I'm amazed (in a good way) at how many of us willingly share our creeped out in the dark experiences. My most memorable was a cold cold, clouded over morning at 11,000 ft on Fossil Ridge near my home. I was hiking up near treeline in some dark timber under a very dark sky. Some of the trees looked like endless black holes in a nearly as black landscape. Everything seemed to be closing in on me because of the heavy darkness and things imagined seemed to near but not visible. ...wild.

CAREY-i know you said the old cemetary creeps you out, i too hunt by one most of the time but find it one of the most peaceful places i`ve been too, but this is a real old one long since forgotten by most folks. i thought of trying to clean it up and straighten it -trees are growing in it now-can`t see where most graves start or end(since most graves are only marked with rocks any way)-but decided to leave it be -it`s peaceful there and undisturbed as it should be. i understand what you mean though, some places like that are creepy but i really enjoy setting there thinking about what the people there must have been like, who they were and what their lives were like--just wanted to share, annie.

graodo,

That's funny you mention the Blair Witch Project. That's one of the things that'll get my heart going a little faster too. Silly, I know but does it just the same. I saw that movie two days before I planned on going hunting. On that hunt, I was convinced that every single noise I heard while walking to my stand was the damn Blair Witch! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Now it's kindof a joke for me. If I hear something weird, I always say it's the Blair Witch. My hunting partner doen't find it funny.

Jason, Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers, The Blair Witch, Hannible Lecter, Pumpkin Head, Pinhead, Cujo, etc....I can't believe I still have enough nerve to willingly walk to my stand!! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

-Mike

Started climbing into my stand one morning and it already had a poacher in it. That just about put a load in my shorts.

<font size=5>Boo!!</font id=size5> The mornings are no problem for me, and I am headed out pretty early. Last year it was foxes I walked up on and they never ran off, guess my scent was well covered. It is the evening darkness that spooks me. Once, I came out of my stand, gathered up my gear and turned to see several yotes standing about 15 yards away, just watching me. All I had to say was boo and they were off and running, but still set me on edge. An animal that would not normally attack, if rabid, does not care and will attack.

The best of luck in all your hunting endeavors!!!

God Bless,
Dave

I always used to be a little leary of anywhere I couldn't see but I am now more than a little spooked when in the woods in the dark. Last year during the first week of archery season I was hanging my climbing stand on a tree when I heard something running through the dried leaves. I could only see about 10-20 feet in the dark. I stopped and listened as the noise came closer. It started getting closer and closer and much louder. I realized there was more than one large creature running my way and they were making alot of noise. I started getting real worried because it sounded like they were coming for me and there are some big coyotes around there. I crouched down on my knees and held the top half of my stand in front of me. All of a sudden the 8 point buck I had been hunting nearly ran me over, he passed within two feet of me. Then two BIG wild dogs or coyotes ran by one on each side chasing the deer. I got my butt up that tree in a hurry! I couldn't believe it happened and I never saw any of them again. It took me a while to calm down afterwards.

I am not scared of the dark just concerned about what comes out at dark in west Texas during the summer months. Don't know if this will show up but its enough to make you nervous around the sun set hour. I shot this while dove hunting on Sept. 1 2002 about 30 minutes before this picture was taken. If it does not come through the picture is me holding a 4 foot rattle snake



HUNTING
An American Tradition

Try this picture thing one more time:

HUNTING
An American Tradition

Here in IL there isn't much to be scared of. When go to upper Wisconsin its a little different. The woods up there go for miles and the huge pines cover all-existing star light. Many times I've heard wolves run besides me and I just keep walking. A couple times I've seen black bear only once a close encounter. Last year I had one stand on it's hind feet but I broke a stick and it ran off. That was late evening as I was coming out of the hunt. I carry my bayonet with me for those purposes. Speaking of drifters a couple of my friends and I recently went to this abandon schoolhouse. Supposedly it was a place where the homeless stayed so we packed up our paint ball guns and went to raid it. We did it because we all like to go to real hunted places for the rush.We saw no human life form but somehow I managed to step on one of their turds. Thought you should know......true story

you start hunting and you suck, you keep doing it till you dont suck

I wish I could get this picture to work try it one last time.

HUNTING
An American Tradition