Camps, and Yoke Pond Camps named for water features. Sporting camps served anglers from ice out through the summer and hunters until after the autumn frost; but were often vacant and unheated through the winter months when freezing temperatures might damage indoor plumbing. Flush toilets were uncommon enough to be mentioned in advertisements when available and a 1938 survey of roadside advertising noted very few. Many of the earliest sporting camps still remain in working operation today. Camps span the Pine Tree State from the Maine North Woods to the western mountains and on to the Down East region. Most are family owned and operated with guests who return every year, often from one generation to the next. Guests originally traveled by some combination of steamboat, railroad, horse-drawn carriage or wagon, canoe, or even by foot, although now many camps gain access by floatplane or unpaved logging roads. Some Maine sporting camps offer a traditional “American Plan” which, along with the lodging, includes three meals a day served in the camp’s main lodge. Most camps also offer a “Housekeeping Plan” for guests who wish to do their own cooking. Many camps have canoes or motor boats available for rent along with guide service provided by wilderness guides licensed by the state of Maine for fishing, hunting, recreation, or some combination of the three. Most sporting camps are historic in their own way. Some were built specifically for sporting purposes around the turn of the century while others began as private residences or retreats and were renovated later to accommodate business needs. Many were work or logging camps in the 1800s before they were converted into sporting camps, and guests often learn camp history by talking to the owners. The popularity of sporting camps in Maine prompted outfitters and businesses such as L.L.Bean to provide hunters and anglers with gear that could withstand harsh Maine wilderness conditions. Many camps lease the land surrounding their camps for exclusive hunting rights to offer improved hunting opportunities to guests. Sporting camp owners are typically environmentally conscious and dedicated to preserving the wild lands they call home. Types Remote Traditionally sporting camps were always “remote”, which made them desirable destinations for fishing, hunting, and other types of outdoor recreation. Remote camps are typically rustic wilderness log cabins without such modern utilities as indoor plumbing, electricity or telephone lines; but many have been updated or adjusted