Creepy experiences in the backcountry

[Coldtrail]

Understand that it wasn't you and your friends in this instance but wanted to share another side of a similar story. Apparently this was a popular entertainment going a ways back, not sure what time frame your fun was but I know of it occurring in the mid 60's in southeastern Michigan as well.
Teenage girl was driving when a four guys thought it was funny to throw a scarecrow dressed as a person in front of her car from the deep side ditches of a country road on a Halloween night. She lost control and ended up in said ditch with a broken spine and another year of rehabilitation to learn to walk again. She ended up with a normal life but has had constant pain management. She also does not have any ill will towards those kids that were just having fun, but would rather the whole thing hadn't happened the way it did.

That's obviously a very tragic outcome to what someone thought was just a joke.....I don't think any of us want to think about the possibilities we have gambled with during our youth & some of the seemingly "harmless" decisions we have made.

 

[manitou1]

Ive got the scariest story ever, I saw a snake, lol. gosh I hate those things.
seriously, when I was in high school a long time ago my buddies grandmother died. they lived in the country a long ways from anything. we went fishing about a week later. when we came back the lights were on in his grandmothers house. he tells me they have been doing that since his grandmother died. we turned them off and went and ate. about a hour later, they are back on. we turn them off and went away, sure enough awhile later they were back on. we got a gun and went looking throughout the house but nobody was there. later he told me that kept happening for about a month then just stopped.
again while in grade school I was turkey hunting in mo. i saw a deer run thru, being chased by 2 coon hounds, then a couple minutes later a solid black thing followed them. I assumed it was another dog so no big deal. about a half hour later I was walking out with my decoy strung over my back and I got a strange feeling something was behind me. I turned around and that black thing was prob 10 yds from me coming right at me, no noise at all, not a peep. when I turned it spooked I guess and went another direction and the tail was all the way to the ground with a little curl in it. I am positive it was a black mnt lion as there was sighting all over back then even tho the conservation denied it at the time. I assume it saw my decoy moving thru the brush and was looking to kill it and spooked when I turned.

I have lived all over the place. In every single rural area there are stories of black panthers.
Truth is, there has never been a black (cat) panther/lion species that has ever lived in North America.

 

[rkcdvm]

These were my boot tracks about 3 hours after a successful stalk. I decided to get the meat out that night instead of waiting for the next day. Never saw the bear. It went on like that for about 100 yards .

 

[Pdzoller]

I have lived all over the place. In every single rural area there are stories of black panthers.
Truth is, there has never been a black (cat) panther/lion species that has ever lived in North America.

Black jaguars are well documented and have lived in North America. Occasionally jaguars are still seen in some southern states. Google it.

 

[def90]

Black jaguars are well documented and have lived in North America. Occasionally jaguars are still seen in some southern states. Google it.

You are talking Arizona and maybe New Mexico as far as recorded northernmost sightings go for jaguars. There are no melanistic Jaguars making their way up to Indiana or anywhwre else in the lower 48.

 

[def90]

As for melanistic jaguars, roughly 10% of them in the wild carry this trait. If people are seeing melanistic jaguars all over the US then where are the 9 regular jaguar sightings for every black one?

 

[Gen273]

Okay, we get it; you don't believe Big Black Cats (Lions, Panthers or Jaguars) are in North America. Now let's get this thread back on track, as it's not the best place for this debate.

Let's hear some more creepy stories.

 

[bnsafe]

wow, sorry guys. I didnt realize a black cat was gonna be where some folks drew the line at "thats not real" on this thread, lol.
I agree, back to the creepy stories

 

[OdinIII]

wow, sorry guys. I didnt realize a black cat was gonna be where some folks drew the line at "thats not real" on this thread, lol.
I agree, back to the creepy stories

I just realized that the story I posted earlier was about a large black cat and I’m not even a believer.

 

[Pdzoller]

Probably going to get some “Not possibles” from this one but I don’t care.

There were three of us camped in some deer beds just off the saddle of a mountain in the Oregon Cascades. It was a clear and cold night in late May. I had a vivid dream that something grabbed me from outside my tent and started dragging me down hill. I woke up, almost yelling and trying to wrap my head around what happened. Realizing it was just a dream, I looked at my phone to get the time. I then noticed that there was a light moving above our camp. Thinking it was my cousin, I went back to sleep.

The next day we were hiking and shooting the shit when my cousin says “ Dude, I didn’t sleep for shit last night. I kept having dreams that I was getting dragged down the mountain”. I just said that was weird. Our other cousin was up the hill aways behind us, using the facilities. When he came down to us I asked him if he had any dreams that night. “Actually yeah, I had a dream that something was dragging you guys down the hill”. I then told them about my dream and asked who got up to use the restroom last night. Nobody had left their tent or used their headlamp.

We’ve stayed in that area multiple times and have also heard a metallic humming sound at night occasionally that almost sounds like it’s everywhere but not really in any specific direction.

Anyone else hear anything like that?

 

[Nosferatu]

Probably going to get some “Not possibles” from this one but I don’t care.

There were three of us camped in some deer beds just off the saddle of a mountain in the Oregon Cascades. It was a clear and cold night in late May. I had a vivid dream that something grabbed me from outside my tent and started dragging me down hill. I woke up, almost yelling and trying to wrap my head around what happened. Realizing it was just a dream, I looked at my phone to get the time. I then noticed that there was a light moving above our camp. Thinking it was my cousin, I went back to sleep.

The next day we were hiking and shooting the shit when my cousin says “ Dude, I didn’t sleep for shit last night. I kept having dreams that I was getting dragged down the mountain”. I just said that was weird. Our other cousin was up the hill aways behind us, using the facilities. When he came down to us I asked him if he had any dreams that night. “Actually yeah, I had a dream that something was dragging you guys down the hill”. I then told them about my dream and asked who got up to use the restroom last night. Nobody had left their tent or used their headlamp.

We’ve stayed in that area multiple times and have also heard a metallic humming sound at night occasionally that almost sounds like it’s everywhere but not really in any specific direction.

Anyone else hear anything like that?

Sorry about that, we realized part of the way down we had the wrong guys. Luckily we were able to get you back in your tents before the drugs let off. You are the first that were able to remember parts of it though. Congratulations on that.

 

[Trackerbacker]

Sorry about that, we realized part of the way down we had the wrong guys. Luckily we were able to get you back in your tents before the drugs let off. You are the first that were able to remember parts of it though. Congratulations on that.

Out of curiosity, are you a non melanistic bill Cosby?

Do we have a resident melanistician who could chime in?

 

[Neumie]

After our grandfather passed my cousin and I decided to take up elk hunting (the beginning of the end).
It was our very first trip out. We did everything wrong. Cotton, hammocks in 20 degree weather, cheap summer sleeping bags, packed everything but the kitchen sink. I’m sure our packs were every bit of 90 pounds lol. Anyway, we didn’t sleep much.

Our last night out at about 2am we were sitting by the fire and making plans when we heard whispering. We both looked at each other puzzled.

We grew up together and a lot can be said without speaking. So we listened and sure as hell we heard it again from a different direction and then again from another. It was definitely guys whispering. There were at least six and had us surrounded.

We both had pistols but were at a HUGE disadvantage being in the fires light. I decided to send him and our families a group text message telling them the situation and my plan.

If shit got hairy he was to grab my bino harness with my keys in it and make a break for the darkness and then to the pickup. He is by far the faster runner. I also said to follow my lead and I would try to get us out of this.

I then told him in a calm normal voice that I was really thinking the elk had moved on and we should probably pack up and find a different hunting area. He agreed.
We sat and listened inconspicuously for a minute and heard a couple more whispers.
I told him that I thought we could possibly get out of there before sunrise and to our other spot in time for a morning hunt. Again we listened to the whispering.
I sent another text to tell him to be ready to explode into action if things got worse.

I casually got up and stretched and said I’m going to start packing. We got everything packed up with no issues but did hear a couple more whispers. It was extremely hard to act like we didn’t hear them but I was sure if we did, things would go down hill and fast. I distinctly heard “those f*ckers” and “fast”.

Once we got our packs on I sent him another text telling him to get his eyes adjusted to the dark. I quickly dumped my water on the fire and we made our move out of there. We rapidly hiked for the first mile in dark silence and didn’t hear anything behind us.

After a another mile or so we made it to the truck. There wasn’t another vehicle in sight anywhere. Nothing happened thankfully but I don’t trust people and who knows what their plan was. Were they hoping to catch us sleeping?

I kinda thought it may have been a group of poachers and were going to call their ride once they got something.

Called the sheriff in the morning and they said that they weren’t even going to check it out due to low staffing and the remote area.

Super creepy man. Like others have said, people are the weirdest

 

[def90]

Probably going to get some “Not possibles” from this one but I don’t care.

There were three of us camped in some deer beds just off the saddle of a mountain in the Oregon Cascades. It was a clear and cold night in late May. I had a vivid dream that something grabbed me from outside my tent and started dragging me down hill. I woke up, almost yelling and trying to wrap my head around what happened. Realizing it was just a dream, I looked at my phone to get the time. I then noticed that there was a light moving above our camp. Thinking it was my cousin, I went back to sleep.

The next day we were hiking and shooting the shit when my cousin says “ Dude, I didn’t sleep for shit last night. I kept having dreams that I was getting dragged down the mountain”. I just said that was weird. Our other cousin was up the hill aways behind us, using the facilities. When he came down to us I asked him if he had any dreams that night. “Actually yeah, I had a dream that something was dragging you guys down the hill”. I then told them about my dream and asked who got up to use the restroom last night. Nobody had left their tent or used their headlamp.

We’ve stayed in that area multiple times and have also heard a metallic humming sound at night occasionally that almost sounds like it’s everywhere but not really in any specific direction.

Anyone else hear anything like that?

I had something similar to that happen when I was working in Steamboat one time. Was staying in a condo on the ski hill with another worker and in the middle of the night was in a lucid dream state when all of a sudden I felt like I was being violently pulled out of bed. I woke up and was sitting there wide awake and was like what the **** was that? Then I heard the room mate was up wandering around out in the kitchen/living room saying the same thing.. Turns out there was an earthquake. Was a pretty crazy feeling while in the middle of a dream.

 

[scratchypants]

I was canoe camping in Algonquin Park with my teenaged nephew. Sunny afternoon on Sylvia Lake - no other campsites and a dead-end as far as tripping routes go. We decided to take a leisurely paddle. He spots a red-tailed hawk perched in a black spruce near the shore, so he does the teenage thing and yells "Hey!" at it. One steamboat, two steamboat, and we hear "Hey!" Weird - no formations that I can see that would produce an echo. I said "do it again". "Hey!"....."Hey!" Same result. The canoe is still moving and he tries a 3rd time. No echo. Then, about 4 seconds later "Hey-EY-ey". He looks back at me as if I am to explain what's happening, but I'm at a loss. There's nothing in the direction from where the "echoes" are coming. I'm weirded out thinking that there's some looney out there that's been stalking us. Then, three ravens fly out of the bush and right over our heads. I knew they could imitate sounds, but this was an uncanny likeness.

 

[49ereric]

I was canoe camping in Algonquin Park with my teenaged nephew. Sunny afternoon on Sylvia Lake - no other campsites and a dead-end as far as tripping routes go. We decided to take a leisurely paddle. He spots a red-tailed hawk perched in a black spruce near the shore, so he does the teenage thing and yells "Hey!" at it. One steamboat, two steamboat, and we hear "Hey!" Weird - no formations that I can see that would produce an echo. I said "do it again". "Hey!"....."Hey!" Same result. The canoe is still moving and he tries a 3rd time. No echo. Then, about 4 seconds later "Hey-EY-ey". He looks back at me as if I am to explain what's happening, but I'm at a loss. There's nothing in the direction from where the "echoes" are coming. I'm weirded out thinking that there's some looney out there that's been stalking us. Then, three ravens fly out of the bush and right over our heads. I knew they could imitate sounds, but this was an uncanny likeness.

NDN shape shifter

 

[505Wapiti]

NDN shape shifter

Please explain

 

[49ereric]

Indian shape shifter N-D-N

 

[TX_Diver]

I once thought I saw a UFO. Middle of the night in the mountains and a set of lights in a straight line comes silently running across the sky and disappears right in front of me. No clouds in the sky. Thought town might be obliterated when I got back to civilization.

Turns out it was Elon Musk's satellites. Kinda disappointing actually. A UFO would've been cooler.

I saw that 2x this year. First time I was alone in a new spot and it definitely was a bit eerie!

 

[kodyshriver]

About a decade ago, I went looking for deer sheds in a new place here in NE Oregon. I had a pretty good day and picked up a few buck horns. As a chronic sufferer from next-ridge-itis, I was still a few miles from my truck as it was getting dark. I had stupidly left my headlight in the truck, so I knew it was going to be a long evening fumbling in the snow and deadfall timber.

Right at dark, I heard a wolf howl in the bottom of the canyon maybe 3/4 mile directly downhill (big country). I thought to myself “well that’s pretty cool,” then heard another respond a few hundred yards closer. I was really enjoying the experience until another responded ~100yd behind me in the pitch black timber with a much deeper, gut-wrenching howl.

After a moment of silence, the surrounding area ignited with howls in every which direction. No longer really enjoying the experience, I unstrapped a 4pt shed to protect myself, and began the trek towards my truck—which was right in line with the source of the deep, commanding howl.

So off I go, in the pitch black timber, in a remote area I had never been before, with nothing but a 60” shed to protect myself. Meanwhile the wolves were communicating back and forth, until the alpha would howl and shut them up momentarily with the eeriest howl you can imagine. This continues as I make my way through the woods, however every time the alpha would howl it was still ~100yd behind me. After this happens a few times, I get a solid idea of what is taking place—it’s following me. All I can do is keep hiking.

After a while, I make it back to a trail, and scoot pretty quickly back to my truck. Upon reviewing google Earth later that night and identifying landmarks, I determined that the wolf stayed right behind me for ~2.5 miles as I fumbled my way in a V-shaped line back to my truck. The next day and subsequent weekends, I went back (properly armed) and counted at least 10 wolves in that pack, and was able to identify the alpha based on his howl—a big old gray colored one.

I’ve had cats creep up on me at night, had my share of supernatural experiences (none backcountry related, thankfully), but nothing will make a guy feel more vulnerable than walking through the pitch black woods, without a headlight, without a side-arm, not really knowing where he’s going (pre OnX or GPS for me), and being followed by the alpha wolf. Needless to say, I now always carry a headlight, batteries, and some form of protection on me at all times.