Paranoid

[Sierra]

I remember the first time I ever went hunting, by myself, 21 years old. I went to the spot I had diligently scouted, but when I started to walk in, I was a little scared. So I made myself stop and asked myself why on earth should I be? I could find no reason, especially since I was carrying a weapon, so I kept going. Then when I got to my spot my mind was at work being hopeful for the day ahead.

Fast forward a bit and I began to really like the still and quiet of the night right before dawn. I feel it puts me in my place and in perspective, if that makes sense. I can't wait until Monday when I head out super early, and do it again. And get that nervous excitement of being out alone.

[deerstalker85]

I share your feelings when walking to my stand before daylight in the mornings. I try to get there at least 30 minutes before first light. Once in the stand it is no big deal, but my walk in starts in a grown up field of cedars where you can't see more than 20 to 30 yards at one time. When walking past the big trees most of the time doves and other birds roosted in them will fly out right as you get next to them causing your heart to jump through your chest. Then it is into the hard woods where i do my best to get to my stand without tripping and falling and then up a tree hoping i hit all the steps on the way up and don't end up on my back! It is just part of the hunt and experience overall though!

[USN_Sam1385]

No.

I used to get a bit nervous of the dark woods but then I thought to myself. Here I am, this human with a weapon silently moving through the woods, and getting ready to lie in wait so that I can kill an animal.

The animals are the ones that are nervous of us, and with good reason.

Just imagine if 4 months out of the year people showed up all around ur house in the dark and waited to shoot at you when you walked to ur car in the morning with bows and rifles.

[kellory]

Walking in, or out,in the dark doesn't bother me, but I am very aware of every sound. Man relies on vision for our primary safety, so anytime we can't see well, it's normal to be cautious. Sometimes, there is just a little more out there with you than you thought

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Or, it could even be one of these (very rare, but possible.)

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You may never know what is stalking you....

[mikeflynn87]

Thanks for the response guys and the positivity. It all started when I just sat down in my pop up blind and heard a loud scream, after tons of research the closest thing I could find was a quail. Nothing like hearing a top of the lungs scream at 5 in the am pitch dark. At the time I thought it was a bobcat but found out bobcats sound like foxes.

[Ohio farms]

Mike, your initial question is actually very interesting because you point out that, although for many different reasons, most everything that goes on in the dark has a certain excitement about it. I too am usually on stand at least 30 min before shooting time to let everything settle down. Looking at your watch for a half hour in the dark with all the anticipation of a hunt that is about to start is just great. Watching the day begin and the woods awaken. I love it. I think that most all of us enjoy the outdoors because of those kind experiences.
If you were not a hunter, how would you ever get to experience that.

[lyford]

Not paranoid, more excited. I generally like to get on stand at least an hour before sunrise, even more if i hunt a food plot ( i like to give deer I may spook a chance to come back to the plot while still dark out). I get excited about the hunt, you never know what might show up. I do agree though that the woods are a different place at night then they are during the day.

[Deebz]

mikeflynn... ever heard a screech owl??

I had one sound off about 3 feet away from my head in the pre-dawn darkness one morning... I literally almost jumped out of the tree

[Jslotter]

mikeflynn... ever heard a screech owl??

I had one sound off about 3 feet away from my head in the pre-dawn darkness one morning... I literally almost jumped out of the tree

I had that happen to me as well many moons ago. The thing is, I knew what it was and didn't think twice. My mom was on stand about a mile away when she heard it and she ran and hid in the truck until the sun came up

[shaman]

Oh, you guys haven't lived until you go up the ladder at sunrise minus 2Hr and discovered a flock of turkeys using the shooting rail of your blind as a roost. Yikes! That's happened to me probably a half-dozen times or more.

The dark never particularly bothered me. Then again, I got into bow hunting as I was getting out of caving. I was used to it.

Dark never bothers me, but I've had some close calls with rounds whizzing by. That usually gets the juices running.

My best advice overall is that when you get to feeling squirrelly in the woods, remind yourself that you are the apex predator. Everything in your immediate environment will do just about anything to get out of your way. Therefore, be bold. Walk like you own the place, and if you think something is following you, make yourself big and angry and it will run away.