In the spring of 1987, Randy Havel and his business partner set out looking for hunting land a few hours north of Monticello. They found it tucked between Remer and Longville, an untouched piece of Northwoods ground known locally as the “Tobision Farm.” An offer was made, and just like that, the family hunting camp was born.
By 1988, a small log cabin stood on the property, complete with Grandpa Gus’s indestructible outhouse. For the first dozen years, camp life was simple and exactly the way it should be, with propane lanterns, split wood stacked high, and a cabin that always felt warmer at the end of a long day outside. As time went on, additions were built and lovingly referred to as “the wings.” Eventually, electricity made its way in too for college football Saturdays and October baseball.
In 1997, the family considered selling the place. That conversation ended quickly after Jerry’s mom, Jo, shot the biggest buck of her life and made it official: “We are NOT selling this place!”
From then on, the cabin became more than a hunting camp. It became a place where the family’s connection to the outdoors took root and grew stronger with every season. In 2001, Jerry and Brenda spent a winter there with their three kids and twelve dogs, turning the camp into a true second home and deepening their bond with the land and everything it represented.
Over the years, each of their children shot their first deer at the “condo stand,” with Brenda right there beside them. Jessica’s careful tracking, Parker’s sleepless excitement waiting for sunrise, and Olivia’s efficient one-hour hunt are just a few of the stories that have become part of camp tradition. The property has also been the setting for unforgettable bear hunts with Brenda’s first bear on a hot September evening to Parker’s hunts shared with friends.
And somewhere between those deer seasons, campfires, and long days in the woods, something else grew too: a love for upland hunting and bird dogs. From puppies making their first points to years of chasing grouse and woodcock through golden aspen and thick alder runs, the groundwork was laid for what would eventually become Pineridge Grouse Camp.
