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Thread: How do you get over the fear of camping by yourself?

  1. #1
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Default How do you get over the fear of camping by yourself?

    I have to say I saw this question somewhere else....and apparently is very valid as it got 18 pages of responses in 6 days.....and still going.
    The location of the question has a lot of much younger, less experienced people around than on this forum....but am still curious.

    I guess there is a lot of fearful people out there, or noobie's that have never done it, or feel the need for a lot or armament.....but I'll just ask the question here.

    How do you get over the fear of camping by yourself?...or Do you fear camping by yourself.....Overnight/for days.

    Personally I prefer a group, or partner....or at least my dog.......but have spent more than a few nights weeks out and about.

    First night I never sleep much anyway...just have a hard time being comfortable, hot/cold, bugs lack of padding, wet, rain/windy.....Noisy...hard to relax.
    Second night tired enough and body has relaxed enough to "melt down on the pad"......
    Third night so tired you just don't care........and sleep well.

    Also helps being a grumpy old guy that doesn't like getting messed with.

    I can recall have my buddies bale out on overnight sleep outs pretty frequently as young boys......
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I have to say I don't mind camping alone. I don't have any trouble sleeping either. I have trouble the next morning trying to get moving again. I used to toss a cover on the ground and that was it but as I've gotten older the insects bother me more and I HAVE to have a sleeping pad under me. Otherwise I wake up unable to move. I probably have one up on most folks because my hearing is so bad I can't hear the stuff that keeps you awake at nights. The only night I can recall having trouble sleeping was being surrounded by coyote and they were howling and growling up a storm. I never felt threatened and they didn't come very close to camp, maybe 15-20 yards out, but they knew I was there and must not have liked it.

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    Senior Member wilderness medic's Avatar
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    Not bothered by it. If somethings going to happen it's going to happen. Maybe from being in other situations more dangerous.


    In fact I think I prefer it. Most camping trips with other people turn into more of a social event. By myself I can enjoy the peaceful quiet, and do whatever I feel like without worrying about others.

    Kind of like skydiving and then riding a carousel. Weee...?

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    Quality Control Director Ken's Avatar
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    It was a gradual transition for me. From a crib, to my very own bed, to blanket pup tents in the living room that my younger brothers weren't allowed in, to overnights alone in the tent in the backyard after I scared the daylights out of my brothers enough that they went running back into the house, to an eventual solo hike in New Hampshire that lasted 10 - 14 days (too long ago to remember) before I knew enough to drag a buddy along on those kinds of trips.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    A dog!

    Other than that, by night 3 you are just too tired.
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    Junior Member Tokwan's Avatar
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    I have been camping alone for the past few years. I hike and camped solo. But however, I must admit. I always have a tingling (no..not Spidey's tingling!) when its high noon,
    or when it is dark..that is the reason i camp solo..to overcome the fear...not really fear, the uneasy feeling....
    I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!

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    This weekend I stayed on a friends land on the Prairie in Okeechobee County. His property is in foreclosure. He bought 6.5 acres cash out right and then his grandma bought a manufactured home cash outright and put it on there. Had power run and a well dug.

    I back fed the house with my hurricane generator. However Sean, our friend Jason that drove over from Tampa and I stayed in tents. Plenty of room in the house. But, I am more comfortable in my tent than I am any where besides my own bed.

    If I fall a sleep on the couch or living room floor at home I will wake up more than I will in my tent. We camp year round in South Florida. Camping alone for us is no different other than the having someone to talk to. You know the sounds of the woods. I may wake up to a gator bellowing, or a limpkin squawking.But. I go right back asleep. Pig frogs only act to serenade me.

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    Junior Member Tokwan's Avatar
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    Batch..u are on my visiting list.
    I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!

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    Senior Member tjwilhelm's Avatar
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    The only time I was ever "afraid" camping alone (more nervous, actually, than afraid) was the first night out. After that, any anxiety about it was gone. I didn't use a tent either. I slept in a home made debris hut. I was actually more anxious about not having a tent than I was about being alone. Turned out there was noting to be anxious about -- not about being alone and not about having no tent. Therefore, my answer to the original question is, "Just Do It!"

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    Senior Member aflineman's Avatar
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    Never really bothered me much. About the only time I have really been scared is when a friend and I watched "Omega Man" one summer evening, then went and camped in the back yard. We kept taking turns waking each other up and saying "What was that?". By the time it was good and dark, we has ourselves good and scared. About that time my Grandfather came out to check on us, and proceeded to scare the crap out of us. Only time I ever came back inside and decided I was to scared to sleep outside.
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    Senior Member Phaedrus's Avatar
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    Great topic! I can have an active imagination at times, and occasionally I get those irrational "tingles", too. But I'm pretty comfortable camping solo. Maybe the first time or two I was a little bit on edge but not any longer. I have an odd relationship with humans; I like them a lot in theory, less in actual practice. I work in a very social setting so really my job provides me with almost all the human contact I need for a week. When camping I really love the solitude and the quiet.

    So I guess you get over the fear of camping alone by camping alone! It takes time to get used to it. I'll admit I feel a bit better too being armed at all time. IRL I CCW everywhere I legally can, so camping is no different. It's a comfort having my HK USPf9 or P30S with an Inforce APL attached, close at hand.

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    ...............
    Last edited by sjj; 11-23-2014 at 06:29 AM.

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    I don't mind camping alone, but I also like to have somebody to talk to. Since we've been working on the place, I camp out there by myself quite a lot just so I don't have to waste gas driving back and forth on the weekends. Sometimes the wife has to work on the weekends. Now this is not complete isolation as there are some neighbors, but there are no security lights, so it's good and dark. Nobody gonna sneak up on you, and you can hear any animals scurrying around in the brush. A few weekends ago I was camping out there by myself and I heard a bunch of 'yotes off in the distance. Naturally, I got my pistol out of the tent and stoked the fire, but beyond that I got a good night's sleep. Sometimes I like the isolation, just me and nature. Sometimes I feel more social and wish I had somebody to talk to. I don't really get "scared" as much as stir crazy or bored at night. My youngest son isn't big on camping if there's no internet and my daughter works most weekends at the Nursing Home.
    I guess my answer is, "be goal oriented and go to bed early". Keeps the mind from wandering. Sometimes I'll take a book to read by the campfire, or a little radio, just for some noise, but I usually get tired of either pretty quick after the sun goes down. After that, it's mostly meditation and planning.

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    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    I've camped by myself a number of times. The only time I was scared was when I was in the military and was in a hostile environment.
    Overall, I prefer to have a partner or two, but don't mind being by myself in an area that I know.
    When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!

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    I've never had a fear of camping by myself, but do prefer having a partner along even if its just a trusty dog. But if no one else wants to go along, then so be it. I've camped by myself with and without shelter before too, and even camped more than once in a small cave which was one of my favorite places to camp.
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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    I have never mind solo camping. I like having at least one partner along for safety reasons, but not a requirement. I do carry a pistol, too, just in case. Other than that, set up, sit back, and get some coffee percolating!
    ”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten

  17. #17

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    I think getting to know the night sounds as well as you do from camping a lot helps. Sitting in a stand just once lets you know that even a pine needle falling into a palmetto thicket seems loud. So, if you hear that at night you don't let your imagination get carried away.

    We have animals in camp while we sleep. I have had them sniff my back while I hung in my hammock. We know we get bears in camp at night because of the fresh scat and tracks. I have seen panthers near camp. But, we only ever found sign of a panther in camp in Highland Hammock State Park. Confirmed by the rangers there. We have had large and small gators walk through camp and some camps, like Pink Jeep and Gator Head in Bear Island have ponds that hold massive amounts of gators around mating season.

    I posted pictures on here of a gator belowing in camp.That was a great way to be woke up for me. But, if you didn't know what it was it could probably be scary.

    Deer, turkey, foxes, raccoons, armadillo come into camp. I think its great that when my brother Sean sleeps in during spring turkey and we are up around the camp fire. We have had turkey walk by his tent. one time the damn thing gobbled and Sean didn't wake up. Gobbled right outside of the door of his tent! Now, you get a pack of pigs running through the palmettos at night and they are not graceful or quiet. But, other than making a lot of noise, we have never been bothered by them.

    We go to sleep serenaded by cicadas and pig frogs. Some might find it too loud. But, its a lullaby to us. Once, you know what they are and you know that cicadas can't even bite you and that the worst a pig frog could do is give you indigestion. LOL

    Though I always have someone coming up the next day and I don't think I have camped more than one night alone. Just when I go up a day early and Sean or someone else comes up the next day. Sean camps a lot alone and the only thing he says is that its nice to have someone to have a few beers with around the fire at the end of the day.

    Now, if you camp where the apple snails are abundant and you get a limpkin in camp. You might no sleep to good. But, I get them outside my window at home and have become acclimated to the sound.

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    Senior Member wilderness medic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sjj View Post
    try a second night after waking to find brown bear prints all around your tent.
    Why is that scary? Those guys are more afraid of you.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    We (was two of us) primitive bow hunting, sitting around the fire....woods was pretty noisy.....then it suddenly got quite....?...Then a duck squawking and quacking....and was cut off mid squawk......
    Never did find out what it was and where.......but I have to say that the sudden "quite".....was really loud.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I never minded camping or hiking solo. I always found it extremely relaxing, and I enjoy my own company. Now that I'm a wee bit older I still enjoy solo day hikes but don't really do solo overnighters. I may at some point (thinking about the Florida Trail when I retire) but now go out with Mrs. Crash or friends.
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