Solo hunting at night

by **Madison COunty** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 1]

I have not hunted elk yet, I hope to go on my first hunt this fall. I was wondering for all of you solo hunters does it ever get spooky being alone at night out in elk country? Has anyone ever run into any strange characters on the trail or deep in the timber?

by **Indian Summer** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 2]

So.... you want me to tell you scary stories before bed time? :lol:

I've run into a few "characters" but always in the daylight. At night your mind is the only thing that will haunt you. You've heard the saying "things that go bump in the night"? One time I swore I heard a serious bump. As in shook the entire tent. Then I found out there was a substantial earthquake down near Dillon MT.... so I wasn't imagining it at all.

As long as I'm not in griz country the nights are nothing but beautiful. I look at the stars and the satellites going by. Lots of those if you've never noticed.

by **easeup** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 3]

no, not really. by the time you cook, warm up, clean up and get ready for the next day, there is no time to worry about what will never happen.

the weird part is that you start talking to yourself after 4 or 5 days.

by **otcWill** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 4]

Here's one that oughta freak you out. I hunted a particularly bear infested canyon in 2011. Went up in the am and stayed the night to hunt the next morning. I brought a 1 L coke bottle that was mostly drained of the coke and replaced with whisky as I knew I might not sleep to well if at all without it. Slept in a previously built waddle (stick circle to keep bears out). Well, I finished by nightcap and slept VERY well. When I woke up my pack, which I'd been using as a pillow, was aobut 50 yards away and a bit chewed. After that, I got some bear spray and a sidearm

by **Mikeha33** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 5]

I've got a good one from this last Septembers hunt that oughta get a good laugh out of you guys. Like I've told before, I had a pretty close cat encounter (within 20'-25') hunting by myself while glassing a big hillside, and it scared the holy hell out of me, so I was on edge. That was on a Tuesday. The next day, after a long day of hunting, we were in camp, and my partner and I were just finishing up supper, and he went into his tent for the night. I finished eating, and was rinsing out my pot, stood up to toss the dirty water out, and turned my head. Reminder, I was on edge because of the cougar seen yesterday, only 2 miles from camp, so to say I was a little jumpy was an understatement. We had built a real small fire, just enough to boost morale and offer some warmth. As I turned my head, my headlamp lit up 2 green eyes and a big, wet black snout, and a big black head, about 35'-40' away from me. I dropped my pot, drew my .45, and started backpedaling and yelling at the top of my lungs, "GET OUTTA HERE BEAR, GET OUTTA HERE BEAR, I'LL #%${!@/ SHOOT YOU!!!!!" Over and over again. Mike, my partner, came flying out of the tent, pistol in hand, and got right next to me, hooping and hollaring the same things. Then, all at once, Mike took off in a dead sprint towards the animal. waving his arms and yelling "Yaaaahhhhhh, yaaaahhhhh, yaaaahhh, COW COW COW COW" I freaked out. I thought, this crazy SOB is gonna attack this bear!!! I kept my aim, best I could on center mass of the animal, but thoughtfully, slid my safety back on (yeah, I had already taken it off, and had my finger on the trigger). I had no idea what he was doing, but he had had bear encounters before, but at the same time, I knew this was definitely not a cow elk, hell, i could see the eyes, snout, and make out a black face. As Mike ran after this stone cold killer, it doubled back and came right at our tent. Only then, did he begin to yell, "Ear tag, ear tag, ear tag!!!" It all came together in my head. "COW"! Chasing the "bear". "EAR TAG!" My bear was a big ol' black Angus bull, that just wanted to see what as going on. he must have got separated from his herd, saw the fire, recognized humans, and just wanted to stop by and say hey.

Another 1/8" of an inch of trigger pull, and that would have been a hell of a pack out... I will always catch hell for that night.

by **twinkieman** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 6]

One part that is the allure of elk hunting for me is the nights spent either in a wall tent at base camp, or the nights in the backcountry where eve darkness finds me. As IS said there is nothing like the stars in elk camp. I wouldn't feel as comfortable in grizzly country though.

by **Still Hunter** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 7]

More so when i'm scouting than hunting. When i'm hunting I have a gun.

by **Bowhunter** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 8]

Most of the time we have nothing to worry about, but when you hear a twig snap in the darkness the hair tends to stand up on the back of your neck when you realize YOU are NOT at the top of the food chain.

This is especially true with a pack full of raw meat. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It lets me know I am ALIVE.

by **stringunner** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 9]

Alone at night in the woods...definitely something that some people have to work to overcome. Some people I find have no problems with it, for me, I have simply come to be more comfortable with it the more I am out there solo. I have hunted with my buddy for many years and he still has a fear of going solo in the dark. The mornings are not so bad as it is just going to get lighter, but on evening hunts even when we are together, he likes to start heading back to the truck shortly have sundown. We got to raz him a bit this year in camp as he brought his girlfriend up to camp this year. She was also hunting and they were sitting treestands in the afternoons and evenings. Since I had already tagged out I had offered to go and pick her up from her stand so they could sit in different locations. She would always come walking back to the pick up point well after dark while he was more times than not already back at camp. :lol:

by **itsnlkthing** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 10]

I've been solo the past 2 years. After the first hour of the first night it was no big deal.... :shock:

I'm usually so worn out by the end of a day that I go right to sleep. Your imagination can definitely get going when you are hiking back to camp and a pair of eyes light up from your headlamp.
One investment I made that helped make my wife more comfortable was an emergency locator beacon. As I told her, at least they will know where to find the body so the insurance company will pay

by **Swede** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 11]

There are places in Portland where I would be very uncomfortable being out alone after dark, but I am comfortable in the forest. To be honest sometimes I think a little about trouble when I cash in for the night in my trailer. The trailer is close to the road. I feel totally at ease, alone, wrapped in the darkness of the forest, where no one can find me.

by **Z Barebow** » 01 14, 2014 • [Post 12]

Same as last post. I am so tired I don't think about anything but getting into my sleeping bag.

I do have one story. I was in NM and heading up the trail. I had never been in this unit before so this was my first experience on the trail. I was loaded with camp and ~ 8 days of supplies. TH was at ~ 8K and my camp spot, per map, was 10.3 K. I wasn't making as good of time as I had hoped. Not wanting to risk pushing on an unknown trail in the dark, I opted to sleep along side the trail and finish hike in the morning. It was a star filled night, so I just set out a ground cloth and put my bag/pad on top. During the middle of the night, I awoke and I thought I could feel something on my bag. It was moving! I freaked and kicked my feet. Whatever critter it was went flying through the air and landed in the bushes. (I figured it was ~ size of a rabbit).

Needless to say, it was tough to settle back into a slumber!

by **Screaming_btf** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 13]

Hunting in Late Aug & Sept mostly I find the nights welcome and many times when I'm packed in for a bit you'll here more ELK than you will during the day. When the moons out and the ELK are up sometimes I'll even move camp during the night. I run into more hunters when I am calling elk than when I am camped by far. You can get some night vision or thermal vision devices if your the paranoid type and want to see whats making noises around you in the dark. As many have said I am usually pretty worn out when the night comes or it's hard to sleep with the ELK making to much noise and you can't wait to get at them...

Cheers!

by **Elkduds** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 14]

I was camping w my wife in a nylon dome tent during a muzzleloader hunt. It was Sept. on Grand Mesa in CO, and the monsoon rain was pouring. Well after midnight we were awakened by lots of heavy footsteps coming toward the tent. Wife said WTF is that? Then came the mooing. It was a herd of cattle. They surrounded the tent and started rubbing and bumping against it. She was freaking out, said "they want in the tent!" So we yelled and pushed back against the tent sides. After a while the cattle got the memo and slowly moved off a few yards, kept mooing for awhile. Not much sleep that night. Tag soup that year. Come to think of it, that was the last time wifey slept in a tent.

by **>>>---WW---->** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 15]

Werewolves, Bigfoot, Lions, and Bears don't bother me much. But I had a run in with some interesting characters one evening.

I was hunting in Colorado unit 61 with another hunter also named Bill. We both had our own campers set up and shared the same campsite. I had made it back to camp but Bill was still out somewhere. So, I got started fixing supper for the two of us. I figured he would be coming in soon as it was now getting really dark outside.

Then came a knock on my camper door. So, I said, "Come on in Bill"!

Much to my surprise, in walked two Arab guys. Holy Crap! What the heck were two Arabs doing on top of a 10,000' mountain. Especially this late in the evening? My 357 was under my pillow at the other end of the camper so there was no chance to get to it!

They were driving one of those Rent America RVs and wanted to know where Nucla, Colorado was. Man, there is nothing in Nucla!! Then it dawned on me, there is a small power plant there. And having worked at a plant for many years, I also knew these guys would try to scout out these types of installations.

So I gave them directions on the worse way to get there. I mean that road has chug holes two feet deep. LOL! About that time, Bill came driving back in to camp and they left in a hurry. The next morning when I found a place with cell reception, I reported it to the sheriff.

by **Washington Wapiti** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 16]

"At night your mind is the only thing that will haunt you."

This is 100% true. I've spent most of my adult life playing and working solo in the woods and it never fails . . . that first night or two it's jeepers creepers. At 42, I have not gotten over this, and probably never will. That's okay, it is short-lived and I've never had an encounter out there that should reinforce any fear. Although I HAVE seen weird crap while driving out in the sticks like cars on fire . . . that sort of thing. LOL. No sketchy characters yet, except the dudes blowing their bugles as they walked past my camp this last September at 3:30 in the morning while I was still trying to sleep. :evil:

by **Madison COunty** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 17]

Good stories, keep them coming. At least no one has seen Bigfoot yet!

by **Still Hunter** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 18]

I'm Bigfoot. I shave when I come to town.

by **WapitiTalk1** » 01 17, 2014 • [Post 19]

Still Hunter wrote:I'm Bigfoot. I shave when I come to town.

Yep, I thought I'd seen you before

by **Breeze** » 01 20, 2014 • [Post 20]

I took this photo outside my camp after hearing some strange 'snuffling' noises. My wife saw the movie 'The Grey'

by **Willie makit** » 01 20, 2014 • [Post 21]

That photo reminded me what my helicopter flight instructor told me about night flying.

" if your flying at night and have an engine failure, save your battery power until you get to about 1000 ft AGL then turn on your lights to adjust for your landing, if you don't like what you see when you turn on the lights, , , , , , , turn them back off."

by **Moose-head** » 01 20, 2014 • [Post 22]

Earplugs help to not hear every little noise while you sleep.

by **WapitiTalk1** » 01 20, 2014 • [Post 23]

Moose-head wrote:Earplugs help to not hear every little noise while you sleep.

I do the same thing. I'm a very light sleeper and use one earplug (other ear is buried in the pack pillow) or I twitch at every night time elk bugle, every dang mule deer that rummages around camp, the field mouse scratching around under my tent, or Joe, Ernie, or Tim's epic snoring (when I camp in the backwoods with others). Believe me, I need my beauty sleep :roll:

by **Stateline** » 01 20, 2014 • [Post 24]

OTCWill and Mikeha33 you guys just made my day!! :lol:

That's funny stuff. We've had some real fun at night, too. Camped on top of a ridge one night, something scratched our tent next to my buddies head (right after he sniffed him)!! Still not sure how my side of the tent contained him when he left his sleeping bag. Also had a large animal bang his head (I assume) on the underside of my trailer step. Rocked the trailer quite well! We ran out guns blazin' (or at least ready to) but no sign of anything. Had to hit the RV dump on the way out of town

! Also funny how scary screaming bull elk are at very close range in the dark. Everything changes when the sun goes down! It sure makes for fun memories though!!!

by **Lark Bunting** » 01 22, 2014 • [Post 25]

Ah crap! I am planning my first ever backpacking trip for this fall...my second hunt ever. While I am very excited for the trip I'm never going to get all these stories out of my head. :lol:

by **Ghost** » 01 22, 2014 • [Post 26]

LOL, Great Thread. Ill chime in with my solo hunts.

First time was in the selway unit 17 in Idaho, Now a little back story, right before I left my buddy tells me that he was up at the Nez Perce pass in September stepped out of his truck to take a leak and there in the snow was a very fresh very big set of grizzly tracks, I told him I really wish he hadnt told me, the area isnt known for grizzly and I normally dont worry about them. That night I camped right beside the road in a little dome tent, got back from hunting the first night, was sitting in my chair drinking a beer, my gun resting up against a tree 15 feet away when I hear the thump thump of what sounds like a big animal walking, I shot out of that chair and was on that gun spinning around with a flash light faster than Carl Lewis can run 5 feet. It was pine cones falling out of the ponderosa pines. After that I slept with TP stuffed in my ears, it really works.

Last year I was spiked out back in the crazies about 3 miles from the trail head, couple of nights I heard something walking, one night I could hear something breathing, but like most posters have said Im usually too freaking tired to give a darn, my policy is, if whatever it is doesn't try to get in my tent or in my food, Im not worrying about it.

by **Trophyhill** » 01 22, 2014 • [Post 27]

the elkwoods make "the beast of Bray road" look tame

by **Madison COunty** » 01 22, 2014 • [Post 28]

Anyone ever have a skunk in camp? That would stink :mrgreen:

by **cnelk** » 01 22, 2014 • [Post 29]

Madison COunty wrote:Anyone ever have a skunk in camp? That would stink

Yup.
I woke up to a skunk in my wall tent one night. Tent got real small, real fast

by **Ghost** » 02 15, 2014 • [Post 30]

That would make for a mad scramble. Had a mouse run across my face one night, that had me flailing away like a 8 yld school girl.

by **zpd307** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 31]

I swear we heard bigfoot during our scouting trip 2 years ago in Colorado. we were dropped off and spike camped on the mtn overnight. while sitting around the fire after supper, we heard the weirdest scream ever. sounded like the calls they make on that chasing bigfoot show.....

by **husky390** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 32]

Two years ago I was solo archery hunting and it was the first time I'd slept in the woods by myself in years so I was pretty jumpy. I slept in the bed of truck, woke up before dawn and started getting my gear together. I could just barely see off into the woods and slammed the cooler lid shut when I heard a ton of noise about 50 yards to my left. I spun around, gun in hand ready to take on the werewolf that was coming to eat me only to spot about 6 slickheads running away at full tilt. They must have been bedded down near me sometime after I went to bed. My commotion must have woken them up and spooked them. I felt like an idiot.

I had my dog with me when I was scouting for elk one year in Az. It was dark and I had just finished up setting up camp and started cooking dinner a la Dinty Moore beef stew. I knew something was wrong by the way my dog was acting as soon as I opened up the can. No more than 2 minutes of heating up the can my dog starts freaking out and barking like crazy, glued to my leg. I grab my gun and my spotlight and here was a skunk that was coming into my camp to introduce himself. Thank God my dog was there to bark, otherwise it would have been an interesting experience for me. Back to the Dinty Moore, I'd sooner eat an MRE than that stuff again. No wonder my dog was all excited. She thought I was serving up some canned dog food for her.

by **Lefty** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 33]

As a kid we ran traps in the dark and had early morning newspapers to deliver so never a problem
I sleep solo15-25 nights a year Noises dont bother me,.... too often.
Most often I can id the noise and go right back to sleep.

Ive had deer elk, skunk coyotes coon rummaging though my stuff generally fairly easy to Id
Two years ago I thought a grouse was drumming in the dark as the sound got closer and closer. I dug out my camera and light; ended up being a doe and two fawns, they didnt stick around for a photo.
I had a cow walk past my tent, I could hear it coming, then walk past, it wasnt till I heard a "moo" that I settled down
I did have some problems on a family camp. the horses were all worked up (that in-its-own is bad) and a herd of elk, Not sure what was more spooked the horses or the elk.

Had a spooky situation one night35 years ago. Something kept brushing down the tent. I peaked outside and 5 mice were taking turns running up the tent then sliding down, they finally spooked from me rolling on the ground laughing and couldnt get up

A couple years back I awoke about 2 AM and I could see headlights coming my way. I got my shoes on then watched through my binos. The vehicle turned around. The next morning a few hundred yards from camp was a refrigerator chained shut; smelly and nasty juices leaking out. I was worried their would be a body. there was part of a flannel shirt sticking out. ended up being mostly whole ducks and uplandbirds

I will say in grizzle country I sleep with 00buck and bear spray
Long time ago I was walking out in the early morning darkness after checking traps and some guy stepped out from behind a tree and yelled in my face. For a brief moment I was crawling out of my skin then I got real mad and chewed they guy out. The guy seemed to get his kicks out of it he had done the same thing to a buddy the year before

Over all, headlights spook me and I m more vigilant when alone in griz country

by **slim9300** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 34]

easeup wrote:no, not really. by the time you cook, warm up, clean up and get ready for the next day, there is no time to worry about what will never happen.

the weird part is that you start talking to yourself after 4 or 5 days.

I talk to myself on day one.

by **slim9300** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 35]

Advil PM and ear plugs are a necessity for me in the backcountry. I can hardly sleep the first few night simply because my body won't calm down (elk bugling all around).

My shelter doesn't have a door and it actually makes me feel much better!

: ImageUploadedByTapatalk1393820769.082497.jpg (199.32 KiB) Viewed 13174 times

by **WapitiTalk1** » 03 02, 2014 • [Post 36]

slim9300 wrote:Advil PM and ear plugs are a necessity for me in the backcountry. I can hardly sleep the first few night simply because my body won't calm down (elk bugling all around).

My shelter doesn't have a door and it actually makes me feel much better!

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1393820769.082497.jpg

Love that picture Slim. I use the earplug method also. The creepie crawlies are gonna get you without a floor :lol:

by **elkmtngear** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 37]

It's not the critters that bug me...it's the Thunderstorms from hell with thunderclaps that shake your bones!

Always sounds like the lightning is hitting right next to the tent!

by **Triplebhunters** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 38]

Laughing!!! These are great.
I hunt till I can't see my pins on my bow. Then Head back to camp, when I'm about 3/4 of a mile to the trail head I come into a meadow and always stop to look at the sky and just enjoy for a bit. One trip out as I was standing there I started to hear the sage rustle a few yards from me, I was backing up and turned towards three heifers staring at me. Intense to say the least.

Another exciting night, I was packing out a load of meat, climbing up the mountain and I hear this roar ( sounded like the roar of a red stag on television ). My wife was with me so that helped in maintaining my composure, but I did have the Glock out of my pocket for the rest of the trip back. That was a great night. Still trying to mimick that roar.

by **Lefty** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 39]

I am concerned about snakes. so I make sure the bottom of the tent is zipped

by **sojurner 65** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 40]

Last September I went on a BP hike in PA's elk country. At night I had elk bugling on three sides of my tent, but the noise that got me was when a screech owl let loose next to my tent. Startled me quite a bit!

by **ABQ_Chica** » 03 03, 2014 • [Post 41]

When you're out by yourself at night, your own headgames will get to you more than anything. We can be our own worst enemy! Camping solo does take some getting used to, but once you do, there's nothing else like it. The stars are unbelievable.

Maybe this goes with out saying, but if you're in heavy-duty bear country, be careful and stash ANYTHING remotely edible or smelly away from your tent and vehicle at night or when you're away from camp, ideally roped up into a tree. Bears can tear up your vehicle to get to anything they think smells yummy. This includes fishing gear, cooking items, and clothing that might smell like fish or food. And even things like toothpaste and tums, believe it or not. Also keep a whistle or other loud noisemaker and/or bear spray with you in an immediately accessible spot (not buried in your pack) at all times. Not trying to scare you by any means, but when you're alone in the wilderness a little bit of foresight and preparation can go a long way. Going solo is worth it!

by **zpd307** » 03 04, 2014 • [Post 42]

my buddy is deathly afraid of lighting. its kind of funny watching him squirm when we are waiting out a thunder storm.....

by **Pmcgee** » 03 04, 2014 • [Post 43]

Last year was my first trip out west and let me tell you the first storm that came through was an experience. After the first one I was fine but that first one was crazy.

by **Olydog09** » 03 05, 2014 • [Post 44]

Swede wrote:There are places in Portland where I would be very uncomfortable being out alone after dark, but I am comfortable in the forest. To be honest sometimes I think a little about trouble when I cash in for the night in my trailer. The trailer is close to the road. I feel totally at ease, alone, wrapped in the darkness of the forest, where no one can find me.

That is the same way I feel. I worry more about people than animals out there. Once you get away from the roads it is easier to relax.