Solo hunting anxiety

[theycallmemud]

I've spent most of my adult life solo hunting. I find myself being more focused and very successful at filling tags when I'm solo. I've ran into mountain lions, black bears, and weirdos a few times here and there. Walked through the woods alone in the dark many times. Drove hours alone to hunt units in other states I have never stepped foot in.

But for whatever reason I've been having this unexplainable feeling of dread this year that something is going to happen. I just can't explain it. Usually I'm full of the excitement and anticipation of the adventure of it. I start thinking about predators, possibilities of getting hurt and not making it out. Maybe I'm just getting older sick of doing it alone, worried about my family. I just can't explain it. Does anyone else experience this??

 

[roadrunner]

Yep. I think it comes with aging, but not everyone is like that I suppose.

It's never been at the level of thinking something bad will happen though.

 

[*zap*]

bring an inreach

 

[Hoosker Doo]

I just wrapped up a successful overnight solo hunt. I agree with you about the focus and successful parts of hunting alone. If I'm in grizzly country I try not to hunt alone, or I tell someone exactly where I'm going and don't deviate. It's still nerve racking.
Not in grizzly country, my biggest fear is cutting myself while quartering an animal. Today I made sure to wear cut resistant gloves and was very conscious of my blade placement when cutting and pulling. I'm not too worried about cats and black bears. I now buy tags for them every year for just in case and have never seen one to shoot in since.
Aside from a serious cut, I think I could wait 24 hours for help (people back home know my whereabouts and timeline) or gimp/crawl my way off the mountain. I am planning on getting a Zoleo next year though. For solo hunts and my kids are getting big enough to do some summer overnighter.
I'd say go with your gut, but take precautions and make sure someone knows where you are and I'd bet you'll be fine.

 

[theycallmemud]

Yep. I think it comes with aging, but not everyone is like that I suppose.

It's never been at the level of thinking something bad will

 

[TxxAgg]

I've spent most of my adult life solo hunting. I find myself being more focused and very successful at filling tags when I'm solo. I've ran into mountain lions, black bears, and weirdos a few times here and there. Walked through the woods alone in the dark many times. Drove hours alone to hunt units in other states I have never stepped foot in.

But for whatever reason I've been having this unexplainable feeling of dread this year that something is going to happen. I just can't explain it. Usually I'm full of the excitement and anticipation of the adventure of it. I start thinking about predators, possibilities of getting hurt and not making it out. Maybe I'm just getting older sick of doing it alone, worried about my family. I just can't explain it. Does anyone else experience this??

Any chance you're a new parent? That certainly makes you think twice about risks.

 

[theycallmemud]

Might just be age. My little 5 year old girl doesn't make it easy to leave either.

 

[TxxAgg]

Sounds like your priorities are straight.

 

[theycallmemud]

I just wrapped up a successful overnight solo hunt. I agree with you about the focus and successful parts of hunting alone. If I'm in grizzly country I try not to hunt alone, or I tell someone exactly where I'm going and don't deviate. It's still nerve racking.
Not in grizzly country, my biggest fear is cutting myself while quartering an animal. Today I made sure to wear cut resistant gloves and was very conscious of my blade placement when cutting and pulling. I'm not too worried about cats and black bears. I now buy tags for them every year for just in case and have never seen one to shoot in since.
Aside from a serious cut, I think I could wait 24 hours for help (people back home know my whereabouts and timeline) or gimp/crawl my way off the mountain. I am planning on getting a Zoleo next year though. For solo hunts and my kids are getting big enough to do some summer overnighter.
I'd say go with your gut, but take precautions and make sure someone knows where you are and I'd bet you'll be fine.

This up coming sw idaho mule deer hunt has me a little nervous. Just a weird feeling no grizzlies just unfamiliar territory. I've done a ton of e scouting so I have a plan. I have a zoleo. This response really helped Thank you just need to get my head into the actual task at hand.

 

[jpmulk]

Any chance you're a new parent? That certainly makes you think twice about risks.

This is me. I’ve hunted alone a lot in the past. Now I have two in diapers. Hunting motivation in general has dropped along with my normal desire to hunt alone. It’s been a weird transition for me. Still figuring it out.

 

[Mt Al]

I hunt solo 90% of the time and regularly get the dreads when I'm at home prepping to go. it's not a good feeling. However, after I get out of the truck, headlamp blazing the terrain in front and get to where I'm going, I'm glad I got outside and the heeby geebies are gone.

The feeling of staying home when I could be outside is worse!

 

[Hunt4lyf]

I can relate, I never had an issue solo for a couple weeks at a time until I had my daughter. Having an InReach helps a bunch and like was stated above cutting yourself is a bad deal at any time but especially solo, carry some quick clot gauze and a TQ, take a stop the bleed class, been there done that.

This was from a solo hunt while quartering a buck, 1” from the artery in my left wrist.

 

[theycallmemud]

I hunt solo 90% of the time and regularly get the dreads when I'm at home prepping to go. it's not a good feeling. However, after I get out of the truck, headlamp blazing the terrain in front and get to where I'm going, I'm glad I got outside and the heeby geebies are gone.

The feeling of staying home when I could be outside is worse!

Exactly! I already know this. Thanks for the response. Leaving the house on a long trip is the hardest part. Definitely get the dreads getting everything ready to leave. I totally relate.

 

[Traveler]

Sometimes it just happens. I prefer to hunt alone and do 90% of the time. Every rare once in a while I get a strange feeling. This year it happened in a place I’ve hunted many times before. I moved across the road into new place and feeling is gone. No idea what that was about.

Be prepared, be alert. I carry a satellite messenger, advocate everyone do so. But they aren’t permission to do stupid or uncomfortable things. If I pressed the button where I hunt it would be an easy 2 hours before anyone showed up.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I found that sometime in my sixties after a couple sicknesses, a found a level of apprehension started to develop as I developed a decline of faith in my ability to save myself under all conditions.

I always tell my wife which hunt I will be on and where the truck will be parked, but other than the truck breaking down I had better be prepared to save myself. Nobody is out there to come get me. I depend heavily on my equine partner to bring me home.

I guess under that I'm really not hunting solo. She just doesn't speak.

 

[TXtoWest05]

Happens to me every year about few weeks prior to the hunt so you are not alone. I think we get so focused on planning the hunt that our minds get so overwhelmed with the details that everything spider webs into what ifs. Sometimes it’s excitement, optimism and new ideas to help success and other times it’s negative intrusions and concerns.

Remember what you like about solo hunting. If you no longer like it then make plans to do something different next year to get rid of the anxiety that takes away from your enjoyment. I only solo hunt as it brings me the most enjoyment and it outweighed the boring camp nights. Last year was rough and I felt unmotivated and worried/anxiety until I was in the truck 1 hour from home and the excitement finally started to replace those feelings. This year has been even worse with a newborn at home and a new area. Being stuck, breaking an ankle and bears are my biggest fears and they will never go away. Solo hunting is hard mentally but I enjoy the adventure and enjoy being in charge of my own decisions and the outcome they create.

-The inreach has been a big help and checking in with family twice a day helps keep the motivation up but also keeps to reality in place so I don’t do something stupid. When an animal is down I always let my wife know and check in with her every 30 min or so so she knows I have not been attacked by a bear. Work quickly but carefully and get out of there. Cut proof gloves are a must.
-Address the common things such as stuck truck, keys locked in truck, nails in tires and dead battery before you leave so you can take those off your mind. While they may happen being prepared takes the sting off
- As much as I try to get away from people (even in the back country) I can’t remember a time I have not seen someone else at least once a day so that’s something.
-Hiking in bad weather or into bad areas are probably the most dangerous worrying times for me so I just try to keep aware, take it slow and don’t rush, about all you can do
-I went so far this year to write out some positive thoughts and motivation to read daily to keep the negativity at bay. I also include feedback from prior years to keep in mind so I don’t repeat prior mistakes that created regrets (mistakes/negative thoughts and the bad effect they had on my experience, e.g giving up early or getting lazy and sleeping in on prime time). It’s helping some. Lastly, Every hunt I remember that I have a family at home who is letting me leave for an adventure, they are home while I am on vacation. It’s an opportunity so make the most of the sacrifice.


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[Holeintheheadgang]

My solo hunting ended when my wife passed. Decided I didn't want to take a chance putting my kids thru the pain if something ever happened.
My age never played a part in my decision. I still go to the cabin by myself for days at a time, I always like my time to myself.
Sure solo hunting made me a better outdoorsman/ hunter and for sure a safer one.
I always liked my decisions being what mattered rather than negotiating with other people.

 

[chav0_12]

I was archery elk hunting with a group of guys this year. The elk were held up on some private no way to get to them. I was about to go to a spot that has a lot of grizzlies and is close to a spot known for attacks. I could’ve went there and spend a few nights but it would’ve been alone. I have an inReach, bear pistol, bear spray, everything. I decided to head home early, I know there’s elk in there and if I spent a week in there I’d probably get a few chances. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it alone. The pack out would’ve been brutal alone too.

 

[TaperPin]

I hunted one area for a number of years, outside of normal grizzly territory, but occasional bears may wander through, although I never saw anything but blacks.

About the 6th year hunting and camping in the exact same spot, about 5 miles in from the trailhead, something weirded me out - it was oddly quiet with very little evening breeze and there were a few does walking through the leaves, but that’s nothing. I couldn’t put a finger on it, but I left the next morning and honestly never questioned myself over it. I went back to the exact same spot for 5 more years after that without any issues, but that wasn’t my year.

Because of that trip I did start taking a tiny am/fm radio and ear plugs for a little white noise at night. Maybe if I hadn’t heard the deer my mind wouldn’t have kept messing with me.

Once a friend was turning onto a blacktop road at night and for some reason he hesitated - just then a drunk driver with lights off drove by at 70 mph. To this day he has no idea what made him stop - nothing indicated anyone was on the road.

I grew up 15 miles from town and it’s an easy drive with no sharp corners and pretty good visibility. One night in high school I was driving way way too tired and hit an animal that I didn’t see - it was a full grown sheep wrapped around my wheel well that was literally in the middle of the road, but it may have saved my life not only that year but a few years later - in 30 years that’s the only sheep I’ve ever seen within 8 miles of that spot. A few years after that in almost the exact same spot a drunk driver crossed into my lane and I barely got out of his way - the head on would have killed me for sure. I never pass that spot without thinking of that sheep and it keeps me alert. One month later, within 400 yards of where the drunk almost hit me, it happened again.

In ten years I never called in sick for a firefighting job. The one time I did the helicopter I was supposed to be on crashed.

Im not superstitious, but I think there are parts of our brain that look out for us on a subconscious level and we don’t even know it.

 

[2531usmc]

I went through stages of solo hunting:
-young, invincible , and fearless.
-middle aged and parenting, cautious and conservative wrt terrain & weather.
-little bit older, asking myself hard questions.
-more than a little bit older, concluding it was a really bad idea to try and get a deer out of the woods, in the dark, dressed head to toe in camouflage.

I thought it through carefully and I think I made the right decisions for me