# Poor boy/easy septic for deer camp trailer ?



## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

My friend has finished his first season on a new lease. He has a FEMA trailer, power, water. But the trailer right now has a long waste hose down hill above ground. He uses the toilet for #1 only and only at night. Without having to spend thousands for a septic tank install, what else can be done to make a complete toilet operation? Also, if you have some minimum septic system, do you divert gray water from the sink and shower to not overload the septic?


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

He can use a 55 gallon drum buried , pipe from the toilet to the top of the barrel.


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## uncle dave (Jul 27, 2008)

I would seperate the gray water from the black by running a short field line for the gray. Bore 3/4 holes in the bottom and sides of the barrel and bury it. Use a toilet flange on top of the barrel for the black water. If possible use a colored barrel instead of white, due to uv rays. Happy digging.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

We just dig a hole, cover with fence stays, tin and then dirt. Never had a problem.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

All good advice above

Charlie


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## MEGABITE (May 21, 2004)

Sorry, had to. haha


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

If you use a drum and drill holes, put media cloth on the outside so the dirt doesn't fill up the barrel.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*functional vs. legal*

TCEQ has regs on a legal septic system. There is also a agent in each county that oversees septic systems. We went through this in Edwards County several years ago. The legal systems are an engineer designed and properly installed septic system, an incinerating toilet and a package treatment unit. All are relatively expensive for the few weekends that you stay at deer camp. I argued with our county agent and finally after submitting an application for a permit for several hundred dollars I can burn the guano. He told me to cut a drum in half and use a mixture of gas and diesel to incinerate or burn the ****! That seemed to be conflict as it would add more air pollution than the waste would if buried in the ground! I originally told him that cows produced more waste in one bowel movement than all of us hunters did in our entire trip! My reasoning did not seem to hold water with him (no pun intended)!!!
For now we let the grey water drain into the ground through our makeshift field drain lines. We poop into bags and burn them in our trash pit before leaving. So far no return trip from the county agent so we have our fingers crossed.
P.S.- It kind of difficult to get cute cityfied girls to go to deer camp but who cares. They are too worried about getting dirty and breaking their nails so they are not much help cleaning the camp and dressing out the animals anyway !!!


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

steverino said:


> TCEQ has regs on a legal septic system. There is also a agent in each county that oversees septic systems. We went through this in Edwards County several years ago. The legal systems are an engineer designed and properly installed septic system, an incinerating toilet and a package treatment unit. All are relatively expensive for the few weekends that you stay at deer camp. I argued with our county agent and finally after submitting an application for a permit for several hundred dollars I can burn the guano. He told me to cut a drum in half and use a mixture of gas and diesel to incinerate or burn the ****! That seemed to be conflict as it would add more air pollution than the waste would if buried in the ground! I originally told him that cows produced more waste in one bowel movement than all of us hunters did in our entire trip! My reasoning did not seem to hold water with him (no pun intended)!!!
> For now we let the grey water drain into the ground through our makeshift field drain lines. We poop into bags and burn them in our trash pit before leaving. So far no return trip from the county agent so we have our fingers crossed.
> P.S.- It kind of difficult to get cute cityfied girls to go to deer camp but who cares. They are too worried about getting dirty and breaking their nails so they are not much help cleaning the camp and dressing out the animals anyway !!!


If they can get the cows to comply then we will too. :wink:


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## blackhogdog (Jul 20, 2009)

Johnboat said:


> My friend has finished his first season on a new lease. He has a FEMA trailer, power, water. But the trailer right now has a long waste hose down hill above ground. He uses the toilet for #1 only and only at night. Without having to spend thousands for a septic tank install, what else can be done to make a complete toilet operation? Also, if you have some minimum septic system, do you divert gray water from the sink and shower to not overload the septic?


Why dont you buy a used portapotty instead?


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## El Cazador (Mar 4, 2005)

If you go with the "makeshift" septic tank, you might want to check to see how deep the water table is. Don't want to ***** where you drink. Just something else to consider...


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## banpouchi (Feb 21, 2011)

Ours is a bit different than above as we dig a hole, put a bedside commode, and all works fine. every time we leave the lease we put in a bit of ridx and so far the hole has always gone down and it has been 3 years with a 5 gal bucket installed in the hole with the bottom cut out. Figure we will maybe need a new hole next year. By the way there are 6 hunters on the lease.

Also I have one portable bedside commode new for 25 if anyone is looking. Houston area.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Ever think about just renting a porta can? it's really not all that expensive..


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Get one of those blue plastic 55 gallon drums, lay it on its side and knock a 3" hole on top for a standard RV sewer fitting, drill holes in the bottom and bury. I did just that this year for our trailer and it worked great. Buy some of the RV septic chemicals and pour in there occasionally and you should have no problem with smell.


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

saltwatersensations said:


> He can use a 55 gallon drum buried , pipe from the toilet to the top of the barrel.


 Agree, and don't call anyone asking permission.


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Septic*

We had a large camp (28 hunters) so we set up a makeshift septic. We got 3 of the 55 gal plastic barrels and connected them with 4" PVC. Put 4" PVC out the top with caps to be able to pump out. We put in regular drain line, with the drain pipes for the field, and put white gravel in the bottom of the trench. We had a backhole to dig the hole for the septic, and got lucky in that there was enough dirt to put it in. We only run our commode to the septic. For our sink and shower we buried a 40' long piece of 12" PVC, drilled holes in the bottom, and put in white gravel for a drain field. We have never had a problem with either. We do have several trailers that have commodes, most of those have just dug pits and run the lines out to the pits. I do worry some about untreated sewage, as we have a well only about 200 yards from the camp. I cannot see us putting in 6 or 8 seperate systems. 
I am sure one day the county agent will come by and have a cow, but till then we will carry on......
BB


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## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

bury some hay around it and out through the field line(s) if you make any..


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## capt_joe (Sep 19, 2006)

http://www.wikihow.com/Construct-a-Small-Septic-System


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

saltwatersensations said:


> He can use a 55 gallon drum buried , pipe from the toilet to the top of the barrel.


X2
We shot a 55 gal drum full of holes and buried it, rocks first with the last layer of dirt. worked great for years. Ran the sink and shower water out to a shade tree.


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

capt_joe said:


> http://www.wikihow.com/Construct-a-Small-Septic-System


We did something very similiar 10-12 years ago at the duck camp minus the 4' x 40' trench. Came into the top of the first barrel, then had an outlet about 6" from the top go into a second barrell and then the final outlet out the other side of the second barrel. It has worked great. You can buy stuff to help break everything down. Very simple and very cheap to do.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

i made one out of a leaking galvanized cattle trough


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## sotol buster (Oct 7, 2007)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> i made one out of a leaking galvanized cattle trough


What did the cows think about that ?


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