ive been freaked out three times while in the woods. first time was hunting. I was walking through some what of a familiar area. it had rained and was wet, i was walkig too close to a ridge and slipped in the mud down a hill. i slid on my butt about fifteen yards when i finally hit the bottom of the hill, keep in mind it was totaly dark. I couldnt see ANYTHING! just as i tried to stand up i felt hot breath on my face, and just as i could feel the hot breath i heard the snarling and growling. i have no idea how i got back up the hill so quick without slipping again. second time i wasnt hunting. i run to keep in shape and i like to run in the woods. it was a saturday afternoon and i decided to go for a jog, but take a different path this time. i was running down a trail kinda following the squaking of a flock of canadian geese that had landed in the area when the path kinda turned a corner and all the sudden i got this really cold feeling that just stopped me in my tracks. something instinctive was telling me "DO NOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH". so after standing there for about a minute i turned around and ran back the way i came and the further i got, the better i felt. it was very erie. the third time it was snowing and i decided to take my jeep off raod in the snow down a short logging road. i had just turned onto the logging road when about 25 yards in front of me i see a small black animal cross my headlights and just behind it i saw what seemed to be a small child with a black cape/cloak chasing the animal. it seemed strange that a kid would be chasing or walking his dog at 10pm in the midle of a snow storm waering a cape 2 miles from the nearest house. so i drive up to where i saw the "things" and followed the footprints in the snow, they contined in the road until the road turned to the right. along the left side of the road was a small creek that followed it about 15 feet wide. the foot print ended at the creek but did not continue on the other side, nor was there any cracks or footprints in the ice where the creek had froze. i got back in my jeep and left the area.

Nope, I've got nightlight all the way to my blind.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Really, here the only thing I worry about is rattle snakes in the early bow season. This can be a big problem and yes I have found them out. They are hunters also and like us the early snake gets his or her meal.
Rick

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

Hunting anytime during the day during Iowa's gun season can be scary. Shot gun slugs every where.

Sounds like there is alot of evidence that Big Foot does exsits.

[Deleted by Admins]

Amen! Half the time coming in and out of the woods I feel like I am in somebodies crosshairs. Needless to say, I get to and from my spot as quickly as possible.
-hector

I just always seem to have problems with Cattle on my way in to my stand. Last season the farmers had a herd of cattle out there, and one would always follow me into my stand. One day I was walking in, and cut through a little gully. I didnt realize it, but I had inadvertantly cut between a calf and her mother, needless to say I got my but chased for a while. We didnt think we would have problems this year since The landowner got rid of the cattle for us. Well we were wrong. A neighboring farmer let two cows get loose, on of em is a real mean tempered bull. Wehn I was walking in the dark last time I thought I hear rumbling, sure enough its the bull charging across the field at me. I have never ran soo fast in my life, I was almost to the gate, and noticed it was wired shut, so I just decided I would rather take my chances with the barbed wire fence then the bull. I have no idea how I did it, but I managed to clear a barbed wire fence that was even with my navel, mind oyu I was carrying my Bow, and wearing heavy clothing. I hit the ground and laid there for about an hour before I got the nerve to hunt. When we told the farmer about it he just said that he was going to go shoot them, but the meat locker was full because of deer season, so we had to wait. He did give us permission to blast em if they come after us again though, so who knows, I might be taking a bull with my Bow.

Scott

I generally dont get scared often, although I flush a pheasant in the dark every so often and gives me quite a start. But Because of the following 2 events on pitch black nights there is always a little something stuck in the back of my mind.

I only remember actually being Scared twice.

This first time was about 5 years ago when i had just finished climbing and especially large and steap hill to get to the pasture i had to cross to get to my stand. It was a moonless and cloudy night, you couldnt see your hand infront of your face. I proceded across the pasture, when i heard a little something to my left. I continued, then a little something behind me, then to the right, then infront of me, I stopped. I dug to the bottom of my Fanny pack to retrieve my little maglite which i carry incase i have any issues with my climber.
I clicked it on, cows everywhere, I clicked it off. Realizing the cattle from the next farm had knocked down the fence and were trespassing. I had just finish speaking to the guy next door the week before about his cattle and had been telling me how one of the bulls he had was crazy aggressive and to stay clear of him, ( had permission on his land), I turned back the way I came and made it out, but for a split second there it was the first time I was ever really scared. I wouldnt have never seen him coming.

Then The second time was last Year:

Try actually being hunted by coyotes. I had watched some coyotes chasing some deer around underneath my stand just before dark. The deer escaped and the coyotes began to fight with each other. Darkness fell and I climbed down, knowing they were still close but not giving them much thought. Then about 100yds into my trip back, I hear them slipping thru the grass behind me and they begin to growl. I sure they have mistaken me for a deer, but i unquiver a broadhead none the less, I figure i can take em if i have too. I give a couple hoots and hollers but they are undetered. They begin to gain ground and I break into a run, swatting the arrow behind me as I go, figuring its not too far to the truck and i can make it before it gets to serious. I get the truck in sight, but then one circles in front of me and begins barking, trying to get me to turn into the pack. Luckily for me by this time I had gotten close enough to the truck for my hunting partner who luckily had beaten me back was able to hear the growling and barking, He jumped in and started the truck and hit the horn. They disappeared. It could have gotten ugly.

And thats why when I walk in or out in the pitch black there is always a little something in the back of my mind, what next?

A mind can be a powerful force filled with imaginary fears. Generally these imaginary fears are the worse and I have fell victim to them. Other times that were real was one with a pack of coyotes that howled and followed me. That was not fun. The worse was when I stepped in the middle of a large covy of quail. I had one hit me in the face and another in my stomach. Talk about crapping in your pants. I yelled, danced and about had a heart attact. I had no ideal what had me for a second.

the woods are very calming in the dark i think

Blake - Go get'em

4 am in morning going duck hunting in south texas. it was our first trip down to this lease and the guys the night before warned us of the gators that lived in the pond we were to hunt. well my buddy and I get out to the duck blind and it is time to throw out the decoys. however, to get the decs out where they needed to be, required one (or both) of us to get in the waist high water (wearing waders of course). Well he makes some lame @ss excuse about his waders leaking and says he will stand on shore holding the flashlight while I throw the decoys out. Keep in mind it is still pitch dark out. I finally break down and trudge out into the murky water and start throwing out the decoys (all 2 dozen). While standing out there, I keep hearing movement in the weeds beside me with an occasional little splash. Talk about being scared. With gators around, YOU are the prey and they are the predator. However, everything went smoothly but I guarantee decoys have never been thrown out faster than that day. That was one of the few times I was actually that scared. Needless to say, I shot four ducks that day and he only got one. Serves him right.

BTW, we did confirm that there were 2 - 5 foot gators in that pond when we spotted them a little later.