A Deer Camp Story

Sometimes hunt camp stories have nothing to do with hunting, and they're just as memorable from the cabin as they are from the deer woods. 

By Greg Bickel | PUBLISHED November 7th, 2022 

My story here is based on deer camp, which we all know very well. It's where everyone has a thing they get labeled with. Whether it's the uncle that shot a monster once… a long time ago. Or the grandfather that "hunts" from the cabin window. Or the guy that is the cook that brings the entree that everyone looks forward to every deer camp. The point is, there's something about everyone at deer camp that makes them unique. 

That brings me to my buddy Kyle. I went to college with Kyle and played high school football with him. Kyle's family had a hunting cabin in Pike County, Pennsylvania, and was kind enough to invite me. Now what Kyle was known for at deer camp is that he was a REALLY BAD sleepwalker. You know the movie Step Brothers? Well, he's a "don't wake him up" kind of sleepwalker. The cabin they have is an old railroad worker cabin with about ten bunk beds in the sleeping area for a total of 20 beds. There were probably 10-12 people in the camp that week, and the amount of noise from the chainsaw snoring was deafening. I put my headphones in and played music loud enough to drown out everyone else. 

At some point in the night, I woke up to the entire bed and floor shaking. It felt like a train was coming through the cabin. Did I mention Kyle was a lineman and not a small guy? Before I could take my headphones out, I saw about ten flashlights pointing everywhere frantically like lights in a nightclub. After a few seconds of everyone trying to figure out what's going on, "Kyle, what the hell, man!!!" His dad said. Kyle was crouched in the corner, in his underwear, peaking his head around a dresser. 

This guy JJ, also staying in the cabin, was sleeping on a bottom bunk with no one on the top bunk that night. At this point, JJ is sitting on his bed, stunned like everyone else. JJ is the best person that the following could happen to because of how he would react. 

Kyle points to the top bunk across the room above JJ and screams as loud as he can, "THERE HE IS, RIGHT THERE!!!" Kyle's dad asks, "what the hell are you talking about?" "IT'S A… IT'S A …. FUCKING ALIEN!!!" Screamed Kyle. JJ not knowing what the hell was above his bed, said, "OHHHH F THIS SHIT" and proceeded to run out of the cabin in his underwear. 

This is deer camp with a sleepwalker. There are plenty of stories like this that we still carry with us from deer camp. That's why deer camp is looked forward to by so many. It's the memories that are made. Whether it's something hilarious that you laugh about for years every time the story gets told or the time spent with family and friends, there is not much better than deer camp. Stay Okay!

Greg Bickel, Black Flag Bowhunting