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Ever get scared while in the woods alone in the dark?

You really have the hairs on your neck stand up when a mountain lion is in the woods. 2x I have walked backwards out of the woods because I swore it was following me. We do not have bear and very few lions, but big cats are no laughing matter! Not much else bothers me day or night in the woods. But a big cat will make you wish you had firepower and not just a bow. (That is when I started carting my 45 in the woods with me.)
 
I love being out in the woods at night.

I worry more about the remote parking areas after dark then anything in the woods, day or night. But, I also try to be prepared as well - extra batteries, couple of back up light sources, Sig 9mm w/extra mag, and bear spray when in areas with bear. Gun for two legged things, and bear spray for four legged.
 
I've had a couple scary events: 1 with wild dogs and 1 with a Florida panther. It just so happened they were on the same evening hunt.

When I was hunting out West for a couple years, I was a little worried about mountain lions.
 
I have noticed the woods get "smaller" at night when you turn the headlamps on. It seems the brighter the headlamp the "smaller" the woods. I guess it's the reflection


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wesfromky said:
I love being out in the woods at night.

I worry more about the remote parking areas after dark then anything in the woods, day or night. But, I also try to be prepared as well - extra batteries, couple of back up light sources, Sig 9mm w/extra mag, and bear spray when in areas with bear. Gun for two legged things, and bear spray for four legged.
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I agree. Two legged critters are much more dangerous.


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bubba g said:
I hate to admit this but I still chicken out sometimes staying in the woods until dark when I'm by myself.

I took a walk through the woods the other night just to get used to being out there by myself so I'm ready for the season. I'm walking along not afraid at alI. I happen to shine my light off to my left and theres a set of orange eyes looking at me from about 30 yards away... they look pretty far apart so whatever it was was pretty big..

I'm figuring bear, or possibly a buck bedded down... I shine the light on it for about a minute, and it doesn't even blink... finally I say screw it... I'll throw a stick towards it so it will run away, and I'll be able to tell what it is... I toss a good size stick that lands about 10 feet away from it, and it doesn't budge. I pick up a rock throw it... it lands even closer... still doesn't budge...

After that I got out of the woods...

About an hour later I get curious to see if it's still there so I go back into the woods... it's still in the same spot... watched it for about a minute then got out of the woods... just as I get out I hear at first a single howl, then a pack of totes howling like crazy...

The yotes were in a different spot from where i saw the eyes...

Sounded exactly like this video
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Good topic , in the beginning I used to get real nervous and would get to my tree and up it as fast as I could. After a few seasons I became real comfortable with the dark , I can not explain it. Its natural to get startled when you jump something in the dark. I did have something charge at me once in the dark way back in a swamp , I never got to see what it was as my head lamp did not light things up enough but I was grateful I was at my tree and flew up the steps with bow in hand. I know there was a fair amount of coyotes around but they always run.


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Tree-Demon said:
I bring a headlamp just incase but try not to use it I prefer the cover of darkness when I enter and exit the woods. I also have only been hunting a few years but was never uncomfortable in the woods at night . Until one night in total darkness Im just finishing up putting my pack togeather after coming down from the tree and I hear a fox scream must have been within ten yards of me my heart froze and I nearly shat myself. Could not find that headlamp fast enough it was s very humbling moment
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I know its not funny and I know that moment all to well ... I can totally relate and laughed my ass off reading your post.


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BCHunter said:
https://www.amazon.com/STANLEY-SL10...UTF8&qid=1505649238&sr=8-4&keywords=spotlight

Try one of these, it'll help you figure out if it's a bear staring at you, or if it's just some reflective tacks. Plus you can just tell your buddies/wife it's for blood tracking deer.
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I actually had a 1000 lumen flashlight with me... still can't make out what it was...

I'm guessing what I saw was a bear based on the size of the eyes...

Here's the video... excuse my language.... I was looking at it for at least a minute before I took video... threw stuff right near it with no reaction.. I found what look to be bear tracks in the area...

 
Dewey said:
I agree. Two legged critters are much more dangerous.


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I agree with you on this one ! I was coming out of the woods/swamp a long time ago just as it was getting dark and had a person step out about 40 yards in front of me stand and look at me for about two minutes ( which felt like an hour) did not answer me when I shouted hello then proceed to go into 8 foot tall swamp reeds in water ! I had to go that way to get back to my truck ! I knocked an arrow and proceeded slowly till I got past where I saw the person and I do not remember my feet touching the ground for the next 200 yards after that ....so much for that enjoyable evening hunt.


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ADP2413 said:
I agree with you on this one ! I was coming out of the woods/swamp a long time ago just as it was getting dark and had a person step out about 40 yards in front of me stand and look at me for about two minutes ( which felt like an hour) did not answer me when I shouted hello then proceed to go into 8 foot tall swamp reeds in water ! I had to go that way to get back to my truck ! I knocked an arrow and proceeded slowly till I got past where I saw the person and I do not remember my feet touching the ground for the next 200 yards after that ....so much for that enjoyable evening hunt.


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Creepy...
 
Wisconsin gun opener several years back was seriously foggy. I was hunting land owned by a friend's brother in law. We had marked the trail to the stand I would use with tape weeks before. Good thing because I would never have found my way in the pre Dawn dark and fog. So we split up at the truck and I'm making my way looking for the hung tapes when I hear a sound like an animal rising from it's bed. I'm thinking deer and it was close like no more than 15 yards. First thought was disappointment because it wasn't legally light yet and besides I couldn't see 5' because of the fog. My thoughts after that were a bit more alert because the animal didn't "crash" off running away from me. Instead it paralleled me, matching my pace, for about 100 yards . These observations were made by my ears not my eyes
I would take a couple steps and stop to strain my senses. It stopped a split second after I did...so on and so forth for the 100 yards or so. If I could have retreated quickly the way I came I would have (I have never had such a strong fight or flight response and the "flight" part was intense) but it was so dark and foggy and I had to find my markers. I had my safety off but that did'nt give me much confidence because the sound of it walking was so close. I have never experienced such a visceral feeling that I was being stalked and considered.
 
DXD said:
Wisconsin gun opener several years back was seriously foggy. I was hunting land owned by a friend's brother in law. We had marked the trail to the stand I would use with tape weeks before. Good thing because I would never have found my way in the pre Dawn dark and fog. So we split up at the truck and I'm making my way looking for the hung tapes when I hear a sound like an animal rising from it's bed. I'm thinking deer and it was close like no more than 15 yards. First thought was disappointment because it wasn't legally light yet and besides I couldn't see 5' because of the fog. My thoughts after that were a bit more alert because the animal didn't "crash" off running away from me. Instead it paralleled me, matching my pace, for about 100 yards . These observations were made by my ears not my eyes
I would take a couple steps and stop to strain my senses. It stopped a split second after I did...so on and so forth for the 100 yards or so. If I could have retreated quickly the way I came I would have (I have never had such a strong fight or flight response and the "flight" part was intense) but it was so dark and foggy and I had to find my markers. I had my safety off but that did'nt give me much confidence because the sound of it walking was so close. I have never experienced such a visceral feeling that I was being stalked and considered.
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That is spooky ! Im liking this thread and Im going back in a swamp at 430am tomorrow , my mind is going to be in overdrive lol I hope everyone shares their encounters in the dark !


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ADP2413 said:
That is spooky ! Im liking this thread and Im going back in a swamp at 430am tomorrow , my mind is going to be in overdrive lol I hope everyone shares their encounters in the dark !


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Click to expand...
What I hate is walking into these guys - here in NC they are making webs across trails every night Sept-Oct. I use a red headlamp which doesn't highlight them until the last second so I carry a stick out in front of me. Even still every year I come about 2 inches from my face with a couple of them. Harmless but face to face an hour and a half before daylight will startle the crap out of me
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MCDM said:
For those that use headlamps (myself included) I would suggest one with a green or red filter on it. It seriously reduces game spook especially on deer. Granted you won't be able to see as far as with white light but you can see none the less and when you turn the light off you won't have that blindness or period of adjustment back to the night.
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I have a bright red head lamp for coyote hunting. I took that out this morning so I didn't have to struggle to find my tacks with red light in the dark. Worked great!
 
I have had partridge flush from between my feet in complete darkness more than once. Always gets your heart pumping.

And once a few years ago, the dog decided she was going out for the opening day of rifle season. She caught up to me just a hundred yards from the blind and ran right between my legs. Didn't hear her coming until she got within 5 ft and didn't figure out what she was until she passed me.

Of course as a kid you remember every scary movie you had seen. But as an adult, I agree with two legged creatures being the scariest.

I have already told my wife, if I get a chance to ride in a spaceship that landed out in the woods, going to take it as long as we hit light speed or something fast.
 
I'll choose the dark woods versus most poorly lighted urban parking lots. Two legged predators are more numerous and potentially more deadly.

When I lived in Georgia, I was somewhat concerned about stepping on a snake whenever I was stumbling around in the dark, but that never happened. I always figured that most four-legged critters were probably more interested in avoiding me.
 
I've had a lone wolf howling about 150 yards in front of me and it's pack answer behind me. I was sitting on the ground overlooking a small ravine. It was still dark, but the sky was starting to lighten in the east.
A very cool experience but I still threw a few more rounds into my .303
After talking with a wolf expert, I doubt I was in any danger and can now appreciate the experience more.


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