Hiking The Woods Alone In Blackness

[wiiawiwb]

Your instincts are there for a reason. Because it is NOT SAFE to hike alone in the dark.

 

Unless we're talking about brownbear/grizzly territory, the only unsafe aspect is risk of injury. I'm not a fan of trying to "hunt" a saquatch. That's like taking a boxing leson and thinking you are ready to take on an MMA champion. We've out of our league. Let them come to you.

 

For those who are afraid of being alone at night, miles from humanity, do what you have to bolster your confidence. Start in a more "suburban" camping environment then move 200' farther into the woods. Keep moving farther out and your confidence level will build with each outing. Bring several canisters of bear spray.  If you enjoy firearms, and are experienced with one, bring it.  My only caution is that fear and guns can be a problem. Work on the fear part first before defaulting to a firearm.

 

Try to change the mental imagery from me being afraid of what's out there to me being the thing that every creature in this forest should fear.

 

 

p.s. Norseman's post #46 is an excellent one.

Edited April 18, 2015 by wiiawiwb

[Guest Divergent1]

Or how about stay at home and watch other people run through the woods at night on TV, that's more my speed. I'm fine during the day but why put yourself in that kind of situation where you are more easily the prey than the predator?

[norseman]

^^^^^^

where is the fun in that?

[wiiawiwb]

Or how about stay at home and watch other people run through the woods at night on TV, that's more my speed. I'm fine during the day but why put yourself in that kind of situation where you are more easily the prey than the predator?

 

Exactly what predator are you worried about?

[Guest Divergent1]

Big Cats, you will never see them coming.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Divergent1

[MagniAesir]

Or how about stay at home and watch other people run through the woods at night on TV, that's more my speed. I'm fine during the day but why put yourself in that kind of situation where you are more easily the prey than the predator?

You just don't know what you are missing

Embrace the woods day and night, you won't regret it

[norseman]

exactly!!!^^^^^^

Buy a handgun and bring your dog along for companionship

[Guest Divergent1]

A handgun and a dog isn't going to prevent a cougar attack at night. I had my encounter with a big cat during the day, and lucky for me, I wasn't the target. I just happened to not get noticed as this thing lunged for whatever was in the brush. The chuffing sound, which is similar to what a house cat makes when it sees birds outside a window, is the only thing that alerted me that something was close.  I missed getting eaten alive out of sheer luck, I was armed but it wouldn't have helped me had the cat seized me from behind as they often do. So I'll pass on the midnight hikes in the dark.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Divergent1

[Sasfooty]

Exactly what predator are you worried about?

 

I'd be worried about a rabid skunk, fox, racoon, etc.

 

BF & Big Cat are just big ol' Teddy Bears compared to that.

[Guest Divergent1]

You do have a point. Rabies wasn't so common in the PNW but it seems like animal control is always dealing with something rabid on the loose down here in the south.

[Sasfooty]

I killed a rabid skunk in the yard a few years ago. It was the middle of the morning & I happened to see it from inside the house. It ran toward me as soon as I got close enough to shoot it. That thing had every intention of biting me if it could have. There was no smell & it could have sneaked up on someone if it had been dark.

 

It's definitely something to think about.

[MagniAesir]

A handgun and a dog isn't going to prevent a cougar attack at night. I had my encounter with a big cat during the day, and lucky for me, I wasn't the target. I just happened to not get noticed as this thing lunged for whatever was in the brush. The chuffing sound, which is similar to what a house cat makes when it sees birds outside a window, is the only thing that alerted me that something was close.  I missed getting eaten alive out of sheer luck, I was armed but it wouldn't have helped me had the cat seized me from behind as they often do. So I'll pass on the midnight hikes in the dark.

See to me that is like saying

I am going to quit driving because I was almost in a serious accident

Of course you feel differently and that is fine as each of us have our own risk assessments and risk tolerance

Quite likely there are things that I won't do that you are quite comfortable doing

[Guest Divergent1]

Even before that incident, I wasn't naive about what risks were involved in trying to walk/hike in pitch black woods. To me that's like trying to navigate the streets of New York City blind folded. What fool would do that and what would be the benefit of doing it unless you had a death wish of some kind?

Edited April 19, 2015 by Divergent1

[norseman]

A handgun and a dog isn't going to prevent a cougar attack at night. I had my encounter with a big cat during the day, and lucky for me, I wasn't the target. I just happened to not get noticed as this thing lunged for whatever was in the brush. The chuffing sound, which is similar to what a house cat makes when it sees birds outside a window, is the only thing that alerted me that something was close. I missed getting eaten alive out of sheer luck, I was armed but it wouldn't have helped me had the cat seized me from behind as they often do. So I'll pass on the midnight hikes in the dark.

Cats? Cats are wimps! I treed them with hounds......they only attack if they think they have you bent over a barrel.

Bears? Bears can be wimps and they can also turn and fight with extreme prejudice. With Grizzlies being the more Ill tempered of the two.

Badgers and Wolverines? They are coming for you, extremely Ill tempered beasts. Luckily they are not 800 lbs,

I was 10 years old hiking with a rifle in mountains and sleeping on the ground with a army blanket on the ground in a lean to I made.

I would not trade my boyhood for anyone's......awesome stuff. I hope you change your mind and if you ever want someone to go with, I would take you for sure. It's not nearly as bad as a bad neighbor hood in NYC.

[Guest Divergent1]

Thanks Norse, but if bigfoot comes for us, and you miss your shot, I'll be the one trailing behind you. I think I'll pass on being pissed off bigfoot bait.