We provide two meals per day. A big late breakfast after the morning hunt, and dinner after the evening hunt. the feedback I have recieved is that it sure is nice not having to mess with cooking after a long day in the field.
Next year the guest house will be renovated and it has a full kitchen and bath. In will still offer meals but I wonder how many will want this service. I do make a mean pot of chilli, and my breakfast burritos rock.

Just my opinion here, but unless you are going to offer a reduced price for those that want to do their own meals, I would keep things the way they are, and just do the two meals.

Having a full kitchen is okay, especially for someone in the middle of the day having access to a microwave and maybe some or other microwaveable snacks is fine.

Having one group up trying to fix breakfast or a group having to clean up a deer or two before they can start supper causes problems.

I think you need to stick with offering the two meals that you offer, as those work out really great in most deer camps.

One thing you really need to keep in mind, and this is not questioning your intelligence or trashing hunters, but, to run the operation you are trying to set up, you need to be in charge at all times and do not give hunters too many options on what they can do.

If you do, you will have trouble.

You can not go into this business assuming that everyone that comes on your place, has the same knowledge or feelings or anything that you do toward hunting, the animals, or the land.

Even the best, most well intentioned hunters, do really strange things in the heat of the battle. Someone shooting the biggest buck they have ever seen might jump right out of the blind and start chasing the thing, slinging lead if it does not drop on the spot.

They may set in the stand and see some deer moving around slightly outside their range and get out and try to put a sneak on it and blunder into someone else's shooting lane.

Or they may be all Gung-Ho and get up at 2:30 in the morning and wake everyone else up trying to cook some breakfast.

I just think you are going to be a lot better off if you just stick with what you offered this season, and then AFTER you have run a dozen or so hunters thru your set up, then you can see what things need to be tweaked to make your set up better.

It is going to take some experience with several different kinds of folks before you can actually say, "Well, I know what hunters want.", your going to be better off saying, "I have an idea what hunters want, and I know what has and has not worked.".

i am looking into your hunts for next year highlonsome1 and i would prefer to do my own cooking (if allowed). i understand fully what CH is saying - it would fit the majority of the people out there. i just like to cook my links that i had made up or some meat that i have in the freezer for dinner. we usually make breakfast tacos for brunch w/ some processed game sausage. i just enjoy cooking and and it makes the whole hunt better for me. also have a very picky eating son (hope to break him of some of it this year). i get an uncomfortable feeling when someone else is doing all the work. i will keep in touch w/ you after the season and see what we can work out.

I agree with everybody on this. Jason I love being the camp cook and 75% I just do it. I would make it optional for each group you have. If some groups want to cook..let them cook(charge less), but if they dont want to mess with it..then you cook(cost more) I think some people just cant cook! Plain and simple! I am ready for this place to open up! SIGN ME UP BROTHA! I want an Axis!

One of the things I look at, is unless it is one group that has the whole place, food in a refrigirator gets shuffled around and ends up being eaten by someone else.

Look how much that happens at peoples jobs with a "community" refridge.

I know that many folks want to cook their own meals, but most folks as they get older, find out that not having to mess with cooking allows more time for hunting or relaxing. JMO.

I don't mind and really enjoy the cooking part. However, it is up to the others in camp to clean up after themselves and give me a hand getting things back in order afterwards.

People who think they are to be waited on hand and foot are the ones who ask me why they did not get an invite to the camp again.

Okay let's try this...you see a hunt, let's just say a hog hunt for instance. You are going to pay let's say $100-$125 a day with food and lodging. Then you see something very similar except that you have to bring your own camper and cook your own meals. Or lets just say cook your own meals. Both places have hogs and you have seen pictures of many kills. What are you going to do?

I'd go for food and lodging everytime.... If I'm on a paid hunt I want food and lodging unless the game is great then I might bring my own....

I will go with the food and lodging included even if it was $25.00 to $50.00 higher per day.

Not having to mess with bringing extra ice chests/cooking gear/food preparation/clean-up etc. etc. etc., is a plus.

Yes, folks like to thing they are saving $$$$ by cooking their own food or even by running in to town to eat.

I have done it all over the years and will take a hunt where all I have to do is show up with gun and shells and maybe some clean clothes for a couple of days, and not have to deal with cooking and cleaning and camp set up and take down. JMO.

I'm w/ you chc!

Just FYI TCH.....I expect meals, food, and entertainment....preferably female. That doesn't mean you or BigBow in drag. I mean a real one. But seriously I think the time around the campfire definitely makes the whole experience better. Now granted if the hunting SUCKS your spicy spaghetti casserole better be OUTSTANDING.

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But seriously I think the time around the campfire definitely makes the whole experience better.

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Time around the campfire is more fun when you done have a full belly and a cold beer.

There ain't nothing saying a camp can't have a fire pit and have a campfire going, without having some one trying to cook.

I really think that many folks after they do it a time or two will change their tune about wanting to do their own cooking and makeing their own camp.

A time or two of rolling out of a warm bed and breakfast is ready and waiting on you, or rolling in at the end of the day and there is hot food and cold drinks and all you have to do is wash your hands and grab a plate, goes a long way to changing folks mind. JMO.

Man... just make sure there's plenty o' beer and the food and accomodations will continue to improve with each passing drink. Trust me!

I'm a big fan of "All Inclusive". Nice to sit around and Hunt, watch football, play poker, and BS with the boys while someone takes care of the stuff.

That being said, its nice for trips, prefer to make my own food when I am at my lease.

This weekend I cooked venison chilli Thursday evening, breakfast burritos Fri. AM., fajitas (deer roast) Fri. evening, biscuits and gravy Sat Am. Jambalaya Sat. evening and sent everyone off with sausage links and eggs to order w/fried taters. MMM

it all depends on how much you are paying for a hunt. if you are paying around $2500 or more for a 5or4 day you should provid meals and lodging.If it is less than atmosphere.
good luck.