Afraid in the Jungle alone at night

ScottJ

LSB Member
Good stories. I think a lot of us were more fearless when we were younger. I spent entire summers in Yellowstone backcountry (Thorofare area) from 3rd through 8th grade. Knock on the cabin door before going outside in the dark, to not spook a bear if it happens to be there. I spent lots of nights outside on the ground, in a sleeping bag. Weird noises, elk bugling, coyotes, all the good stuff. The green of my night vision is sort of creepy to me. If I'm walking by heavily wooded, swampy areas by myself, especially without my gun, I'll get a little unsettled. It comes and goes every few minutes. When people are young they talk about how they want to die before they get old but when they're old they just want to wake up for another day. I used to go 160+ mph on my motorcycle (Kaw ninja 750) in my late teens. Shorts, tennis shoes, t shirt, no helmet. Didn't bother me at all. It is nice to see raccoons at night. If they're comfortable being out there, I should be too. Just thinking rationally is enough to make me realize how much of a sissy I'm being. As was said, fear isn't necessarily bad. I don't want to get careless and step on a water moccasin while looking for a pig I shot that ran into the swamp during the night. And I'd rather not be oblivious to sounds in the trees when I'm in the trees also, skinning a boar I just shot that was with another pig that is obviously hanging out nearby.
 

Navygator

LSB Active Member
Good story. Awesome ending! When I was young I could crawl in tight places and never think about it. Now I can't even crawl under the house.

Yeah, I noticed that stuff I used to do with abandon (jump out of airplanes, kayak in below freezing weather, use the chainsaw at the top of a 32' ladder....) all give me pause since I am in my fifties. I am athletic, healthy and capable of doing them, it just gives me pause now.
I don't heal like I used to.
 

KJQ6945

LSB Member
Last week I was coyote hunting on public ground, and got a little creeped out. It was about 10pm, so about 5 hours after dark. Snow covered, temp in the 20's. I'm about a mile from the nearest house, hunting in cut corn field, with my back to a wood line.
I heard something walking in the snow behind me, and from the sound it was a human. He walked right by me at about 10 yards away, just on the other side of the fence row. No light, no long gun, no night vision, and no vehicle. The trail he was walking dead ends at a large reservoir, a couple miles away.
The joys of public land.
 

Bacon8tor

LSB Active Member
SUS VENATOR CLUB
I get a little creeped out sometimes when I hear weird noises or get into tight spaces walking around the property but I just keep moving. One time I went into the woods to look for a hog I shot. Couldn't find it so I went deeper and next thing I knew I got turned around and couldn't find my way out for 15 minutes. That was interesting.
 

FrankT

Destin FL
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
I think the bears, snakes and gators are more concerning to me than the yotes and hogs on our lease. I will not pitch a tent and stay in it overnight and I prefer raised platform shooting houses than a ground blind. You put a body on the ground and 24 hours later there is nothing left of it, told the wife that and she is a bit nicer to me but refuses to go to the lease.
 

chthump

LSB Member
Im 54, the only thing that gives pause is hearing/seeing others in the woods. I hunt on our family ranch, we don't lease but have plenty of road hunters and trespassers, i used to run them down, escort them out, but with kids still in school, wife that needs help, Im less proactive, the animals don't bother me, id rather be in the woods than the living room. Seems every year it gets to be a smaller world. I think i was born 100 years to late
 

Schneeky

LSB Member
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!
I was sittin in a ground blind about 10pm way back in the river bottom at our lease a few weeks ago. Hadn't seen anything but some coon helping themselves to the corn. I heard three crisp and distinct raps that sounded like somebody slappin river rocks together. Sho'nuf a strange thing to hear out there. Kinda gimme the willies for a bit. Kinda Blair Witch soundin. :eek:
Outside of the occasional rattlesnake there's not a lotta bad actors that ain't attached to a pickup truck around here. And I can hear them for a long ways. Everything else hauls buggy. d:^)
 

Navygator

LSB Active Member
I'll take the rattlesnakes over meth heads all day long. You stand a better chance of reasoning with the snake, and no one will question you shooting the snake.

I don't trust people in the middle of the woods at night that aren't hunting.

My neighbor in OK saw some trucks parked along our common (public) road a couple of months ago and thought people may be on our property.
I am sure just some kids being kids, but climbing a "posted" fence and hanging out where you know you are not supposed to be seems kind of rude and dangerous.
Hadn't seen it while I was out there, but that could be interesting.
 

437

LSB Active Member
Ha well I think you are in FL not sure if you have these boys around you. We have gators all over the place, but mostly juvies and they want nothing to do with you. Problem with an animal this big they are making all the decisions and when you consider the swamp region of our property the visibility is nearly 0 by the time you figure it out you can be in a match you can't win. Palmettos up to waist can't even see feet. There is a hiking trail less than 100 yards from the fence line of these tracks. No bueno. Those are size 14 boots next to the print. He walked straight out of the state park, under the fence and was heading right to one of our east west roads. This area used to be a hog factory the last 10 years you can't find one this year gotta believe this ol boy is part of that.

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RattlesnakeDan

San Antonio Texas
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Gatorbait
 

437

LSB Active Member
I see gator wrestling in your future!:D
no freaking way! i don't hunt down there anyway the hikers typically ruin half the hunts when they come by. but the presence of that clown would keep me away from coming in/out in the dark either way. i accept the timber rattlers and mocs....even normal gators, but that sucker is no bueno for me.
 

Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
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Ha well I think you are in FL not sure if you have these boys around you. We have gators all over the place, but mostly juvies and they want nothing to do with you. Problem with an animal this big they are making all the decisions and when you consider the swamp region of our property the visibility is nearly 0 by the time you figure it out you can be in a match you can't win. Palmettos up to waist can't even see feet. There is a hiking trail less than 100 yards from the fence line of these tracks. No bueno. Those are size 14 boots next to the print. He walked straight out of the state park, under the fence and was heading right to one of our east west roads. This area used to be a hog factory the last 10 years you can't find one this year gotta believe this ol boy is part of that.

View attachment 5978
Choot 'em... CHOOT 'EM!!

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437

LSB Active Member
florida has so many laws protecting gators it's ridonkulous. gotta get permits, actual gator has to bee classified a nuisance by fish and game etc. it would be easier to find weapons grade plutonium laying on the sidewalk on the gaza strip than get permission to slay these lizards.
 

jglass

LSB Member
My fear of the jungle alone at night was 2 years ago now. Now I love and sort of worship my time in the jungle alone at night. Amazing how adaptable we can be. I know my wife worries about me out there alone but can see how much fun I have so she hopes for the best. I'm very careful out there. Make sure I climb the tree stand using both hands and go slowly. Sometimes I even take a buddy along but I kill way more hogs hunting alone.

However, a month ago I began packing my 1911 45ACP in a shoulder holster. I feel quite safe carrying the 45 ACP instead of my
Ruger LCP 380 when hog hunting. Past experiences have told me the 380 just isn't enough out there.
 

nonnieselman

LSB Member
SUS VENATOR CLUB
Only time ive been spooked in the woods is walking down a road to a field on my boss deer camp after midnight. About 700 yards into the walk i hear something to me left, I take 5 more steps and hear it again. It sounded about like a armadillo. Take 5 more steps and it sure sounded bigger.
This is before i had Thermal. I swing my rifle over and turn on my light, sure enough there is this stinking boar just looking at me from 20 yards.
I put a round between his eye and ear and it was all over. After that i started thinking and figured id do better to just walk back to the truck and drive in.
Boar ended up weight 320# or 325# i think it was.
 

jglass

LSB Member
My guns remain loaded un..til I reach my car, unload them then. Encountering a hog that size would have been terrifying.
 
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