I am thinking about having some hunting cabins made to rent out during hunting/fishing seasons.

I am just wanting some feedback on what you would want in a cabin you were going to rent.

They will probably sleep 6 or 8 people per cabin. (3 or 4 Full size beds)

OK, here is where I need some input.
Wood stove or electric for heat?
Cook stove or just a microwave there will also be a fire pit outside?
Bathroom in each cabin or shared bathroom/shower house?
A place to hang your deer/elk/bear/etc.
Access to walk in refrigerator/freezer for your game.

How close to hunting/fishing land/water would you need to be, on the huntable/fishable land/water, 15 minute drive to it, 1 hour drive to it?

What kind of price ranges would you pay?

This would be in Western Washington state / maybe also Eastern Washington.

I know there is a lot more I am not thinking about right now, so just make any comments you think of.


Michael Grace

[OK, here is where I need some input.
Wood stove or electric for heat?
Cook stove or just a microwave there will also be a fire pit outside?
Bathroom in each cabin or shared bathroom/shower house?
A place to hang your deer/elk/bear/etc.
Access to walk in refrigerator/freezer for your game.

How close to hunting/fishing land/water would you need to be, on the huntable/fishable land/water, 15 minute drive to it, 1 hour drive to it?

What kind of price ranges would you pay?


ELECTRIC HEAT...DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH WOOD AFTER HUNTIN. JUST WANT TO KICK BACK AND HAVE A FEW:)

COOK STOVE....
SHARED BATHROOM (KEEP YOUR COST DOWN)
DEFINATLEY PLACE TO HANG GAME...(I PROCESS MY SELF, MAYBE AREA TO DO THIS)
WALK IN FRIGDE/FREEZER?....YOUR CALL...COULD GET PRICEY..WHAT IS AVERAGE TEMP THERE DURING HUNT SEASON?

15 TO 20 MIN DRIVE

NOW THIS IS COMING FROM SOMEONE IN PA. IF I WAS COMING OUT IT WOULD BE FOR NO LESS THAN 1 WEEK. THIS MAKES ME PARTIAL TO AMMENITIES.



PRICES WILL BE SET BY YOUR INVESTMENT.

Kind of assuming you're going to have electrical hookups instead of using a generator. Microwaves do not play well with them in my experience.

My suggestions are more towards a "rustic" experience, rather than a "luxury" experience, so depending upon the type you're trying to draw in.....

Heat - Wood Stove! In my opinion, it adds to the hunting/fishing experience, and especially if in western WA, hunters/fishermen are more than likely going to be wet when they return, and there is nothing better than backing up to a wood stove to warm up and dry things out. Of course, then you need to supply the wood! The stove should be strategically placed where you can get a bunch of chairs around it because it will be a gathering place, and, you can always put the coffee pot on it to keep it warm. You might actually be able to get a heat/cook stove in one.

Shared bathroom would probably be sufficient, at least a two-holer. Shower?!! Holy cow, that would be deluxe!

Definitely a walk-in cooler (or access to one close by) depending upon the climate, but then you need electricity to run the unit.

I might do a combo of real beds for couples, and bunk beds for just a bunch of guys - maybe one cabin with bunks, another with real beds?

About two months ago I went on a stealheading trip on the Salmon River between Salmon and Riggins, and the cabins there were set up with propane lights throughout, and woodstoves - no electricity - with a two-holer outhouse, and bunk beds only. It was a nice setup, but maybe more rustic than some would be willing to put up with. I think the cabins should be within 1/2 hour of the hunting/fishing area.

Price? Something less than a hotel for the area. Good luck!

"I am thinking about having some hunting cabins made to rent out during hunting/fishing seasons.

I am just wanting some feedback on what you would want in a cabin you were going to rent.

They will probably sleep 6 or 8 people per cabin. (3 or 4 Full size beds)"

I would think about small A Frames. They are pleasing and with no sides and only windows on the ends less expensive to build. Big front porches make for a nice social gathering place in good weather. Use metal colored roofing for easy snow capabilities and a long lasting roof. With sleeping upstairs and living space downstairs, i.e. kitchen, bathroom shower, etc. they use space well plus the easy construction makes for less initial expense.

"OK, here is where I need some input.
Wood stove or electric for heat?"

I would consider Toyo oil stoves for heat. They are one of the most efficient you can use and provide excellent trouble free heat for years. Cost for heating BTU’s is less, even with the inflated oil prices than most other heat sources including wood. Cabins in the Northwest will need to have heat that will keep them from freezing round the clock, wood heat though nice won’t do this. Propane is another alternative.

"Cook stove or just a microwave there will also be a fire pit outside?"

If hunters are going to be there a week and not overnight as in a motel some cooking equipment is a must unless your providing meals in a cookhouse. I would suggest a microwave and an apartment size electric or gas range and a refrigerator.

"Bathroom in each cabin or shared bathroom/shower house?"

If your going to attract higher end hunters, and that is where the money is have a bathroom with a shower in each cabin. The initial expense is not in the fixtures but the land and construction costs. Kitchen ranges, friges, toilets and stoves are a minor part of your costs.

"A place to hang your deer/elk/bear/etc.
Access to walk in refrigerator/freezer for your game."

Walk in’s and places to dress out and skin animals are a must, especially if you have several cabins clustered in one area.

"How close to hunting/fishing land/water would you need to be, on the huntable/fishable land/water, 15 minute drive to it, 1 hour drive to it?"

I would want it as close as possible to the hunting area as practible.

"What kind of price ranges would you pay?"

Best suggestion for pricing is check out what your competition is charging. It will also depend upon what exact kind of services your providing, i.e. maid service, meals, guide services and so on.

"This would be in Western Washington state / maybe also Eastern Washington."

"I know there is a lot more I am not thinking about right now, so just make any comments you think of."

They do just fishing, but check out the MarDon resort for one. I would look in the yellow pages and the Washington Hunting and fishing newspaper for outfits that do what your thinking about and start asking questions. No better resources than the folks already doing it.

A lot of good posts already but I'll throw in my $.02

Bunks are better IMHO. Most of my hunting buds hunt without the better half. Given the choice betweenSnugglin up to a snoring/farting fella in a full bed vs. sleepin in my tent, I'll take the tent every time.

I too am partial to wood heat and a more rustic experience cookin wise too. Shared head(s) and shower would be fine. A place to process game would be a big plus.

Price wise, it would probably be a bit lower than getting a motel in the area. Depends though. I'd pay more if I good hunting was real close by and there was a place to process my catch/game.

As close to hunting/fishing as possible. If it's much more than 30 minutes to hunting and 60 minutes to fishing, I'd be more tempted to camp.

I like hunting eastern WA better, even though I'm a WETsider. A Spokane area farmer who likes us to harvest deer on his property set up campsites on his property and has a good processing area/cold storage for us to use. If you could find a good piece of land near or in hunting areas you could set up an area to process and store game with a mix of campsites, picnic/BBQ shelters, restroom/showers and mini cabins to more delux accomidations that would be mighty appealing to this potential customer. :p

I agree with Wet Dog about the bunk beds, and could not have said it better. If you are wanting to accomodate women as well, you might consider a full size bed too, but only one as a max. Or you could just have one of the cabins with full size bed, not all of them. I would think that the type of woman that hunts, probably won't mind bunking though. Do make sure they are quality bunk beds having good mattresses that support, and an easily navigated ladder to the top (not one with skinny rungs that dig into your feet). Long enough to accomodate tall folks ... I have experienced a few bad bunks working in the oilpatch ... can you tell :p;). Individual reading lamps for each bunk level and privacy curtains aren't a bad idea either.

Gas range for cooking. Gas is just better than electric IMO.

Wood stove is definitely a plus, but consider maintenance (flu cleaning and ash removal) ... it's a judgement call. Probably want another heat source as well, like the oil stove faucett suggested as a reliable heat source.

Coffeemaker with reusable filter and microwave oven.

Emergency or second exit of some kind.

Gringo Loco brought up an excellent point on the bunkbeds! Being part of the lovely oil patch, I have been prevy to some bunk beds that take a prayer to get in and out of! The typical offshore setup is a privacy curtain, personal lamp, and one or two electric plugs for your use.

Where is this place at so I can come and hunt :)
I am is WA state also.

Sleeping Quarters: 2 rooms, one with a queen size bed and one with full size (not twin) bunk beds, all beds should be accessable from both sides. one dresser per bed and a small bookshelf stocked with a few good westerns, scifi's, action/advetures, ets. for those of us who need to read before we go to bed. 1 or 2 smaller one bedroom cabins should also be available for couples.

Bathroom: 2 sinks and plenty of counter space, accessable from the 2 bedrooms and the living area (with an oversized exhuast fan) or do the 3/4 bath thing in each room. No water conserving toilets or puny pipes either. :mad: Been there done that.

Living Area: one large couch (that can be used as a bed ) and 2-3 recliner type chairs. A small (not dorm size) refigerator to hold snacks and our favorite beverage. A small kitchen area with a gas stove would be nice but not required IF the host has a cook shack.

Heat: main heat should be electric or hot water baseboard. Hot water baseboard heat can be plumbed from a central boiler but can be expensive to set up but much cheaper in the long haul. A wood stove in the living area would be nice to take chill off after a day tromping in the wet/snowy woods. Even in the summer in the high country it's nice to have a fire to get warm by if you left your honey at home.

Entryway: Heated with plenty of room for muddy boots and space to hang hunting clothes. Some boot driers would be a great addition here.

Porch: should have a roof over it so guests can sit outside and spin yarns when the weather is nice. Might need to be screened in if there are bugs to contend with.

Cook shack: I'm not going to want to think about cooking after a day of hunting, just eating. Nothing extravagant, simple hearty meals like you'd expect in any good hunting camp. But with plenty of room so I don't have to rub elbows with the person next to me. Tables with benches would be great. After all this is a hunting/fishing camp. You shouldn't be expected to serve alchoholic beverages with meals. It should be BYOB.

To connect all the buildings there should be either concrete sidewalks or raised wooden walkways so guests don't get their feet wet/muddy to get to another cabin or the cook shack.

If you sell gasoline or diesel fuel don't charge much more than it costs in the nearest town. A nickle more wouldn't be out of line if it's 20-30 miles to the nearest gas pumps. It ticks me off to go to a resort only to find out that I should have filled up back in Jerkwater to avoid paying 1 1/2 times what gas cost there. Especially if guests bring their four wheelers or if the season's permit their snowmobiles. :D

A place to care for meat/game would be nice even though I'm not going to want to mess with it till I get home (except to skin and quarter it) but a walk in cooler to hang quarters wouldn't be a bad idea.

Keep your pets at home. I left my dog at home so that means I don't want to have to pet yours. Sorry, that's just the way I am. :rolleyes:

Good luck with your venture. Let us know how it turns out.

I would suggest NOT having wood stoves that could be used by people not familiar with them.

A friend in Alaska let a buddy stay at his house a couple days when he was gone, the buddy said he knew how to run a wood stove. End result, my friend came home to a smoking ruin. The guy let the stove get away from him and burned the house down. No, he didnt have insurance either.