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Beryl Novak has lived alone in his one-room deer shack for 44 years. That's the way he likes it
duluth news tribune ^ | 5 Nov 2021 | John Myers

Posted on 11/05/2021 8:50:33 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT

GREANEY, Minn. — Beryl Novak bought 40 acres of forest here in 1966 for $700, eventually moved an old one-room shack to the site for a deer hunting cabin and then liked it so much he moved in for good.

That was 1977. He hasn’t lived anyplace else since. He hasn’t slept in any other bed, not a single night away, since May 1993.

“I’m kind of a homebody,” Novak said.

Novak, 71, shot his first deer at age 10, in 1960, hunting alone. He still has the paper hunting license and aluminum buck tag pressed between pages in a photo album. Since then, Novak figures he’s shot 75 deer in these woods northwest of Cook.

Through his military service, he would come home on leave scheduled around hunting seasons.

There's a gas range for cooking, a bed in the corner and a small TV that gets three stations over the airwaves. “Why would you need any more than that? Everything on TV is all so damned depressing anyway,” Novak said.

Novak formally “retired” in 1995, meaning that’s the point he stopped trying to earn a living and focused on the living part.

“It doesn’t cost much to live up here. I get by pretty cheap,” he said.

His last car broke down in 2005 and he hasn’t driven one since

“I’ve been social distancing out here for 20 years,” he said.

He hasn’t shaved or had a haircut since 2001,

“If people would read what Thoreau wrote in the 1800s it might help them today,” Novak said. “Simplify your life. That’s what I’ve done. … People out there working to make more money are just chasing their tails.”

(Excerpt) Read more at duluthnewstribune.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Gardening; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: deerhunter
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To: DUMBGRUNT

“Beryl Novak bought 40 acres of forest here in 1966 for $700.”

A sound purchase. I wish I owned a chunk of land like this.


21 posted on 11/05/2021 9:46:11 PM PDT by MAGA2017
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To: DUMBGRUNT

“Beryl Novak bought 40 acres of forest here in 1966 for $700.”

A sound purchase. I wish I owned a chunk of land like this.


22 posted on 11/05/2021 9:46:18 PM PDT by MAGA2017
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To: goodnesswins

“It’s a pigsty”

Actually, I’ve NEVER seen a neater wood pile.


23 posted on 11/05/2021 10:16:58 PM PDT by BuddhaBrown (Path to enlightenment: Four right turns, then go straight until you see the Light!)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

More or less halfway between Hibbing and International Falls.
Not the end of the Earth, but you can see the end of the Earth from there...


24 posted on 11/05/2021 10:18:37 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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To: BuddhaBrown

I DID notice front porch was neat as a pin...but if you are going to allow pics inside...wouldn’t ya want to pick up a little BIT?


25 posted on 11/05/2021 10:27:05 PM PDT by goodnesswins (....pervert Biden & O Cabal are destroying America, as planned.)
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To: BuddhaBrown

I DID notice front porch was neat as a pin...but if you are going to allow pics inside...wouldn’t ya want to pick up a little BIT?


26 posted on 11/05/2021 10:27:13 PM PDT by goodnesswins (....pervert Biden & O Cabal are destroying America, as planned.)
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To: goodnesswins

He’s doing a mighty fine job by my standards. My assessment doesn’t count however cuz I have a vacuum-equipped wifee. She has a mower too.


27 posted on 11/05/2021 10:31:54 PM PDT by mcshot (OMG! Really? WTF! I don't think we're OK. Is that the drain I see? Oh noes!)
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To: Reddy

Take it slow their pard.


28 posted on 11/05/2021 10:34:06 PM PDT by mcshot (OMG! Really? WTF! I don't think we're OK. Is that the drain I see? Oh noes!)
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To: mcshot

their = there. Time for Mr. Pillow.


29 posted on 11/05/2021 10:36:59 PM PDT by mcshot (OMG! Really? WTF! I don't think we're OK. Is that the drain I see? Oh noes!)
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To: DoodleBob

Pretty nice cabin if you ask me. Good for him


30 posted on 11/05/2021 10:59:16 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: DoodleBob

Pretty nice cabin if you ask me. Good for him


31 posted on 11/05/2021 10:59:21 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

He reminds me of Richard L. Proenneke. I respect, admire, and support fellow men who see how truly sick our society has become, and try to keep away from it as best as possible.

Think of Obi Wan Kenobi from the 1977 Star Wars Film.

Same principle.

Some men just get fed up with the stupid crap, and move far away from it.


32 posted on 11/05/2021 11:24:19 PM PDT by Prole ( )
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To: TChad

https://www.postbulletin.com/northland-outdoors/7269091-Beryl-Novak-has-lived-alone-in-his-one-room-deer-shack-for-44-years.-Thats-the-way-he-likes-it

A happy man for whom I’m happy...but some snarky interior decorators.


33 posted on 11/05/2021 11:52:25 PM PDT by Salamander ("Salamander has barbaric tendencies" /Gundog)
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To: Salamander
“There wasn’t anyone left calling me who I wanted to talk to,” Novak said. “People would say, 'But we can’t get ahold of you,’ and I’d say, ‘That’s the point.’”

Sweet.

34 posted on 11/06/2021 12:02:21 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...siameserescue.org)
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To: Veto!

Something tells me that when the $h!t hits the fan in this country this guy will do just fine.


35 posted on 11/06/2021 12:06:12 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (HONEST officials should never oppose an election audit. If they do, then they are NOT HONEST.)
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To: Veto!

Something tells me that when the $h!t hits the fan in this country this guy will do just fine.


36 posted on 11/06/2021 12:06:17 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (HONEST officials should never oppose an election audit. If they do, then they are NOT HONEST.)
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To: Reddy

Getting 4 posts with the same time stamp is a record AFAIK.

Congratulations. [Switch point bounce can be FUN!]


37 posted on 11/06/2021 1:14:38 AM PDT by Paladin2 (Critical Marx Theory is The SOLUTION....)
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To: BuddhaBrown

His gunz looked to be in good order.....


38 posted on 11/06/2021 1:16:03 AM PDT by Paladin2 (Critical Marx Theory is The SOLUTION....)
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To: Prole

If it were just me and had the means, I would live in a similar but neater fashion.

Most of modern society I don’t want.


39 posted on 11/06/2021 1:23:26 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure.)
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To: Prole

If it were just me and had the means, I would live in a similar but neater fashion.

Most of modern society I don’t want.


40 posted on 11/06/2021 1:23:32 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure.)
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