Legends of Camp Wildman

Once many years ago there was a young Huron boy whose name was Redeye.  At the time of this story he was about 9 or 10 summers.

Redeye was a problem because he always did exactly what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it.  He never listened to the Tribal Elders and was always too noisy on the hunt.  The Elders tried and tried to teach him the way of the people but he would never listen.  It was finally decided that something had to be done about Redeye.

The Elders and Warriors had a meeting one night in the longhouse and it was agreed that Redeye would be asked to go to live by himself away from the tribe and never to return.  Then he could just do what he wanted when he wanted.

As the story goes Redeye made his home at the top of Deadman’s Hill on the land that we now call Camp Wildman.  Redeye lived a lonely life and when he died it is said that the spirits buried him in an unmarked grave on the top of the hill.  That is why even today none of the trails go back vary far from the top of the hill.  No one wants to disturb Redeye.

It is said that his lonely spirit still can be seen looking for someone to come and stay with him.  Usually when there are young boys at camp who are not listening to their leaders he will come down to see if he can take them back to the top of the hill to keep him company.  Late in the evening sometimes you can see the glow of his red eyes watching from the forest.

Legend of Red Eye
Jean Kirkland
1^st Oro Cubs
Jan/24/1996

Long ago on this land that you all call Camp Wildman there was a cabin out by the Beaver Pond.  The outhouse still stands as the only reminder of the camp.  One winter weekend three friends came out to the cabin to stay for the weekend to do some camping and to hike through the woods.

When they arrived at the cabin they found that there was no firewood in the cabin to make a warm fire, so they all went looking for wood.  When they went out of the cabin a snow storm off Georgian Bay blew in with all its fury and they had to struggle to find wood as night approached. 

One of the campers Tom Butler, however, became lost in the deepening night and swirling snowstorm.  The next day the search was begun but even with dogs they were unable to find any trace of Tom.

Since that night so many years ago there have been several times that Cub and Scout groups have seen a strange man near their camp.  One time a Scout Troop from Toronto came up to stay here at Wildman.  They had a mysterious man who came and replaced their firewood during the night as it had been used up during the campfire that evening.  The Scout Leader saw him and was scared to death at the sight of him.  The man placed the wood he brought in a neat pile near the fire and vanished.

There have been many more times that the mysterious man has been seen not only at Wildman but other camps further away.  Every time those camping had used all of their firewood.  

The lesson to be learned by this is to leave your campsite with wood for a fire and never run out of firewood while you are camping or you too will have a visit from the lost winter camper.