AaronD Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Good points madison, fear is an alert mechanism for danger or potential danger. And learning to shoot isn't a bad idea either. I'm not really in favor of shooting a squatch per se, but there are a lot of other critters out there I'd rather not wrastle with unarmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Jeeze louise, just go in they daytime! It's scary enough then. They are not strictly nocturnal. They are there in the daytime, trust me. IMO the best time to go is about an hour or two before sunset, and go home before it gets actually dark. You can see them better in the low light. But you can't see them at all at night. Going at night is not necessary. Edited September 10, 2012 by Kings Canyon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 KC, You are very correct. No need for night visits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronD Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I just watched a you-tube video of someone popping 100 balloons in a row with a pen laser. Which means the last balloon was like at least 70 ft away!! Call me wierd, but my mind runs to squatching, and how one might be able to use such an instrument in a hunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Jeeze louise, just go in they daytime! It's scary enough then. They are not strictly nocturnal. They are there in the daytime, trust me. IMO the best time to go is about an hour or two before sunset, and go home before it gets actually dark. You can see them better in the low light. But you can't see them at all at night. Going at night is not necessary. Very good advice KC, If your really having a problem with camping at night, you won't enjoy it anyway. I would not recommend it until you get used to all the things that go on at night. Its really quite terrifying until you get used to whats going on and what is scurrying around you just waiting for you to fall asleep and carry you away. BOO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BFSleuth Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I just watched a you-tube video of someone popping 100 balloons in a row with a pen laser. Which means the last balloon was like at least 70 ft away!! Call me wierd, but my mind runs to squatching, and how one might be able to use such an instrument in a hunt. It might help to draw the red circles and arrows in real time so you don't have to go back and draw them in to help people see the BF.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronD Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Good strategy BF!!! Now, how should we go about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I couldn't help but add my two cents on this topic, If your afraid of going out into the woods alone that's normal after all that's where the the things that go bump in the night live. But if I might offer a suggestion as how to over come this fear this is what you should do. First go to the area you want to spend the night during the day, and get the lay of the land so you know where everything is. Then plan your trip as close to the full moon as you can, a week before or after is good, but the night of the full moon is best. That way you can still see well enough to walk around and be able to see any thing that might be sneaking up on you. If you do this, after awhile you will overcome your fear and be able to go there when it's darker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronD Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I had my one and only squatch encounter on a lonely dark night, along a lonely dark road through a lonely dark forest....still shake when I think about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mudder Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Going tent camping tonight until Sunday night. Found a nice spot, 15 miles NW of town along the river, in an area that has written reports on the BFRO. I won't be hiking, but just be sitting & listening all night(s). I decided to bring my dobie along, whom'll be either leashed or tethered by my side at night. That should keep the mt lions away, haha. Just me and my dog. I'll have to have a fire for the dog (dobermans get cold very easily). He'll sleep with me during the day. Just a simple campout this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cervelo Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Take lotsa pics and have a great time!!! I do almost all my camping alone and kinda remote as well, the more you do it the easier it gets and the sense of accomplishment is very rewarding, you will have a blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMBigfoot Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Take baby steps. Stay during the day, get the lay of the land and listen. Spend an hour or as much as you can in the dark, then leave. Keep going back to the same spot and spend an extra hour in the dark until you can do a whole night. When comfortable with a night, try two, then three and so on. You don't have to do it alone. If you can get someone to go with you just make sure it's not a person that is more afraid of the dark than you. That wont help at all, it would probably make things worse. I've been camping alone in the Oregon woods since I was 13. I would have my dad or anyone with a DL drop me off in the woods and pick me up several days later. I never brought a gun or started a fire. One of my most memorable experiences was when I did rock knocks from inside my tent. I didn't get a reply so I set the two rocks on a stump about 10 feet away. Sometime before dawn I was woken up by the sound of rock on rock knocking right outside my tent. That was exciting and that's what keeps me going back for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mudder Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 (edited) Thanks, guys. Yeah, it's not a big deal -- I've fished along the river too many times to count, until 5am, before. And I've camped often alone in the woods, but it's more dense in this area and a couple miles from any main roads. There's only a narrow gravel road nearby. It'll be fun. Convenient too since I don't have a quad runner. I have 3 cell phone batteries, food, water, JD & lemonade (ah ha!), queen air bed with a foam topper, flannel & wool bedding, propane stove, pot and pan, cooler, 13x9x6.5 ft Coleman Instant Tent, tarp, 24x24 3D RealTree camo fabric for tent, camo clothing, camo insulated jumpsuit, camo bandanas, camo stocking cap, camo gloves, two 3D LED maglites, LED lantern, propane lantern, fishing pole, etc etc etc etc etc etc. I'll be comfy . And that's just a fraction of my total camping supplies. It's just me, so I don't need all 4 of my camping totes, lol (camping stuff can add up easily for comfort). But I'm bringing the big tent and not the 9x6 tent, lol. If you're wondering how I'll haul all that alone to the site, I use plastic snow sleds -- It works great. Dog has his doggie sweater and doggie sweatshirt hoodie and bone and food and bowls and foam for the ground when he's not sleeping with me. I'm always set for some tent camping . I'm just short of a pop up trailer... but I couldn't take that into the woods . No camera still . My camera is in the river since last year. Hopefully soon I'll get another one. And my cell phone camera stopped working last year also, doh! . I'll get a sound recorder soon also. I'm sure I'll hike during the daylight before or after sleeping. I couldn't stand still for 4 days, for sure! I'd like to bring my .25 Marauder PCP air rifle for some squirrel hunting but I don't think Sassy and Patty would like that too much, so that's a no. It's great weather here in central Iowa, so I'm going to take advantage of it while it lasts. In the 80's late next week, also, so I might give it another go in another area (closer). I'm just looking for BF sounds and maybe some eyeshine. I'll use my whistle to let them know it's me when I first get to the site. If there's any around, they'll know it's me next time. I might do some tree and rock knocking, but I can't bring myself to scream (I don't know who's nearby, lol). This'll be only the 2nd time camping alone since my knowledge from this forum and the web peaked my interest a few months ago, so nowadays I'm all ears and eyes when in the woods. 4 days hopefully gets some kind of evidence for myself with staying up through the night. I better nap today so I CAN stay up all night . Edit: I'll be somewhere in between A and B http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=boone,+ia&daddr=rohades+acres,+ia&geocode=FbnHgQIdXYBn-ikzwb1hFtvthzG_SuKkkrW1sA%3BFb_6gwIdAeRl-iE6YKJ_Ry23ailRKtzkgOnthzE6YKJ_Ry23ag&aq=&sll=42.086875,-93.92785&sspn=0.065736,0.119476&vpsrc=6&t=h&hl=en&mra=ls&ie=UTF8&ll=42.142023,-94.000397&spn=0.262714,0.477905&z=11 Edited September 27, 2012 by Mudder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronD Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Ya'll have way more stamina than me.....I think an afternoon out there would fill my cheerios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobZenor Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I went for a walk on a trail today and it was really dark like walking into a cave when I entered the trail at 5:30. It was a bit overcast with a light fog and I could barely see the ground. Suddenly something large started running very fast crashing out of the brush right towards me. I yelled very loudly so whatever it was would know what I was. It turned out that it was a labrador. Someone else was on the trail and I didn't hear them because I was running. I was carrying my walking stick so I wasn't really afraid but I was a bit unnerved by it until I saw it was a labrador. I never met one of those that attacked people so I was relieved. It helps my confidence to image the worst case scenario like getting attacked by pit bulls or a mountain lion and mentally preparing for it. That may not work for everyone. I avoid areas where mountain lions are likely at night but it is always a possibility. Pepper spray also increases my confidence but today the walking stick was more than enough. Usually I don't even have that. In remote areas I like having the 357 because it usually makes me feel invulnerable. The exception to that is at Bluff Creek at night but I am pretty sure that is because I was so frightened there before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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