Sleeping alone in the backcountry

[7mmfan]

Does anyone struggle with this? I just watched an episode of Solo Hunter on Youtube and he makes a point of talking about how he sometimes needs to take sleeping pills to knock himself out because he gets creeped out and can't sleep otherwise. I've seen this a few times now and heard it from other people. I guess its never crossed my mind to be creeped out in the woods by myself. I feel much more at ease deep in the woods than I would sleeping close to town.

[ghosthunter]

I guess it depends where the back country is.......

In Alaska I had a hard time.

In Washington not at all.

[7mmfan]

I just brought it up to a friend and he offered that it is probably much different in different parts of the country where you have griz to deal with. That makes much more sense.

[Jonathan_S]

Just spending more time in the woods and sleeping alone cures it. When I started backpacking solo as a 16-17 yr old I got scared sometimes but it all goes away pretty quickly

[LittleJohn]

I have no issues sleeping in NW MT in griz country. I probably should I guess. Not sure why I don't ? But have never struggled with it.

My friend is a great hunter an outdoorsman. He can not sleep in the woods by himself. It really bothers him that he can't seem to get over it. We have talked at length about it.

You guys have any ideas for him? He can take his 8 year old son out and sleep fine as long as some one else is there. He knows its crazy, but can't seem to get over it.

Sorry not trying to threat jack.

Good topic

[300rum]

Most of the time I am just too wiped out to stay awake.  As long as I am warm, I sleep.

The exceptions were when I woke up with the worst cramps I have ever had, every muscle I had cramped up, arms, legs chest, everything.  I barley could get the zipper undone on the bag and get out.  I drank all the water I had and walked around in the moon light bare foot in my underwear and did jumping jacks until they stopped.

The other was in Idaho, in the Church, when I had wolves howling all around me.  Very spooky to have wolves howling close by and all around.  I don't really know how close, could have been 100 yards, could have been 1000 yards, it didn't matter.

[DJ_Mack]

I can see how it messes with some people.  The mind plays tricks on people. 

[kodiak 907]

It's only dangerous during the squatch rut.   

[Bango skank]

It's only dangerous during the squatch rut.   

Its always the rut for squatches

[buckfvr]

You're never alone......there's always something out there.       You'll never know it if you're sleeping.

[Mudman]

Im ok but it depends where I am at.  I sleep, lightly, so I don't always feel rested.  I think its foolish to not be a lil cautious.  I sleep better than I would in Seattles streets.  Not creeped out but always feel like Im in ready mode.  Ready to wake and attack.  Silly I know.  Not scared but super vigilant if that makes sense. 

[Branden]

I only had trouble sleeping a couple nights. Tent was in the brush along a river in Alaska. Something walked by a few hours after dark and I knew it was a brownie lol. No gun or anything so for a few nights it was tough falling asleep after that. Never did find out what it was.

Regards, Branden

[vandeman17]

For me, it's similar to what it was like when I was a little kid and got scared at night. Pull the covers fully over myself and I felt safer and it's the same in the woods where a tent makes me feel way more at ease. Funny because neither my covers or a tent really do a darn thing but the mind works in interesting ways.

[RadSav]

I think if you are having a hard time sleeping in the back country you aren't hunting hard enough.   Honestly, I'm usually so damn tired I fall asleep quite easily.

Plus fresh air, no lights, no honey do list, no computer, no television, almost complete silence...dang near heaven!

[kentrek]

It's always gravy till every now an then you get the Willies.....had a rock scare the heck out of me last year walking  back to camp in the dark...just a freak deal with a rock rolling down a hill...i thought I was a goner...either way I couldn't sleep at all with out a lawn chair baracade around my bivy...took me 4-5 nights to get over that

Brother had a big frog jump on his face once around midnight while sleeping in a bivy....i don't think he'll ever get over that