Creepy experiences in the backcountry

[WBrim]

I love/hate this thread!

 

[Pdzoller]

I’ll share again I guess.
My cousin and I were on our second elk hunt. It was rifle season in the Oregon Cascades. We had been hunting hard and we’re pretty much exhausted from hiking and trying to locate elk. We decided that we would hit up a small valley that everyone else was avoiding due to terrain and vegetation. (Beginning of our backpack hunting)

We left camp at 3am and set out to a point that overlooked a corner of an old burn that had a small river flowing through the bottom. After a couple hours of fighting with rhododendrons we came out to the burn and shortly after we got to our destination.

About noon we were deciding that no animals existed in the area and were about to leave when I just happened to glance over at a patch of blowdown and saw a nice 5x5 stand up. I blurted out BULL! Thankfully he was far enough away that I didn’t spook him. After a while of trying to decide what to do, we got close enough (or so I thought) for a reasonable shot.
I missed twice. After a few minutes of looking around he trotted down to a meadow that was significantly deeper into the burn and valley.

We decided to get closer and try again. We made it to a little hill that looked over the meadow but were running out of light and the wind was all wrong. By this point the bull and his small herd had bedded down just off to the side of the meadow.

We were around four to five miles from the camp and had some really gnarly terrain to get through. I figured we probably wouldn’t get another chance at the bull if we left and thought the herd might stay and come back out to feed in the morning.

We went to the back side of the little hill and made a half ass shelter with rocks and sticks. I made a small fire and we went to sleep. I awoke in the middle of the night to my phone vibrating. It was a message from my wife on my garmin. She said that she hoped we were able to make it back to the truck because the weather forecast called for three feet of snow in the higher elevations of the Cascades.

I was thinking about how crappy the situation had become when I started hearing strange sounds coming from the bottom of the hill, down by the water. It sounded like a mix of laughter and crying with some noises almost sounding metallic. Think rusty gate hinges. I woke my cousin up and he was just as disturbed by it as I was. We stayed silent and just listened. It was down right creepy and lasted until around 4am. Needless to say we didn’t sleep.

We did see the elk again but didn’t take a shot because of the upcoming storm. Never figured out what the noise was either.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Rusty gate hinge noise sounds like that one squeaky tree moving in the wind

 

[505Wapiti]

I love/hate this thread!

Same! Love it when there are new stories. Hate it when I check in a lot and there is nothing new

 

[Pdzoller]

Rusty gate hinge noise sounds like that one squeaky tree moving in the wind

I tried recording it with my phone but it didn’t pick up the sounds. Obviously there is a reasonable explanation but it’s sure hard not to let your mind wander while sitting and listening in the deep dark of wilderness. It’s one of the things that makes me keep going back. You never know what thrills await.

 

[long hunter]

Spend enough time in the boonies and sooner or later you will come across something that gives you a bit of the willies, The only thing you need to remember is there's nothing more deadly than another human, except BEARS NOW A Bear WILL KILL YOU.

 

[Danomite]

I don't know whether to chalk this one up to creepy or to a lack of glassing skills or something else. About 10-12 years ago my dad and I were hunting elk in northern New Mexico. We were still hunting very overgrown old logging trails in the middle of the day. I glassed a blue daypack (like a Jansport or something) through a small window in the trees and brush, about 100 yards away. It was laying on a fallen tree. You could only see it from the spot I happened to be standing, so I laid two sticks on the spot in an X and laid a branch pointing in the direction of the pack. My dad stood there to confirm I wasn't seeing things. He confirmed. We decided he would walk over to check it out while I would stay put to walk him in if necessary. He had to go around a lot of deadfall and thick brush to get there, and I ended up moving off the X to direct him with hand signals. When he got to the fallen tree, there was no pack. After signalling him in, I went back to the X and I could see my dad at the correct fallen tree, but couldn't see the pack any more. When he returned and stood on the X, he couldn't see it either. Could have been a weird combination of shadows, the shape of the tree, lack of glassing skills, ineptitude, etc., but we were both certain it was a backpack, and that it wasn't there anymore.

 

[splatek]

I was backcountry fishing for socks and happened upon a booby-trapped grow operation with a freshly smothered fire. Maybe they thought I was mr green jeans. Either way I was outta there. But not before catching a tiny southern app Brook trout


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2ski]

Dunno if I posted or not.

At this point does it matter? Lol

I mean we're on page 73. If people reposted stuff I wouldn't remember. I was here for the beginning of this thread.

 

[GotDraw?]

I think it was the summer of 1999. Rode horses back into the wilderness on the NE corner of Yellowstone Ntl Park to fish Crandall Creek (sunlight basin area) with my dad’s buddy that lived in Cody. It was bad enough I was scared to death of grizzlies in the area and lying wide awake next to the camp fire, but then next thing while gazing up at the stars, we spotted them.

Saw a couple shooting stars going straight across horizon. Occasional satellite moving too. But then we spotted I think 2 or 3 objects beyond the atmosphere traveling back and forth repeatedly and changing directions. It appeared like their route was like a box. They weren’t doing circles but were outlining a box with sharp corners when they traveled. All 2 or 3 of them did this for a few minutes.

And this wasn’t over a vast area of space. When looking up from the ground they only appeared to be moving within a few feet of where they originally were. You didn’t need to move your eyes much at all to watch the movement is what I’m saying. But you could tell it wasn’t airplanes because of how faint they were. They didn’t have blinking lights. They looked exactly like a star with faint light but they were moving. They blended in with the either stars except that they were moving. This went on for a few minutes and then they just either stopped moving or disappeared (can’t rem). But they definitely didn’t jet off across the horizon.

Every time my dad and I go hunting or fishing out west, he brings that up when we are star gazing at night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

High odds, Satellites with solar panels extended and reflecting.
In this situation, 4 different orbits of satellites. Each orbit's satellites reflecting the sun only within a specific few degrees so you could see it, but every orbit's satellite's solar panels tracking the same sun angle.

One orbit laying out the top of the box, another the bottom, two others make the sides. All of them only reflecting the sun angle just so it was visible where you were.

JL

 

[2531usmc]

Spend enough time in the boonies and sooner or later you will come across something that gives you a bit of the willies, The only thing you need to remember is there's nothing more deadly than another human, except BEARS NOW A Bear WILL KILL YOU.

True, but keep in mind that the most dangerous animal in the woods are ticks. At least on the east coast.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

True, but keep in mind that the most dangerous animal in the woods are ticks. At least on the east coast.

I always thought it was, Man

 

[Ditt44]

Not back country but definitely 'backward country'. I grew up in southwestern PA, Greene County, a few air miles from the WV border so, at least we weren't "in" WV.

Early November 1984. One Saturday my friend calls me and says "get over here, I found a ton of grouse!". My mom drops me off and we start hunting his neighbor's property, with permission. We flushed nearly 20 grouse in an hour. Shot one each. Most of these were bumping some of the same birds, I'm sure but they were everywhere. I did not hunt with my dog that day as mom wouldn't allow her in the car.

One week later my uncle and his friend come out, as they always do, to hunt our property. I convince them to go over to the place from last week. I call, get permission, and off we go. We pile out of the truck with my English Setter and my uncle's Brittany. This is old growth woods, mostly oak and other mixed hardwoods, mature trees with grape vine tangles all over the place, old dead falls etc. We are pushing out the north side of a long spur ridge than runs about a 3/4 of a mile in length. The plan is to get to an old gas well out on the point of the ridge and loop around the south side back to the truck.

We pushed probably half of the way out the ridge, flushed a couple birds and had a few tough shots. Suddenly there is a rile shot, clearly fired in our direction. We continue forward not really thinking much of it until a second shot and then the impact of a bullet on a tree, between my uncle and I. My uncle yells out and another shot follows, another tree hit, bark flying. We can't see anything. We all yell again. Another shot and a bullet goes whizzing over my head.

At that, we call in the dogs and back out and up to the top of the ridge. Pretty pissed but realizing a couple 12 gauges loaded with 6-shot are not going to match up to a rifle very well. We get over the ridge and start down the other slope and back toward the truck. There is a rough service road that goes out along the top of the ridge to the well head. We were a good 75 yards down the south slope and moving when we hear a vehicle. Off come the orange vests and hats and called back the dogs quickly, leashed them and I for one was all but laying on my girl as she was 90% white. I was behind a huge old oak but it felt awful small when the black van stopped directly above us. Out comes a guy with a rifle in his hands... he walks over and stands there, looking down the hillside in our direction. Probably 75 yards away. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly walks to the rear of the van looking our way and then gets in and slowly drives away.

We waited awhile then slowly worked our way back to the truck with vests and hats tucked inside our jackets, dogs leashed. We got out of there OK and back to the house. I called the local state game officer as he lived only two miles away and was good friends with our family. He forwarded the information to the state police. They never found the van. That was a very terrifying experience realizing that you could do nothing if confronted, never saw the shooter until he got out of the van and even at that distance, we were powerless.

Since that day I never leave the house with just bird shot. I take five slugs with me any time I go out with "just" a shotgun.

 

[Pdzoller]

Here’s another one.
Not my story but one that I heard from my parents.

This was back in early 80’s. It was bow season in the coast range of Oregon. My Dad decided that he wanted to take my mom bow hunting, and out for a cool experience in the woods. It was evening and he decided to park his car up on a landing and watch the sunset and stars with my mom.

They were asleep in the back of the wagon and were woke suddenly by a guy screaming and revving his old k5, while his bright lights were directed at my dad’s car.

The guy was screaming at my old man to “GET THE F*** OUT HERE, YOU PICKED THE WRONG ROAD TO BE ON! IM GOING TO BLOW YOUR F***ING HEAD OFF!”

My dad whispered to my mom to stay covered up and not to make any noise or movements. My old man had been in special forces and had also been an MP. He didn’t however have anything except his bow.

The stranger wasn’t having any of it! “I TOLD YOU TO GET THE F*** OUT HERE AND I MEAN IT! NOW!”

My dad yelled out the window “Alright man, I’m getting out!” He slowly got out of the car while keeping the car between them. My mom said she could hear the guy work the bolt on his rifle and just knew my dad was dead.

I don’t know exactly what was said, but my mom said she heard my dad start talking to the guy, calm as could be. She said she heard the guy and said he sounded like he was drunk or on drugs.

Eventually my dad was able to talk the guy down and he eventually left.

After they watched the guy drive up to the next landing and sit there, my dad got in his car and told my mom to just stay put in the back and und the blanket while he drove out of there.

My mom said that as soon as they took off they saw the guy start speeding their way! It turned into a car chase on a logging road with a long track to get back to the main road. She said it took forever for my dad to lose him but eventually they did. Said she has never been more scared of anything in her life.

 

[Loo.wii]

when I’m out the weirdest thing happens. The animal I’m hunting becomes temporarily extinct and seem to be replaced by all the animals I don’t have tags for. I’m confident this is a paranormal occurrence and team America should be called in to investigate.

 

[mike.adams.467]

Not back country but definitely 'backward country'. I grew up in southwestern PA, Greene County, a few air miles from the WV border so, at least we weren't "in" WV.

Early November 1984. One Saturday my friend calls me and says "get over here, I found a ton of grouse!". My mom drops me off and we start hunting his neighbor's property, with permission. We flushed nearly 20 grouse in an hour. Shot one each. Most of these were bumping some of the same birds, I'm sure but they were everywhere. I did not hunt with my dog that day as mom wouldn't allow her in the car.

One week later my uncle and his friend come out, as they always do, to hunt our property. I convince them to go over to the place from last week. I call, get permission, and off we go. We pile out of the truck with my English Setter and my uncle's Brittany. This is old growth woods, mostly oak and other mixed hardwoods, mature trees with grape vine tangles all over the place, old dead falls etc. We are pushing out the north side of a long spur ridge than runs about a 3/4 of a mile in length. The plan is to get to an old gas well out on the point of the ridge and loop around the south side back to the truck.

We pushed probably half of the way out the ridge, flushed a couple birds and had a few tough shots. Suddenly there is a rile shot, clearly fired in our direction. We continue forward not really thinking much of it until a second shot and then the impact of a bullet on a tree, between my uncle and I. My uncle yells out and another shot follows, another tree hit, bark flying. We can't see anything. We all yell again. Another shot and a bullet goes whizzing over my head.

At that, we call in the dogs and back out and up to the top of the ridge. Pretty pissed but realizing a couple 12 gauges loaded with 6-shot are not going to match up to a rifle very well. We get over the ridge and start down the other slope and back toward the truck. There is a rough service road that goes out along the top of the ridge to the well head. We were a good 75 yards down the south slope and moving when we hear a vehicle. Off come the orange vests and hats and called back the dogs quickly, leashed them and I for one was all but laying on my girl as she was 90% white. I was behind a huge old oak but it felt awful small when the black van stopped directly above us. Out comes a guy with a rifle in his hands... he walks over and stands there, looking down the hillside in our direction. Probably 75 yards away. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly walks to the rear of the van looking our way and then gets in and slowly drives away.

We waited awhile then slowly worked our way back to the truck with vests and hats tucked inside our jackets, dogs leashed. We got out of there OK and back to the house. I called the local state game officer as he lived only two miles away and was good friends with our family. He forwarded the information to the state police. They never found the van. That was a very terrifying experience realizing that you could do nothing if confronted, never saw the shooter until he got out of the van and even at that distance, we were powerless.

Since that day I never leave the house with just bird shot. I take five slugs with me any time I go out with "just" a shotgun.

Making fun of WV yet you get shot at in PA?

 

[Turkeytider]

I’ll share again I guess.
My cousin and I were on our second elk hunt. It was rifle season in the Oregon Cascades. We had been hunting hard and we’re pretty much exhausted from hiking and trying to locate elk. We decided that we would hit up a small valley that everyone else was avoiding due to terrain and vegetation. (Beginning of our backpack hunting)

We left camp at 3am and set out to a point that overlooked a corner of an old burn that had a small river flowing through the bottom. After a couple hours of fighting with rhododendrons we came out to the burn and shortly after we got to our destination.

About noon we were deciding that no animals existed in the area and were about to leave when I just happened to glance over at a patch of blowdown and saw a nice 5x5 stand up. I blurted out BULL! Thankfully he was far enough away that I didn’t spook him. After a while of trying to decide what to do, we got close enough (or so I thought) for a reasonable shot.
I missed twice. After a few minutes of looking around he trotted down to a meadow that was significantly deeper into the burn and valley.

We decided to get closer and try again. We made it to a little hill that looked over the meadow but were running out of light and the wind was all wrong. By this point the bull and his small herd had bedded down just off to the side of the meadow.

We were around four to five miles from the camp and had some really gnarly terrain to get through. I figured we probably wouldn’t get another chance at the bull if we left and thought the herd might stay and come back out to feed in the morning.

We went to the back side of the little hill and made a half ass shelter with rocks and sticks. I made a small fire and we went to sleep. I awoke in the middle of the night to my phone vibrating. It was a message from my wife on my garmin. She said that she hoped we were able to make it back to the truck because the weather forecast called for three feet of snow in the higher elevations of the Cascades.

I was thinking about how crappy the situation had become when I started hearing strange sounds coming from the bottom of the hill, down by the water. It sounded like a mix of laughter and crying with some noises almost sounding metallic. Think rusty gate hinges. I woke my cousin up and he was just as disturbed by it as I was. We stayed silent and just listened. It was down right creepy and lasted until around 4am. Needless to say we didn’t sleep.

We did see the elk again but didn’t take a shot because of the upcoming storm. Never figured out what the noise was either.

Did you both chamber a round? No way on God`s green earth that I wouldn`t have!

 

[Ditt44]

Making fun of WV yet you get shot at in PA?

Absolutely. The only thing that is different between Greene County and anything WV is the ZIP Code.

 

[ewade07]

Here’s another one.
Not my story but one that I heard from my parents.

This was back in early 80’s. It was bow season in the coast range of Oregon. My Dad decided that he wanted to take my mom bow hunting, and out for a cool experience in the woods. It was evening and he decided to park his car up on a landing and watch the sunset and stars with my mom.

They were asleep in the back of the wagon and were woke suddenly by a guy screaming and revving his old k5, while his bright lights were directed at my dad’s car.

The guy was screaming at my old man to “GET THE F*** OUT HERE, YOU PICKED THE WRONG ROAD TO BE ON! IM GOING TO BLOW YOUR F***ING HEAD OFF!”

My dad whispered to my mom to stay covered up and not to make any noise or movements. My old man had been in special forces and had also been an MP. He didn’t however have anything except his bow.

The stranger wasn’t having any of it! “I TOLD YOU TO GET THE F*** OUT HERE AND I MEAN IT! NOW!”

My dad yelled out the window “Alright man, I’m getting out!” He slowly got out of the car while keeping the car between them. My mom said she could hear the guy work the bolt on his rifle and just knew my dad was dead.

I don’t know exactly what was said, but my mom said she heard my dad start talking to the guy, calm as could be. She said she heard the guy and said he sounded like he was drunk or on drugs.

Eventually my dad was able to talk the guy down and he eventually left.

After they watched the guy drive up to the next landing and sit there, my dad got in his car and told my mom to just stay put in the back and und the blanket while he drove out of there.

My mom said that as soon as they took off they saw the guy start speeding their way! It turned into a car chase on a logging road with a long track to get back to the main road. She said it took forever for my dad to lose him but eventually they did. Said she has never been more scared of anything in her life.

Is your dad Jack Reacher?

 

[eddielasvegas]

Is your dad Jack Reacher?

Yes, but the TC JR cuz the guy was not killed.

If it was the AR JR, the guy would have been dead after the first aggressive move.


Eddie