I'm I the only one who fears a solo hunt...

[Kevin Dill]

For the record, you wouldn't look twice at me in a grocery store. I DON'T consider myself extraordinarily tough, brave, crazy, and capable of superhuman feats. I'm prone to poke fun at myself and identify my weaknesses. I'm safety conscious at all times, even when doing things which others think are unsafe. I have no interest in hanging with guys who think of themselves as 'elite'...'badass'...'fearless'...and so on. I'm none of that in reality.

What I am is a guy who is independent and because of that I often have to go my own way. And as a result, I have to deal with the challenges of doing things alone quite often. It's not that I crave the desire to beat death. It is more about enjoying self-sufficiency and going my own direction much of the time. I don't do it for any degree of attention from others. No Facebook or Instagram account. I'm not a joiner. I've consistently declined invitations to speak or do seminars at state and national events.

Not that it matters: I still ride motorcycles, and of course....I ride alone or with my wife exclusively. I can't be inconvenienced by doing what a group of riders want.

 

[Laramie]

I stopped enjoying solo hunting when I started to get good at killing elk... so much nicer to have another guy or two to help pack.

 

[socoalt]

This thread just reminded me that I did not plan a solo hunt for myself next year for the first time in over 5 years...Damn now I am more nervous about that.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I hunted solo for the first few years after I moved to AK because I just couln't seem to find people to go with. Everybody I met already had their group of buddies and weren't very welcoming to new people so I just went alone. I ended up doing alright for myself, I got a small boat and explored new areas constantly, managed to get my moose each year, a few nice caribou and had a few bear encounters while out there.

I don't go alone very often these days, my wife dosen't like it but sometimes I still do it, I also take the boat out alone all the time to go fishing.

Sometimes getting in over your head is a good thing, about 4 years ago, I was out on a small river by myself and I got all turned around in the sloughs and it was getting dark. It started raining really heavily, I mean POURING, there were 3-4" of water in my boat within minutes so I figured I was stuck for the night. I drove around a bit more until I found a spot where the bank was about 15ft higher than the river, low and behold, there was a flat spot for my tent, no water was pooling up and there were snags all over the place for firewood. I set up my tent and passed out. The next morning I woke up to sloshing down in the river ~ 20 yards away, I walked out and sure enough, there was a nice bull, I dropped him there. Now, I still use that camp spot every year for moose and I get one within 1/4 mile of that campsite every year since. I've mentioned that river to people a few times (without telling them I've been there or divulging information) and I always hear "theres no moose there.....Nobody goes there because theres no moose". Each year I go there, get a bull and catch rainbow trout and grayling until I'm bored....I mean I'll catch so many that I get bored of fighting 20" rainbows. Id never have found that spot if I didn't go out alone.

 

[TheGDog]

For the record, you wouldn't look twice at me in a grocery store. I DON'T consider myself extraordinarily tough, brave, crazy, and capable of superhuman feats. I'm prone to poke fun at myself and identify my weaknesses. I'm safety conscious at all times, even when doing things which others think are unsafe. I have no interest in hanging with guys who think of themselves as 'elite'...'badass'...'fearless'...and so on. I'm none of that in reality.

What I am is a guy who is independent and because of that I often have to go my own way. And as a result, I have to deal with the challenges of doing things alone quite often. It's not that I crave the desire to beat death. It is more about enjoying self-sufficiency and going my own direction much of the time. I don't do it for any degree of attention from others. No Facebook or Instagram account. I'm not a joiner. I've consistently declined invitations to speak or do seminars at state and national events.

Not that it matters: I still ride motorcycles, and of course....I ride alone or with my wife exclusively. I can't be inconvenienced by doing what a group of riders want.

YES! THIS!

And OMG.... Ugh... the few street group rides I'd ever been on SUCKED! Most riders are slow as sh*t. My throttle only has two positions... Fast and FASTER!

Reading your blurb here, I'd swear it was like reading my own Bio.

Y'know... it's interesting too... now that I've been hunting a lil bit... I look back on some of the dirt trail rides I've taken solo, and today with these hunting experiences now, I realize just how damn sketchy going for that solo trail ride way the hell high and back up there on the mountain in Hungry Valley SVRA here in SoCal actually was. And how unprepared I truly was for those solo trail rides. Not like I was berserking it... but still.

 

[Drew10]

So, I have a few friends/family members who love to go hunting with me (either on their tag or mine) but for some reason I have this strong desire to do a solo, backcountry, hunt. The funny thing is, even through I have the strong desire for it, the thought of it scares the shit out of me. Am I the only one that thinks it will be a nightmare to spend several night's alone in the backcountry or is it just something that seems scary because I haven't had a chance to tackle it yet...?

The reason I ask is I always hear of people who prefer to hunt solo. I'm just wondering if it's something you learn to love after doing it (and getting over the fear) or something that some people are just accustomed to from the start..

Nope

 

[EastHumboldt]

YES! THIS!

And OMG.... Ugh... the few street group rides I'd ever been on SUCKED! Most riders are slow as sh*t. My throttle only has two positions... Fast and FASTER!

Reading your blurb here, I'd swear it was like reading my own Bio.

Y'know... it's interesting too... now that I've been hunting a lil bit... I look back on some of the dirt trail rides I've taken solo, and today with these hunting experiences now, I realize just how damn sketchy going for that solo trail ride way the hell high and back up there on the mountain in Hungry Valley SVRA here in SoCal actually was. And how unprepared I truly was for those solo trail rides. Not like I was berserking it... but still.

I used to ride a dirt bike, often alone. I think people don’t think about how sketchy that can be. In an hour you can get y.ourself so deep in the weeds that it’ll take you two days to walk out, if your not hurt and you have enough water. Probably more dangerous than solo hunting IMO.

 

[swampthing]

I used to ride a dirt bike, often alone. I think people don’t think about how sketchy that can be. In an hour you can get y.ourself so deep in the weeds that it’ll take you two days to walk out, if your not hurt and you have enough water. Probably more dangerous than solo hunting IMO.

I solo dirt biked for years growing up. I guess all things solo just come naturally to some guys!

 

[Overthefalls]

So, I have a few friends/family members who love to go hunting with me (either on their tag or mine) but for some reason I have this strong desire to do a solo, backcountry, hunt. The funny thing is, even through I have the strong desire for it, the thought of it scares the shit out of me. Am I the only one that thinks it will be a nightmare to spend several night's alone in the backcountry or is it just something that seems scary because I haven't had a chance to tackle it yet...?

The reason I ask is I always hear of people who prefer to hunt solo. I'm just wondering if it's something you learn to love after doing it (and getting over the fear) or something that some people are just accustomed to from the start..

I think this is pretty normal and I have experienced similar fear/ anxiety when hunting solo. The advice I would give is to take small steps and build up to it. Repetition is going to make you realize most of our fears of being alone in the backcountry are unfounded. You can start with your frontcountry hunts.. go several hours before sunrise and stay an hour or two after sunset. More time in the woods alone in the dark means more comfort. Start in smaller chunks if you need to.

 

[mtwarden]

hunting in grizzly country and getting something down is a fearful proposition, no two ways about it- add darkness to the mix and it goes up higher (a fire helps if for no other reason than cheering you up)

other than that, the "fear" of making multiple trips to haul something out a long ways always make you wish you had a buddy along

 

[danwattsmessick]

I enjoy both hunting with a partner and solo, however, my best friend and hunting partner moved back to his home state a couple of years back. As a result of being someone who has few friends to begin with and struggles to make new ones, I find myself going solo more often than not. I've had to overcome my fear of being alone because of this.

 

[Blueticker1]

Alone and solo is the only way to go. That being said I do have a few friends I enjoy hunting with.

My first time in the mountains alone was a train wreck, I was 12 and gathering cows, I had 2 horses with me and at night every time one of the horses blinked I'm pretty sure I heard it and was terrified. My dad was on the mountain too but in another area gathering cows.
I believe I was 18 or 19 before I finally could sleep comfortably and soundly the whole night through, but with my dad being a former marine I was never willing to tell him that I was scared of anything. It's all just mind games there's a good chance nothing bad will happen and you'll look back on it and laugh at being scared over nothing.

This saying is what kept me going some of the nights in my younger teens.

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway" John Wayne

 

[fisharizona]

I started to think about the OP's perspective; I get it completely. I don't mind camping out alone at all; I keep a handgun and inReach around and pride myself on preparation and comfort (earplugs help). I love hunting alone, and find the guys I hunt with don't like to hike as much as I do.

Heres where it get comical (from last night): I was watching a few animals on a distance ridge until it got dark...completely comfortable and at peace. I packed up and started for the truck-about 2-3 miles away. No big deal until I realized the wind laid down and my hearing became superhuman...all of a sudden there was a lion behind every tree, or so I thought!...My point is, I learned Id rather set up camp and relax, than hike out in the dark that far again. 1/2-1 mile is no big deal, after that it gets interesting for me...One thing I know, I don't think I could solo camp in grizzly country.

 

[TheGDog]

I solo dirt biked for years growing up. I guess all things solo just come naturally to some guys!

Pretty much. Cause it's like... if you had to wait around until you could finally convince somebody else to join ya... psssh... it's like you'd never get anything done!

 

[Blueticker1]

Serious question, why is everyone afraid of a mountain lion? Hell it's the 2 legged critters you need to worry about.

 

[TheGDog]

I started to think about the OP's perspective; I get it completely. I don't mind camping out alone at all; I keep a handgun and inReach around and pride myself on preparation and comfort (earplugs help). I love hunting alone, and find the guys I hunt with don't like to hike as much as I do.

Heres where it get comical (from last night): I was watching a few animals on a distance ridge until it got dark...completely comfortable and at peace. I packed up and started for the truck-about 2-3 miles away. No big deal until I realized the wind laid down and my hearing became superhuman...all of a sudden there was a lion behind every tree, or so I thought!...My point is, I learned Id rather set up camp and relax, than hike out in the dark that far again. 1/2-1 mile is no big deal, after that it gets interesting for me...One thing I know, I don't think I could solo camp in grizzly country.

Honestly though... I've always been a thrill-seeker. I like the rush of progressively pushing my comfort-zone/limits. I know it sounds weird, but I like that uneasy feeling of needing to be on point that being camped out in the forest invokes for me.

But... ya gotta understand also, that I work all damn day, day-in, day-out, in a 10x10 room in my house coding/debugging. And have been doing so for the last 19yrs straight. And... my one dog of 15yrs had to be put down this year too... so taking her out for socializations no longer occurring, hence even more isolation now. So that, together with peoples stupidly wild media-induced over-reaction to this CoVID thing is particularly exacerbating that feeling of isolation in my scenario. That whole four walls closing-in on ya thing. So I NEED to get out there for my sanity!

 

[TheGDog]

Serious question, why is everyone afraid of a mountain lion? Hell it's the 2 legged critters you need to worry about.

Why? Because you WILL NOT hear a cat comin' up on you! Had a Bobcat stalk up to 25 feet from me while on a sit hoping for a bear to come by at this spot where I'd had a face-to-face encounter previously.

Also... the wounding they could possibly achieve on you, being that far out in there... could create a very serious life and death scenario. Especially since their M.O. is the neck. Not really like you can tourniquet your neck, ya know?

 

[fisharizona]

Serious question, why is everyone afraid of a mountain lion? Hell it's the 2 legged critters you need to worry about.

I agree about the 2 legged critters....but big cats scare the shit out me, there's a lot of them in my part of the world. Im more of a dog guy.

 

[BBob]

The odds of a lion eating on you is beyond ridiculously low. How many hunters are chewed on every year? About zero? Why anyone would even think to worry about that is beyond me.

 

[fisharizona]

The odds of a lion eating on you is beyond ridiculously low. How many hunters are chewed on every year? About zero? Why anyone would even think to worry about that is beyond me.

This whole thread is about perception; I don't disagree with you about the actual statistics.