photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Charlie Lentz | all galleries >> Galleries >> Back in Time !!! > Croyle's Pond - Potter County, PA
previous | next

Croyle's Pond - Potter County, PA

Back in 1969, I visited this location in Northern PA. Slim Croyle (shown in the photo) for years faithfully fed the wild deer. The uniqueness of it was that at dusk every night he would blow a whistle and the deer started venturing out of the mountains, onto his "feeding" grounds. Cars lined the roadway to observe this daily activity. It was magical by some standards and the young children, in particular, thoroughly enjoyed their visit. I remember seeing photos of fawns (that he was caring for) in his bedroom. This is a photo I bought at the time. I have been going through my slides of yesteryear and I came across a few that I had taken back then. It's all part of the past because the place is long gone .....

I added this photo (not my personal photo) to this gallery because I know there are some people out there that remember this place. There was a gentleman named Pete Wambach that recorded a segment about Slim Croyle on his morning segment called, It's a Beautiful Day in Pennsylvania. Click on the following link and it is now the #18 recording.

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/mg/di/MG490Wambach%20Recordings/mg490PreviousPrograms.htm#PreviousWambachRecordings

Here is one of my old time videos from yesteryears showing Slim Croyle feeding the deer. Enjoy !!!



other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Nancy/Jack and children 15-Jul-2022 20:34
“

This brought some wonderful memories. We had camp “Old Winchester. We had a large family and this is where we spent our vacations. We would build a fire by the creek after getting our baths.we would eat, play games, tell creepy stories. My children always remembers everything, fishing,,,always searching for bears,trying to catch rattlesnakes,we loved it all we still have pictures of Slim feeding deer An also the children.kidsalls got excited when he blew the whistle
So happy so manny also enjoyed SLIM.rest in peace my friend you made a lot of people happy
Alan Kepple 30-May-2021 04:08
I was blessed to see this awesome magical experience in the 60s and 70s when my family would vacation at conoy camp a few miles from cross fork. I have slides my dad took of me feeding one of Mr croyle deer a piece of breads. I can still can remember him calling in the deer from the woods . To this day, I have not seen anyone else that could interact with wild animals like Mr. Croyle
Alan Kepple 30-May-2021 03:56
So glad to find this,told my Son and girlfriend About this awesome experience I would get to see summer nights when my family would vacation at conoy camp in Clinton county a few miles from cross fork. I have slides of this experience with one picture of me feeding a Deer a piece of bread from my dad's shoulders. Being 60, this is one of my best childhood memories. Never since have I seen anyone else that had a connection with wild animals like Mr. Croyle did.
Jim88 20-Oct-2020 11:26
I began taking hunting trips up to the area and camping at Ole Bull State Park in 1969. We visited Slim Croyle at his fishing ponds on Route 144 a few miles above Cross Fork and watched him feed his deer herd. It wasn't unusual to see as many as 40 or 50 deer in his field on any given evening. Many were well accustomed to him and would allow slim to hand feed them slices of bread. I can remember one he called by name, "Becky" and as a kid, he let me feed her corn kernels from the palm of my hand. Slim was around for several years beyond 1969 and then passed away
Martin N 06-Nov-2019 20:20
Folded Hills Lodge is the home where Slim lived -
Charlie Lentz09-Sep-2018 01:46
Sandy,

I haven't been back there for 40 years plus but to the best of my knowledge no one there carried on his legacy. It's somehing you never forget. I also always remember back in the 1950's there used to be a white deer just south of Wharton. What was odd was that she could be seen nightly browsng in a cemetery. Signs were everywhere for years. Don't shoot the white deer !!!! She lived for quite a few years until a hunter from Ohio killed her. At the time it was eerie to her in a cemetery.
Sandy Lutz 06-Sep-2018 03:38
This is so cool to read this. I am 59 years old and remember my Grandfather who lived in Renova taking us to see this man whistle in the deer. I looked it up because a friend posted a pic of deer in someone's home on Facebook and it reminded me of this. Does anyone know if someone continues the legacy? Also does anyone remember the three fawns in the glass case at the Cross Forks Bar?
b 21-Jan-2017 17:40
Just thought about this the other day. As a kid in the 60's, this is one of the things I remembered the most about a trip up North. So Sad that someone didn't keep up this man's passion. It was so Amazing to see hundreds of deer coming from every direction to be feed. Simply Amazing.
Laura 18-Jan-2017 14:10
Thanks for posting this, i was one of those kids in the 70's who helped Slim feed the deer!
Cyndy 27-May-2016 04:18
These pictures just hit my facebook page. Amazing....simply amazing!!!!
TENA ROACH 08-Mar-2016 14:39
MY FAMILY TOO WOULD GO SEE HIM AT NIGHT FEED THE DEER WHEN WE VACATION UP AT MARSHLANDS BACK OF GAINES IN TIOGA COUNTY JUST CROSS THE LINE OF POTTER. HE EVEN HAD NAMES FOR SOME OF THE DEER. I THING THEY WERE THE ONES HE RAISED. REALLY GREAT MEMORIES!!!!!!
Guest 06-Mar-2016 03:44
I remember this place well! You brought back some great childhood memories! We camped in crossforks and surrounding areas.
nic 01-Aug-2015 16:34
Remember Mr.Braun from Germania store?
nic 01-Aug-2015 16:32
Remember Jimmy Greenwood from Germania Hotel?
nic 01-Aug-2015 16:23
Remember Cartercamp store?
nic 01-Aug-2015 11:30
I'm 60 now but I remember it like yesterday.
Craig Hughes 12-Nov-2014 17:02
I grew up in Chester County but my father, and later my brother and I also, hunted in Potter County at a camp about 7 or 8 miles east of Oleona off RT. 44. As a kid we would take weekend trips there and I got to see Slim feed his deer. Years later I found a Potter County commemorative plate depicting "Slim and His Deer". I remember it often whenever I see "Do not feed the Deer" signs. It was quite a sight for youngsters especially because back then you didn't have deer in suburban areas as you do now to see every day.
Charlie Lentz18-Oct-2014 01:04
Thanks for your memories ....

I have some old video of Preston (Slim) Croyle feeding the deer. I'll try to get it on here (link). Slim passed away September 27, 1974 at the age of 74. I think he had about 300 acres of land.
Large deer herds are a thing of the past especially in Potter County. We used to see 100's of deer at night.
Guest 15-Oct-2014 16:44
I remember this, too. My parents had a cabin off Montour Road in Clinton County. Went to see Slim all the time. Have the same picture (somewhere) of me in pig tails feeding the deer a piece of bread out of my mouth! GREAT memories.
Charlie Lentz13-May-2014 14:01
Thank you for the correction. I just added a link that will take you to a recording by Pete Wambach on his radio segment called "It's a beautiful day in Pennsylvania", about Slim Croyle. It's the 6th recording from the top. It was recorded in 1969. You may find some of his other recordings of interest, also.
Muss 12-May-2014 11:41
I need to set the record straight: this place and the related images are from Potter County, Pennsylvania.
The location is just a couple of miles North of Clinton County...Clinton Co. begins just below Cross Fork.
This place still exists today, but Slim is long gone. Rest in peace, friend.
I forget the name of the lodge there, but it's about halfway between Ole Bull State Park and Cross Fork on Route 144.
I can remember that there was a building near the road that they sold stuff from, and they had a deer fetus in a jar...kinda creepy, but interesting. Slim lived in a trailer off to the left of the lodge, and closer to the road.
Muss 12-May-2014 01:25
This is awesome! I just told a friend about this earlier...the memories from the late '60s into early '70s. I saw this guy many times and always knew him as 'Slim'. It was the coolest thing in the whole area!
mark frickmann 24-Dec-2013 19:42
as a kid camping at ole bull my parents would drive us down the road to watch him feed the deer.I have a pic of my brother with a slice of bread in his mouth and a doe coming up and eating it!great memories!
Linda P. 14-Jul-2013 23:03
Sorry, I meant that we would WATCH Mr. Croyle feed the deer.
Linda P. 14-Jul-2013 23:02
I totally remember this man and his deer! My grandparents had a hunting cabin in Potter County, and they would drive my brother and me to this spot and what him feed the deer. They came by the dozens, maybe even by the hundreds! I even got to feed a deer a slice of bread form my mouth one time. I was obsessed with deer...some kids draw horses or cats or dogs, but I always drew deer. I am so sad that no one took over this man's mission. Just imagine the deer showing up every night, waiting for him...I wish Mr. Croyle had set up some sort of non-profit organization to care for the deer after his death.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment