Creepy experiences in the backcountry

[smoke]

Wow. Spent almost a week reading this thread. How did I not find this before??? Cool, creepy stories. Thanks to all who contributed. I have a few I feel like I can post. I’ll start with this one:

Preface: I’m a Florida man, born and raised. Judge if you must, I hear we have a reputation, and I aim to keep it that way. Tell your friends about us. Haha. Moved to California for work and have been here long enough. But the Sierra Nevada range of mountains, hunting and fishing in them, is unbelievable. It takes my breath away. It’s the closest to God I’ve ever been. I absolutely love it in the high country. Once you get past the altitude sickness and such…

Now, I’ll post an abbreviated version of this story to keep the word content to a minimum.

I was hunting in the mountains south of Yosemite National Forest. Still new to hunting these Blacktail/Mule deer hybrids (if that’s really what they are), and just getting in the woods in the mountains in general. Pack went from like 80 pounds to 35 pounds in a couple years. Just needed experience. And to stop “packing my fears”.

I’m new to archery hunting back in 2022. But had practiced for 2 years before toting a bow in the woods. I finally felt confident enough in my form and such, so I’m doing it.

I find beds, a few days old. Now I know deer have at least been there. Drop in elevation and circle around. It’s pretty dense new growth surrounded by a burn scar. I’m easing my way side hill to hold my elevation. And I hear movement.

I range, check. Nock an arrow, check. Check grip, stance, all the foundational things. I had that much time to think, yes. A blessing AND a curse. I see the small undergrowth trees start moving as they’re being pushed. I draw, level, and hold.

I’ve got my pin exactly where the “deer” is popping out. 40 yards. Then, a sheriff’s deputy emerges. My pin on his chest. My finger on the trigger of my release.

I almost shit my own pants, and I wasn’t the one that was about to get poked by a Montec.

I let my bow down, return the arrow to my quiver. Then I PSST to him. Scared the shit out of him, too. I motion him over. Then he reads me into the scenario.

He, along with several other deputies were on a SAR task to find a lady named Sandra Hughes….or Sandra Hughes Johnson….can’t recall completely. She was an avid outdoorsman but went missing during COVID. They found her camp. Staked it out, but never saw her. Her camp was only half a mile or so from where we were talking.

Unfortunate, and I never told that deputy how close he came to being a kebob.

Attached is a write up of her disappearance.

https://wegotthiscovered.com/true-crime/missing-hiker-sandra-hughes-disappearance-in-sierra-national-forest-and-reported-ghost-sightings-explained/

Edit: I have a few more to post. Just not tonight.

A fine story but, as an old hunter, I'd like to offer a bit of advice (which you may already now know), and please don't take this personally . . . BUT NEVER, EVER point a gun or a bow at an object unless you have positively identified the target first!

 

[JK47]

A fine story but, as an old hunter, I'd like to offer a bit of advice (which you may already now know), and please don't take this personally . . . BUT NEVER, EVER point a gun or a bow at an object unless you have positively identified the target first!

It was a fine lesson, indeed.

 

[JK47]

This was about 12 miles from the trailhead. Freemasons are everywhere.
This was a little further in and up the mountain. Illuminati are everywhere. And fighting the Freemasons for territory.

And I too was scared shitless the night I first saw those damn Starlink satellites.

 

[JK47]

Last year when I was chasing elk with my bow in Colorado, I had a pretty good freak out for a minute. I’ve read a couple stories that are very, very similar to mine.

It was starting to get dark, so I found the flattest place on this particular hill and pitched my tent. I use a Durston X-Mid 2. I didn’t use the inner mesh, just the rain fly. Threw my pad and bag on the ground inside.

I took my boots off and crawled in. I was sleeping pretty good. All of a sudden I felt like I was jerked off of my pad by my ankles. I had moved a foot or 2 from where I was initially positioned. Straight down off the pad, no side to side movement. My feet were touching the tent at this point.

Now, I don’t know if I slowly slid off my pad? And then jerked awake like a spaz like humans do sometimes? I was on a hill, but it wasn’t steep enough for me to just slide, or so I thought.

I’ll never know. I just remember feeling freaked for not knowing what actually happened, as I was in that fog from just waking. And I remember my ankles feeling like they were just grasped. Guess it’ll remain a mystery.

I kinda feel like I’ve come way too far, and accomplished way to much to be snatched out of my tent and eaten by an elk.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Last year when I was chasing elk with my bow in Colorado, I had a pretty good freak out for a minute. I’ve read a couple stories that are very, very similar to mine.

It was starting to get dark, so I found the flattest place on this particular hill and pitched my tent. I use a Durston X-Mid 2. I didn’t use the inner mesh, just the rain fly. Threw my pad and bag on the ground inside.

I took my boots off and crawled in. I was sleeping pretty good. All of a sudden I felt like I was jerked off of my pad by my ankles. I had moved a foot or 2 from where I was initially positioned. Straight down off the pad, no side to side movement. My feet were touching the tent at this point.

Now, I don’t know if I slowly slid off my pad? And then jerked awake like a spaz like humans do sometimes? I was on a hill, but it wasn’t steep enough for me to just slide, or so I thought.

I’ll never know. I just remember feeling freaked for not knowing what actually happened, as I was in that fog from just waking. And I remember my ankles feeling like they were just grasped. Guess it’ll remain a mystery.

I kinda feel like I’ve come way too far, and accomplished way to much to be snatched out of my tent and eaten by an elk.

Maybe not the same but, I know everyone’s had that dream of falling, and just waking up right before hitting the ground. Or maybe sleeping well, and all of a sudden someone screaming in your face, or a loud noise, and waking up throughly startled, but in reality, no one screamed, or no loud noise was made. Maybe you experienced something similar? Of course, that could just be my undiagnosed PTSD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rookieforever33]

Years ago when a buddy and I went to a party a couple towns over from us. It was in a wooded area we went looking for because legend had it incredible things happened out there. We were getting pretty drunk and met a couple pretty local girls. My buddy disappears with one and I didnt see him for 10 years. When I finally tracked him down he had a wife, 3 kids, and a minivan. I asked him what the hell happened, he said he had no clue, felt like 10 minutes ago we were looking for those woods.

 

[MarlinMark]

Sounds like a rookie move....