Hunting camp used weekends only: monthly service or pay per pump?

Pay per pump is more cost-effective for your weekend-only hunting camp. A standard portable toilet with light use by 4 to 6 people over two days a week will not fill the holding tank quickly. Weekly service is the industry norm for normal use, but your usage is far below that. The rental company charges for each service visit, so paying monthly for a service you do not need wastes money. With your level gravel ground and easy truck access, scheduling a pump only when the tank is near full is practical. Monitor the tank level visually or by weight; when it feels heavy or looks nearly full, call for a pump. This approach avoids unnecessary service trips and saves cost. Many hunters with similar setups use pay per pump and only need service every few months.

Pay per pump works for a weekend camp, but book the pumps on a calendar instead of waiting for the tank to look full. We have a unit out by our back barn that only sees use a couple days a week, and fill level was never the problem. Smell was.

When a unit sits for days between uses, the deodorizer in the holding tank wears out long before the tank fills up. By week three or four it gets ripe even if it's barely a third full. A fresh charge of chemical comes with every service visit, so spacing visits out too far is what gets you.

What worked for us:

• Schedule one visit right before opening weekend so you start clean with fresh chemical and paper.
• Call one in after any big weekend, like when extra family shows up.
• Keep the seat lid down and the door latched so the vent can do its job and wasps don't move in.

If your camp runs into freezing weather late in the season, ask about that too, because a frozen tank can't get pumped until it thaws.