Night Operations (A fish out of water)

[Sourdough]

Every year I aspire to refresh/learn skills for night movement without the aid of artificial light. There is a narrow period in early fall in the arctic to practice this skill-set. Once the snow is on the ground then it is easy to night travel, as the footing is better than mud and slippery tree roots, but mostly it is the reflected light off the snow and the contrast between dark trees and light snow covered ground.

I am always shocked at how hard night travel is, OK it is more than hard, it is nearly impossible. Last night in the dark and drizzling rain I learned that I should have worn my caulk boots (Spike/nail boots) knee pads, safety glasses, gloves and a (much) less cumbersome firearm.

Early on last night I encountered a eight foot Brown Bear (Grizzly) and a very small Black Bear. As it got darker and darker, and as I slowly remembered how stupid (Nearly impossible) this drill is, I decided to abort travel in the woods where I had mostly been studying the application (Usefulness) of my new illuminated scope for twilight/no light operations, concluding that it was NOT worth the additional cost. Yes it works, but so does a German #4 Reticle work just as good and without the dependence on batteries.

Being soaked from the rain, I figured to go all out and moved out onto the not so dark Turnagain Arm mud flats estuary and study the Brown Bear as it gorged on silver salmon. The stench of rotting salmon, and decomposing vegetation was both nauseating and distracting, so that I had to remind myself to ignore the stench, and concentrate on the bear (which it was too dark to see). I was less than 40 yards from the bear but I could just see my feet and maybe four or five feet in from of me. I could hear the bear walking on the same muddy soup, but I could not tell which direction it was moving, however it was not moving towards me. Having learned and relearned enough I decided to return to the dark, dark, dark dark forest and the hike to the cabin. My clothes stunk so bad that I had to undress outside.

Note: I have been doing this drill several times every fall for about 6 years now. And every year I get the same feed'back: "Well if you just close your eyes for a period of time, when you open yours eyes then you can see great". Bull'Chit

[Rick]

I agree with you on both counts. I've worked underground when I was outside. We had three coal mines that we serviced and there is no dark like it. You cannot adjust your eyes when there is no light to adjust them to. It is blindness in all its forms. I've only been outside twice when I found it that dark. Both times in dense woods with heavy overcast. Your nose, your ears and the hair on the back of your neck are all you can go by. In my case, it's my nose and the hair on the back of my neck. It brings about a very odd fear, too.

Thanks for the write up. I'd be interested in knowing how you found you way back. Are you just that familiar with the area or did you have to navigate. It's hard moving around when it's that dark.

[Sourdough]

Thanks for the write up. I'd be interested in knowing how you found you way back. Are you just that familiar with the area or did you have to navigate. It's hard moving around when it's that dark.

I was near a cemetery (Point Comfy) that was used in the late 1800's. And I knew there was a trail from the cemetery up to the Hope Road. Plus at that point I turned on the flashlight, as the exercise was over. And yes, this is my backyard.

[crashdive123]

You probably don't want to carry any more gear than you already are, but if traveling at night is a genuine concern then a set of night vision goggles, or even a monocular might be in order.

[Sourdough]

You probably don't want to carry any more gear than you already are, but if traveling at night is a genuine concern then a set of night vision goggles, or even a monocular might be in order.

No........I have learned that it would be best to cuddle'up to a tree and wait for first light. You'all would have been proud as I had a complete pack of survival/camp gear. (If I could afford it I would own a night vision thingie)

[Rick]

Be still my beating heart! SD carried a survival thingie!? Indeed, sir, I am proud as punch. With that and the PLB we have a reasonable assurance of keeping your around for a bit. Me thinks we are rubbing off on you.

[Pal334]

I agree with your statement: "best to cuddle'up to a tree and wait for first light". Unless you have access to real good night vision (prohibitively expensive)you would be best off sitting tight and listening to the world. Otherwise you will just be a tired target from some critter (man or animal) or get hurt. Especially in the deep dark you describe, the "close your eyes and adjust" will not work.

[lucznik]

...I have been doing this drill several times every fall for about 6 years now. And every year I get the same feed'back: "Well if you just close your eyes for a period of time, when you open yours eyes then you can see great". Bull'Chit

I think this advise probably comes from people who mostly live in cities and who (because of the ever-present ambient light from street lamps, headlights, office lights, traffic signals, etc.) have never actually experienced what true darkness is like. Sometimes, if the moon is out, you can see just fine in the dark without any aids but, when the moon is new, the clouds are thick, and/or you're under a heavy forest canopy, it can be so dark you can't see you're own hand even held mere inches away from your face.

This is the very reason why I always suggest people carry a flashlight with them all the time. If you have to travel in true darkness, a small flashlight can make all the difference.

[doug1980]

As a teen I would often walk out in the dark near my home in Indiana. There was a fairly large wooded area there and I would just walk around. No real reason just enjoyed the quiet I guess. I also walked around the woods during deer season before the sun would come up and never used a flashlight. I couldn't see much, but enough to get around. One thing I really remember is the eeriness I felt being out there alone with limited visability. It's amazing how an area changes so drastically at night.

[Winter]

One of the most interesting classes I took in the military was "unaided night vision".

It takes 30 minutes of dark for your eyes to adjust, and 2-4 hrs for them to completely adjust to your individual "best" night vision.

We did our missions at night here in SE AK and it was doable. Your shins will be bleeding though and you gotta be real careful with your eyes so you don't poke them out. If there's no moon, you can barely see anything. One time we were struggling through some brush and I halted the team to make a comms check. Well, I whipped out the red lens flashlight and lo and behold, we were not on the ground.LOL . We were about 4 ft off the ground walking on bushes.

Night Vision gadgets are fun but you have no depth perception at all. When I was a PV2 I was walking point with NV goggles on and saw the "opfor", I thought. Our mission briefing said the opfor were wearing their snow camo covers on their helmets. Well, after trying to sneak past them for a few minutes my TL borrow my NVG's and looked, and looked and whispered "That's a bunch of poles with snow on the top. Hahaahaha.

There are things to remember when using your natural night vision.
1. Looking directly at a point will make it turn black because your pupils are so dilated that you are no longer seeing directly in front of you. You have to scan using a figure 8 or circular technique.
2.red and green are the same color in the dark.
3.When using a flashlight and wanting to maintain your night vision, use a red lens.

[Rick]

A little science to support just what you said. The back of the eye, the retina, is composed of structures called rods and cones. There's about 150 million give or take and on genetics. The rods are responsible for determining shape and work best in low light. The cones are responsible for determining color and work best in bright light. A camera lens works exactly like the eye. The pupil is the shutter controlling the amount of light that enters the eye. The "lens" is a jelly like thingy on the back of the eye called the retina. The retina is where the rods and cones are located. The image that you see is actually flipped upside down and sent to the brain via the optic nerve that way. The brain then has to convert the image to right side up again. Pretty clever, huh?

The rods and cones are pretty evenly spaced on the retina except in one spot directly behind the pupil. This area is called the fovea and it only contains cones. Remember I said that cones work best in bright light. That's why you can't see in the center of your eye at night. The figure 8 or circular shape that Winter described above forces you to use your peripheral vision where more of the rods are located. Remember, they work best in low light.

It takes a long time for rods to respond to darkness. As Winter said, 30 minutes. Any light that you look at in the interim will reset the clock so to speak. Once you have your "night" vision remember that you can no longer see color (cones don't work well in low light) so concentrate on shapes and look for variances to those shapes. One shape larger than the rest might be a man in weeds for example. Move by sliding your feet. Let your toes feel what's in front of you. You'll also have your feet closer to the ground making you more stable.

Red light does not cause the cones to react so it doesn't affect your night vision. Green or blue-green can also be used and is better for sharpness than red. Remember, too, that red lights will also "erase" any red lines on your topo map.

[Winter]

Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of the class.

We all walked in to a totally dark room. everything was taped up. And the cadre gave a sppech while we looked at nothing. Then they started a slideshow in greens and reds getting dimmer and dimmer. Then, the last slide was 4 commie soldiers in the dark that they explained, was the first slide they showed for 10 minutes at the beginning when we thought it was just dark.

Very impressive class.

[shiftyer1]

Shortly after I moved out here the transformer blew and it was a moonless nite and the kids had killed all my flashlights, the next day I went to walmart and bought a couple hurricane lamps and an old school lantern. If I hadn't already memorized the route to my truck thru day to day life I probably would have had a hell of a time finding my truck!!

Being in the dark can be very unnerving, just think of the apprehention you feel when you get up in the middle of the nite and try to get to the bathroom without running into the dresser or something.

[DOGMAN]

ZEN man....look inside. Think internal not external....JEDI mind trick my friend

[shiftyer1]

LOL, it may be but that mind trick gets my shins every other nite.

[finallyME]

SD, all you got to do is close your eyes for a period of time, and when you open them you will see great.

I love hiking around at night, but if there is no moon, or a thick forest with lots of trees, forget it. Out here in the desert, the light earth reflects the moon really well, and with limited trees, you have no problem navigating. Take the moon away, and it is really hard. Now, try driving a truck in black out conditions in Iraq. I did it once with no NVGs and there wasn't much moon. Sweating bullets the whole time. At least we weren't collecting bullets.

[ClayPick]

During hunting season I always taught my kids to use the stars on a clear night. The place where we hunt has only one way in, an old logging road that runs SW NE. If they got caught at night I taught them to look for The Pleiades with Jupiter at 7 o’clock. It’s in the east at dusk and to the south at midnight. If they moved toward it they would hit the logging road. Then I told them that I would kick their ___ for not being home.

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[Echo2]

I have practiced night time movements both with and without gear.

In extreme darkness....having cover and staying stationary is generally the best course of action....the risk of injury is too great.

If movement is absolutely necessary.....a cane for feeling the area ahead of you is one way to do it...yet still far...far from optimal.

However, Given the tech that is out there specifically designed for giving one the advantage in the dark....I opt for the advantage.

And if you have the coin....the tech does allow for depth perception.

My evening walks are done wearing NVDs....twice a week for the last several months....I can gauge distance fairly well with them on. I have checked it during the day with my range finder. My night time estimates are generally within 10%.

I have rode a bike a few times....once you become acclimated....to riding with only a 30 degree FOV....it's not bad...