Creepy experiences in the backcountry

[boykin8992]

Took my wife hunting and put her in a shooting house over a big green field, I was about a 1/2 mile away but left the truck close to her so she could get warmer quick after the hunt. It gets dark so I get down and start walking to the truck to meet up and I hear a group of coyotes start to howl and making lots of noise. Wasn't sure exactly where they were but the hair on the back of your neck starts to stand up. Get to the truck and no wifey, long after dark she should have been there easily. I start the truck and start heading to the stand and here she comes almost running saying the yotes were in the field and they had ran her back to the shooting house after she had gotten down at dark. I started laughing and she didnt think it was funny at all. LOL Didnt tell her they kinda scared me too!

 

[Michiganhunter]

These stories are great. Thank you everyone

one time I was fall turkey hunting in central Michigan and I hiked in a ways from the road and set up a little bivy camp in some ferns and pines. When I waslaying down I couldn’t be seen and that’s how I wanted it. I had no fire that night and wanted to see what would be around in the morning. I wake out of a sound sleep around 1-2am tothe sound of crunching leaves. I was startled but could tell it was animal sounds not human. I always worry about people way more then animal that’s why I also had my glock 43(which only holds 8 rounds with my +1 mag extension and one in the pipe). So I slowly roll over to where I can quickly grab my crossbow after I dump my magazine and I realized I was being encircled by coyotes. By the moon light I could see what looked to be at least 5-8 yotes closing in fast. They were about10 yards from me at this point or closer I was about to start shooting when I decided to yell first. I’m glad I did because they high tailed it out of there and I didn’t have to deafen Myself with gunfire. after about 5 minutes I had a sense of calmness come over me and fell back asleep surpisingly sleeping very well untill dawn.

not really a scary story but it’s all I have. I camp with a glock 19 now with spare mags. The thing that kept going through my mind was I don’t have a spare mag once these are gone that’s it got 1 more shot with the crossbow then it’s hand to hand with me using a bolt with a broad head.

 

[LandYacht]

I was about 29 when this happened to me. I was coming out of the woods after elk hunting in an area that we have dubbed “elk swamp” as it is a marshy area that a small creek drains into before exiting into a pretty good flowing creek. I was walking along the ridge that goes to the main walking trail that is about a tenth of a mile from the swamp, when I sense something flying towards my head to my right. Since it is past dusk, but not dark yet, my first thought is owl or bat. I duck and a good sized piece of of branch hits one of the trees to my right.

I immediately look in the direction where the flying branch came from and see another one coming towards me. I duck behind the ridge and backtrack about 15 yards thinking my dad, or his friend, is messing with me as I am walking out. I slowly raise up to try to see their movement and I see nothing. I just wait for awhile because I know I am going to see them move over the fold of the ridge, but nothing. I move back down the trail and pick up one of the pieces of wood that was thrown at me and realize it’s a pretty good chunk of wood.

I still haven’t seen any movement and at least 5 minutes have gone by since the initial throw. I figure I’ll throw the wood back in the direction it came and try to hit them hiding on the other side of the ridge. Now I can throw pretty damn good and I couldn’t even get the wood halfway there. I never felt so powerless in the woods at that moment. I picked up the other piece of wood and I put everything into it because I wasn’t believing what was happening to me. Same result, wood lands in the grass before even getting to the base of the next ridge. I can hit the backstop with a baseball from the outfield and I’m really starting to wonder who the hell just threw these two branches at me.

I decide to walk down the trail and back towards where we were supposed to meet in an area we have dubbed “coyote flats”. Before I can get to the steep climb out I see my dad sitting off the trail under his favorite pine tree. I ask him if he was down by the swamp and he says he’s been under his tree. I ask him where his friend is and he says they split up at another spot earlier that evening. I tell him about the branches thrown at me and I know he wasn’t the one because there was no revelry at all. We walk out together and find his friend in Coyote Flats and confirm he hadn’t been down by the swamp.

I’ve ranged that ridge top every time I walk the ridge back to the swamp and it stays a constant 125 yards. Not sure how someone was able to get those branches that far, but it sure makes me think a lot.


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[Nickofthewoods]

Five years ago in the Wind River Range of Wyoming I had something repeatedly breaking logs approximately 100 ft from my tent. I was over ten miles from the Trailhead and my car was the only one there when I left and the only one there when I got back a week later. This is not an area that is well connected to other trails or used by thru hikers and they would have to go way out of their way to come in from other Trailheads. Not impossible, but very unlikely for other people to end up at this small lake I was at from a different starting point.

It was a perfectly calm night in mid June and I had just climbed into the tent for the night and started reading a book when I heard the first crash in the woods behind the tent. It sounded like maybe a tree falling, or if a large person stepped on a log and the entire thing broke. It happened again a minute later which to me ruled out "tree falling". Then it happened yet again. Then whatever was doing it was suddenly in my camp walking around the tent. I couldn't tell if it had two or four legs because my heart was thumping out of my chest and I was quickly planning my self defense if it tried to get in the tent. After awhile it was gone and nothing tried to get my food bag hanging outside of camp that night. I've never been more frightened while alone in the backcountry for sure. I'm almost certain it was a bear though. A buddy and I actually encountered a big black bear at that same lake a few years prior to this and that bear actually stood its ground while foraging right on the trail. We couldn't get it to amble away by yelling at it from a good distance away, he just looked at us and continued his business so we ended up hiking way around instead. I have always thought that was strange behavior for a Wilderness Bear. Also, someone had carved an inscription into a tree in the campsite I was at that said "Adventures with Yogi" so maybe that bear frequents the area and scares the crap out of people that camp there. Still seemed strange for a bear to be breaking logs in half repeatedly though. . . I'll never know what it truly was because I was too frightened to unzip the tent and shine my light around.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

wow this thread was an awesome read at work this morning lol nice!

 

[hockey7]

I have one I'll never forget...I'm 65 now, and this happened when I was in university many years ago...not an outdoor experience though.
My Mom and I were putting up the Christmas tree downstairs in the rec room, while my Dad was away on business. There was an ornament my deceased Aunt made for us, that we just didn't like...it was a white styrofoam ball wrapped in ribbon and sparkling sequence. We looked at it and kind of joked that it was ugly and doesn't belong on the tree.
Across the room, probably 25 feet away, by the stairs, Mom had a nail in the wall, high above the lowest step. We walked over and agreed to attach the ornament to the nail, instead of on the tree. This nail was solid in the drywall, and at a 45 degree angle. There was no way anything could slide off of that nail.
We were on either side of the ball, both of us looking upward at it. We both said how ugly it was and this was a good place for it.
The words were no sooner out of our mouths, when that ornament flew off the nail, and landed under the tree. It didn't fall to the ground and roll...it flew like someone had thrown it.
We both were wide eyed, walked over to the ornament and hung it on the tree.
I will never forget that day as long as I live.

 

[Ddog]

Killer stories! I've had some freaky stuff happen to me, but the creepiest was years ago in northern MI while walking a 2 track during rifle season. I stopped in the trail near a path that went uphill and while I was contemplating checking it out, a voice clearly, closely, said "Seeing anything?" It's a standard greeting when two hunters meet in the woods, but there was absolutely no one else nearby. I stood there and looked up, down and all around saying, "Where are ya?" and stuff like "You sure are hidden good" for 5 or 10 minutes and not another peep. Blaze orange has been required for many years here, not that everyone always follows the rules, but not even a chuckle or anything else. I boogied back to my truck (for lunch at the cabin, of course) and drove out that end of the 2 track. No camps or cabins anywhere within 4 or 5 miles along the length of it. I've been back there a couple times just cruising through with buddies and got the heebie-jeebies at that spot...

 

[Nealm66]

Just found this thread. Some good creepy stories! I worked as a timber faller for 20 years here in the Pacific Northwest and got a little freaked out a couple times by cougars. I won’t go hiking without a large handgun for that reason. I had a large bull elk in full rut step out about 5 feet from me packing out of a unit one time that sure made me feel puny. His eyes were all blood shot, thought I was a goner. When I was a kid I worked up out of ione Washington and slept in a tent for 6 months pre commercial thinning. Bear came in and ripped a camp trailer to pieces looking for snacks one day when we were all out working. I slept with a loaded shotgun . Good times

 

[Yukon_Jack]

My dad and a buddy were hunting an unlimited sheep unit in Montana and had a mountain lion right outside their tent. Scared it off a couple times, but it kept coming back. They could hear it breathing/purring on the other side of the tent, and finally just went to sleep. Figured that if a grinder cat wanted to come through the tent that night, there was nothing they could really do about it. Same hunt, my dad had a black bear circle him to within 11 yards. Took a picture of it with his disposable camera (pre camera phone days), before it woofed at him a couple times and took off.

 

[RILEY L]

Years ago, while hunting in rural San Diego, a friends dad found a woman who had hung herself. He found her 3-4 days after she had been reported missing. Apparently he smelled decomposition and then found her. He called the sheriff and walked them to the scene.

 

[Nealm66]

My dad and a buddy were hunting an unlimited sheep unit in Montana and had a mountain lion right outside their tent. Scared it off a couple times, but it kept coming back. They could hear it breathing/purring on the other side of the tent, and finally just went to sleep. Figured that if a grinder cat wanted to come through the tent that night, there was nothing they could really do about it. Same hunt, my dad had a black bear circle him to within 11 yards. Took a picture of it with his disposable camera (pre camera phone days), before it woofed at him a couple times and took off.

black bears are freaky fast. They lumber around and act all slow like but don’t be fooled. They sound like an electric type writer going up a tree like as fast as any squirrel. I used to have some pics of the guy in the middle of the back seat of the crew bus feeding donuts to a sow. Was teasing her across the outside guy with the empty box. She snapped the box out of his hand like lightning. The outside guy was frozen with a freaked out look. I’m not to happy about them shutting down hound hunting and baiting them in. Kept the #’s down and a much needed fear.

 

[Squamch]

Years ago, while hunting in rural San Diego, a friends dad found a woman who had hung herself. He found her 3-4 days after she had been reported missing. Apparently he smelled decomposition and then found her. He called the sheriff and walked them to the scene.

My brother in law has been hunting twice. Once, he found a dead guy in a car, tube to the window from the exhaust, suicide note written on his arm in sharpie.
Next time, driving home, they were first on the scene where a woman had crashed, car caught fire, and she was trapped inside.

 

[jmgraham1986]

Thanks to all of your guys for letting me waste an hour of my isolation away with this thread. It was very entertaining with a bunch of great stories.

I've nothing to add... but have spent a bunch of time around indian ruins while hunting and camping. Some of you guys have stories scary enough that I'd prob never go into the back country again after that.

 

[EastMT]

In the late 80’s when we first moved from the Midwest to the NW, there were bears behind every tree and they were all man eaters.

We drove up to extreme NE Wa to camp out for Labor Day weekend. We put up a tent in a pull out along a forest service road almost to the Canadian line, middle of nowhere. Dads not worried about bears, but us kids and mom were terrified, sure we were dead by Monday.

About 2am, I wake up and hear little crunching sounds in the gravel, something was sneaking up on us. I get on my knees and peek out the window. There it was, huge bear 10 feet from the tent, there was enough moonlight to see his shape.

I yell BEAR!, the tent erupts, dad pulls his 44 out, moms screaming, 2 sisters are crying. Dad unzips and jumps outside. There sits our 100lb German shepherd just happy as can be.

After dad gets done cussing, said first peep I hear is getting a beating like they have never even heard about Hahahaha.

For the next 5 hours, 4 of us lay and listened to dad snore while staring at the tent roof listening to the night sounds. We laugh about that night every time we all get together, hahahahaha

 

[WoodrowCall]

Been in the woods my entire life growing up in Florida. Know all the sounds the woods and swamps have to offer...
Several years ago a buddy and I were deep in the Green Swamp frog gigging around midnight-1am. Heard a loud howl and moan that rang through the air 200 yards on the other side of the pond we were gigging. "It" let out this sound three times. Buddy and I tore out for the truck as fast as we could get there, all the while not thinking the sound came from back the direction of the truck! To this day, we still don't talk about it but swear we had an encounter with the Sasquatch...

 

[DarkArcher]

These stories are great. Thank you everyone

one time I was fall turkey hunting in central Michigan and I hiked in a ways from the road and set up a little bivy camp in some ferns and pines. When I waslaying down I couldn’t be seen and that’s how I wanted it. I had no fire that night and wanted to see what would be around in the morning. I wake out of a sound sleep around 1-2am tothe sound of crunching leaves. I was startled but could tell it was animal sounds not human. I always worry about people way more then animal that’s why I also had my glock 43(which only holds 8 rounds with my +1 mag extension and one in the pipe). So I slowly roll over to where I can quickly grab my crossbow after I dump my magazine and I realized I was being encircled by coyotes. By the moon light I could see what looked to be at least 5-8 yotes closing in fast. They were about10 yards from me at this point or closer I was about to start shooting when I decided to yell first. I’m glad I did because they high tailed it out of there and I didn’t have to deafen Myself with gunfire. after about 5 minutes I had a sense of calmness come over me and fell back asleep surpisingly sleeping very well untill dawn.

not really a scary story but it’s all I have. I camp with a glock 19 now with spare mags. The thing that kept going through my mind was I don’t have a spare mag once these are gone that’s it got 1 more shot with the crossbow then it’s hand to hand with me using a bolt with a broad head.

I went to college at Central Michigan University and worked on an ambulance there. You're not wrong about worrying about the people more than the animals!

 

[Michiganhunter]

I went to college at Central Michigan University and worked on an ambulance there. You're not wrong about worrying about the people more than the animals!

I was around Sanford edenville Beaverton area. That’s why I try to hide my camp when I’m alone. Although it probably makes me look like the creeper. Lol. I had a van I used for camping. No one ever bothers me while I was in the woods camping with it.

 

[AK Troutbum]

So while not super creepy, here’s one that just happened to us about 3 hours ago. My family and I (dog, daughter, son, wife, and I), went for a hike on a fairly well used trail a few miles from our house. About 2 miles into the hike, we pass another lone hiker, who is on his way back out. He has some Buddy Holly style glasses on and is wearing slippers, pajama top and bottoms, and a robe, and carrying what looked to be a model 870 12ga. shotgun. We stepped off the trail, making sure to keep our COVID-19 free zone as he passed, and I kept my hand on my .40 cal. the whole time until he was about 50 yards past, and around the bend behind us. I wouldn’t say that I was super concerned about this guy, but it was a pretty weird encounter, even by Alaska standards. Picture of the trail we were walking.

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[BeastOfTheTrees]

So while not super creepy, here’s one that just happened to us about 3 hours ago. My family and I (dog, daughter, son, wife, and I), went for a hike on a fairly well used trail a few miles from our house. About 2 miles into the hike, we pass another lone hiker, who is on his way back out. He has some Buddy Holly style glasses on and is wearing slippers, pajama top and bottoms, and a robe, and carrying what looked to be a model 870 12ga. shotgun. We stepped off the trail, making sure to keep our COVID-19 free zone as he passed, and I kept my hand on my .40 cal. the whole time until he was about 50 yards past, and around the bend behind us. I wouldn’t say that I was super concerned about this guy, but it was a pretty weird encounter, even by Alaska standards. Picture of the trail we were walking.

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Dude woke up straight outta bed and was like I gotta go hiking with a shotgun right now lol

 

[snowcamoman]

I really enjoy reading these weird and creepy stories from you all. It's a great "filler" for my work at home day while I'm uploading stuff and waiting for email replies.

I have another creepy story, that could have turned out extra bad for me.

About 12 years or so ago I was out predator hunting at night under the full moon. I had already made a few stands and was going towards the south side of town to call an area I've called before. I setup at the end of a road and hide just inside the woods, overlooking an open area. It was a bright night with no clouds in the sky and I could easily see several hundred yards over the white snow. I hiked out and put my FoxPro caller in the snow and setup my decoy. I walked back into the woods and setup to start the screaming rabbit on the FoxPro and decoy moving, being extra careful to be quiet. I had pulled my truck further down, and across the road in a small area about 80 yards or so from where I was hiding in the woods. I've parked there before and it's out of the way so no other cars or animals can see it. About 8 minutes into my stand of the screaming rabbit, I see lights coming down the road towards me, casting shadows in the woods where I sit, fully camouflaged in white. I quickly mute the caller and turn off the decoy from my remote. As I sit there in the woods, quiet as a mouse, the car pulls off the road, probably 50 yards or so from where I'm at. The car was behind me, so hadn't drove far enough to see my truck. I hear people talking and see shadows moving through the woods as they cross in front of their headlights. It sounds to me like they're getting something out of the vehicle and trying to move it. They start moving into the woods, struggling with whatever they're doing as I remain totally silent, rifle loaded and ready to roll. The guys stay in the woods for a short time, chatting to each other and digging in the snow it sounded like. I strained to peek through the woods to see what they were up to, but couldn't make out their location. Eventually, they quietly made it back to their vehicle and did a U-turn in the road and tore out of there. I gave it about 5 or 6 minutes before starting to get up and retrieve my caller and decoy. I gathered up my stuff and quickly exited the area, uncertain of what had gone on, or if they were going to be coming back into the area.

Fast forward a few weeks after that odd night, and come to find out, three guys had murdered a local man and hid him in the woods in the area where I was. I'm certain that that is what was going on as I quietly hid in the woods that night. I'm so thankful that I didn't walk out and surprise them or anything, because chances are they would have tried to do something to me. I'm also glad that they didn't drive down the road a bit further and see my truck. I always sort of wished that I would have searched the woods that night after they left, but decided to just play what I thought was a safer route and get out of there.

This area has since been turned into a local park and is cleaned up nicel.

Here's an article on the murder:

https://flic.kr/p/5LZ9rf