Creepy experiences in the backcountry

Ok I have two stories:

June 2011. Camping with my girlfriend's in the yolla bolla wilderness in Mendocino national Forest. We backpacked to a nice little beach along the creek. I drank quite a bit of rum, she did not. After dark, we saw a bright, insanely bright-way to bright to be an airplane- flash in the sky. About the size of a quarter held at arms length. It would flash, disappear, reappear somewhere else (within like a 30°cone, not from horizon to horizon or anything). Did this several times. I don't remember how long this "display" lasted, but it was long enough for us both to question it, decide it just be a UFO, and remark that it's so cool that we're seeing a UFO. At the end, it got even brighter, and it seemed to [leave into orbit]. Not sure how to explain the last part. It was summer solstice and a full moon.

Second, a few years later I was working for a ranch, cutting down trees all day and then camping on their back 40 next to the creek. My dog was with me as usual.

Middle of the night I hear what sounded like whimpering. Unlike any sound I had heard before. It gave me chills for no logical reason. I was going to lay there until I noticed my dog was on alert and about to go on a barking rampage.

I touched her neck to get her to calm down down. I was curious so I turned on my headlamp and shined it outside the tent and behind me, about 20 yards away, were 2 reflecting eyes starting right at me, same direction but way closer than the sounds had come from. I barked or yelled, it didn't move and I couldn't see a body.

I didn't know what else to do so I closed the tent and said "who is it?!" And let the dog go nuts. I felt calm after that.

Talked to a guy later that said some predators learn to mimic a hurt animal to attract smaller predators and scavengers. I assume it was a mountain lion based on the height of the eyes. Pretty tense couple minutes.
 
2ski said:
No. The manscaping thread is thr GOAT. But you have to be an OG to remember that one.
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I remember that thread well. It provided some good entertainment. However, this thread is the real GOAT IMO. Some crazy and fascinating stuff in this thread. Not as fun and frivolous as the man scaping thread, but many great reads included here.
 
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I knew a guy that went missing in Colorado a few years ago. Has never been found. Some strange coincidences involved like two different tracking dogs followed "his trail" to the same spot which was a FG forest road and it dead ended there.
 
khart_6882 said:
Awesome story and sounds like an awesome adventure! Did you by chance tell any of the other locals that you came across about this to see if they had any ideas?


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Yes, I asked few local contacts about it but got different responses. Several told me that it would be normal for a local cowboy or shepherd to go to an isolated vehicle if they thought people were stranded. But they would do it on horseback and call out. Approaching on foot, in the darkness, and not calling out would indicate less than noble intentions, such as trying to steal stuff from the car.

Others told me stories that some people still believe in about wild men that live in the mountains of the southern Kyrgyzstan. Mongolia and Tajikistan have similar legends. Some of the stories describe a yeti-like creature, but some of the local beliefs are that the wild men of the South are actual humans but speak a different language and only hunt for food. There are records of Soviet soldiers or Kyrgyz hunters capturing a wild man or woman that spoke no languages known in the area and their clothing made from furs was of a different design than the local hunters use. Others thought it was some type of hominid. And others a demon that lives in certain canyons.
 
2ski said:
I just looked up the area and it sounds like a cool place. Peaks at 14k and lakes that are over 2k ft deep. Is it a safe place for someone to visit?
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Kyrgyzstan is very safe to visit from a crime/terrorism standpoint. I have spent most of my overseas assignments in Latin America, Africa, and Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan is by far the safest place I have been assigned. The people in general are very friendly and helpful, especially in the rural areas.

The highest mountains are over 24,000 feet with dozens of peaks in the 16-23 thousand range. It is an incredible place to explore, with lots of virgin peaks according to the Kyrgyz and Russian alpine clubs (most rural Kyrgyz won't go anywhere they can't ride a horse). But medical care is pretty limited even in the cities and non-existent outside of the major cities. Once you are in the back country you are on your own. There is very little SAR capability outside of some private climbing guides who require payment before starting a search, so travelers outside of the tourist areas near Bishkek or Karakol need to either be with a hunting/hiking guide or be very experienced in vehicle recovery, wilderness travel, etc.
 
Lionhound1975 said:
Yes, I asked few local contacts about it but got different responses. Several told me that it would be normal for a local cowboy or shepherd to go to an isolated vehicle if they thought people were stranded. But they would do it on horseback and call out. Approaching on foot, in the darkness, and not calling out would indicate less than noble intentions, such as trying to steal stuff from the car.

Others told me stories that some people still believe in about wild men that live in the mountains of the southern Kyrgyzstan. Mongolia and Tajikistan have similar legends. Some of the stories describe a yeti-like creature, but some of the local beliefs are that the wild men of the South are actual humans but speak a different language and only hunt for food. There are records of Soviet soldiers or Kyrgyz hunters capturing a wild man or woman that spoke no languages known in the area and their clothing made from furs was of a different design than the local hunters use. Others thought it was some type of hominid. And others a demon that lives in certain canyons.
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Interesting stuff…it’s always cool to learn about local folklore from different cultures.

The wild men bit reminds me of the movie “Last of the Dogmen”, if you’ve ever seen it.


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I’m not one to speak of my experiences in life, but after reading all of your post, I feel like this is a good place to share. Additionally, there was en earlier post where someone mentioned seeing a dark figure around a camp fire, which brought back some of my experiences from years ago.

The stories are not about the backcountry, so I’d understand if my post is deleted.

I was in Baghdad during OIF when there were reports of death squads executing and burying people in a local cemetery. It was our job to setup an overwatch of the cemetery, and possibly engage or detain the reported death squads. I was laid up in an overwatch position which overlooked the cemetery. It was around 3:00 in the morning when I noticed a dark figure illuminated by a light from a nearby post. The figure was walking from west to east, and appeared to be wearing all black clothes with a hood over its head. I was concealed so I couldn’t be seen, but when I tried looking at its face, there was nothing but darkness. Like a black hole, no Indication that a mask was worn, and no facial expression. Wasn’t sure what to make of it.

2nd Experience: I was driving through Alaska miles from nowhere. It was dark out, and snowing pretty hard as I’m driving down some winding roads. At this point of my drive, I haven’t seen anyone or any town for a couple of hundred miles. Out of nowhere a dark figure similar to what I saw in that cemetery appeared in my headlights. I immediately stopped which made it about 50 feet in front of me walking in my direction. Same as before, the figure was wearing all black with a hood over its head however, there was no face, just darkness. I waited until the figure was less than a few feet from the truck in an attempt to see its face, though I still couldn’t make out any facial expressions. As the figure walked along the right side of my truck I rolled down my window and asked if everything was alright. The figure just kept walking. I then carried on with my drive when a pack of wolves cut across the road less than a mile later. It was my first time seeing wolves, and got pretty excited. Ended up watching them running around for a few before driving off.
 
172 said:
I’m not one to speak of my experiences in life, but after reading all of your post, I feel like this is a good place to share. Additionally, there was en earlier post where someone mentioned seeing a dark figure around a camp fire, which brought back some of my experiences from years ago.

The stories are not about the backcountry, so I’d understand if my post is deleted.

I was in Baghdad during OIF when there were reports of death squads executing and burying people in a local cemetery. It was our job to setup an overwatch of the cemetery, and possibly engage or detain the reported death squads. I was laid up in an overwatch position which overlooked the cemetery. It was around 3:00 in the morning when I noticed a dark figure illuminated by a light from a nearby post. The figure was walking from west to east, and appeared to be wearing all black clothes with a hood over its head. I was concealed so I couldn’t be seen, but when I tried looking at its face, there was nothing but darkness. Like a black hole, no Indication that a mask was worn, and no facial expression. Wasn’t sure what to make of it.

2nd Experience: I was driving through Alaska miles from nowhere. It was dark out, and snowing pretty hard as I’m driving down some winding roads. At this point of my drive, I haven’t seen anyone or any town for a couple of hundred miles. Out of nowhere a dark figure similar to what I saw in that cemetery appeared in my headlights. I immediately stopped which made it about 50 feet in front of me walking in my direction. Same as before, the figure was wearing all black with a hood over its head however, there was no face, just darkness. I waited until the figure was less than a few feet from the truck in an attempt to see its face, though I still couldn’t make out any facial expressions. As the figure walked along the right side of my truck I rolled down my window and asked if everything was alright. The figure just kept walking. I then carried on with my drive when a pack of wolves cut across the road less than a mile later. It was my first time seeing wolves, and got pretty excited. Ended up watching them running around for a few before driving off.
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Man sees Death twice lol
 
After spending a week in South Central CO, I do have an add to this wonderful thread. A little creepy, but very odd....

Day 2, around 12,000 feet. Worked a Bull with a timid Bugle around 7am to no avail. Only confirmed Bull I hear bugle in 7 days. But that's a different discussion.

It's around 8am, chilly and sunny. I sit down in front of a Spruce tree to make coffee. Get everything out and start heating water. I'm sitting on top of a sloped meadow looking down over about 1/4 mile of grass, random trees, and about 200' elevation sloping drop. All of the sudden I spot the back 2/3 of a horse about 200 yards away. I pull up the glasses and see someone sitting on the horse and they appear to be holding something in their arms. It's a bundle in baby blue. I can't help but think it looks like a baby. Then the guy leading the horse clears the tree. So after full inspection: There is a guy in camo with orange beanie, carrying a Recurve, leading a horse with a woman (camo jacket and windpants), carrying what is now confirmed as a baby (I can hear it crying off and on now).

They dip in to a shallow creek drainage and trees (I hear him cow call before going in) and then pop out on a path that will take them right in front of me at no more than 25 yards. I'm not hiding, just sitting there against a tree making coffee. So I prepare for the oncoming awkward wave and obligatory "seen anything?" But they never look up at me. He's head down leading the horse, she's looking straight ahead. Baby crying off and on bundled in the baby blue blanket. They go by me and stop about 50 yards to my right, a couple trees between me and them. They tie the horse to a tree, get down and I assume the woman starts feeding the baby. It was crying and then all silent. The horse sees me and alerts some, I guess they don't notice. I finish my coffee, round up my stuff, and head off in the other direction.


Oddest part. Head down not looking around made me think they were headed out after a couple days camping. It was opening day of muzzy after all. The mountain I'm on can be accessed by ATV/UTV. It's over an hour ride with 2500'+ of rough elevation gain from the nearest road that could manage a horse trailer. They were traveling toward that upper ATV trail when I saw them. They had a bedroll on the horse and he was carrying a modest size pack on frame. Doesn't look like it could be more than a few days supplies at best.

Final Thought: Kid can't help to grow up with hunting in the blood. Likely less than a year old riding around in the Elk Woods with mama on a horse while his dad is chasing Elk with a Recurve.
 
OkiechasingElk said:
After spending a week in South Central CO, I do have an add to this wonderful thread. A little creepy, but very odd....

Day 2, around 12,000 feet. Worked a Bull with a timid Bugle around 7am to no avail. Only confirmed Bull I hear bugle in 7 days. But that's a different discussion.

It's around 8am, chilly and sunny. I sit down in front of a Spruce tree to make coffee. Get everything out and start heating water. I'm sitting on top of a sloped meadow looking down over about 1/4 mile of grass, random trees, and about 200' elevation sloping drop. All of the sudden I spot the back 2/3 of a horse about 200 yards away. I pull up the glasses and see someone sitting on the horse and they appear to be holding something in their arms. It's a bundle in baby blue. I can't help but think it looks like a baby. Then the guy leading the horse clears the tree. So after full inspection: There is a guy in camo with orange beanie, carrying a Recurve, leading a horse with a woman (camo jacket and windpants), carrying what is now confirmed as a baby (I can hear it crying off and on now).

They dip in to a shallow creek drainage and trees (I hear him cow call before going in) and then pop out on a path that will take them right in front of me at no more than 25 yards. I'm not hiding, just sitting there against a tree making coffee. So I prepare for the oncoming awkward wave and obligatory "seen anything?" But they never look up at me. He's head down leading the horse, she's looking straight ahead. Baby crying off and on bundled in the baby blue blanket. They go by me and stop about 50 yards to my right, a couple trees between me and them. They tie the horse to a tree, get down and I assume the woman starts feeding the baby. It was crying and then all silent. The horse sees me and alerts some, I guess they don't notice. I finish my coffee, round up my stuff, and head off in the other direction.


Oddest part. Head down not looking around made me think they were headed out after a couple days camping. It was opening day of muzzy after all. The mountain I'm on can be accessed by ATV/UTV. It's over an hour ride with 2500'+ of rough elevation gain from the nearest road that could manage a horse trailer. They were traveling toward that upper ATV trail when I saw them. They had a bedroll on the horse and he was carrying a modest size pack on frame. Doesn't look like it could be more than a few days supplies at best.

Final Thought: Kid can't help to grow up with hunting in the blood. Likely less than a year old riding around in the Elk Woods with mama on a horse while his dad is chasing Elk with a Recurve.
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You probably saw Remi and his wife lol
 
Mtns2hunt said:
This type of thread is going to be very popular. Normally I find the responses from non hunters or "city" folk that have little outdoor experience the most interesting and hilarious.
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This thread has only been going for 4 years. I come back to it quite often to read new stories.

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def90 said:
Wasn't rocks, was beavers. I went through the same thing while floating Ruby/Horsethief Canyons on the Colorado. Camped on the opposite bank from a high cliff. Big splashes as soon as it got dark out as if someone was throwing rocks off the cliff and went most of the night. Everyone in camp was like wtf? The next morning when we shoved off we heard the same splash but this time we saw the beaver that made it.
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Total different sounds so if he says it wasn’t beaver it wasn’t beaver.
since he grew up like lot of us hearing beaver tail slaps vs a kerplunk of a rock.
 
49ereric said:
Total different sounds so if he says it wasn’t beaver it wasn’t beaver.
since he grew up like lot of us hearing beaver tail slaps vs a kerplunk of a rock.
Click to expand...

OK, I guess that the sounds of large rocks making a large rock kerplunk sound all night long until we actually saw a beaver do it the next day were imaginery.
 
The Cemetery Bow Hunt
Damn I love this thread. Here goes one from back in the late 80’s when I had just started bow hunting…let me set the stage for y’all. I’m 16 years old and armed with a High Country Safari with 2117’s and Muzzy 125’s. I drive out to our Jefferson Co., GA hunting lease for an afternoon bow hunt.

It was early October and the leaves were just starting to fall. The best bow spot on the club was an oak head right beside an old Civil War cemetery. Gen. Sherman burned the town of Louisville about 5 miles up the road on his “March to the Sea” and folks always said there were a few dead soldiers buried in there. The place always freaked me out (ghosts are bad but Yankee ghosts are some next level shit!) but my Dad had jumped a huge buck in there when he was bushhogging earlier in the year.

I’m feeling brave that afternoon so I grab my Summit climber and hit the woods. How the hell I didn’t die in that thing is a mystery. Of course it makes perfect sense to climb 20’ up a tree with no safety belt and then step over and erect a tiny seat while balancing on a platform that’s 16”x22” wide…but I digress. That’s how we rolled in the 1980’s.

I was hunting over some white oaks and remember the hunt being very nondescript and rather slow. When I climbed down the fun really started. I take the climber off the tree and drop one of the damn wing nuts (if you know you know!). Dammit…after 10 mins of searching in the dark in oak leaves I find it and head out. It’s a moonless night and dark as Satan’s asshole. I start the long walk toward the truck.

As I walk I hear something walking directly behind me in perfect step..I take 2 steps and it takes 2. I try to ignore it but am convinced Sherman’s boys are coming to get a Rebel they left behind. Shit I wish I was old enough to own a pistol! I’m panicked as hell. I stop and the noise stops. I spin around and shine my Mini Mag light…nothing!

I take another step and it takes one. I decide to take off running and it runs right with me step for step! All the while I’m thinking…Dammit y’all! I’m a goner! Mama and Daddy probably won’t even notice until I’m missing 24 hours! They always liked my sister better anyway!

I’ve always been called smart so I devise a plan quickly. I’m going to whip out my Buck knife while I take 3 steps, spin, and dive on the sombitch and it’s every man or ghost for himself! Here it is! The moment of truth! Out comes the knife, I take the 3 steps spin and dive backwards and come face to face with……..my damn bow rope. In all the haste with the missing wing nut I forgot to wind it up and put it in my pocket. Along the way the hook end picked up a stick and sounded just like General Sherman coming to get me.

Still scares me just thinking about it and that was 30+ years ago. I abandoned hunting that spot after that too. We may have lost the war but I’ve got enough sense to not tempt fate again after that night! Y’all watch out for those bow ropes stalking you on the way out!
 
Was driving down a seasonal dirt road one morning after getting a coffeee and just cruising back home looking for coyotes or fox . It’s about 12 mile stretch with no houses or camps . Had my 10/22 riding shot gun . Then in my headlights I see this guy in orange walk down the hill on my right . Into my head lights . No gun nothing . Was like wtf as I got closer he had this weird look in his eyes almost like the meth heads you see on TV . I slowed down he went to my right (passenger side ) as I started approaching when I got next to him he lunged for my passenger door . And tried opening the handle I hammered it and see him chasing after my truck . That was one of the weirder things . My house is on some Indian burrial grounds so spirits don’t really spook me much any more . Got quite a few story’s on that too . One quick one . So in my basement we got a wood boiler . I was down there about midnight loading it up after work . Sitting in a camp chair watching the fire take off . Having a beer . And feel. A bump hit my chair . I see my gun safes door swung open . Thought that was weird . I typically don’t LOCK it . It’s a mechanical lock . So I just leave it on the last number and latch the Handel . Thought hmm maybe I just didn’t latch it good ? We’ll over the last 3 years every winter it happens. Few times . We’ve been standing there talking ( the wife and I) and it’ll just swing open . So I say aslong as I don’t see any guns hovering around the basement I’m good with it LOL
 
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