Afraid of the Dark???

one shot scott · Post by **one shot scott** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:27 am

I personally hate the dark too, but my love for deer over-rides that fear

dlzinck · Post by **dlzinck** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:37 am

Don't know about what you can or can't do in Canada, but in PA, I have a concealed weapons permit. The PA Game Commission respects the right to bear arms. I will not go anywhere with out a handgun. I have a small .380 made by kaltec (sp) that can slip in the front pocket of your shorts and go to town.

In the woods, I cary an H&K USP .40 cal with two clips.

Its not the animals I am worried about at all. Its the humans, being out in the woods alone and run into an inbred crazy person, or bump into some redneck's still, or come up on an illegal crop, and see how you feel. You'd wish it was a bear.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:44 am

frisky wrote:I got REAL CLOSE to a skunk once. I use a small light now to see my way. I would rather see them, than smell them!

I actually hit one with my foot when walking in to my blind before daylight one morning. Kicked it and it hissed and spat like a cat as it ran off a few steps. I flipped on my light thinking it was one of the landowner's cats but there was a skunk staring back at me! Luckily it did not spray. (guess it figured the bumbling oaf wasn't a threat)
Not afraid of the dark, but I carry a light pointed at the ground whenever I'm out at night now!

houndogger · Post by **houndogger** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:52 am

Practice, practice, practice.

Get yourself a coondog, Maybe one of those leggy Walker dogs

.
With them Walkers you'll be puttin the miles on in the dark, I promise.

Dogger

dlzinck · Post by **dlzinck** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:12 am

I forgot to add. Fear is healthy. It keeps us from doing stupid things. It also makes us take healthy precautions. An irreational fear can keep us from doing things we enjoy. Those are the ones we need to work on.

I always laugh at the kids with the bumper stickers that say "no fear". Sounds good, sounds macho. I'd bet you 95% of the "no fear" generation would need a change of shorts if they had to walk a mile in the woods at night.

Use your fear to the best of your ability. When you are afraid, your adrenalin gets flowing. Channel this to be as alert as possible, and focus on the senses that are not impaired by the dark. Listen and smell. Also, know your woods. Know what's there and what's not there. Know how they would react when they discover you first. Most people who don't go in the woods often, would be in a complete panic seeing a bear in the day time, let alone at night. As we have heard, once they know you are there, they will probably head the other way.

You'll be fine. I admire your courage.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. ~Ambrose Redmoon

Courage is fear that has said its prayers. ~Dorothy Bernard

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. ~Dan Rather

YOU WILL BE FINE! Let us know how it goes.

bkisel · Post by **bkisel** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:45 am

dlzinck wrote:Don't know about what you can or can't do in Canada, but in PA, I have a concealed weapons permit. The PA Game Commission respects the right to bear arms. I will not go anywhere with out a handgun. I have a small .380 made by kaltec (sp) that can slip in the front pocket of your shorts and go to town.

In the woods, I cary an H&K USP .40 cal with two clips.

Its not the animals I am worried about at all. Its the humans, being out in the woods alone and run into an inbred crazy person, or bump into some redneck's still, or come up on an illegal crop, and see how you feel. You'd wish it was a bear.

Like the poster above I'll carry my Kel-Tec .380 and/or my Glock into the PA woods. Though I don't believe I have much fear of the dark being able to carry a firearm, even when it is just the .380, does give me a level of comfort I wouldn't otherwise feel.

Take care...

Take care

ninepointer · Post by **ninepointer** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:40 am

All good advice above

You'll be doing it all for the reward of quietly sitting in our stand in the dark, while the light slowly comes and the woods wake up around you. For me, that's the best part and getting a deer is just a bonus. There's nothing more thrilling than having a critter or two (preferably deer) close by in the pre-dawn light!

Big58cal · Post by **Big58cal** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:09 am

I'm not really "scared" of the dark, but walking to/from my stand in the dark, I've always got a light on, pointed almost straight down in front of me. It's not that I'm so much worried about critters as I am some trespassing moron mistaking me for a deer.

Several years ago while bowhunting with my uncle one afternoon, the flashlight in my bag had gotten turned on and drained the batteries (this was before all of the little twist on Mag lights and you had to carry a flashlight that took C cell batteries). Of course, I didn't discover this until it was already pitch black.

Got down out of my stand, got everything packed up, and slowly started picking my way back to the truck. My uncle had parked the truck beside a big cedar tree in the edge of a cow pasture. I was coming up the hill and could see the tree and the truck once I got close enough. Right when I was about even with the tree, my uncle came out from under it on all 4's, hissing, snarling, and squalling.

I can honestly say I felt like I aged 2 years in about 2/10's of a second!!!

That has been as close as I've ever come to needing to change my drawers.

While he was rolling around on the ground laughing, I should have taken advantage of the situation and went over and kicked him!

Since that time though, I keep at least 2 flashlights on me or in my back pack, and spare batteries for all of them.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:15 am

No handguns allowed here.

When bowhunting I keep thinking about how a shot from a bow wouldn't do much to scare off the coyotes even if my bow is "noisy".

Should carry some sort of noise maker maybe, aside from my Fox40?

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:49 am

Im not a spooky or scared of the dark at all. It does highten my senses for sure but not scared. It makes me more aware and careful. I am carring more than one weapon so I feel like if I need them i have them. Lights ofcourse and Gps

BSTOUT my friend I would encourage not only you but all bow hunters to carry a firearm that does not have a round in the chamber--for the same reasons you mentioned above--BUT for this number one reason. I cant remember how many years ago it was some might be able to help me here but 2 older gentlemen were found dead at the foot of the tree they were bow hunting from shoot dead. They never found the killers as far as I know. I dont believe there is much Peta, tree huggers animal rights activist ar enot capable of. I want the option to protect myself if someone is trying to shoot me.

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:15 am

I don't agree with the carrying any kind of fire arm while bow hunting, get caught with it and you will know why carry permit or not, the flash lite you walk with ON my save your life as your seen as a human, go figure

Wes

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:32 pm

I always figured that I AM the apex predator in the areas I hunt and plus I have a weapon.
I figure that whatever is out there has no desire for a run in with me.
I like the feeling of not being able to see real well and using my senses to guide me,plus a nice flashlight

bkisel · Post by **bkisel** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:35 pm

Limbs and Bolts wrote:I don't agree with the carrying any kind of fire arm while bow hunting, get caught with it and you will know why carry permit or not, the flash lite you walk with ON my save your life as your seen as a human, go figure

Wes

Wes,

It is leagal in PA where I and the other poster mentioned that we carry. Sorry if it sounded like I was recommending the breaking of hunting laws/statutes of other States.

Take care...

dlzinck · Post by **dlzinck** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:22 pm

Limbs and Bolts wrote:I don't agree with the carrying any kind of fire arm while bow hunting, get caught with it and you will know why carry permit or not, the flash lite you walk with ON my save your life as your seen as a human, go figure

Wes

I agree with the flash light. Never said don't carry one or don't use one. The type of preaditor I'm worried about walks on two legs as well. I am well within my rights (both state granted and God given) to be able to defend myself from harm.

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:27 pm

Know a fella that got a ticket for attempting to shoot a deer with a 45cal. colt BP pistol during bow season, it was in his holster the whole time but it was there, it's like taking a 270 in the woods with you in muzzle loader season along with your knight ml?

Wes

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