Paranoid

[whitetailtime]

I am not afraid to walk in the woods when it is dark i am in my stand and ready about 30 minutes before daylight. It takes around 30 minutes to get to my stand. {thank god for bright eyes). One morning going to my stand during blackpowder season, backpack on, gun on my shoulder. I stepped over a downed tree and in the tree above a screech owl screamed. Let me tell you I didn't know whether to @#$$#@ or go blind. It scared the fire out of me. The only time I have been afraid in the woods.







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[1ojolsen]

In the woods no, in crowded cities yes. Nothing is more dangerous than man.

[kellory]

In the woods no, in crowded cities yes. Nothing is more dangerous than man.

unless it is Woman. Welcome to the forum.

[Sailfish]

I do.
I get in early and leave late.
What bothers me is there are people who have actually come into our stands that weren't given permission.
I always think some wahoo is going to wack me in the dark, thinking i'm a deer or hog, get his kill and get out before getting caught.
I've seen dead cows that hunters thought were deer.
I hate wearing a headlamp in and out, but if you don't know who is there.......yeah I get a bit paranoid.

[Newenglandah]

I know this feeling, for me it's the first few steps into the woods then once my eyes adjust to the darkness I'm usually good. I will say you kick a racoon ( ooops ) or push up a deer close in the dark and the feeling comes right back. It's funny this was brought up, one night on the way home from dinner I was going by my stand area, so I pulled in the dirt road I park at and killed the lights. My spouse started freaking out, I started laughing and just replied and I walk about a 1/2 mile up from here with it being this dark. She just looked at me and said your ( BEEEEPIN ) crazy.

[scottflesher]

Not paranoid or scared, but as another post said, kinda uneasy.

I think for me, I enjoy being the hunter not the hunted. While I know there is nothing that's going to attack me or be afraid of here in SE Ohio, it's the thought that a deer can see me walking in and if I'm up my tree, there's a lesser likelyhood he'll see me. I've never given a second thought to heading off into the woods before daylight. But I must admit I feel relieved when I finally reach the base of my tree.
By far, my biggest fear about being in the woods after/before dark is a skunk. I've walked up on many deer/grouse that snorted, took off running or flying, before I knew they were there. That stinks too, but it's not a fearful feeling, I just prefer to see what's in front of me, and prefer not to crap down both legs.