Well...you guys are making me feel much better about my encounter, followed by my quick exit. I know it's not "manly" to admit that one feels the need to have a firearm when entering the woods where no native animal to the state could or even less likely would try to take down a human....but hey...it's pitch black...you're out there by yourself, and like someone mentioned...we can't see worth a damn in the dark. Besides all that, less than 7 years ago a cougar wasfound deadvia trainin the county I hunt. Longodds...yes, but like so many said, I'd rather have it and not need it, than not have it.For some reason I'm more worried about critters than anything else...I really don't worry about some dingdong in the woods doing me harm...which is whatI should think about. I guess I think...I'm scared poopless out herein thedark, why the hell would someone else be outhere???

I'm gonna start carrying my .380 till further notice. No, I really don't need it...and I'm sure whatever was eyeing me up would have probably just ran away if I kept approaching, butI need to get back out there...and I'll feel better with a lil somethingsomething on my person.