Sherman Youth Camp usually sits empty from the end of September until the snow melts in the spring.

But this year, Moffat County officials hope to use the camp on the edge of the Routt National Forest to bring in new revenue.

County commissioners gave the Parks and Recreation Department permission Tues–day to sublease the camp to hunting outfitters this fall.

Commissioner Darryl Steele said leasing the camp could bring in enough revenue to keep the camp open. The county has had trouble paying the annual lease to the U.S. Forest Service for the property in the past.

“Maybe we can generate some dollars and keep Sherman open,” Steele said at Tuesday’s commissioners meeting.

Parks and Recreation Dir–ector Steve Grandbouche said the county will charge a minimum of $1,500 for an outfitter to lease the property from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15. If no one leases for the entire season, Grandbouche said he will charge $50 a day.

Outfitters will have to be licensed and provide their own diesel fuel for the camp’s generator.

Sherman is snowed in during the winter, so hunters and outfitters will need to access it with snow machines.

There will be a $1,500 security deposit to lease the camp. Grandbouche said the county will keep half of the deposit until the spring, when he can inspect the premises.

He doesn’t think leasing the camp will mean more work for county employees, other than the inspection in the spring.

Grandbouche said leasing the camp may not be a permanent plan.

“We don’t know if it is going to work,” Grandbouche said.

He said with hunting season only a few weeks away, the county may have waited too long to lease the camp this season.

“We may not get any response,” he said.

Grandbouche said he doesn’t hunt, but thinks the area around Sherman will be good for hunting.

“There is good hunting country up there,” Grandbouche said.

The county will advertise for the camp in the next few days.