Did you ever get comfortable with being alone in the dark??

**Rick** · 05-08-2010, 11:37 AM

Sorry Moonshine. I have a warped sense of humor some times. Okay, most of the time.

**jc1234** · 05-08-2010, 11:51 AM

I live on several acres off a dirt road surrounded mostly by woods. No street lights, etc. Im comfortable at night outside on my property because I know whats what after a few years. I know where the bears live on the hill, I know where the deer cross, I know that was probably a possum and that weird sound is a mating call of a frog lol. When Im somewhere else (even 30 minutes away) Im outside my comfort zone. Ive camped before, mostly in maine, but always in groups.

I have almost no peripheral vision...but I do have a huge dog who is both a complete puss and often decides to bark as if its a bear alert when its nothing more than a pissed off squirrel...how reassuring lol. I know he would defend me in a pinch...if he was awake and felt motivated enough.

Im not sitting there all night huddled in a corner clutching my pistol and knife or anything, but I just found it odd that after all these years when its dark and Im in a new place outside, the inner 5 year old in me comes out and my initial analysis of a twig breaking is a psycho stalker who has been following me for miles, not a rodent lol.

Id definitely just like to find peace in the night, some people seem to do it very naturally...I guess it will take me more practice.

**Batch** · 05-09-2010, 11:07 PM

I have a gun for two legged predators. I definitely don't worry about four legged predators in the woods.

Probably the most unnerving sound are by the water during certain times of year. The loudest of all is the frogs.

If you know what is making the sound it isn't scary.

**justin_baker** · 05-10-2010, 12:48 AM

I am sometimes scared at night in the woods. But im not scared of any animals or anything....its people. Im afraid of some crazy serial killer running around or some mutated demon creature. If humans didnt exist i wouldnt be "scared". I mean if a bear walked up to my camp i would be scared, but not in the creepy, spooky way, but in the oh crap im going to die way.

**tsitenha** · 05-10-2010, 09:38 AM

Nothing in the night that is'nt there in the day
except werewolves, vampires, wookielars, wendigos, bearwalkers etc....
I guess I'm a day walker from now on.

Try fruits from the bill berry family ( blue berries etc...) to improve your night time vision, they used them for night fighter pilots in WWII. (takes a while to build up in the system

**finallyME** · 05-10-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist

It's always fun to throw rocks into the brush at night when you're with people afraid of the dark. Get your kicks where you can.

Well, I would never do something like that. Especially when they are 12 year olds talking all night in their tent. I would never throw big rocks into the bushes close to them. I also would never sneak up on them and scare the crap out of them.

As for being alone in the woods at night, you generally get over it on the second or third night. Especially if you are really tired. And, like Justin said, I usually have my dog with me on solo trips. If she starts barking, then I get worried, otherwise, I sleep.

**trax** · 05-10-2010, 10:42 AM

In response to the OP: it's never bothered me to be alone in the dark, just be more careful if you're moving around. Sounds are sounds, you just notice them more in the dark and there's different animals moving around than during the day

In response to the question in post #10: try a flashlight

**Rick** · 05-10-2010, 12:59 PM

When I was in 5th grade we stayed a week at the 4H camp ground. It was a pretty cool week that included a couple of night walks. The kid in back had a flashlight and about 20 minutes into the walk he stuck the flashlight in his mouth and lit his face up from the inside out. A kid about 5 people ahead of him turned around, saw him and fainted. That was followed by a lot of screaming, which was followed by a lot more screaming and a lot of crying. It was a lot of fun.

**hoosierarcher** · 05-10-2010, 01:05 PM

The only place I've been that I was not comfortable in the dark is the Central American Rain Forest. Insects, arachnids and unknown bugs rule the night there. Interestinly bug comes from bugge in Middle English and means "hobgoblin" a creature that goes about at night raiding the camps of wanderers.

**mccaw69** · 05-10-2010, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Beans

An Old habit was to build a cook fire and when finished move away into a position that I could still see the camp but not be in the firelight. MY son does the same thing.

Thats me,still have the fire for light,but your not close enough to it to loose your night vision.But I still think that no matter who you are,how comfortable you are in the woods,there r times that you become uncomfortable,it's human nature.

**Excalibur** · 05-12-2010, 11:21 AM

The only thing I get scared about at night in the woods is having to move in the dark.

**Old GI** · 05-12-2010, 12:14 PM

Yes, darkness is your friend. In both vocational and avocational activities over the years, I was fortunate to recieve a lot of training and experience in night operations and activities in general; e.g. how to improve your night vision (as above). Even as a child, I spent enough time out of the house during hours of darkness. I don't recall being scared (for no valid reason). All it takes is some experience and some preparation; sound familiar? Ok, don't even start on night jumps and dives!

**kyratshooter** · 05-12-2010, 05:21 PM

But what about the Sesquaches, and Hootnannys, and Freddy Cooger, and the bats that get into your hair and suck your blood???

Did you realize that when they poll most backpacking forums for the most important piece of equipment in the pack that the flashlight is always #1?

**Pocomoonskyeyes3** · 05-12-2010, 05:37 PM

I was scared the first time I went Solo in the woods. Good thing someone had dropped that 14 year old boy off, or I would have packed up and went home!! After that time, when I had no choice but to stick it out, it got easier every time after.

**hunter63** · 05-12-2010, 07:41 PM

I kinda like the dark, seems like a cloak.
Of course I am generally armed pretty well, at least with a big light.

I guess I can't really remember being afraid unless you count the time that my hunting dog, sleeping on the floor next to my bunk, in the little trailer, started a low growl at something thing outside........that scared the carp out of me........what was it?.....don't know....didn't go look.

That a very valid question though, part of your inner self preservation reflexes.
Trust your gut, if it says something is amiss, might just be.

**preachtheWORD** · 05-13-2010, 09:14 AM

I got pretty used to the dark growing up. Up until I was 7 we had an outhouse. It probably wasn't 100 feet from the house, but to a kid in the dark it might as well be a mile.

As I got older I often walked through the woods to my grandma's house at night without a flashlight. Probably only 100 yards actually passing through the woods (the entire walk was longer), but it took some guts.

When I camp, night noises don't bother me anymore. But once when me and my brother and I were camping as teenagers I could have sworn a bear walked by us in the night. When you are 16 and armed only with a pocket knife, and no adult within 5 miles, that can be a bit unnerving.

These days, I kind of like the dark. It is easier to hide in. Like many have said, I am far more worried about the two-legged "animals" than the four-legged ones.