, by doing timberland management you can improve habitat for deer, as well as wild turkeys and other wildlife. You may also desire a pond, lake or wetland for fishing and/or waterfowl hunting. It's important to determine if creating a pond is feasible, or possible.

If you dream of owning your own wildlife haven, the first step is to set goals and make a plan. How much can you afford not only to purchase, but to manage for wildlife? How much does the land cost: how much will insurance and taxes add to the cost? Will you live on the land, or is this a weekend or hunting retreat? What type of wildlife are you interested in? Often the habitat and management for one species will also be suitable for others.

We were very lucky when we purchased our land back in the 70's. Located where the Ozarks meets the prairie, as a nearby small town describes the area, the property is extremely diversified, with hardwood timber, open prairie, a creek and a small marsh. We've added six ponds and numerous food plots.

Two tools are valuable in determining wildlife potential in a property you are looking to buya topographical map and an aerial photo. The topographical map can show the topography, or whether the land is sloping, hilly, flat, or mountainous. Marshes, streams and lakes as well as other features are also shown. The aerial photo illustrates the vegetation and other features. A county plat map can tell you who owns land you're interested in or the neighboring lands. Other factors you should consider include the average yearly rainfall, availability of water, soil types and average weather conditions. Some wildlife management practices are only successful when you have the proper rainfall and soils.

Another important factor is, can the land be monetarily productive as well as managed for wildlife? Usually, a well-managed ranch, farm, pine plantation, or timberland can be both a money-maker and a wild-life haven. Some studies show well-managed timberlands can be, over the long run, more profitable than investing in the stock market.