The Porcupine Point hunting group was originally formed by three men from the Wittenberg-Birnamwood,WI area. August Umland, Ed Benh, and Ed Mattson where in their mid-forties when they started this group in 1936. They first hunted out of an old Army tent in the town of Alvin in Forest County during the depression in the mid-1930s. They then built a small wood shack and attached it to the frame of an old 4WD truck. This had the bck wheels on and they would tow it up north to use during the firearm season. They used this “camper” until the man they got the frame from wanted it back; I guess he thought it was a good idea? They hunted out of the tent from 1936-1938, then the truck camper until 1940

In 1941, they built a hand portable “Tar Paper Shack” just for the hunting season. This was constructed of cedar poles, wire, and tarpaper. They would go up north on Friday before the season and erected this shack. They would set the poles in the gound, place boards for rafters and tie them to the poles with wire. Then they would wrap tarpaper over the roof and the wall, cut a hole for the door (which they brought along) and one window. The floor was dirt and they made 5 bunks by placing 3-foot long poles into the dirt for 6’ by 3’ wide frames with two 6-foot poles laid horizontally on those frames. They placed chicken wire between the poles and laid straw and blankets down to complete their beds. They cooked and heated the shack with a small wood stove and used a gas lantern for light

In 1940, Alfred Emmel started hunting with the group. He was the youngest member about twenty-five. Rae Block joined this group when he asked Alfred for a group to hunt with. He had been hunting at Tomahawk WI with family members but didn’t like the steady walk and freeze type of hunting they were doing. He knew these men from Birnamwood, and was a school friend of Alfred’s. So Alfred sponsored dad and that made five hunters. In 1941, Freddy Christian from Aniwa WI came along as the cook and that formed the original six. To make room for Freddy, August cut a flap out of the tarpaper shack wall and drove in some stakes and draped tar paper over it and Fred had his own little bunk and room

These men hunted out of this shack until the war was over. They knew the land they were hunting on was owned by a banker in Crandon. On the way home from hunting in 1946, they stopped and bought the forty we now own. There were four forties in a row, they paid $150 for the forty because it had Forest Road 2169 running through it. The other three forties were $50 each. The four older men had the money to buy all four but would not as they said “it’s nothing but hardwood brush and worth nothing and you’ll never get your tax money out of it.” Rae and Alfred were poor and young so they had no influence. The three other forties were bought by George Kohrn, who owned the hardware store in Crandon. These forties were sold by his estate to Jack Rowe in 1989 for $32,000

In 1947, during the summer these 6 men built the first permanent cabin. It was built with cement block, and hand poured concrete walls and roof. They made it out of cement so it would not burn down. They also built it off the road into the side of a small hill. They did not want anyone to know that it was there. Bradley Block hunted in this cabin with all those old guys when he was 12 years old in 1955

Fred Christianson died in 1957 and Rae bought his share. In 1958, Alfred Emmel’s son Bucko Emmel started hunting. In 1958, Ed Madson died and Rae bought his share. In 1958 Alfred had an argument with Rae over a buck and left camp early with Bucko and neither of them returned. Rae wanted to build a new cabin with more comfort and this was planned for the summer of 1960

In 1960, the concrete block cabin, 24x36 was build by Rae, Bradley, and August. They were the only hunters that year. Ben Block bought Alfred Emmel’s share and started to hunt in 1961 and along with him came his oldest son Randal. Rae had asked August if he wanted his son to hunt with them and August brought his only son Alfred to hunt in 1962. Ed benh never hunted in the new cabin. When Alfred Umland started to hunt with they, he brought his son Denny to hunt. In 1965 Wayne, Ben’s youngest son, got out of the Army and started to hunt with the group. That year Herold Long bought Ed Benh’s share and he hunted with the group. By 1967, the following hunters Rae, Ben, Bradley, Randal, and Wayne Block, Alfred and Denny Umland, and Herold Long

During the early sixties, two other hunters, Donnie Hull and Bill Small, hunted, but never became permanent members. As the cabin was filled up with Blocks and Umlands, there was not any more room for more hunters. Not all of the hunters could stay the whole season and for many years a group of hunters from Wittenberg who hunted near Eagle River would come over during the deer season when some of the group had to go home. They would hunt for a few days with the group. These men were Fred Miller, Judge Netzel, Morris Nelson, John Larson, and Evert Lendved. Bill Small was an Air Force friend of Bradley from Dakota, IL and Donnie Hull was from Bowler and trout fished with Rae and Ben. In 1968, August Umland died and Alfred and his son received his share

In 1969, the first addition was added on. 80 feet was built on with concrete block to the front end. By then the grandsons were hunting. David Block, Randal’s oldest son was the first of the grandsons to hunt. In 1977 our favorite Tavern “Willies” in Nelmah burned down. We had a sand point driven for the well to use with the block cabin built in 1960. That well went bad after 5 years and we hauled water from a spring on Hwy 55 north of Alvin until 1978

In 1978, we drove down a sand point 22 feet and hit good water. This well is still excellent today and has the same capacity as when it was originally driven

By 1979, we needed more room as we were expecting more grandsons to start hunting. These were Dan Block (1984) (Randy's youngest son), Mike Umland (1979?, Denny's oldest son), Mark Umland (1983?, Denny's middle son), Matt Umland (1986?, Denny's youngest son), and Matt Block (1989, Wayne's son) .  In 1983 Herold Long died and Ben bought his share.  We built a metal pole garage across teh road from teh block cabin in 1992 to house our other jeeps.  In 1993, we added on a deck and fire pit next to the fireplace room.  In 1998, our last addition a wood framed 16x20 bedroom with a shower room was built and named it the "Old Guys Suite"

The purpose of this hunting group is to preserve a hunting place for our families as long as there are deer hunters in the Umland and Block families.  We have been taught by our elders, Dads, and Grandfathers to:  be honest, drink with moderation, handle weapons safely, use good language, and conduct ourselves not only at this camp but throughout our lives with good Christian ethics, values, and morals.  These modeled for us younger men by those older huntes.  They brought these rules to the hunting camp back in the 1930s because they lived their lives that way and did not want to change things just for a deer season.  These rules were:  not getting drunk in camp, no lying, no swearing, no loaded firearms in the buiding.  In addition to theses, they have added these guidelines:  no high stakes gambling and no woment in the camp during the firearm season.  These last two rules are to keep the hunting group from breaking up over lost monies, and to allow our wives to feel comfortable about our hunting seasons up North in the hunting cabin

The name "Porcupine Point" was coined by Rae Block because he was trying to shoot a porupine that was chewing up his truck.  The ownership of the camp in divided between the Blocks and the Umlands.  As the older original group went to be with our heavenly father, their shares were bought by Rae and others.  when new construction was acomplished Rae kept records of how much was paid by whom.  This established a percent of ownership which was Rae owned 52%, Alfred 28%, and Ben 20%.  This was reorganized in 1985 by the older men signing off their shares throught Quick Claim deeds.  The new deeds were made up to reflect 25% each for the oldest sons and their sons.  They are all listed on teh four separate deeds so that when one individual passes on, then that share will automatically transfer to the next listed man on the deed.  This will prevent the shares from being sold out of the families.  The remaining owners have the right of first refusal, and all parties must agree on the price of the shares to sell.  It is the intention of all the owners to keep this ownership in the two families, not to profit from the sale of a share, but to preserve a place for future generations to hunt and enjoy this land as we all have

We all share equally in the operational expenses of the cabin and hunting costs.  These are paid at our only meeting held the night before deer season starts.  Our only officer is the treasurer, Wayne, who is paid $000.00 annually for his efforts.  He is listed first on the deeds and so pays the taxes and bills.  We have a rule that any young man in school (high school or college) gets his share paid for by the other members.  This share of expenses can be paid by another member if he so chooses

The current owners are:

    Wayne and Matthew Block - 25%

    Bradley and Daniel Block - 25%

    Randal and David Block - 25%

    Dennis, Michael, Mark, and Matthew Umland - 25%