Reflections from a cozy hunting lodge
Remote thoughts, interesting moments, and quiet hobbies
Recently (as in mid-March), I traveled 100 miles from home to stay at a remote hunting lodge. Deer hunting season is November through December, making that the time when this lodge is at peak occupancy. There are many other activities that take place at this lodge throughout the year, but it seems that I timed my stay just a bit prior to some of those starting back up for the year. All of this is to say that while there were some other people staying here aside from my husband and I, that it was a quiet and secluded experience (which, for me, was awesome!).
Although our stay was a short getaway (Saturday afternoon through Monday morning), I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the experience, share moments that stood out to me, and what I will carry forward from it. With that established, here is my reflection.
Peak Activity: UTV Driving
When my husband and I arrived, we first got checked in and headed over to the UTV barn shortly after. This was the first time either of us rode (and drove) a UTV. We listened to the safety and instructional briefing and then hit the ATV trails.
According to a welcome packet I found in the lodge’s recreation room, there are 60 miles of trails on 1,500 rolling acres. I believe some of that was sold to a private owner, but needless to say, we covered a lot of ground in that UTV. A lot of steep, sloped ground, I will also add! It was impressive that we were able to make it up and down those hills in the UTV, especially with some mud from a recent rainfall.
There were times where we’d stop driving for a bit and take it all in. It was a sunny, 56-degree day, and there a nice lake between some of the trails. A few other ATV riders were on the trails that day, some of which were going pretty fast and doing donuts. That was interesting to spectate from a distance. There was also someone who must have been going too fast whilst hitting a rough patch and jumped ship from their ATV, which ended up sideways. I almost missed it because it happened so quickly; they were fine and it was funny to watch.
We were out on the trails for a couple hours, driving mostly at a cautious speed to avoid losing control of the UTV. There were a few times my husband goosed it a bit when we were in a flat area, and those times were extra fun. This was an enjoyable experience, and one that I would definitely do again.
Getting Settled: Accommodations
After our UTV drive, we spent some time relaxing in our lodge room. The room was adorned with wooden walls, flooring, and bedframes, wildlife décor, and an on/off fireplace. All of this created a very cozy and inspiring ambiance, and I got to finally experience the winter comfort environment I had always wanted to.
As stated earlier, this lodge is in the middle of nowhere. Between that and essentially being the only guests in this lodge, this made for a very quiet and peaceful stay. The recreation room had everything from puzzles to billiards, blackjack, games, and books. I felt very at home in this room and the lodge as a whole.
Interesting Moments: Mealtime
A unique aspect of this hunting lodge experience was mealtime. Once a bell sounds, guests can then take a seat in the dining room. Guests who stay at the lodge are seated at long tables alongside other guests whose accommodations are on the same level (with four tables in the dining room). Food is set on the table ahead of time, a prayer takes place, and then guests can help themselves to the food on the table. The food itself was phenomenal; it was homecooked, country-style American cuisine. These mealtime experiences were reminiscent to the family meals I had at my grandparents’ home when I was young.
The first dinner we had at the lodge, we were seated with three other groups. One group was a party of four who traveled from New Jersey to go coyote hunting. They were friendly and made small talk with us and the rest of the table. This was the first time they had stayed at the lodge, but they had done many other hunting trips elsewhere. From the way they were talking about some topics amongst themselves, they kind of sounded like they were in the mob (or maybe just very well off financially). Which is WILD to say, but you know when you have a conversation, and something just sticks with you a certain way? Chatting with people (who were at the same dinner table) during breakfast the following morning, they also got the same impression. We will never know!
Mealtime the second night was also interesting. Most everyone had left since it was Sunday, so it was just me, my husband, and a father and son from Chicago who came to go hunting for two days. This was an interesting conversation, and we talked about everything from hunting to book writing and publishing, bread, pop culture, and other miscellaneous interests. Mealtime, overall, was a memorable part of this trip.
Pass Times: Knitting, Walking, and Relaxing
Originally, my husband and I were going to do a sporting clay course the following day, but 1. The magazines required for my husband’s firearms are illegal in the state and 2. It was supposed to start raining quite a bit (and it did). So, this ended up being a pretty relaxed day.
I spent the morning finishing the cable knit beanie I was knitting, which I planned to wear on the drive home since it was to become very cold. Then we went on a walk around the property to enjoy the warmer weather (while it lasted) and get some movement in. I spent the latter part of the afternoon chilling in the jacuzzi tub and writing in the recreation area with my word processor. I continued writing by the fireplace after dinner, and we played a game of checkers before relaxing some more.
The morning of our departure, I woke up in the middle of the morning to the sound of powerful gusts of wind. I looked out the window once it became light outside, and there was snow on the ground! My picturesque winter lodge experience was complete.
Final Words on This Experience
This getaway was just what I needed to rest and rejuvenate. Sometimes it’s nice to experience a change in pace and scenery; I know I certainly did here.
This is somewhere I’ll definitely be returning to again; it may be one of my favorite places now. In the meanwhile, I will continue using my hobbies as a conduit for recreating the inspiration I took from this lodge and look forward to the next time I can stay and hobby here.
Happy hobbying (and adventuring)!
