Comfort/confidence level in the woods

[Justin (Raz) Rasmussen]

What things did you need to learn to become confident while in the woods.

For me, the move from flat land safe as can be central Nebraska, to being smack dab in one of the highest brown bear populations in Alaska was a trip. Not only were there big brown bears, but the terrain was dense, steep and potentially deadly. Add the miserably wet weather that was sure to produce hypothermia and I was way outside my comfort zone at first. But boy was it Awesome!

In the early days I was nervous getting more than 100yds from a road or trail. After learning to navigate that particular terrain and getting proficient with a firearm I could take woods naps in bear country no problem. Bit of military service and a lot better at land nav, firearms use, first aid, and just generally facing danger, now I feel pretty dang confident in most situations I find myself in while enjoying the outdoors.

What have you found to be the biggest skill or mindset shift that has allowed you to be in the woods without that innate fear of the unknown.

 

[Burbot]

Positive thinking and staying optimistic even in weird situations goes a long ways. Other than that, just paying attention to surroundings and being able to navigate without a phone app or gps

 

[IDbrushswimmer]

Forcing myself to be out in the dark. I think more people are leery of it than they admit. I just got sick of missing opportunities at animals, so I forced myself to get used to it. Now I enjoy packing meat in the dark, and I’ve made it a point with all my kids to have them out with me. None of them at this point have any reservations being out at night.

 

[Justin (Raz) Rasmussen]

Forcing myself to be out in the dark. I think more people are leery of it than they admit. I just got sick of missing opportunities at animals, so I forced myself to get used to it. Now I enjoy packing meat in the dark, and I’ve made it a point with all my kids to have them out with me. None of them at this point have any reservations being out at night.

For sure, Its always interesting to see who picks up the pace when the light starts to fade.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Navigation (map, compass, and headlamp). Knowing what clothing, water, and food I need to be self-sufficient. Fitness, specifically endurance, I can rely on. Doing things on my own so I have to do all the planning and make all the decisions.

 

[Macintosh]

Just turning as many of the unknowns into knowns as possible. Sometimes its just time in a given environment. Allows you to have a realistic expectation around all the things that arent really causes for concern (or have confidence in dealing with them), allowing you to ID and put your energy into the real priorities.

 

[Diamondback]

The woods is a lot safer place than any big city and to slow down, relax. Spend time in the woods at night, plan camping, fishing, backpacking scouting trips. Make a fire by 3 methods. Shelter under a tarp with bug juice on, backpack next to you, no tent. Land navigation, sun position, compass and a fall back plan to walk out. Electronics all fail and break, practice without them on so when they do fail, you are good. The old timers founding the USA all survived without half of what we have.

 

[Fatcamp]

The woods is a lot safer place than any big city and to slow down, relax. Spend time in the woods at night, plan camping, fishing, backpacking scouting trips. Make a fire by 3 methods. Shelter under a tarp with bug juice on, backpack next to you, no tent. Land navigation, sun position, compass and a fall back plan to walk out. Electronics all fail and break, practice without them on so when they do fail, you are good. The old timers founding the USA all survived without half of what we have.

All of the old timers most certainly didn't survive. Lots of them died from exposure and dehydration. And axe wounds. That would suck.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

All of the old timers most certainly didn't survive. Lots of them died from exposure and dehydration. And axe wounds. That would suck.

Well they survived until their deaths. Wasn't average life expectancy in the 19th century about 38?

 

[rickjames80]

For sure, Its always interesting to see who picks up the pace when the light starts to fade.

For one of my buddies, hunting till dark means he will be in camp or have the truck running by (before) dark.

 

[Grizz208]

I agree with hiking in the woods at dark. It has made a world of a difference for me to start hiking before sun up vs waiting for light to hike. And the other way around when getting dark.

 

[TaperPin]

I feel fortunate to come into hunting while a hunter’s safety class was still taught by guys with a lot of woodsmanship and back country knowledge and lasted many weekends, much longer than the state required minimums. To practice the survival skills it was highly encouraged to be driven up on the hill at 8,000’ and spend the night out in the pine forest with only what’s in your hunting day pack. They didn’t just talk about survival gear, you were expected to put your 10 essentials together in order to graduate from the class and they had a pile of wood to make a fire from. For a 12 year old that was cool. The simple idea of learning to be ok overnight has stuck with me to this day.

The first time, do it not far from the vehicle as a crutch in case you forget something out of your purse. Then do it again, maybe while fishing a backcountry lake so you get two days of fishing in instead of one. Every time you will learn something new and have a better appreciation of being prepared for bad weather. Spend enough days in the backcountry and something will come up that was unexpected and instead of the situation being dominated by fear, you do what you need to to sort it out with a clear mind.

Only once in my life has a warming fire been 100% necessary or I wouldn’t be here, and when it happened in my 30s everything the old timers taught us 12 year olds back in hunter safety was exactly what was needed for the situation.

My early teenage years were also when a paramedic from the fire department taught our first aid class in high school and we could do some volunteer time on ride alongs with the ambulance and actually get an EMT out of it if our grades were high enough. That’s the way it should be. Now a first aid class in high school is so basic it’s not much good other than a basic first aid and CPR cert.

18 year olds are still kids today, dependent on adults for everything, and not enough life skills to show for 4 years of high school and almost two decades on this planet. I tell the kids in the family, when you’re 14 that’s when you start learning to be a fully functioning adult, not after high school. I want to puke when kids aren’t even getting drivers licenses until after high school. lol

 

[Jimmy]

We used to play a game called 'sardines' back in the day. Best played in the dark.

One kid hides, and everyone else tries to find then and hide with them. Last person to find the group loses. Taught me to wander around in the dark for hours.

 

[MallardSX2]

All streams lead to a bridge or a road at some point. Don't be scurred.

 

[Fatcamp]

Well they survived until their deaths. Wasn't average life expectancy in the 19th century about 38?

Ya, that's a good point.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I was a boyscout. Favorite thing to do at night was to play capture the flag. We were a rough bunch, and for us it was not a game of tag but tackle. Then we’d sit around the fire and tell ghost stories or otherwise try to scare each other. So I learned that crawling around in the woods at night was fun and emotionally comfortable by the time I was 13. We also learned a lot of other woodsman skills like building a fire, staying dry, navigation with map and compass, selecting a camp site, building a bow, first aid, wilderness cooking hacks, and on and on. I think getting started early like that has made the woods feel , not scary, but more like a second home to me.

The group I hunt with usually does a drop camp and since I’m retired and have a very flexible schedule, I usually go in a couple days early by myself with the packer. He (or she) drops the camp and I set it up so the younger hunters who have tighter schedules have more time to hunt when they come in. I’m not at all nervous except when I have a nature call in the middle of the night and I’m sitting there alone in the dark, longjohns aroind my knees, with my tiny headlamp. There’s lots of cougars where we hunt, so my head’s on a swivel and my pistol is cocked and locked and in reach. Doesn’t keep me awake though.

So basically just learning everything you can… and experience teaching you what to do, and what not to do, is what leads to confidence in the woods. One tip I’ll pass on that seems self evident. Put every single piece of your gear under cover every single night for two reasons. One it might snow 10”, and you won’t be able to find that thing you left lying on a log. Two, pack rats will make off with your stuff.

 

[5MilesBack]

From the time I was just a kid, I was always out and about in the woods and river bottoms solo. I don't ever remember a time when I didn't feel confident and comfortable out there. But that's just who I was/am. Then at 15 my buddy and I started doing elk and mule deer hunts on our own, and that was an easy transition. These days the month of September is the most comfortable and confident I'll be all year........archery elk. I feel more at ease and at home up there than down here at home.

 

[Marble]

Besides the mental part, which most dismiss until they experience it, learning how to properly manage food, water, and clothing layers is a learned skill. High altitudes do odd things to your body and change your hydration and caloric intake needs. Several times I've seen hunting partners struggling late in the day with simple tasks and headaches/fatigue. You need to plan out your meals and make sure you are eating and drinking enough. It's not eating and drinking much more; it's making sure you do it. The altitude often times suppresses appetite and removes more fluid than people realize.

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[Q_Sertorius]

Well they survived until their deaths. Wasn't average life expectancy in the 19th century about 38?

Plenty of people lived into their 70s in the 19th century. The average was just low because infant mortality rates were really high. Our modern world is very different. Medicine and nutritional stability has improved dramatically since 1900.

Prior to that, infant mortality ran around 50%. With most of those deaths occurring within the first few months. Of those who survived to age 10, life expectancy improved significantly. With that said, 10% of adult men could expect to die violently. And, facing the odds of 10-20 pregnancies between 14 and 40, 10% of adult women could expect to die in childbirth. Then one could easily die of something endemic (like a cold), because a hard winter stressed the food supply and even though people didn’t outright starve, their immune systems would be unable to fight off a routine infection.

On topic, there is no substitute for time in the woods.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[JeffRaines]

The altitude often times suppresses appetite and removes more fluid than people realize.

I struggled with this for awhile. At times I'll sit down and literally force myself to eat... I know in my brain that I need the calories, but I'll be damned if my stomach doesn't think otherwise.

Positive thinking and staying optimistic even in weird situations goes a long ways.

I've said it before - a positive mental attitude is one of the most important pieces of gear you can pack with you, and it weighs nothing.

Along the same lines of nutrition/appetite - another thing that can be jarring is hitting the wall/"bonking". Have you ever gotten so depleted that your entire mindset changed? Maybe you hiked into a place, spent tons of energy getting there(without replacing it) only to get there and immediately feel the need to turn around? It's like all of a sudden the world goes from great to grey. I've had it happen a few times, and it's nice to be able to recognize it coming so you can mitigate it. It's one of the reasons I force myself to eat... and on harder hikes/stretches I'll make it a point to take a 15 minute break every hour and snack/hydrate.

Forcing myself to be out in the dark. I think more people are leery of it than they admit. I just got sick of missing opportunities at animals, so I forced myself to get used to it.

This made the largest difference in my success rate. Being out hunting at last light. A great majority of my kills have been in the last hour of light, and some(last season) the last few minutes of legal shooting light. It's kinda funny to watch the traffic in the woods greatly decrease in the last few hours of the day. Its like 2 hours prior to sunset everyones like "okay time to head home"... man I just got here and I'm about to kill a deer where you just were lol