Ever get scared

While varmit hunting especially at night?

Not since I was about 12.....and most certainly not since the army....

Only have in Terrell county.

Never have in Collin or Fannin Counties.

Dad, back some years ago, said he was hunting with my BiL (who is scared of the dark), and it was pitch dark and they were walking the mile back to Dad’s truck, when a panther (dad’s guess) yowled and screeched. He said he turned to my BiL and said “you think that was a panther”,but the BiL was gone. Dad said there was a glove on the ground and another glove about 40 yards away but no BiL. He had dashed all the way to the truck and was inside with the doors locked. I should kid him more about that than I do.

I was surprised one night when an owl came down and took my buddies cowboy hat off.

Not scared but highly concerned. Went for a hike late one night near the house in the hills on north side of San Antonio. Come out of the bush and got lit up by a sheriff patrol. I don't know which of us was most surprised. We had a very interesting conversation.

I was hunting pigs at night, by myself, in a popup. Heard some rocks getting kicked around behind me, like an animal stumbeling then a long growl twice. The window was closed in the direction of the sounds. Had the AR 223 and 45. Still didn't have the guts to get out to see what it was for several minutes. Still get goose bumps when I think or talk about the adventure. Did leave the area quickly.
Kind of silly with all that fire power.

Not cool.

Had an owl attack my foxpro last weekend around 7:00 AM. Pretty cool to see. As far as being scared, not really. Although I've heard some really weird things out in the woods that made me move quicker getting to the blind.

I have been swooped by owls more than once. I suspect it happens more than we realize and if you are not paying attention, you can easily miss it.

While sitting in a ground blind, I heard a rustling inside the blind with me about 2 a.m. I figured it was field mouse. Then I could hear the sound passing under me and so I turned on a light and saw a 2 foot long copperhead slithering between my boots...just passing through. That unnerved me enough that night that when I saw him exit the blind out one side, I went out the other.

Anxious yes scared no. I have a gun in my hand what could possibly get me.

the boogy man

Spooked a few times maybe but never scared.

About the only thing that would scare me in the US is if I came across some some
Meth heads or something drug related. they would probably out Gun me and be stupid enough to shoot at me.

Wasnt varmint hunting, but was out at the place late one night. Just had to go check cameras before the honeymoon so I made the drive, got there around midnight. Sort of spur of the moment and I was still dressed for work. Put my pistol on and started walking. I had a little larry light flash light and that was it. Couldn't find the first camera in the dark so went to the second one. Stumbled into the first camera on the way back out and ended up hitting the fence line(which meant I was headed the wrong way). I may or may not have broken into a trot at a couple points throughout that walk. Only other time I have been concerned is when we had a truck idling in the driveway of the place. Got a call from sister in law saying someone was in the driveway and as I came out the front door an amount of engine noise I can only equate to a nascar race flew by. I was convinced it was Red Dawn all over again for a good 30 seconds. I do enjoy telling my non hunting buddies to watch out for the bears when they go to use a tree somewhere. lol

I was climbing into a brush blind in the dark one time in S. Texas and stepped on an armadillo. I'm pretty sure I jumped about as high as the armadillo did.

I never gave one crap about the dark until... Pitch black night, I walked across a 140yd pasture to adjust a remote control IR floodlight I made to use with my NV scope. Left the elevated box blind with no flashlight or pistol. Slow walk, about 3/4 of the way across I hear a hog grunt what seemed like right behind me. I picked up the pace until I got to the feeder. I guess it/they were coming across the pasture about the same time I exited the blind and we just met up. The walk back seemed like it took FOREVER. If I'm walking around at night now, I've got my pistol and my thermal monocular with me, every time.

I was hunting hogs near the Sulfur River with my black powder rifle. I stepped in a mud puddle crossing a logging road. When I got about 75 - 100 yards from the road, the crows starting making a terrible racket. The hair on the back of my head stood up and I felt like something was watching me. It turned and didn't see anything so I just figured they were fussing at me. I moved on into the woods and, after coming back out, went down the logging road to the place I had crossed. There, in my boot print was a paw print about the size of my palm or a little bigger. There were no claw marks. I always wondered who was hunting who.

When I was 10 and sitting out on the ground with a single shot .22 and a six cell Ray-O-Vac flashlight. I was blowing on a Herter's call when a couple of coyotes came in less than a hundred yards and then went to warning barking. I would have probably been okay except my little sister could not stand it and took off running back to the house.
Nothing bothers me anymore other than the thought of running into drug runners that might have more firepower.
Adios,
Gary

I didn't like it much last winter when I hit black ice while lion hunting in the Navajo Rez running about 60 mph. I really didn't like it when I laid the pickup on it's side and was headed north in the southbound lane. Thank God, driver and hounds were okay but badly shaken.
Adios,
Gary

Was deer hunting opening evening near Cherokee and a sounder of hogs show up in a seep spring. Well to get back to the truck I had to walk past all these hogs rooting in the spring. Man as I past by them there were hogs on both sides of me which was a little unnerving. I heard something across the spring marsh and all sudden them damn pigs hall a$$ by me. Oh man that spooked me but when I shined the little 2AA cell mag-lite across the marsh there were 2 yellow eyes laided out on a branch of a Post oak about 5" apart some 200 yards away. I shot at them for good measure but could tell if it was a Bob or a Lion. That scared me.lol I got a brighter light after that.

Me and bro walked under a tree where turkeys were roosting one night, scared the chit outta us when they took off.

Yes, same here! Sometimes when walking to the deer stand, I'll pull my FLIR thermal off my night hunting rifle to use as a monocular when walking to the deer stand early in the am. I have about a 200+ yard walk down a straight 2 track road to my stand. As I was walking in one morning, I got about half way to the stand, and I see something coming at me about 3'-4' off the ground in the thermal. I quickly realize it is an owl. I watch it until it is right in front of me, and I think we are going to collide. I turn and it swoopes up at the same time. It was right there at my face when it swooped up! The good thing was that I saw it coming before it saw me. Had I not had the thermal, who knows if we would have hit, and it would have freaked me out!

I actually enjoy the night. I generally always walk to the stand in the pitch dark. The only thing I worry about it coming across some pigs when walking in the dark. I have done that twice, and didn't like it at all.

My goal is to be the thing other things are scared of in the dark

I used to walk at night to hunt hogs, always concerned about the crawly things

Only recently I remembered a time when I was just a bit scared. It was back in Louisiana, on family land near the Mississippi River. To get to where I wanted to deer hunt, I had to walk the long way around a low area (a slough, we called it). Probably about a mile north, then cross at a small bridge, then a mile south to the hunting spot. So, as the crow flies, I was just maybe 600 yards across the slough from where my truck was. When it started getting dark, I started the walk back to the bridge, but then decided that it wasn’t that far to the truck and the water wasn’t real deep, so i’d just wade directly across the slough. So, let’s examine my decision. There were/are gators in that slough. I didn’t really know how deep the water was. I didn’t have a compass. Light was failing. The further I got in the slough, the less sure which direction I was going. The water had a thick layer of green slime and logs were down all over the place. Is that a log or is it a gator? Got water in the boots, and water depth was about knee high. I really started getting worried as it got dark. Flashlight looked puny weak in the flooded woods. I had made a bad decision and now could not even go back to where I started. Luckily, the water started getting a bit shallower, so I assumed (correctly) that I was moving toward the other side, or the side that I had left. Finally I got to the other side and sloshed to the truck.

I made a very bad decision, but survived.

I was attacked by a hefty black bear late one evening long ago at Skilak Lake up in Alaska. It was supposed to be a late season fishing trip, and I arrived at the launch/campground by myself and started setting up camp. My buddy was to arrive later that night, and the next day we were going up river. I had the campground to myself; this late in the summer very few folks were out fishing. Shame, too, because late season is great for rainbows and silvers. Because it was bear country, I always wore my Super Blackhawk in a shoulder holster. This evening it was cool but not frosty, clear skies light breeze. Perfect night for a campfire while waiting for Charlie to show up. So I gathered some firewood, then pulled my old camp grill out of its plastic trash bag. I go over to the fire pit and crouch down to start a fire. About then I hear a slight rustling behind me and BAM! The breeze had filled that Hefty Trash Bag and rolled it into my back! I nearly filled that bag with .44's.

Roger that.

No. I predator hunt at night a decent amount. Never been scared. Now my buddies up in the high rack might be if I’m driving.

yep..
climbed into my tree stand in the only oak tree around for miles on our place. it was a hang on and he seat folded up against tree trunk to get in easier. i climbed the climbing sticks and reached up and un did the seat it was right at eye level and i was 15 feet off the ground holding on with one hand when a huge mean vicious rabid fanged squirrel that was sleeping in the folded up seat decided to wake up and flee. it attacked my head and face and scratched the hell outta me but i didnt fall thank GOD..

I did scream like a little girl though

Like Sapper said I am carrying a gun when out hunting at night. I have hunted in the middle of nowhere knowing that if something happens it will be a few days or so before anybody even knows there is a problem. But the anticipation of a exciting fun adventure outweighs the thoughts of something bad happening. I enjoy being out by myself at night hunting.
You know the BoogyMan looks under his bed to make sure I am not there......

Couple of times I have been "highly concerned"...

Bowhunting in Northeast Oklahoma...buddy and I climbing the mountain before daylight...almost stepped on a cow elk in the dark (no flashlights, we knew where we were going)...We may or may not have thrown bows and stands and ran for our lives when she crashed through the woods...

Have stepped in a few quail coveys in the dark over the years. So far my heart has held out.

Almost bumped into a thigh-high hog one night walking back to my ATV. Had my T/C .44 Mag on me...but not loaded. Didn't make that mistake again.

Shot a wide 8 point 30 minutes before dark in central Arkansas. Was several miles up a forest service road and had to call buddies to bring the game hauler. Sat in the dark and listened to a bear grumbling and rolling rocks right down the hill from me. Back to a tree with my rifle loaded. Was happy to see lights coming up the road.

That's a good one!

Ive been creeped out more than once. Feeling that sudden chill and swearing that a shadow passed by!