Fear and loathing in the woods

[Pauljr77]

I’ve hunted my whole life and never feared to much. I will say, this year, one particular piece of woods puts the hair up on my neck and a bad feeling in my gut. Can’t explain it but it’s been there three times this year. 🤷‍♂️

[beendare]

I have a powerful headlamp and a G20 on my belt.

I've hunt solo for many decades mostly without a sidearm. I think the thing to realize is that you are safer in the woods than on a busy freeway.....

[woodchucker]

I'm a G21 guy.....

[Doug S]

  When I first started bowhunting I had never heard a Screech owl.  The first time walking out in the dark with that noise going off freaked me out. Was a few years before I learn it was a 7" high bird.
 Since then I have called in 3 Cougar elk hunting to within 20 yards. Been face to face with momma black bears. Growled at by a Dall ewe because I was to close. Stalked by Coyotes. Nearly run over by a moose. Had a troop of baboons surround me. Snuck up on by a big black bear while predator calling. Found myself on a Brown bear highway and many other wildlife moments. But the scariest thing was standing in my tree stand after dark listening to the night and having a flying squirrel land on my chest out of the dark, that sent me over.. that and the screech owl still send my heart pumping.
How do I deal with the fear? Its irrational but what i think about most walking in or out in the dark is a rogue buck ramming me out of the dark. Like that squirrel!

[Roy from Pa]

Doug, Its irrational but what I think about most walking in or out in the dark is a rogue buck ramming me out of the dark. Like that squirrel!

LOL, my buddy was walking into his bow hunting stand in the early darkness after dosing himself with doe in estrous scent at the truck. Well this horny buck picked up his trail and was dogging him very closely to the point it charged and tried to mount him. Lucky for my buddy there was a group of several smaller 3 inch trees growing out of a clump and he was able to take refuge inside them while yelling at the buck to go away.

When I caught up with him later on, I asked him what all the yelling was about. I about pissed my pants laughing as he told me what happened.