Creepy experiences in the backcountry

[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

 

[rev44]

Twelve years ago I bought a camp in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Like most people with a new place, I spent a lot of time up there year round for the first few years. So one weekend in February 9 years ago I decided to go on a hike. It was late morning the sun was out and there was a good 18 inches of snow on the ground. I grabbed my old Remington speedmaster .22 LR in case I found a porcupine or something. I love that beat up old gun and bought it for my trapline when I was 16. Anyways my camp consists of a long maple ridge with a swamp to the east and west of it that consists of white cedar, tamarack and balsam fir. I broke a trail to the back of the property in the heart of the east swamp. As I walked down the back property line I came to a 3 acre clearing which was deep swamp with a patchwork of tall grass but no trees. The cedars and tamaracks lined the outer ring of the opening. As I walked the edge of the clearing a crow took flight from the forest floor on the other side of it to my left, so I decided to go investigate. Figuring a deer carcass may be over there, I made my way closer. When I made it to the site, sure enough there was a patch of deer fur along with what looked like a wolf track that was a day or 2 old. I decided to take up the track to see if I could find the carcass or what remained of it as it was heading back to the property line anyway within the aforementioned clearing. I made it 60 feet further when I found part of a deer leg. “Huh, a yearling” I said to myself as I looked up. I took one more step when a figure stood up in the grass not 30 feet in front of me. Then 2 more. Wolves! My heart went into overdrive. They merely stood up headed off to my left and we’re joined by 3 more. I watched them trot off into the thicket but the last 2 stopped just inside the tree line 50 feet away and looked at me for a moment before they followed. I remember thinking at the time that if they really wanted to kill me as I walked into their kill sight they had plenty of opportunity. I also felt helpless realizing that if they did my little speedmaster wouldn’t have been enough to stop them. Wolves are big critters, especially when there’s 2 alphas in the pack. I’m proud to say I didn’t stain my shorts but I did have a couple shots of whiskey when I made it back to camp.

What part of the U.P?

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[lyingflatlander]

Northern Menominee county. Oddly enough Mississippi State University was doing a fawn survival study at the time in conjunction with the MI DNR. They dubbed that pack the 11 mile marsh pack if I remember correctly. I seen the pack again the following summer but it only had 3 members. After that I never seen them again. That same winter the coyotes had terrible cases of the mange. I suspect that pack of wolves became victims of their own predatory behavior. For those that don’t know wolves will run down coyotes and kill them, they see them as competitors.

 

[Fatcamp]

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

I suppose it's better than the naked hiker guy.

 

[West.mass.hunter]

I just read this entire thread. Some were funny as heck, others were chilling. I'm glad none of chilling was have happened to me or I would probably hang up my camo and take up knitting

 

[Beendare]

Snowcamo jogged a memory...though not in the woods.

I was 17 and playing cards late at a buddies. On my way home about 1 AM I drove a dark section of road behind our HS bordered by RR tracks on the other side of the road. I see this guy in white cutoffs dash from the tracks to his old ratty lowrider rig and jump in. I slowed a little as I passed to get a look at him and tried to see onto the tracks side at the same time.

I was about a block past and I see him fire up his car and haul ass turning down a side road. It was haunting me....but I was already very late getting home. Dang it. I thought I might have seen something on the tracks though it was pitch black. Screw it, I turned around and went back to check. Sure enough, there on the tracks was a totally naked dead woman as her skin had that blue-ish tone. Her clothes were half assed strewn around all over.

Crap crap crap. I asked if she could hear me- no response. I reached to check her pulse and she jumped.....and it scared the living shit out of me...as I though for sure she was dead.

I ran back to my van as I had a sleeping bag in there. I rolled her off the tracks and into the bag though she was fighting me. I could see she had been raped...and beaten up- not good but I had to get her off the tracks. I could only move her 20' and she was squirming, not helping....so I wrapped her up, jumped in my van [no Cell phones in 1975] and drove back 2 blocks to my buddies house and called the cops.

Now my buds freaked a bit ...plus we had been drinking a few beers- again, not good......but we had to report this. I had stopped drinking and was pretty sober...but a couple of them weren't.

We drove back to the tracks in 2 cars and the cops showed up right away along with an ambulance. The cops asked if I could describe the car....oh yeah, I could never forget that car as it was a pretty distinctive old Studebaker- so I did...... right down to the sun bleached dingleballs in the back window.

The cops put it out on the radio and he was telling me, "Son I'm not happy with you out but I'm pretty amazed at your power of description...." When his radio cracked, 'We got the car..." said another cop on the Main Street out of town [Hayward, Ca]

Jump in said the cop, "But I need to get home...." I said as I threw my keys to my buddies and the cop did a 270 degree power slide in one of those old Chevy Nova rigs burning the back tires.

[oh man, this is getting long- sorry]

We pull up and the cops asks, is that the car? Absolutely! Sure enough- its the guy I described white cutoffs, Mexican features, no shirt and the same car down to the faded dingleballs. Dang that cop was a happy man.

FFWD a few months later and they keep dragging me in for depositions with the perps attorney as he was a convicted felon and would be facing a very long conviction- with me a 17 yr old kid as the only witness. Long story but this went on multiple times for hours with the defense Atty trying to find holes in my story.

Finally, the DA calls me in one day down the road and says its not going to court. The guy confessed. The DA and the original cop was there and they said the other Atty didn't want to put me on the stand as I had his guy dead to rights at the scene. The DA and cop were jubilant...and very gracious. My dad was relieved this wouldn't go any further.

As we were walking out the DA says, "If there is anything we can do...." So I turned and said, "yeah, as a matter of fact.." I had this speeding ticket. I swear my dad said WTF? The DA and Cop looked at each other with this 'oh sheesh' look. My dad steps in and says, "No...no way...my son is paying that ticket from his own money..." throwing a fuss.

The cop and DA asked, "can you step outside for a minute...we need to talk to your dad."

My dad came storming out....the DA said thanks and we drove most of the way home in silence. Finally I asked him what they said. "You were such an amazing witness getting dragged through the mud and all..... they don't get many folks like that. They said we want to take care of your kids ticket this-one-time."

Score one for the good guy- Ha!.........though my dad still wasn't happy about it. [sorry for the long story]

_____

_______

 

[AK Troutbum]

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

Someone else suggested that maybe he went out there with plans on taking himself out, then changed his mind. I don't know, but it sure was bazar.

 

[RemiR7]

Took my first trip to Colorado last September to hunt elk and first time solo hunting outside of the Midwest. I backpacked into a wilderness roughly 4 miles and up about a 3k elevation gain straight up to a bench where I decided to set up camp for the night. Around 1am I hear what sounded like a head of a shovel being dragged across concrete pavement roughly 75-100 yards away and then nothing. I’m coming out of the daze from being woke up and trying to get my wits about me when I heard it again within 50 yards. Now I’m awake with my flashlight in hand and my glock in the other. I sent a quick I love you to my wife. Silence goes by for a couple of minutes and at this point I’m on higher alert and ready to drop all 17 rounds I had into whatever was our there. Then, within 10-20 ft from my tent I hear a large deep guttural exhale and then complete silence. I laid in my tent the rest of the night wide awake. Sun came up and looked around and couldn’t find anything sign of tracks or anything. After coming out of that area at the end of my trip and talking to a few locals who live at the base of the mountain told me the area is heavily populated with bears now. My assumption was looking back it was probably bear, but at the time on my first solo trip and first trip into the mountains I was scared shitless.

 

[oake]

I'll share mine, it doesn't relate to man or beast, but rather good ole mother nature.

A friend of mine and I decided to take a summer pack trip through some elk country I had been in the season prior. It was summer time, if I remember correctly almost right after July 4th.

So we're doing like a 6 day loop up one drainage to the tops swing down another drainage and switchback back over to the truck once we get to that area. Well after day 2 we're taking our time getting to the top and we set up camp just below treeline. That's when the grand mother of lightning storms came rolling in. So we're in our early 20's; jack shit had more experience in the backcountry than either of us and we're just waiting for the next flash to check us out of the game of life. Never again would I want to experience something like that.

Well low and behold on day 4 we've traversed up to the peaks and did some looking around and are now descending down the second drainage and get to just below treeline on that side and wouldn't you know it. Another grand mother of lightning storms comes blowing in on us and we spend another rock 'em sock 'em night in the tent wondering when the next bolt will send us both to the promised land.

My friend and I still talk about that experience. Half joking and half in awe of natures power. I do a lot more looking at the trees in an area before I blindly just set a camp nowadays....

 

[Plumber]

I found a tarped shelter on a remote ridge while hunting. It contained a broken mirror, a wrist rocket, and a set of clown shoes, among other odd items.
Kind of weird

 

[come2elmo]

I found a tarped shelter on a remote ridge while hunting. It contained a broken mirror, a wrist rocket, and a set of clown shoes, among other odd items.
Kind of weird

That might have been back when 8 year olds made real forts and not ones one their phones....

 

[AKG]

A couple years ago in the U.P. of MI. I was eating lunch at work, another co-worker mentioned what was thought to be some type of wiccan, native American, or maybe just some sickos ritual sacrifice. I of course asked him to describe this as there was some associated scuttle including notification of law enforcement to check it out. So we'll see if some of you rocksliders come to the same conclusion I did. He said he'd send me pictures after lunch but then started to describe the scene. It consisted of a brush shelter made of balsam boughs, had a small dead animal carcass, a CD with a cross written on it, and a well used trail leading to the ritual location on the edge of a cedar swamp. I heard this and chuckled - yeah sounds like you're describing a bobcat trapping spot. There is a daily check requirement hence the well packed trail, the small dead animal was a weasel - would guess bycatch that was forgotten after the last check, the brush shelter was a cubby set, the CD an attractor. Well what about the cross drawn on the CD he said? When I saw the pictures later it sure looked like an x rather than a cross, assuming it was someone marking that a CD was scratched. So, it didn't happen to me, but I got a good chuckle out of it and there were some who were pretty worked up about the potential serial killer type running around.

 

[lyle_destroys]

A couple years ago in the U.P. of MI. I was eating lunch at work, another co-worker mentioned what was thought to be some type of wiccan, native American, or maybe just some sickos ritual sacrifice. I of course asked him to describe this as there was some associated scuttle including notification of law enforcement to check it out. So we'll see if some of you rocksliders come to the same conclusion I did. He said he'd send me pictures after lunch but then started to describe the scene. It consisted of a brush shelter made of balsam boughs, had a small dead animal carcass, a CD with a cross written on it, and a well used trail leading to the ritual location on the edge of a cedar swamp. I heard this and chuckled - yeah sounds like you're describing a bobcat trapping spot. There is a daily check requirement hence the well packed trail, the small dead animal was a weasel - would guess bycatch that was forgotten after the last check, the brush shelter was a cubby set, the CD an attractor. Well what about the cross drawn on the CD he said? When I saw the pictures later it sure looked like an x rather than a cross, assuming it was someone marking that a CD was scratched. So, it didn't happen to me, but I got a good chuckle out of it and there were some who were pretty worked up about the potential serial killer type running around.

Funny how much a different perspective and some life experience can change how you see things.

 

[Kris201]

I do a lot of hunting by myself. Have spent my whole life in the mtns so I don’t scare easy. However one day I was out hunting spring turkey in Colorado. The day before I got into some birds and thought I maybe could find them at their roost the next night. So I went in there. I Planned on sitting until dark. I had my back up to a ponderosa tree just sitting there quietly. All of the sudden I Heard the sound of a large branch get crushed right behind me. Sounded like someone swinging and braking a huge branch against a tree. Instantly I got that weird feeling where the hair on your neck stands up. Felt that something was behind me watching me. I slowly turned around. And Saw nothing. Got that feeling something was right behind me. Hair on neck standing up. My gut told me I needed to get out of there. I was strait up spooked. Not from the sound I heard but the overall feeling that I was feeling.

So I Left the area earlier than planned with day light remaining. As I hiked back to the truck I spotted some bones. I walked over to investigate and I stumbled on to a human skull with a bullet hole in the side of it.

I got out of there and called the sheriff when I got home. The following day I had to lead Colorado CBI into the area and show them the skull. They did a all day search and found almost all of the bones. It turned out to be a missing high school kid who had been missing for 9 years.

It was really weird what ever spooked me but I think it was the sprit of the boy. Otherwise had the thing not spooked me So bad I would had I stayed until dark and never found it.

I got the creeps just reading this! Thanks for sharing

 

[Mike Islander]

I was out hiking the hills in Northern Cali and came across a little screened in cabin. Inside were two old beds with hospital type mattresses. Sticking out from under one of the beds was a "fresh" human leg with a boot on it. SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!

Turned out to be the leg off a manikin. Rat bastards! Gotta hand it to them for being funny...after the fact.

 

[justin davis]

I was scouting for elk hunt in Colorado. I watched a herd of elk and then hiked out. I had a long hike back to the truck in the dark. I came down a ridge that kind of was a funny for a few draws in the bottom.
When I made it to the bottom I heard a deer bawling up on the hill behind me. I shut my headlamp off and just stood still listening.

I was surprised when the sound started coming towards me. I just held tight standing there and this bawling deer sounds Came down the hill right by me and passed me at less then 20 yards. Something was in pursuit of the deer and I could hear an animal panting right behind the deer. The noise ran down the draw below me and then stopped right in the draw where I was headed. I continued walking and turned on my headlamp. Never did see anything when I walked by but it was kind of weird deal. Don’t know if it was a coyote or bear or something chasing the deer.

 

[Mike Islander]

I was camping on a local sea island last week. Around 3 AM I heard tremendous crashing in the pine and palm woods, about 100 yards from the tent. I hunkered down in my bag, determined to ignore it. A minute later I heard footsteps approach my tent, pass within a few feet, then stop. I jumped up and yelled "What the hell are you doing out there! " to my invisible foe. Shining the flashlight around, I saw nothing.

After a few minutes I was back in my bag with the collar tucked up to my chin when I heard footsteps again...close! Turning to grab my light, I noticed that my chin stubble was really noisy rubbing on the bag. Yes. My imagined intruder was chin stubble. It sounded remarkably similar to footsteps. But he sure scared the hell out of me. Moments later an owl flew so close to my tent that I heard the subtle swish of his wings through the air. Then it dawned on me that the ruckus in the woods was probably a successful owl kill, as our woods are filled with hoot owls and armadillos.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Me and a buddy were out in his boat fishing on a sunny spring day several years ago, and we both heard this blood curdling roar echo from somewhere in the mountains. I mean, it was LOUD. It sounded like something angry and in pain at the same time.

We looked at each other for a little while like “did we seriously just hear that?” The only conclusion we could come to was someone shot a bear (it was bear season). My friend has since become an avid hound hunter and we’ve both taken some bears, and we’ve never heard that nose ever come from a bear before, so I have no clue what that was.

 

[idahohikker]

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

Wow, what a story. Did you ever tell the police about the location. They probably would appreciate it.