Sleeping alone in the backcountry

[Jonathan_S]

Right now, thanks to closed roads, I am seven miles from where I parked. Not backcountry by any stretch but I worked enough to make it feel that way. There is a large moose walking around and grunting outside of the tipi. Really hoping it doesn't turn this cone of silnylon and me into a frosting tube full of human paste.

[jackelope]

Right now, thanks to closed roads, I am seven miles from where I parked. Not backcountry by any stretch but I worked enough to make it feel that way. There is a large moose walking around and grunting outside of the tipi. Really hoping it doesn't turn this cone of silnylon and me into a frosting tube full of human paste.

This post is useless without pictures.

[jasnt]

I haven't had any troubles sleeping alone in the woods. But I enjoy being alone and could fall asleep just about any where at the drop of a hat. It's a gift I suppose

[JakeLand]

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!

 X2 I sleep like a baby but I also set camp or sleeping nook in a isolated small area

[steeliedrew]

This past season I hiked in about 6 hours before my hunting partners on an elk hunt. I left the truck just as the sun was setting and hiked 6 miles back to our camp spot that we had previously marked on the GPS. I probably covered the distance faster than I've ever hiked it. Haha. I found that if I talked out loud to myself while on the pitch black trail it put my mind at ease...until I flushed a covy of grouse out from in front of me!  Once I got to camp I kept myself occupied by setting up my tent and filtering a bunch of water from the spring we camp a few hundred yards away from.

This year my hunting partners are moving out of state so I'll be solo. Planning "up to" a 9 day solo hunt. I'm sure it will be a different feeling hiking in knowing that my buddies will not be coming in to meet me but I think it will be a great experience. I'll get a few solo scouting trips under my belt to ready myself. 

[Tbob]

I didn't grow up in a camping family and started on my own with a buddy in my early 20's.. I'm 40 now and just love being in the woods solo.. If it's summer time I just lay my bag down and make camp (no tent or tart). My longet solo trip has been 6 days.. I think it's the fresh air for me, but I've got Zero problems sleeping out there. Bugs on me, mice running across me, woke up to a huuuuuge porcupine 3 inches from my face one night, weasels, bears (really close by) even in AK no problems.. I remember one night on a moose hunt in AK, middle of the night (sharing a small 2 man tent) my buddy wakes me up and says, "there's something very large walking outside our tent"... "Did you hear that"??!!?! My reply, "I don't care, I'm going back to sleep". Wolves howling each night was just awesome. I never felt scared, just very wild. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones..
     Took my older brother scouting with me one time a few years back for a 3 day backcountry trip. We got to the trailhead about 9:00pm Thursday night. My brother said, "well let's get some sleep and we'll hit the trail early". I was like, "Huh? Hell no dude, were packing up and going in now".. He was super freaked out.. "We're gonna hike in in the dark"?! Yep. He sang crappy songs all the way in. He was crazy freaked out by all the monsters that could come get us. Cracked me up. Now he just tells me to go on ahead and he'll meet me in the morning..

[runamuk]

I have issues sleeping in an empty house I know I wouldn't enjoy it alone in the woods in the dark.  I don't care for camping unless its with people that make it fun.   

[HardLoadHunter]

After 10-20 miles a day theres no doubt im exhausted but i can go back to a pillow top mattress and still toss and turn all night, sometimes i just crash out. Was thinking of trying Melatonin to see if i sleep better as recommended by Kenton Clarmont on a podcast.
Guess ill have to report back on it after season.

[The scout]

this year was the first time, had wolves howling  just a few hundred yards from the tent. this was in Washington, there tracks were on top of ours not far from the tent

[kentrek]

Just did a night under the stars on Sunday, nothing fancy just a bag and a ground cloth....between the suprise 20 mph winds and a moon bright enough to make a sun jealous....i didn't sleep a wink

But holly smokes once that moon moved across the sky and the wind stopped...the stars blew up and it was all worth it

Would have missed it if I was on sleep aids

[Caretaker]

I take Ambien most times, got to be careful with them though, as other readers mentioned they can make you say some weird things.  One time when I was with my ex gf, I took 10mg ambien and about 15 min later she asked me "Do you think I could be one of those Nordstrom models?"  I said "sure, all you need to do is lose weight, dress better and wear better makeup", I rolled over in bed and was pretty proud of myself of the thought that I just said something pretty profound.  And I went right to sleep like a baby.  It wasn't until the morning that she told me what I had said, she didn't speak to me for a week and noticed I said she is my EX 

But in the woods I still take ambien.

[The scout]

I take Ambien most times, got to be careful with them though, as other readers mentioned they can make you say some weird things.  One time when I was with my ex gf, I took 10mg ambien and about 15 min later she asked me "Do you think I could be one of those Nordstrom models?"  I said "sure, all you need to do is lose weight, dress better and wear better makeup", I rolled over in bed and was pretty proud of myself of the thought that I just said something pretty profound.  And I went right to sleep like a baby.  It wasn't until the morning that she told me what I had said, she didn't speak to me for a week and noticed I said she is my EX 

But in the woods I still take ambien.

maybe not weird things but truth

[Caretaker]

Possibly

[WaltAlpine]

I do shift work and just started taking melatonin.
The dosage amount was critical for me to sleep well but not feel groggyish the next day.

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[dreamingbig]

I have a harder time waking up than falling asleep.  The backcountry wears me out and I sleep like a baby.


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