In September of 2001 as I climbed into my sleeping bag, I heard my buddy inan adjacent tent chamber a round in his hand gun. We had packed our gearin afew miles in the Colorado Rockies. My buddy was petrified of bears and the dark accentuated fears of every kind along with his phobia.

We talked about his consternation and I told him he was statistically safer laying there in the dark on this mountain wilderness than he was in the big city. It seemed to comfort him, (I was surprised when I later heard him repeatthis to his wife when she spoke of her concerns for him). The next day the twin towers fell... Although he is still uncomfortable about being alone in the dark; this year he killed his first bear with a bow.

Your chances of being injured were greater hurrying out of there with a climber on your back and sharp broadheads in your quiver than they were of being hurt by whatever you saw. Things will get better as you get used to moving through the darkness. Good luck.