Lightning safety while hunting

[Silverback]

Headed to Colorado next week for my first elk hunt. On my scouting trip a few weeks ago, I camped at 10k feet one night and a thunderstorm blew in after I was in the tent for the night. Counting the seconds between lighting and thunder, it sounded like it was hitting within 3 or 4 miles. I was super nervous but decided to ride it out. In retrospect I probably should have cleared out, slept in the truck and returned for my tent in the morning.

Knowing there will probably be regular thunderstorms while hunting, I've been doing some research about lightning safety while in the back country. I'm curious to how you plan hunting activities around the somewhat regular afternoon thunderstorms in the mountains - do you go down to lower elevations, then head back up after storms pass for the evening hunting? One of the areas I'm looking at for the latter part of the week averages 10k-11k feet, should I not plan on camping that high (sleeping at elevation concerns aside), and plan on coming down to camp?

Appreciate any advice.

 

[TaperPin]

Lightning strikes mainly high points and wet areas, so if you stay off ridge tops, don’t camp under the only big tree, and don’t pitch the tent on a grassy spot next to a spring or creek you’ll be ok. The lightning belt across the middle of Colorado is a real thing and they average about two fatalities per year, but looking closer at the details, most are in bad places they shouldn’t have been. Colorado has an active population and giant influx of tourists that love to be outside and a huge number of hikers, climbers, and campers are exposed to lightning all summer and fall, so the odds are pretty small someone in a tent will get smoked.

Bowls are caused by slides, and slides are caused by ground water, so I also avoid bowls.

When I was on a back country fire crew responding to lightning fires, there are some ridges that definitely have minerals, geology, or something in the ground that attracts strikes. We would often be at a small fire in Colorado or Wyoming and looking around, many of the old trees had lightning scars, while 200 yards away lightning scars were absent. So looking up and all around for scars or fires is a good idea.

Sometimes being in an area that is exposed and makes you the high point for a while can’t be avoided. We were 2,000’ from the top of a 14er and a single small puffy cloud with a tiny amount of dark on the bottom headed our way, but passed to one side. We watched it coming for over an hour and never saw any lightning so assumed it was ok - as it passed, more than a mile away, it had enough static that all our hair stood up on end and static shocks would hit our scalps - it never discharged, but that was bad.

In my lifetime, I’ve only met one guy who’s been struck while on a mountain and he was working on a fire lookout.

 

[Blowdowner]

Good thread let’s keep it going

 

[RockAndSage]

Lightning strikes mainly high points and wet areas, so if you stay off ridge tops, don’t camp under the only big tree, and don’t pitch the tent on a grassy spot next to a spring or creek you’ll be ok. The lightning belt across the middle of Colorado is a real thing and they average about two fatalities per year, but looking closer at the details, most are in bad places they shouldn’t have been. Colorado has an active population and giant influx of tourists that love to be outside and a huge number of hikers, climbers, and campers are exposed to lightning all summer and fall, so the odds are pretty small someone in a tent will get smoked.

Bowls are caused by slides, and slides are caused by ground water, so I also avoid bowls.

When I was on a back country fire crew responding to lightning fires, there are some ridges that definitely have minerals, geology, or something in the ground that attracts strikes. We would often be at a small fire in Colorado or Wyoming and looking around, many of the old trees had lightning scars, while 200 yards away lightning scars were absent. So looking up and all around for scars or fires is a good idea.

Sometimes being in an area that is exposed and makes you the high point for a while can’t be avoided. We were 2,000’ from the top of a 14er and a single small puffy cloud with a tiny amount of dark on the bottom headed our way, but passed to one side. We watched it coming for over an hour and never saw any lightning so assumed it was ok - as it passed, more than a mile away, it had enough static that all our hair stood up on end and static shocks would hit our scalps - it never discharged, but that was bad.

In my lifetime, I’ve only met one guy who’s been struck while on a mountain and he was working on a fire lookout.

This is great info, particularly the part about looking for old strike trees, geology, etc.

 

[Poser]

You're unlikely to be struck by lightning at 10-11 thousand feet when you are surrounded by features that are 11,12,13,14 thousand feet. High Country storms can certainly be powerful and wild as hell, but its also CO and, unless you are bagging peaks, goat hunting or glassing from an unusually high point, you're just not going to be the highest thing around while out hunting. 10,000 feet is well below treeline -I generally enjoy the cozy feeling of being comfortable in my tent during a good storm.

 

[elkliver]

No, hiking out in the dark with a Storm is likely to put you at more risk. If you are camped where you are not the tallest thing nearby, id stay in the tent and ride it out, some good tips listed here. If you are camped in heavy timber below the ridgeline, the chances of getting hit are hopefully pretty small... as long as you arent waling around waving you rifle in the air and wearing the tinfoil hat

 

[EastHumboldt]

I never go out in a lightning storm without my tinfoil hat, with a quartz crystal glued on the top. It channels my mega positivity brain waves In such a fashion that lightning is actually afraid of me, but makes women adore me. Or so I’m told on woowoocrystalpower.com. Ladies?….. anyone?

 

[elkliver]

PS Camped above Timberline in a tent could be a different story and you need to get lower and not be the lone object to attract the lightning. That's why i mentioned heavy timber down below the ridgeline. I feel pretty safe in heavy timber as long as im not right next to the tallest tree out there. You could be at a low altitude in the middle of an open field and have an issue because you are taller than the surrounding. Get right in the middle of a storm horseback, horse mane is standing straight up, Barbwire fences are humming and the air feels intense(best i can describe it) and your scrotum will shrink right up tight to your crotch. Not a fun place to be. I know of two different ranchers that were struck while horseback and killed. Makes me realize how lucky i was a few times

 

[arudelic]

Just avoid being the tallest thing in a given area and you should be alright.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Lightning risk depends a lot the specifics of where you are. If you're in the right spot you can be perfectly safe even directly under a storm. Basically it hits the high points, so if you're down low and surrounded by things taller than you (and taller than the things you're quite close to) you're in good shape. Camp in big patches of timber below the peaks and ridges, stay off high points when you're in front of storms, move fast if you need to to get un-exposed, and know how to prepare if you do get caught (squat on a foam pad, basically).

The monsoons in CO are pretty predictable, so just be smart. Don't plan on being up high on a broad, treeless ridge after noon. Or, if you are up high, keep an eye on things and be ready to boogie to safety. (Don't cut it too close though - I think just about about everyone who spends time above treeline in CO has ran from a storm).

Maybe it's from growing up in IL, but thunderstorms really aren't that scary, just a risk to manage like any other. As long you're in a safe spot it's no stress having one right overhead.

 

[Jimbee]

It's all about the step potential. Just hop on one foot.

 

[rayporter]

there is nothing like camping at 10,000 ft and watching the storm come up between 2 mountains toward you with lightning shooting out each side to strike the mountain.

 

[Wrench]

When it's your time....it's your time. Enjoy the show. You have a one in a billion chance at getting smoked.

Speaking of bowls, don't camp any place that has random boulders distrinbuted about and a large rock face above.

 

[7mm-08]

Damned stupid move one time (and one time only) - my son and I got caught on a high (Idaho) mountain, which is far different than a high Colorado mountain. We were on a mountain top and escaped into a big boulder field when a storm overtook us. Boulders were big enough to get under, which we did. Super strong smell of ozone in the air and about eight lightning strikes within 300 yards over 45 minutes. Deafening sounds. On our way out of the wilderness a day later, we ran into a guy walking and carrying a saddle. Lightning killed the horse he was riding and his pack mule, which he was leading. He showed us a yellow rubber rain slicker he claimed saved his butt when lightning hit them and killed his stock. Scary business!

 

[Customweld]

Damned stupid move one time (and one time only) - my son and I got caught on a high (Idaho) mountain, which is far different than a high Colorado mountain. We were on a mountain top and escaped into a big boulder field when a storm overtook us. Boulders were big enough to get under, which we did. Super strong smell of ozone in the air and about eight lightning strikes within 300 yards over 45 minutes. Deafening sounds. On our way out of the wilderness a day later, we ran into a guy walking and carrying a saddle. Lightning killed the horse he was riding and his pack mule, which he was leading. He showed us a yellow rubber rain slicker he claimed saved his butt when lightning hit them and killed his stock. Scary business!

The wife and I was in a big surprise storm in the FC. Down in a bowl and it hit after dark. It didn't help that we were in a 10 year old burn. Scared the snot out of me. That thunder down in those rock bowls is something to behold.

 

[Jimbee]

Damned stupid move one time (and one time only) - my son and I got caught on a high (Idaho) mountain, which is far different than a high Colorado mountain. We were on a mountain top and escaped into a big boulder field when a storm overtook us. Boulders were big enough to get under, which we did. Super strong smell of ozone in the air and about eight lightning strikes within 300 yards over 45 minutes. Deafening sounds. On our way out of the wilderness a day later, we ran into a guy walking and carrying a saddle. Lightning killed the horse he was riding and his pack mule, which he was leading. He showed us a yellow rubber rain slicker he claimed saved his butt when lightning hit them and killed his stock. Scary business!

Mule and horse were killed by step potential. Lightning must have hit the ground nearby. If the guy was on the ground with both his feet far apart he may have been killed too. Rain slicker wasn't a factor.

 

[ArrowForester]

I got bumped out of a spot where I had just called in a bull and was waiting a few minutes before chasing after he gave me the slip. Two guys bailed off a ridge down to the bench I was on because they got bumped by several other hunters. I met them on the hillside and we talked plans and who would go where - they hadn't heard my calling or the bull and intended to sit in that spot and call in the evening. I knew some storms were coming and so retreated back up to my spike. Just after hitting my tent the thunder rolled in and the storm lasted several hours into the dark of night. I was a little worried about the lightning but hoped it would stay on the high ridge above.

The next morning all was well and I hunted my way back to the spot where I met the others. I figured they had to bail off the hill and I would start from there to hunt the bench. When I got there I found this tree had been struck and it was only ten feet from where we had our conversation the prior afternoon. Not the tallest of trees in the stand, not the high point on the ridge, nothing special I could notice - just a reminder that we are not in control.

 

[manitou1]

I got bumped out of a spot where I had just called in a bull and was waiting a few minutes before chasing after he gave me the slip. Two guys bailed off a ridge down to the bench I was on because they got bumped by several other hunters. I met them on the hillside and we talked plans and who would go where - they hadn't heard my calling or the bull and intended to sit in that spot and call in the evening. I knew some storms were coming and so retreated back up to my spike. Just after hitting my tent the thunder rolled in and the storm lasted several hours into the dark of night. I was a little worried about the lightning but hoped it would stay on the high ridge above.

The next morning all was well and I hunted my way back to the spot where I met the others. I figured they had to bail off the hill and I would start from there to hunt the bench. When I got there I found this tree had been struck and it was only ten feet from where we had our conversation the prior afternoon. Not the tallest of trees in the stand, not the high point on the ridge, nothing special I could notice - just a reminder that we are not in control.

View attachment 756192

Yup. I have seen that many times. Not always the highest or a lone tree.

 

[ArrowForester]

Yup. I have seen that many times. Not always the highest or a lone tree.

Agreed. I have encountered a lot of trees struck by lightning, scarred and burned or blown to bits, and none of them were located in a spot or manner that we would “expect” a strike.

 

[Bubblehide]

I spent time packing in on horsevack during some serious lighting storms, which was very cool. I've spent time hunting on foot during storms, with lighting struck trees all around me, that eas very concerning. I've spent to much time (in the past) scuba diving during lighting storm with strikes close enough to see the glow while underwater, that was a serious instinctual clench factor, and to think, the military's response to those concerned, was, since you're suspended it water, it's safe (total bull crap).

Overall, if it's not really close, I enjoy the exhibit mother nature brings.