Wish Me Luck, Boys (And Girls)

[Guest]

See- try some sparkley non food items the next time you go out. They can stay indefinitely, not draw critters, and you can rig the placement in such a way that only hands can remove them. I used old chandelier crystals up in a tree (about 10 feet off the ground) and strung them around a branch like Christmas tree lights a little over 2 years ago. Something unwound the line without tearing up the branches and took them on my second attempt at hanging them.

[See-Te-Cah NC]

Will do, Jodie.

Any other ideas in regard to non-food items?

[Guest Biggie]

Suggested reading: "98.6 degrees:The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive"- written by Cody Lundin.

When I first saw him last year I thought he was nuttier than a Sam's sized jar of planters. I have actually come to really like him though. He looks like a dope but he's very intelligent for a self titled trippy dippy hippie and I enjoy his sense of humor too.

[Guest para ape]

You may hear a few woodknocks but don't expect to see the creature,although it's a possibility that you might.Also,don't be surprised if you experiece something weird on your search.

[bfriendly]

See,Just want to chime in and say thanks for taking us with you, by way of a great story............AWESOME MAN, and I wish you better luck next time.

I too am glad you made it out of there without being a Bear snack!

[Guest]

Yeah, I agree with bfriendly. Nice to have the adventure without the actual ticks. : )

Food attracts too many animals, any kind could show up. Stick to dry goods. Shiny stuff is good, we all love shiny objects. We do. But so do crows or packrats, etc., so anchor it well enough that would be less likely.

[Guest]

Hi,

I'm from Davidson County, NC...let me know if you need any assistance investigating this area. I'd love to come and help check it out with you!

[Guest Rex]

Good luck. Your Smith .50 revolver is a large, powerful handgun, but it pales in comparison to most rifles.

 

 

I'd consider a Beowulf in an AR platform.

[Guest Rex]

hog feed could be dangerous, see this link to boar kills man

 

 

I've had a close call or two with hogs...  i was bitten by a sow and had a small boar cut me across my knee one night...  i have seen what they can do to dogs.

 

 I tend to shoot them from a distance now and not in the leg..

[norseman]

Glad you had fun bud!

[NCBFr]

I am a tad North of your position and it appears to me that they migrate more during the spring and fall.   My theory is that there is enough food sources in their primary home in the NC MNTs (or maybe Great Swamp) so that they do not need to extend their hunting ranges in the summers.  

 

Please include me if you ever intend on a NC get together.

 

NCBFr

[Guest]

STC-NC, I have high confidence you will experience something. I have done what you are doing know (I'm assuming you don't have any camera gear at all, just bait), and have a lot of questionable things happen.

 

All in all, have fun! 

[the parkie]

See

What about some music, singing or some other sounds that will want to make your quarry come and investigate you? I've heard of this approach on numerous occasions.

[WV FOOTER]

Yeah, and I saw Tred Barta jump down into a small creek with a Boar and about 4 yappin dogs, armed with only a hunting knife and commence to stabbing the hog, killing it. Good Luck!

[Guest]

See great post, thanks.  You have to be alone and in the dark, in a remote area, to get what you are talking about.  Each day I was certain that night I would be super brave, and each nightfall I wasn't....couple hours after dark and your vision drops to a small circle.....  so, I do appreciate your honesty here!   

 

The sounds at night are variable depending on season, and right now it's at the height for many insects, but I have recordings from all night certain times a year and there is not a sound, none...it is trippy.  There is a book "Know the Outdoors After Dark" circa 70's ..it's a field guide of night sounds and animal identification...pretty cool..from insects to birds, ec...I got it used, and haven't seen anything like it....times have changed and I guess those field guides don't sell!

 

According to some, the BFs do find the people, I think it was Powell's book (?) with a comment...stay four or five days and the Locals will find you.... hummm..  I have moved and spent the last two years just scoping out NorCal in road trips essentially, but finally settled down for a week at base of Mt Lassen to the quietest animal free week I have ever had in the forest!    

 

Boredom is the toughest part, especially alone as your mobility is reduced for safety.. I do leave the road hiking etc but never beyond what I figure I can drag myself back to a road or such should I twist an ankle, etc....

 

The first  place I was at (with sightings reports) was active almost right away, had it not, I may have had a different path..and really, had they not been so obvious I would have joined the many who say, I was out there and saw nothing....

 

Did I do something different?  Maybe, I was alone and female...but I did have a weapon in trailer..popout kind....but the first night I did the classic BFRO thing...whacked a tree and howled hahah..and felt silly.....but it did get action (for which I was not prepared!) however, on the return trip I was in denial..and many things I blew off...it was the third trip (and that BF video...re-watched now) that put me over...even tho I had tracks prior, etc...and that was the moved cache...so with that nothing felt silly again!  

 

And, I worked hard at giving them a reason to visit besides a treat... of those activities some seemed productive:  Native American flute CD..in that it became habit at dusk..pleasant and they seemed to anticipate and enjoy...funny activities that were physical..so I put up a rope swing..blew bubbles, flew a kite, played a harmonica..etc..fun things that children might engage in, but also adults find amusing...so small durables had some tactile element..a spinning globe, or realistic figurine..etc..  

 

and yes, singing..haha, I am not a singer and no one tells me I am...but out there and alone the inhibitions can drop...and the Whistle Serenade was a direct response to singing..so that helped fuel that..but it never happened again...

 

 I did change things up as novelty was my game...and if something got old I canned it... art/clay...etc during day to kill time...and of course surveying the immediate acres and perhaps up to about 1/2 mile radius...forays further..sometimes in truck...

 

I can also say I think most of my attention was via a juvenile and guardian..mother perhaps...and when I did get attention form what I assumed head male..it was less comfortable for me...and yet, quite controlled..not a threat but a warning...so I did shift to ..what do the adults want? And that is harder...  a babysitter...haha....  music...some food, good thoughts.....?  

 

But, mostly See it was time, patience, willingness to be bored, overcoming disappointment (some trips were total busts..and I left almost angry!) , but also elation..discovery...just some knock your socks off expereinces...but it was work..real work..in that the goal was set..and actions aimed at that...so I can't say it was always fun...worrying about equipment or next trick..etc or hiking when you are tired..or just making food.. I always lost weight..

 

Also, you can get cheap nets (that bio degrad) or baskets (at goodwill) that lend themselves to hanging out of reach or most critters if placed in right tree, etc...and away from camp ..so no camp bears being trained...and I think they lked that....the nets would go entirely...baskets not always, only a few..and they were size appropriate for a BF now that I think of it...one in particular..very large almost flat/open....  but usually the baskets remain..food likes alos changed..they tried most all, but had favorites and rejections..and eventually rejected things they used to like...

 

B/c gift locations changed so often,  I also began to use small lights (fake candle) which will remain on for like a week.. to give a visual alert something new in forest....   that was to hurry up "hits"...initially they seemed to leave some sites for a few days...then hit it...so there seemed to be caution..then things got friendly..then backed off again..it was up and down.... oh! those glow stick bracelets (dollar store) were a hit...over several nights..hung on the tiny branches of a tree..a  dozen and four were taken two nights in a row...hard to imagine anything but a bird or BF that could access those.....and not much time in morning for birds to nab...but with the gifting stuff...sometimes you just don't know...sometimes you do..tracks, or some other thing..like ability to unscrew a lid (but raccoons can too!)

 

ahh...lots of effort.....  oh! also response call to birds, especially night birds.... sometimes they aren't night birds and I do think engaging in their mimic conversations seems to get their attention...and if not a BF well no harm right, you just called in an owl!

 

novelty...they have seen a bunch of humans in these situations..and by and large don't seem to care for us! hah, so take something out worth watching/engaging....look like fun...?! Also, talking directly to the forest..words of friendship...not many hunters do that ya know! or humans period..only the "touched ones" hahah I comforted myself that no BF would take me home for pet b/c too unpredictable...something to watch,  but a little odd....(recall "Little Big Man?")

 

last thing...and this one is easy! take a laptop and a BF appropriate movie. (you decide what that is!)  and let it play... watch yourself or leave out...BFs are reported to watch TV thru windows..and we know chimps, gorillas, and humans all like them (they instruct Chimps thru monitors!)...and it may be worth coming to watch....   

Edited September 3, 2013 by apehuman