The Elk Camp Story 

(as I see it)

Elk Camp goes way back into the 70's.  My husband Ralph (better known at elk camp as Hair Bear) started hunting in our Mountain Valley way back in the 70's.  This is where he met, and became great friends, with Gene (know in the valley as Hillbilly) and Ernie (camp name Dirty Ernie).  They camped together for a few years, meeting other hunters in the valley over the years.  

Soon they moved their camp and started camping by Ernie (valley name - Dirty Ernie, also Sleezeville's Mayor).  This camp grew over the years to become one of the biggest and longest established camps in the  Valley.  The camp soon became known as "Sleezeville USA" by all the guys that loved to camp and hunt there.  

These guys (among many others who have joined elk camp over the years) have been hunting together for many, many years.  They have become fast friends during, and after, the hunting season.  Their sons have literally grown up in the valley, hunting, fishing, laughing, doing all the things that young men do when sharing the hunting experience with their fathers.  Not only their fathers, but all the other older guys in camp have helped to mold them into the men they are becoming today.  We have even seen the third generation of sons enter our beautiful valley to partake of the tradition of hunting with their fathers (even a few daughters have joined in the fun).  

We all enter the valley starting with Deer Season and usually stay all the way through Elk Season.  Some of our guys come and go during the season due to work schedules and family.  Dirty Ernie is like an old mountain man turned Mayor.  He always has a hot meal ready and waiting for the other guys when they arrive to set up their camps, being that our Mayor always seems to get to the valley ahead of the rest of us.  Our Mayor never rests easy till all that should be in camp have arrived and are safely snuggled in for the night.  Our guys sometimes stay up till all hours waiting to hear that last vehicle roll into camp to yell out "Is that you?!!!".  Finding out that the long awaited person is okay and safe, and only then, will they settle down to rest for the night.  

I've seen all these guys pitch in to help one that may be stuck in the mud, or have brought down a deer or elk and need help getting it back to camp.  They have become a great big family.  The older guys instructing the young ones and the young ones playing pranks on the older ones.  Laughing and telling stories around the fire pits in the evenings.  It truly is a GREAT TIME all around at our Elk Camp.  We thank the good Lord for such a beautiful valley and such good friends to be there with.  We all come into the valley excited to see one another and VERY, VERY sad to have to leave.

Story written by Heather.  If any of our Sleezeville citizens (or citizens of surrounding Valley camps and villages) want to add anything to this send me an email.  Thanks