Hiking out at night.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Mountain Lion

[JackOfAllTrades]

Wolf eyes way too close...

[JackOfAllTrades]

Head lamp.. A good one you can rely on. Spare headlamp.. A good one you can rely on.   Batteries for each.  When I'm off trail, I know where a trail or road is. I know where the cliffs are. I use a map and compass. I use a GPS. I've marked waypoints where there is shelter.  Hollow log/falls, stumps, burned trees. Some, I've even placed some fire/starter twigs/grasses in.  Bear dens. Deer beds.  That means I was at least once, there during daylight. You don't just hike in blind at night to go hunt a ridge you've never set foot on. You need to scout, not just for game, but to at least get a visual lay of the land and obstacles there.  Know where escape routes are. Not just for the critters, but for you. Say you do blow a knee out. How do you get back down that ridge to safety or at least out of the weather.  I always set a waypoint on my GPS where I leave the truck. When I've got a view, I take a compass bearing to a tall land mark beyond my starting point. Behind my direction of travel. If I'm coming out at night, that bearing is so much easier to read from the glowing compass. I may miss the truck dead on, but I'll hit the road I drove in on.  Someone said that our minds are against us when hiking at night... Well, I don't walk down dark alleys in SoDo, or around Pioneer Square without a pistol in my hand.  I've seen beady little eyes many many times.. I've heard things go bump in the night.. And like Bone said, when the hair stands up on your neck for no reason...  When it's all quiet. That's when to take notice that you just might be on the menu.
 
But really.. Most critters are more afraid of you than you are them. Even at night. Wolves and Griz aside.   That said, right after dusk, right before dawn, that's when I've noticed the most predator movement.

-Steve

[Hectocotylus]

I've seen a bears eyes early in the morning now... Took the rifle off the pack at that point


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[2labs]

Boogie mongsters 

[RadSav]

Boogie mongsters 

Boogie mongsters are way better than Boogiemonsters - They're the worst! 

[2labs]

Boogie mongsters 

Boogie mongsters are way better than Boogiemonsters - They're the worst! 

That's what my son called them, they were every where!

[JackOfAllTrades]

When it's pitch dark and you have a Great Horned Owl swoop down out of the trees to get a better 'close up and personal' look at you, -he'll come from behind, you'll need, I mean NEED to clean your shorts!  Although they sound like pterodactyls, there's no need to worry about the screech owls.

-Steve

[coachcw]

I walked out in the smoke filled sky a couple years ago and had some beedie lil eyes about 20 yards in front of me .. lets just say my pack flew off and the .45 came out .. note to self dont store gun in pack . it stepped of the trail and lets say i looked over my shoulder for a while ... my guess would been cat .

[JackOfAllTrades]

When you hike in at night and hang the head end of your hammock from a tree that has a coon den in it... And they come home at 4:am from a night of scavenging... You'll learn you've made a big mistake.

-Steve

[stromdiddily]

When you hike in at night and hang the head end of your hammock from a tree that has a coon den in it... And they come home at 4:am from a night of scavenging... You'll learn you've made a big mistake.

-Steve

How did that one work out for ya?? 

[jasnt]

When you hike in at night and hang the head end of your hammock from a tree that has a coon den in it... And they come home at 4:am from a night of scavenging... You'll learn you've made a big mistake.

-Steve

How did that one work out for ya?? 

[jtw]

I've been spooked a few times by myself in the dark. The first was in an area I knew held big bears and my headlamp died about a mile from the truck. I was walking back in the dark(more like stumbled) when I realized the situation I put myself in. Now I pack extra batteries and an extra light.

[skagitsteel]

Alright I have a good hiking out at night encounter 

Was scouting this past week (deer and bear tag notched already). Hiking in the dark with my dog about 5:45 am.  I stopped to take my jacket off, was kneeling down facing up the trail.  My dog had been trailing about 10ft behind me since we left the truck about half hr before.  She was sitting next to me as I was kneeling over my bag re adjusting gear.  I heard hear growl a real low deep growl that I have never heard from her before.  I turn my head around and there is a cat 20 ft behind us in crouch position, yellowish green eyes glaring back Into the light of my headlamp.  I reactively grabbed my 40 cal, yanking it so hard I ripped the holster right off my pack.  I fired once and missed, definately a reactionary defensive shot with the holster still attached to the gun lol.  Definately some pucker factor in that moment.  Not going to stop from hiking in the dark, but definately be more aware when I'm kneeling or in a low position.  I also think the cat was probably drawn in initially by my dog

[tgomez]

Oh, almost forgot.  If you do end up spending the night in the elkwoods, away from your established camp or truck....... and wake up to a wet kiss..... don't kiss it back   

Good thread folks!   

Lol , my father was in a two man tent bear hunting and was hearing noises outside his tent. He stuck his face next to the tent, and a bear touched his face with its nose. He said he just hoped it didn't rip the tent apart then him. It eventually wandered off, and in the moring his tracks were all over camp. DON'T KISS BACK IS RIGHT!