The Sophisticated Hunter Loves Creature Comforts
By Nikki Alvin-Smith

While the memories of mouse filled cold cabins, blackened smoky fireplaces with damp wood handy nowhere, and a sleeping bag that somehow doesn’t seem to fit you quite as well as it used to, you may be forgiven for seeking a better adventure from the hunting experience. In today’s modern world, the appeal of remote off the grid living hits a stark reality as we have all become used to more ‘creature comforts.’ When you think about it, while a rudimentary cabin in the woods can be fun, if you upgrade to a structure more ‘user friendly’ you’ll enjoy much more time utilizing your investment. Once hunting season is over, you can use it for family ski trips, family gatherings, summer hiking and fishing trips or just a place to retreat from your teenage kids.

Land prices in Upstate New York continue to attract buyers with their low and very affordable taxes and proximity to large populations. A short trek bouncing in your SUV to almost isolation in the quiet woodlands is entirely possible within just a few hours of home. There is truly time to enjoy a sophisticated version of the hunting weekend with your mates or with your family.

The second home, this hunter style cabin with warmth and memories of yesteryear, offers modern conveniences of this century such as an inside bathroom you can actually find at night. It is readily available in all sorts of designs and styles. Take a look at Zook! Zook Cabins offer you all the amenities you want with their wide choice of designs and something to fit every budget. It offers a family retreat. Many families decide to retire or make it their primary residence, especially as the family grows up and leaves home and the pressures of work dissipate.

Picture this scenario:-

A perfect misty chill coats your ‘camo’ warmth. You are stocked with ammo and coffee and a few bites to boost your carbs in a few hours time. The ATV is full of gas and ready to roll. You set out to spend hours and hours in the wonderful drizzle and enjoy yourself hunting with buddies. You score an eight point deer by lunchtime.

Soon you have field dressed this beautiful beast, tagged and loaded it, and are headed back to the ‘cabin’ to hang it in time for the freeze that hits tonight. Your friends are a little disappointed as you bagged the deer and they are back empty handed. But that is O.K. You’ll be sure they have a good time this evening and can be back out again tomorrow. By the time you all reach the ‘cabin’, your toes and fingers are numb. The drizzle has turned to an icy rain that coats the ATV rack and the track. You are glad to see the welcome of the porch lights.

You kick off your boots on the porch, discard your sodden jacket. Ah yes, the salesman at the hunting store told you it was water resistant not waterproof you now recall. You stomp inside on the beautiful wood planked floors of your ‘cabin.’ One by one you and your mates pull off your gear, and head for the kettle or the fridge to grab a beer and rehydrate. Your call, after all.

After an hour rehashing every detail of the day with your friends you start to feel just a bit chilled. Well. Actually. A lot chilled. Chilled to the bone. Off you go into your comfortable hot tub or shower. Meanwhile your friends put on the flat screen and call up the football game. Someone heats up some buffalo sauce your wife kindly packed, and defrosts some chicken wings. There is always one chef in the merry band.

The next day you wake up and feel oddly refreshed. You had your own room (as did your friends,) and you were able to actually sleep and not listen to their chat, errant snoring or other noises. The bed you slept in was comfortable. Your joints are not as sore as they usually are after a day out hunting game in the woods. And talking of game, watching the game was great fun last night.

The smell of delicious maple bacon wafts in as you finish dressing for your 5 a.m. start back into the forest. As you enter the open plan kitchen almost everyone else is up and you hear eggs sizzle as they hit the pan. After a full breakfast and with good light to look at the map and trails, you figure out which ‘blinds’ you will hit today. Everyone collects their gear. There is a stash of gasoline in the garage so you quickly replenish everyone’s supply and you are all ready to go. Flasks are full with hot soup, coffee and for some a ‘wee dram’ to go with it, and off you go roaring down the trail.

This program continues for several days. No-one is worn out and grouchy. Everyone is happy and you only had to run out once to the grocery store because your freezer was stock full of all sorts of delights. You finish your hunting trip with lots of high fives and promises to get together again soon. You have become very popular! Oddly you feel refreshed from your hunting trip. Not tired the way you usually do.

Your wife will be up next week with the kids on a break, so you give a quick tidy up which is easy to accomplish as your new ‘cabin’ has plenty of storage space. She loves this cabin retreat almost as much as you do. She enjoys spending time here. Wrapped in blankets and sat around a campfire on a starry night roasting marshmallows with the kids. The kids enjoy the splendid time you have out fishing at the lake, and you have started teaching your eldest daughter to shoot. Your wife loves to sit on the porch and catch up on her reading and enjoy some ‘me’ time.

Yes this ‘cabin’ was a great investment. You and the Mrs. both enjoyed designing it to your needs and wants. Zook Cabins offered you some great financing options so you could afford to do it now rather than later. The whole process was speedy and efficient from start to finish. No stress. You like that. Life is stressful enough after all.

Perhaps you’ll run back out for another week’s hunting before the season ends. After all, you did espy another buck from your bedroom window the other morning. Not that you mentioned that to your mates.