All Good Things.........

[ehenry]

They say come to an end at some point. My dad and 9 of his friends acquired a lease from Anderson-Tully timeber company back in the early 50s before I was born in 58 and formed Lonesome Doe hunting club. Back then the property was only accessible by boat up Steele Bayou from the Yazoo River or horse back. I remember my first trip to the camp like it was yesterday. They strapped a Jones&Yandell water ski belt to me and rolled me up in a tarp to keep warm for the 15 mile boat ride to the property. I also remember many cold rides on the back of a horse behind Daddy going to the camp.

The same group of people have held that lease since that time. There is only one charter member still alive today but he hasn't been to the camp in 4-5 years. I became a paying/voting member in 1985 and a camp officer in 1990. I'm still a camp officer I guess cause no one else wants it. I've raised my kids up there teaching them respect for others, firearms, the property and the game we pursued. My children are in their 30s. One grandchild has gotten old enough to go with us to the camp and made several trips last year.

We received notice from Anderson-Tully that our 5 year license agreement will end July 31st and we will have 60 days from that point to remove personal belongings. Anderson-Tully has sold 17K acres to the state to enlarge the states Mahana management area. This purchase affect 25 other long time camps that border that management area.

Its a sad day for a bunch of us......

 

[Lil Foot]

They say progress is always a good thing, but not in cases like this. I hate to see these long time family traditions lost, especially at a time when our country seems to need them the most. The values taught from such traditions are priceless.

 

[procraftmike]

I'm so sorry to hear about this. I feel for you as I know exactly what you are feeling. There are so many memories and traditions that been shared over the years. It seems like some of life's most valued and cherished memories, involve the outdoors with loved ones. Most of our younger generation does not understand this.

 

[Ramos]

Sorry to hear of your loss. We lost our deer camp right about 1990. My great grandfather started it in 1919.

In regards to the younger generation... Opportunity is what creates the understanding. It's the generation (or two) before them that has the responsibility of providing them with those opportunities. My boys enjoy a video game as much as any other kid. They much prefer hunting or fishing in the woods to the boob-tube.

 

[skeets]

I feel for you, up where we hunt there were cabins no power no water nuttin just a cabin,way back in the woods, state forests they had a 99 year lease when the leases were up they threw everyone out, and would not renew them. Gave guys like you said 60 days, then they came in and bull dozed all of them, some were pretty nice places

 

[bearbait]

I hate hearing stuff like this, it's happening more and more often these days. They can take the land but they can never take the great memories you shared with your family and friends.

 

[ehenry]

They both grew up at the camp. The one with the beard is mine. The other young man is my best friends son.

 

[Stmar]

You hope things never change but they do. I lived in a development, 5 acre lots, that was fairly rural. We bordered two large ranches and I was friendly with the owners, helped them with sheep and cattle and they let me have the run of the place. I had keys to the gates and could hunt or ride wherever I wanted because they knew I would take care and report any abnormalities with land or livestock. Fast forward 20 years, that is when we left, and now the next generation is running the show. Wind turbines dot the landscape, they even have a guard shack on the road, and the prairie dog town that bordered our property is now a housing development. Glad we decided to move because now we border thousands of acres of state land. Will that ever change? Probably but hopefully not in the near future.
Sorry for your loss, dealing with a new generation of family or business or government is not always pleasurable.

 

[mdrev]

This is why the wife and I purchased the most acreage we could afford at the ages of 33 and 31. We knew then that we wanted to create memories within our family. We will never break even with everything we put into it but it's not about that for us. It's been 7 years since that day and it feels like we have own it forever. So many good memories already and looking forward to many more. I plan to encourage and help my kids purchase adjoining or near by property even though they already have build locations on my property if they choose to do so.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

 

[ehenry]

Well........its all over with now.

I received the lease termination papers yesterday with all the separation terms laid out. It came from the law firm handling the sale.

We have 60 days to remove all personal belongings. Most of the 17K acres that was purchased is still under water.

The property was purchased by the state of Mississippi to enlarge a management area.