Okay, whose going to admit it??

[Auggie]

Walking out has never really been an issue for me. But every time I climb the ladder to my open box stand I wonder what I might meet at the top. Several years ago I climbed up and was greeted by a terrible growl. I slid down that ladder like the Flash. Lucky I didn't fall. When I finally collected my self, and the sky brightened up a bit, I realized a big old coon had chased me out. Apparently he was enjoying a snack from some of my lunch from the day before. He decided he didn't want to share it with me. Lesson learned. So I never leave anything in the stand anymore that may be considered a treat to one of my friends in the wild. One of these years I am going to enclose that sucker all the way!

[atcher]

atcher,
I'll admit I am releaved to see/hear a member of my hunting party arriving after dark. 

Exactly deadeye, when I am done in my stand and it is "dark", I jump on the machine and drive to the parking spot (now "pitch black") to hook up with my hunting partner.  If he's not there yet........okay.  That's not a problem, maybe the big boy came in when I was driving out of the swamp and I chased the big boy to him.   He had a perfect shot at his deer.   I sure can't hear him shoot while I am driving, so shut off the machine and wait a while, nothing to worry about.......I guess he got a shot, and is trying to get his heart rate back to normal and he will call on the radio when the time is right .............batteries are dead I guess.  Man is it nice and quiet out here, God's country for sure.  So quiet my ears are ringing.  Maybe I have a beer in the pack..........perfect.  Give him another minute or two............wonder what we are going to eat for supper, back straps? .........wait a minute, what was that noise?  That's great, gun is unloaded and cased and it is black out here and all I have is an empty beer can for ammo..........oh, never mind, it's just him, the great pumpkin, coming down the trail, with no deer on his shoulder.  He is thirsty he says, asking me if I saw heard or saw anything.  No, I didn't see or hear a thing.  Very glad you are here.  Want a beer?

[GRIZ]

Anybody that is comfortable out there when it is dark is full of bull, or has balls hanging on the ground.

Not all true but for most part yea. It's something you get used to, at least for me. I think that most people don't really spend enough time out in the dark to get used to it. Deer hunting and a few weekends hunting other things isn't what I'm talking about. Not enough time to adjust your mentality about the dark. If I'm with another person I'm more worried about them as I know they prolly are freakin out. I had this happen once as hunting ginseng w/a buddy we got separated just b4 dark. Neither one had a flashlight but he was nervous to say the least having only gone in the dark to the blind or stand. This wandering around the big woods til dark then headding for home wasn't his thing. To me it's just old hat type thing. Yes I still get startled by things now and then but it's usually cause I happen to startle something else to begin with.

I think a person can get used to anything if they let themselves. I was afraid of riding bulls when I first started but had so much fun it was relatively easy to get over it. That was also one of the reasons I decided to hang it up. I'd lost the fear to the point where I wasn't in any hurry to get up and run away once off their back.

[GRIZ]

I guess what I'm trying to say is weekends and a couple late nights at the deer stand with a flashlight isn't enough to get used to it. Spend 60 nights from 8 pm to 2 am with a flashlight until the batteries go dead then find your way back to the rig w/o one is what I mean. Most would have went back b4 the batteries went dead but my passoin for doing what I love kept me going. I like this topic as it made me think about this a bit. It's hard to explain but am actually more comfortable in the woods when dark than my own home.(I wonder who is watching through windows type thing) an I'm in a dark house as I don't turn the lights on. I guess it boils down to I'm more afraid of people than animals and why because I trust animals more.(and know they are more afraid of me than I am of them) Does this make sense?

[HD]

I know what your say'in Griz....I feel the same way.
I spend alot of time out in the woods, during the day time and evening hours.
I guess it all boils down to how much time you are accually out there.
I'm more comfortable walking around the woods at dark, then say, walking around Nord East (North Minneapolis) in the dark... 

[atcher]

I also understand what you guys are saying...I could walk back to camp from my stand, 1 1/2 miles in the dark with no flashlight.  I would leave my gun loaded and walk with a little kick in my step and make it.  I am just replying to the original message.  Yes, I can do it, but I would prefer some moon light.  If the lady feels a little scared being alone out there after dark I agree with her that it can be a little nerve wracking, I would be willing to walk back with her.  I am not a pansy, but I can admit to be afraid at times.  Maybe I don't spend enough time out in the woods to be comfortable, like you guys say, but I I like the fact that I have my machine and someone to meet me half way to camp.

[GRIZ]

I know what your say'in Griz....I feel the same way.
I spend alot of time out in the woods, during the day time and evening hours.
I guess it all boils down to how much time you are accually out there.
I'm more comfortable walking around the woods at dark, then say, walking around Nord East (North Minneapolis) in the dark... 

You got it hunter NE monopolis I'm packin something. Out in the woods, who cares you get lost put your back up against a tree an fall asleep til daylight so you can find your way out.

[atcher]

Scarier than realizing you are 20 yards away from your favorite horizontal log outhouse in the woods, with a 10 yard time limit?

[HD]

Naw, I ain't pick'in on ya atcher........

You gotta realize, I spend a lot of time outdoors. I don't watch tv, go to movies, or bowl... I have a job, but when I'm home, I farm....when I got free time, I'm either out in the woods, hunting, introducing kids to the outdoors sports or fish'in. I live to be outdoors. Some people have hobbies, and I guess mine is wandering around the swamps and woods. I like checking out things, every day I find something different. And, somethings you just can't experience during the day. Like screech owls, yotes howling at the moon, fox yipping or hearing coons slop around at the edge of a pond at night. Now that Griz has got me interested in schrooms....I got something else to look for while wandering through the woods. It helps me calm down after working all day....sounds kinda weird to some, but we all have our little quirks.

So, I ain't call'en nobody a pansy...(just pok'en fun at GG a little) 
Like I said in a previous post.....my middle name starts with a "A" and ends with a hole.
(Just ask my wife) 


Hunter

[atcher]

Thanks, for the apology Hunterdown.  I just got home from therapy talking with Dr. Melfi about your post and you totally ripping on my manhood.   Actually I didn't think you were being mean in any way.  If you are in Nordeast after dark, go into Mayslacks for a garlic roast beef sandwich.  Don't need to worry about anybody bothering you with that breath.  I certainly wish I could come home, farm a little and head into the woods.  Sounds perfect to me, but I would need a new dog to take with me. 

What does bother me is that nobody thought my last post was funny enough to reply to....I worked on that joke for 5 minutes.

I will try to work on my humor on future posts.

[deadeye]

Now I get it.   

[dakids]

Scarier than realizing you are 20 yards away from your favorite horizontal log outhouse in the woods, with a 10 yard time limit?

Just like being 20 feet up in your climbing stand and realizing that you waited to long and now are forced to drop trow and go over the edge of the stand.  Thank god for safety harneses or it would have been a very bad site for someone to come across.  Needless to say the stand site was ruined for the day, But on a good note I didn't go in my drawers and didn't fall out of the stand.

[22lex]

I used to get scared when I was younger to be out in the woods after dark. Then my buddy started coon hunting and I went with him all the time. After spending a couple falls chasing after coon, and having our lights go dim or out numerous times I got really used to walking in the woods in the dark.

I also hunt in very small areas in southeastern MN where you can walk every half mile and hit a stream or road so I have zero problem walking out to my stands with little or no light to go with.

With that said this year hunting up north after bear, and walking out of the woods to my pickup spot in complete darkness kicked my heart rate up a little. It seemed like every little noise was making me react, but that was just my nerves I guess. Then when my friend was coming down the hill on the four wheeler, something went crashing about thirty yards away from me which really got me a fired up! I am sure it was a deer, but it was my instincts making me believe it was a bear or the boogeyman.

It's our human nature to be afraid of the woods after dark. Our ancestors used to be preyed upon by animals so it's hard-wired in our heads to initially think that noise behind us means RUNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!