A hunting cabin is a great way to facilitate family involvement in your hunting pursuits. Even if momma doesn’t hunt, for example, chances are she’ll be down for a quiet evening next to a fire on a cold winter’s night. Friends from out-of-state are more likely to visit if they know there’s a bunk waiting for them instead of a Motel 6 bed. And even if you don’t bag a deer, a weekend trip up to the lease isn’t exactly wasted if you can enjoy a hot meal, a warm shower, and a cold beverage far from the responsibilities of day-to-day life in a cozy little getaway.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the different ways hunters can put a hunting cabin on their property.
Prefab Hunting Cabin Kits
Prefab cabins offer a charming and efficient way to enjoy the rustic beauty of log cabin living without the lengthy and often complex process of traditional construction. Prefab, or prefabricated, means that parts of the cabin are pre-built in a factory and then shipped to the site for assembly. This method has several advantages, making it a popular choice for those dreaming of a cozy retreat.
One of the biggest draws of prefab cabins is the speed of construction. Since the main components are manufactured off-site under controlled conditions, the assembly process on-site is much quicker than building from scratch. This can significantly reduce the overall construction time, allowing you to enjoy your cabin sooner.
In recent years, post frame buildings have become increasingly popular. You may have noticed these “barndominiums” popping up in your home state. These clever, durable, and cost-effective buildings typically combine a large shop or garage into a home, with all or part of the footprint finished with all the comforts of a modern house. If you’re looking for maximum square footage and minimum price, these structures are hard to beat.
Trista Cabrera of Dixie Building Supply, a long-time Gulf Coast construction material supply company, explains just what post frame buildings are and how they work.
“Post frame construction is a method of building that uses posts and roof trusses to create a structurally sound building with wide open interior space. Dixie has been selling materials for post-frame construction for more than twenty-five years,” Cabrera said. “Post frame building construction is a fast and economical way for a customer to build. It requires less materials than a stick-built structure and therefore takes less time to construct.”
While these structures go up quickly, they’re not “thrown together.” Post frame construction is immensely strong and durable.
“You can build a post frame building that can take up to 160 mph winds, Trista explains. “They’re very sturdy. As far as longevity goes, as long as you take the time to clean the building of any metal shavings from where you cut or drilled into it immediately after you finish construction, they’re pretty low-maintenance, aside from a yearly cleaning.”
In the hot, humid southeast, prospective builders of post frame buildings may be concerned about how well these metal structures are insulated. The answer is, pretty well.
“Our builders that we work with install a layer of thin, reflective insulation under the metal typically,” Cabrera says. “This is usually sufficient if the building is used for storage purposes or non-finished use. If you’re building a camp or home inside the structure, that uses conventional framing, and you can use whatever insulation you’d like in there.”
Due to their prefab nature, these buildings go up very quickly once ground is broken on construction.
“Your permitting for a post frame building is going to take as much time as for any other structure, really,” says Trista. “But once the actual construction starts, you can have one up in 2-3 weeks if everything goes smoothly.”
“Post frame construction is really a great option for remote hunting camps, due to their simplicity,” she concludes. “We’ve tried hard to keep our costs for these buildings low, so while prices fluctuate, they’re typically cheaper than traditional construction because they require less lumber to build.”
In short, prefabbed, post frame construction buildings may be the perfect option for hunters looking for a little more enclosed square footage at a little bit lower cost-per-square-foot.
Portable Hunting Cabins
Portable cabins, often referred to as “park model” cabins, are a unique and flexible solution for those looking for a cozy retreat without the commitment or expense of traditional cabin construction.
Park model cabins are typically built on a trailer chassis, allowing them to be easily transported from one location to another. Despite their mobility, these cabins are designed with a stationary use in mind, offering a level of comfort and style that rivals permanent structures.
In terms of amenities, park model cabins can offer much of what you’d find in a traditional home, including kitchens equipped with full-sized appliances, comfortable bathrooms, HVAC systems, and cozy sleeping quarters. The interiors can be surprisingly luxurious, with options for high-end finishes and customizations that allow owners to personalize their space.
The mobility of portable cabins offers several unique advantages. For starters, you can easily relocate a cabin in the event that you don’t end up “in love” with its original location. Maybe it was a nice idea on paper to have your camp down by the creek, but come to find out that area floods or is a mosquito hole during turkey season. With a permanent cabin, you’re out of luck! But with a portable cabin, you can relocate to a new location relatively easily.
Another advantage is that a portable cabin is technically usually classified as an RV instead of a home or permanent structure. This means that there is much less red tape involved with putting one on your property. This is especially true if you don’t own the land, but lease it. Even if you do own, you’ll save money on inspection costs, insurance, and other expenses by going the portable route.
Log Home Hunting Cabins
Log home hunting cabins are the quintessential sportsman’s retreat. These cabins offer an unmatched rustic charm; blending seamlessly into natural surroundings and making them an ideal choice for tradition-first hunters.
There are many companies that will design and build log hunting cabins. While the expense goes up substantially compared to the previous options we’ve discussed, this can be a great option for property owners who know exactly what they want and want their vision executed right. Quality log homes will last a lifetime if properly maintained. If you keep yours, your grandchildren will be enjoying it long after you’re gone. If you decide to part with it, log homes traditionally hold value well compared to stick-builds.
Shipping Container Hunting Cabins
Moving back into a cheaper realm of cabin options, we have shipping container conversions. The first hunting club I was in had a rough “camp house” in the form of a shipping container. These spartan accommodations don’t exactly scream “luxury” or “tradition,” but they’re economical, with some “ready to go” commercial options coming in for about the same price as an economy hatchback.
While shipping containers are weather resistant and conveniently box-shaped, it’s important to note that they don’t ventilate well or have much insulation value. These units can be difficult to keep warm or cool in severe weather, something that you should be aware of and plan for.
Hunting Cabin Rentals
While deer camp is an indispensable part of the hunting experience to many hunters, there’s more to having one than the up-front cost of building it. Keeping a camp up is a year-round responsibility, unless you’re ok with showing up on opening day to find that the toilet burst during the last freeze, the fridge is a biohazard thanks to a power outage, and a family of raccoons are living in your sofa!
For hunters who hunt large tracts of public land but want a taste of camp life, renting a camp for “rutcation” can make a lot of sense. A week-long rental of a nearby cabin is a paltry expense compared to the costs of building and maintaining a structure, especially when split among friends.
Final Thoughts On Hunting Cabins
If you’ve never had a hunting cabin before, it might surprise you just how fast they grow on you. Camp life is a great antidote to the stressors of modern life. Hunting can become secondary to just enjoying a slower daily rhythm and the company of friends and family, with successful hunts being the icing on the cake instead of the main attraction. Hopefully, this article has taken you one step closer to a hunting cabin of your own.
