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How dangerous is it to be BiGFooting alone?


RedHawk454

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Trog good background to have with your bigfooting hobby.     Probably not fun hiking out no matter how far it was.    

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I'm in Eugene, and there are tons of mountain lions; the community college in the South hills regularly has cougar alerts. I do to out alone, but I'm not deep in the woods, and I have my big dog, too. I carry bear spray and a belt knife at all times (and a whistle)  and I'm working on getting my concealed carry permit. 

 

I would not go into real woods alone. 

 

Also, creepy people are definitely a real threat.

Edited by Madison5716
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1 hour ago, Madison5716 said:

I'm in Eugene, and there are tons of mountain lions; the community college in the South hills regularly has cougar alerts. I do to out alone, but I'm not deep in the woods, and I have my big dog, too. I carry bear spray and a belt knife at all times (and a whistle)  and I'm working on getting my concealed carry permit. 

 

I would not go into real woods alone. 

 

Also, creepy people are definitely a real threat.

You're right about creeping people being out there, and a good reason to have some protection. Here's a good example.

https://youtu.be/WMQCw-1rnNY

 

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Yep that's creepy! And kinda stupid. Two women hiking, two tents (why carry that weight)? No guns? Should maced him good, packed up and left lol!

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1 hour ago, Madison5716 said:

Yep that's creepy! And kinda stupid. Two women hiking, two tents (why carry that weight)? No guns? Should maced him good, packed up and left lol!

That should never have happened being up in the Sierra's far away civilization and away from a campground, extremely rare. Sounds like the guy was wandering around high on shrooms.🍄:phew:

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4 hours ago, Madison5716 said:

I'm in Eugene, and there are tons of mountain lions; the community college in the South hills regularly has cougar alerts. I do to out alone, but I'm not deep in the woods, and I have my big dog, too. I carry bear spray and a belt knife at all times (and a whistle)  and I'm working on getting my concealed carry permit. 

 

I would not go into real woods alone. 

 

Also, creepy people are definitely a real threat.

 

Definitely get your concealed carry permit.    If you haven't done the hands on safety part, see if LCC still offers a term course for security guards which covers both practical shooting and Oregon's laws regarding legal use of deadly force.   I took it in about '92 .. while way more than was required for a CHL, it was time well spent.   I left the Eugene area for the Rogue Valley in '96 but I still go back a few times a year.    There's some activity west of town but I prefer the Cascades to the Coast Range.   The old western Cascades are worth your time if you're doing research up there.   

 

I love time in very deep woods alone.    There are things out there, but on the other hand **I** am out there and "things" better be on their good behavior.   :)    For the most part if you get out there far enough you get beyond the creepy people.   They're lazy, looking for easy pickin's ... so go far enough, deep enough that you're not easy.    I'm more uneasy in designated campgrounds with road access than I am in deep woods.  

 

One place up there I'm very careful is the Mohawk Valley / Coburg Hills.   When I was in Eugene someone dumped some bodies up there.    That's also where I met the MIB that inspired my username here.   I'm convinced there are bigfoots around but maybe not worth the human risks when seemingly safer spots are not much harder to access.

 

MIB

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On 12/23/2018 at 7:40 AM, Trogluddite said:

And help bring comfort to those whose loved ones are missing.  A story on this site about a missing toddler out west led me to track down a local group (which was not as easy as one would think) and join.  I've been on several searches since then and even if we don't find the missing person, the family appreciates the effort is made.

 

As to learning skills that give you confidence, at one meeting we practiced splinting.  The next month when I was hiking w/my wife in the 'Dacks, I fell and badly fractured my arm.  We splinted it and, with the moral support and help of another couple who ran into us as we we're getting ready to move, hiked out 2 miles (okay, a little less - the distance gets longer every time I tell the story). 

 

When I joined a SAR group, I specifically chose one two hours away because it had an instructor who is the Yoda of wilderness navigation.  I could have chosen one much closer but I've learned a lot from him. Agreed it i good to give back.  Also, they provide quite a few valuable courses as you've mentioned such as wilderness first aid. 

 

Any time we can add another layer of knowledge or experience in the backcountry, it adds to our comfort and confidence therein.

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Here is an excellent video (two parts) of how to rig a quick shelter in frigid weather that can save your life.  It is from Dave Canterbury of Dual Survival.  It involves a 2 mil painters plastic and a space blanket. Very little cost and next to no weight to carry with you in the backcountry. A fringe benefit is that fire will help keep some predators away and keep you occupied so your mind (and imagination) doesn't run wild.

 

 

Edited by wiiawiwb
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Anything that keeps you dry is half the battle.   If you get and stay wet you are not likely to survive for very long.    The climate in the PNW is benign in the winter as far as temperature.   But people who get lost do not last too many days if not found because they get soaked through.   

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^^^^^ Yes. Being dry is critical. I watched both videos. Good information. I am in the PNW.  I am not around dense stands of deciduous trees. I am around thin layers of wet, decaying leaves. The 'long fire' looks nice. The persons in the videos had 'fat wood'. We don't have that except in the stores for kindling.  Fat wood is loaded with pitch and is easy to light, burns hot and fast.  The firewood in the videos looked dry. The ground was dry. The leaves were dry.  No snow. All the actors were wearing coffee cups. And that bacon?  No thank you, I don't want to invite a bear into an emergency shelter unless of course the bear is having a bacon emergency.  A You Tube presentation with everything being soaking wet would be helpful.

 

Hypothermia and the wind chill factor. We know that wind chill factor does not record on a thermometer. It is basic. Moisture evaporating from skin in cold wind is a calculated wind chill factor.  Prevent/minimize  moisture evaporating from your skin and you will be a lot happier. 

 

There is a survival outfit in Colorado.   Wilderness Survival Institute, also known as "WISE". They used to sell  survival supplies but their website "store/shopping cart" seems to be having problems. The person who started that organization was nicknamed "Papa Bear".

Edited by Catmandoo
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I was with a party of folks once who had snowmobiled just 8 miles in to a lake for ice fishing. There was a little girl with us of about 7 years of age. It was a steady -30 degrees. At one point, her complaining about the cold prompted us to start a fire. But the tinder and dead wood in the area wouldn’t light! I decided that it must have been a very wet fall, the wood had been soaked, then it froze with all that moisture in it. Repeatedly pouring gas on it didn’t even work. Trioxine bars didn’t work. In the end, cotton balls soaked in Vasoline petroleum jelly got a small fire going, and it took some time, but we got a larger fire going. 

 

I was also also on a solo moose hunt where it rained steadily for the entire season. I had flipped my canoe, and gotten everything wet. Same thing; I couldn’t get a decent fire going to dry things out.

 

The fuel can can be so soaked, it won’t burn.

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I use to hunt with my son all the time but now I'm mostly alone. Last year yote hunting at  Pine Log WMA right at dark I heard the jaw popping sound of a black bear. He was coming in to my fox pro (rabbit distress sound). like an idiot I set the speaker to close to me and when I saw the bear we scared each other, all I remember is that his butt sure looked big as he was leaving the area. I do think nite hunting alone for preditors is not smart!!!!! Some times I bring my AR-15 with me but I'm not sure if it'll knock a bear down in an emergency, let alone a bigfoot??? Oh well I love to hunt so I gotta deal with the problems..... Everybody be safe out there!!!!

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On 12/23/2018 at 10:54 AM, Madison5716 said:

I'm in Eugene, and there are tons of mountain lions; the community college in the South hills regularly has cougar alerts. I do to out alone, but I'm not deep in the woods, and I have my big dog, too. I carry bear spray and a belt knife at all times (and a whistle)  and I'm working on getting my concealed carry permit. 

 

I would not go into real woods alone. 

 

Also, creepy people are definitely a real threat.

 

 

And I do believe people who are up to no good are the most dangerous threat out there

 

 

On 12/24/2018 at 6:05 AM, wiiawiwb said:

Here is an excellent video (two parts) of how to rig a quick shelter in frigid weather that can save your life.  It is from Dave Canterbury of Dual Survival.  It involves a 2 mil painters plastic and a space blanket. Very little cost and next to no weight to carry with you in the backcountry. A fringe benefit is that fire will help keep some predators away and keep you occupied so your mind (and imagination) doesn't run wild.

 

 

 

 

I usually will  let the fire die down when I go to sleep.  It’s relaxing to hear the fire at night when dozing off.

 

 

My experience so far is that 100% of the time the sun always comes up, no matter how eree it is

the night before.  

 

 

Not not saying something nefarious wouldn’t happen though.

 

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