Walking in the dark
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
I hate using a flashlight when hunting but I know im not the only predator hoping to get a meal. Im dressed/soaked in scent products to make me not look human.
I caught a cat on camera and now carry a handgun with death grip when bowhunting. Late evening walks out aren't bad but early morning hikes give me the spooks.
Anyone else carry handguns or knives when walking in the dark?
I've carried and still do in certain places but in all honesty if a cougar comes at you in the dark with the intentions of killing you you're going to be dead! Why not use a flashlight? If you think the light bothers the deer get a green light but I'm betting you make more of a commotion and scare more deer stumbling blindly through the woods than if you could see with a small light.
Can you share the picture of the cat you caught on camera?
Ever since hunter in my camp got treed by a bear one night at dusk, and another had 6 wolves surround him as he walked out; I now carry a 9mm with me when in the woods. (I have my concealed-carry permit also)
Nearly every regular bow hunter at my camp carries a side arm as well.
Better to be safe than sorry.
red beam headlamp as the most dangerous predator is some goofball ready to release an arrow at me before legal shooting.
I'm one of those that didn't like to use a light. One early morning I parked the truck, got all my stuff and walked around our gate to go bowhunting. Has anyone ever stepped on a large, dead, black dog in the dark? Let me tell it, it ain't fun. I jumped so high up in a nearby oak the local fire department had to get one of their ladder trucks to get me down. They now call me Cat Man and I now wear a head lamp as well.
Our land is located at the end of a dead end road. Great place to drop junk off, unwanted cats and dogs, and yes, even dead dogs I guess. BC
This is a little twist on the topic.
I've often wondered on the theory of moving in the darkness with the thought you won't be seen. Don't deer see very well in the dark? Heck, they run full speed through woods in total darkness.
I have friends who stay in their stands until after dark thinking they won't be seen exiting. I leave when I believe there are no deer around and after I can no longer see enough to shoot or the end of legal shooting time. Since deer do see so well in the dark, what is actually to be gained by waiting until dark to exit your stand?
I use a headlamp and feel it is better than walking in the dark and getting a stick in the eye or tripping and getting a sprain.
One story. I had the light on and stopped to get some estrous scent on a drag line. I heard something in the area and walked to where i stopped the drag line. I again heard something and in the dim light a big buck was following up my scent trail and stopped about ten feet away form me. We had a stare down and I got very nervous wondering if I was going to get attacked. After about a minute he turned and walked off, not run off.
Later when it got light he came back following the trail again. I gave him a ride home in my truck.
Smokey, that is funny! I guess it depends on where you are in the state. In the Southern part, I don't worry about it. North of 64, I've actually carried a shotgun in with me because I didn't own a handgun and was once shadowed by coyotes while dragging a deer out behind Fire Fly lake. At least I believed they were yotes in the dim light. I had the bow in one hand and the rope for my sled in the other, yelling like Hatchet Jack in the movie Jeremiah Johnson. I was scared sh9itless.
If it makes your experience more pleasurable, use whatever light you desire. Safety First!
If I need light I use a soft red light. Works fine, does not seem to scare deer.
I 'm carrying a good handgun this year after confirming big cats in the area ( southern Lincoln cty. Remember, Cats are the bad ass killers. Carry the gun in your hand while walking in and out.
I've always thought deer can see pretty well in the dark, add to that the fact that if a deer is bedded by your stand, with or without the light they will get up and move, generally they circle back with in an hour, so I've always thought the light doesn't make a difference. But a red light is harder for deer to see, I believe I read that somewhere, based on their rods and cones in their eyes. I, personally, hate the squirrels that tend to jump out and run right by you when you first enter the woods. Dark woods, no wind, you can hear every sound and then mr graytail comes running at you making all the noise in the world. Back to the question, we have had pictures of bear and bobcat and wolves in crawford county. A gun isn't a bad idea, if they are trying to attack you it would be hard to get away, but i'd rather have a gun on me than just lay their getting mauled.
We have had no cats on cam, but neighbors confirmed seeing one while driving plus there are wolves around. I always carry my 9mm in hand. It would probably be useless if I was actually attacked in the dark, but it makes me feel better haha. I always have my headlamp on too. I'm a chicken sh*t in the dark.
Dumb question, is it legal to carry the handgun while bow hunting? I am an IL resident and was told it isn't legal in IL even with concealed carry. I do know guys who do it, but want to make sure before I decide to start doing it.
Its not the cats you have to be worried about. its this guys stalking you in the dark;-)
A handgun would do you little good against a mountain lion. You would never here him coming, and your neck would be broke before you got the safety off.
Hahaha I would definitely shoot that clown!
Hahaha I would definitely shoot that clown!
i walk in in the dark, but carry a flashlight if i need it. Just point it straight at the ground not forward. I like to get in minimum 1/2 hour before light but my goal is and hour of dead silence once i'm in the tree before first light.
I saw a cougar in Sheboygan County near Plymouth one day while I was walking with my bow during the rut. Jumped out only 20 yards in front of me. Scary. In the dark I too sometimes use the red light on the headlamp. Once had an owl come after me in a treestand and had to fend it off with my forearm at dawn. Must've been near a nest or something. BTW, those arms big, sharp claws!
Kowzdeer. I've been traumatized!
Camp 2 dukes I feel the skirt attracts those rutting bucks haha.
I carry a knife at all times. I walk in and out in the dark. I use a flashlight and am in my stand about 30 min. before day light. I have a .357 that I carry, but I can't hit anything with it in the day time...I doubt I'd hit anything in the dark ! A "big" bang... peace of mind, I guess.
I wear a green head lamp but for different reason that's what's already been covered. Prior to using a light, I walked into the end of a branch & got poked in the eye. It's hard walking out of the woods in the dark in the first place. It's real hard walking out in the dark with your eye teared up, swollen, & panic sinking in not knowing how bad your injury is.
As for carrying while bow hunting: last year I was walking in an hour early when I heard a large pack of coyotes let out a bunch of high pitched howls. They were way off in the distance, probably the next section, so I wasn't too alarmed. As a precaution, I took a few steps & stopped to listen. Just then, a very low howl let loose on an adjacent neighbor's property - way too close for comfort. As I continued my start & stop sequence, I could have sworn I heard huffing during one of my stops. Yeah, that made my toes curl ... I have since thought about carrying ever since but I still haven't gotten myself to start.
I want to see all these cougars that everyone is seeing! I'm not saying there isn't a couple moving around the state but by the amount of "sightings" there should be 100X more than wolfs!
I hate clowns, they're weird. Now you guys got me freaked out. I was a little nervous about bears, now I'm thinking about cougars and wolves. I might have to get a piece. My buddy says he knows a guy that could "hook me up" if I don't tell anybody where I got it. On second thought, maybe I'll just go to the gun shop.
I usually point a small light towards the ground. Been close to coyotes walking out and I'd hate to see a cat or wolf (I even get nervous when I catch trail cam pics of wolves).
I too carry a gun for the "bang" factor. 3yrs ago I was attacked by an owl walking in. He swooped at me 17x. A $350 handgun in my right hand and $1200 bow in my left and I felt helpless! My flashlight didnt help either.
I have backpacked the JMT for years in a high Mt. Lion mountain terrain.They have been protected for 30 years here. I see tracks, never seen a cat. The only human attacks and kills have been 1 mile from the Oakley factory in Orange county(Foothill ranch) All women(small) I don't even think of cats, bears, ect. What are there, 3 cats in the state? The 2 legged animals and the one looking at u in the mirror is your greatest danger for injury.
CC Hunter,
I cannot answer for your state. But in Wisconsin it is my understanding that I am a-ok under the law to carry a sidearm while bow hunting. To be especially more legal, I got my concealed carry permit, so I wouldn't get written up, in case my jacket flopped over my holster, and some tight ass wanted to bust me for concealment. Also makes it much easier for me to carry my sidearm in my vehicle, without worrying about getting any citations.
My response to you would be to contact your local DNR website.
** also, I wear a headlamp when walking in/out of the woods, and usually use my green or red lens.
Stepping on the roost of a woodcock in the dark is unnerving.
Drop Tine's Link
Lincoln County mountain lion.
Depends one what I am doing. Deer, or bear hunting 99% of the time nothing. Rarely a knife even. Coon hunting almost always have something with us to knock them out of the tree.
Really one has a better chance of being attacked walking after dark in one of our cities. With the booming wolf population that risk is increasing, but still a very low risk. Was told by a biologist just yesterday. Right now maybe 14-1600 in WI. That the population number we all see/refer to is the minimum over winter count. So there are roughly 1000 young wolves out there that will die by then. Now isn't that funny!!
I always use a white light, and as much as needed. Guess I been trying to run all the critters out of the area for years. I need to take lessons from those that say it can be done. Since I am just not good enough to do it!!
we've had wolves come in numerous time during the rut and hunt thru our areas while were on stand then let out w/ the howling, you feel silly w/ just a stick and string in your hands. I'm sure its the scent but also thinking about it we hunt spots where the deer are and so do the wolves so its inevitable. They come thru the woods 75yds. apart just like humans do on a deer push. During gun season we have started hunting an area and they start howling, then you see them and then you see deer too. Always happy to bust up their hunt for a change.
Yes chances of anything happening are very low.
It is legal to carry a firearm for protection when bowhunting. CC permit is nice to have so you can put it in a pack or jacket pocket during daylight hrs (unloaded of course-safety first). Ive been checked multiple times with gun in hand with no issues.
I have carried pepper spray for close to 30 years.We did ask a warden in Montana if we could carry a pistal when bowhunting he said yes but I think I had a better chance with pepper spray then a pistal.In camp we always had a shotgun in griz country.In Wisconsin I still carry pepper never pulled it in 30years but you never know.
Steve White, close but not quite right. The population number we see (350) is the minimum population for listing. If they go below that the wolf is back in protected status. The actual over winter number is more than that as we all know.
GoJakes, good topic. I fight wanting to pack in my 357 just because of the weight. If I've got a climber on, there's more weight. My issue is there is a lot of bear baiting going on in my area, and I've had bear walk right up to my ground blind while turkey hunting (close enough to hear his humid breathing!). A couple of areas with pines and tall grass (deer love to bed in there but so do the bear). I almost stepped on a black bear 2 months ago in there. I'm packing no matter what and use a head lamp..I figure if you have the right approach to stand and have an hour or more before daylight the woods settles down pretty quick.
When I bow hunt in SE WI, I don't carry. When I hunt in the Northern half of the state, I always take my .40 cal as well.
Under the CC law in WI, this is a legal option.
Now enter the DNR into the mix. If you are mentoring during the "youth" hunt, you may only have one weapon between the two of you. So....if you have your sidearm with you and the youth you are mentoring has a shotgun and/or rifle, or a bow, you are violating the law and are subject to a fine/ticket.
Apparently, the DNR believes that mentors can't be trusted to obey the state's CC law and mentor a youth hunter at the same time?? How dumb.
I hunt in wolf and bear country (cougars too I guess), so I always have a sidearm with me. It's just insurance in case...
Last month, a guy in Minnesota got mauled very badly by a black bear that he had shot and injured. He went into the woods at night without a gun to track the bear and unfortunately he found it. I think going after an injured bear at night without a gun is foolish, but let's say that you are bowhunting for deer during the bear season. You're walking out after dark and you stumble across another hunter's injured bear??? Just because you didn't put yourself in that situation doesn't mean you won't find yourself there anyway.
Plus if you fell and broke your femur shooting three arrows into the air is very ineffective sos signal.
Lastly, unless I am walking a golf cart path in the moonlight, I use a headlamp. Twisted ankles and sticks in the eye can ruin a hunting trip quickly.
I don't typically use a flashlight walking in and out as I know the trails/trees I'm hunting in.
But two nights ago, I was helping track a deer when I heard several single loud howls on the ridge above us while we were in a cut field. I yield "shut up" and it moved to a ridge farther away. Was very eerie
10orbetter, Hatchet Jack "being of sound mind and broke legs" was frozen solid and didn't say a word!
In regard to walking in the dark, it doesn't bother me but I may or may not be packing my handgun, it just depends...
I don't know why but walking out at night has never bothered me. Walking in in the mornings is a little spooky for me and always happy be reach the tree and get up in the stand. If I hunt behind the house I don't carry. If I hunt the public big woods I do. Never know who or what you run into out there.
If it is dark and you don't have a flashlight, why on earth would you ever draw a gun to shoot? teh only way you could see what you are shooting at is if it is already on top of you.
Many years ago I would never use a flashlight. Now I've been using a headlamp for years both to find my way and to help make sure other hunters will see and identify me in the dark / low light conditions. This has not in any way reduced the number of deer I see. I usually get into the tree stand to sit in total darkness for 15-30 minutes. Often thought about carrying. I have CC permit, however the only handgun I currently have is a .44 mag single action. Too heavy and clumsy to carry around while bowhunting. One of the small .357 revolvers or a 9mm auto are in my future. I will carry then while bowhunting just because I can.
I love to get in and set 30 mins. before 1st light. I had a squirrel climb down my/his tree and onto my head a couple years ago. Glad I was tied in. Grabbed it and threw it into the darkness. We were both scared.
Sort of a twist but how many carry when scouting or shed hunting in the spring? That is the time I get nervous as here in the north we are getting some other forest users that don't want to play nice if you find their camping spot or "place of work".
Never enter the woods without a gun anymore. Im more concerned with the people I meet rather than a bear or wolf. I would suggest anyone who hunts public land should consider carrying a gun.
Retro, I had big cats follow me twice when i lived in NV. When they get close to you, they flip their tail back and forth to confuse you. Then they attack, they sink their teeth into your neck and shred your back with their rear legs.
They are evil, I will shoot any big cat I see.
I don't carry, but it's crossed my mind. Have had long howls too close when walking out in the dark. And i dont nock an arrow. I grab the arrow by the shaft and would use as a spear. No way youre gonna hit it with your bow.
But I don't carry because I dont want the extra weight regardless of how small.
I have a green/red headlamp but try not to use. I'm always training my eyes to see in low light situations when not hunting. And it saves on the electricity bill. Haha.
"Retro, I had big cats follow me twice when i lived in NV."
36 million tree huggers in Cali with the highest cat count(protected since 1985) and 4 deaths(3 within 10 miles of where I am typing), all women. So what are there, 3 cats in Sconnie? Please change your Hello Kitty panties and put this danger in perspective. Btw, how many deaths in Nevada?.......Ever................?
Well maybe some of you don't believe the cat thing, but I have seen one slinking along the edge of a swamp a couple years back. Never had seen anything like it before and never heard it coming. Bizarre & eerie for sure. Thought all the sightings/reports were Bigfoot stories until then. That said I haven't been packing and try not to use a light when hunting. I quit using a light after hunting with the greatest hunter I know and noticing he didn't use one. Never asked him about it, but figured if he of all people didn't use one, I would try not to. That said, if I absolutely cannot see or am stumbling through a swamp, I will use it sparingly. Once I pick up a small handgun, I will be bringing it bowhunting.
Cheesehead, you are so right! My bad. I meant Del-Q
" what month u reckon it is?" "October, November maybe"
I hunt in the north and never use a lite walking in or out. I have never felt threatened by Wolves or Bear so I don't carry a hand gun.
I had a trail cam pic of me and my pal in the dark and my camo's for some reason light up like a Xmas tree under infrared. I mean big time! I look like a white ghost. Very weird too. All the camo pattern is gone and it looks like I am wearing all solid white. If someone was after me I would be screwed if they had night vision. lol
Had incident last year hunting some public land during youth gun hunt. Buddy and I were bowhunting, wearing blaze orange of course, and felt we were being shot at to intimidate us to leave. Reported incident to both dnr and police. Police officer asked if I carry while bowhunting, at time I said no. His response was I sure would. This year i have a .40, and recently was up in Chequemagon. Carried every time up there, mainly for protection from predators. Plan to carry while on public land because you do never know who you are going to run into. Hope I never have to pull it, but glad to have it with me.
Yep 10 and smokey, Del Gue with an "e"
"I ain't never seen 'em, but my common sense tells me the Andes is foothills, and the Alps is for children to climb! Keep good care of your hair! These here is God's finest scupturings! And there ain't no laws for the brave ones! And there ain't no asylums for the crazy ones! And there ain't no churches, except for this right here! And there ain't no priests excepting the birds. By God, I are a mountain man, and I'll live 'til an arrow or a bullet finds me. And then I'll leave my bones on this great map of the magnificent... "
I carry my Glock .357 Sig mainly for protection against 2-legged predators but these cats in the photo made me pretty nervous when they moved in on my cow calls during a New Mexico elk hunt...
For those that downplay the risk of a cougar attack based on the limited number of fatal attacks, remember that for each fatal attack, there are 3-4 non fatal attacks. Wolf attacks are even more rare but that doesn't mean I feel comfortable if a pack is following me in the dark.
False Prophet's Link
November, your not comparing apples to apples. The CA cats live in the burbs and hunt poodles and liberal female joggers.
The NV cats are truly wild and fear the conservative hunters of NV. :-)
If you are carrying because of animal attacks, then you might as well leave the gun at home. The odds are astronomically small. Black bears have killed 61 people across NA in 114 years. Two wolf deaths in that same timeframe. Around 15 mountain lion deaths. Most human deaths caused by animals are probably bees or domestic dogs.
Contrast that with the 130 deaths/year that are caused by deer/car accidents.
If the animal you are worried about are humans then it is probably much more likely, but the odds are still incredibly small.
The odds that you will shoot yourself with said gun is probably your biggest danger - take classes and practice.
I usually carry my sig chambered in 357 sig with me. Don't like walking woods in the dark. Lost some of my sense of equilibrium after an inner ear infection years ago. I would probably flunk a field sobriety test while totally sober if it was getting dark. So, I always use a light walking in the dark, even on my own driveway.
"The NV cats are truly wild and fear the conservative hunters of NV. :-) "
It get your humor but 1,000's of backpackers are in the Sierra all summer where lots of cats have no fear of humans as they have not been hunted in 3 decades and still no attacks? Cats don't like the taste of processed Kale and tofu i guess. Amoebus summed it up well. Fisher have attacked as many Wisconsin hunters as cats have=0
Smokey you read my post out of context. It was meaning the population number we all see is the minimum number. Not what may be out there most of the time.
It was slightly touched on about scouting in the big woods. For the most part walking in the dark to a known location is going to be about one of the safest things we can do. With an increase in growing operations in the big woods. Scouting more remote areas could have more problems. I coon hunt the big woods, and try hard to stay to the small pieces. Going who knows where in the dark of night. Always has me a bit on edge. I use to pick up the pace almost running at times to the tree. Now I take my time more watching for man traps. Sad to think our society has come to this!!
Just want to make sure we are being factual. You can actually look up the info on here for yourself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_cougar_attacks_in_North_America
There were 3 people in CA killed since the 80's by cats, but the last one was a guy killed in the Portola Hills Area. Know it well because I was living in Rancho Santa Margarita at the time and friends were actually worried it was me. Guy was nearly the same age, had the same first name and I used to mountain bike that area all the time between Portola and Trabucco.
There was a woman that was mauled supposedly by the same cat. She was biking with a friend on the same trail and the cat attacked her as well. Had her head in his jaws and was hauling her off. The friend beat the cat off with sticks and rocks. She was pretty messed up.
I've elk hunted CO a number of years without a sidearm. Big cat area and a number of black bears. Ran into bear a couple of times. Guys that hunted there before us one year had a run in with a cat. I packed one time that year and the next day figured I won't get a shot off anyway so why bother. Was a number of nervous nights walking out through rock outcroppings, etc.
Hunting in WI never pack, but do carry a light. Occasionally will take out of my pocket to see where I'm going or when things feel a bit eerie.
Steve, I see you now understand what the number is but your post was not taken out of context. You said:
"That the population number we all see/refer to is the minimum over winter count" A count means an actual population.
Lighten up Nov. And I was not refering to the Sierras on the CA, NV borderline. North and northeast was the area. Its a very big state .
Why don't you post in CA, just wondering.
I do when a tag is drawn. It took me 26 years to draw a tule bull tag, and I have max points on sheep, 0 for 31 years. My odds are down to 1/90 so I am a lock @146 years old.
i hunt the Up and N Wis. I carry a 40 S&W MP for one reason...... HUMANS........ animals are no concern. but some messed up Meth head from Antigo is more of a concern//////
Razor good point but meth heads in antigo? The ones from Shoto are even more dangerous. ;-)
There was a big pot growing bust in the National forest in the Hayward area a year or two ago so the risk is definately out there. A warden in a remote area of northern Minnesota asked us to stop baiting two of our bear baits a while back because they were afraid we would spook some growers in the area that they were after.
Any hunter encountering a doper running an operation while in the field should be automatically deputized to shoot and kill on sight. For their own protection. It should be a right of our hunting license. They are the scum of the earth and should be exterminated. If you think that is over the top or out of line? It's out of line that our government has had 50 + years to end this problem and have done nothing but pay it lip service.
If they were truly sincere about ending it, they would close all port of entry, air, water and road to and from Wisconsin and use the Wisconsin National Guard to exterminate these dirt bags. I'll take a police state over that crap any day!
Lincoln Co during bear season.
" Fisher have attacked as many Wisconsin hunters as cats have=0"
That's not entirely true, a Fischer chased me off a bear bait 3 years ago. I was carrying and found it's not easy to shoot a .40 behind you as you are running through a swamp.
RutNut, cops and marines make that shot all the time on TV.
Jeff, I think the problem was I wasn't holding the gun sideways;)
gojakego, you have like 10% of the total wolf population there according to the DNR! Sorry I couldn't resist.
Sorry, but thought of a dude gripping a handgun while walking through the woods is laughable. Here in Colorado we have roughly 4000 mountain lions at any given time. I've run into a couple and have called in two. I still see no need to care a handgun for any other reason than two legged predators and even then I better be less then 4 miles from my truck.
If you are that scared of Mother Nature, maybe you should take up another hobby. I've heard scrapbooking is safe.
Eric
Coot do you have insurance on your vehicle? If you're afraid to drive maybe you should start walking?
I saw a tattered red hooded cape and a basket in the woods, then checked my trail cam.... NOW I'm Scerd!!
Funny you bring up the fisher. It's the only game animal I have been attacked by in the woods of WI. Twice now it has happened. Both times I believe it was a mother guarding her young. Who knows though, they are some vicious little critters.
Years ago there was problem in SE WI with wild dogs. Don't know if there still is. Spent a night in the stand with a pack below me in the Kettle Moraine forest. Before we had cell phones to call for help. Another time while camping/hunting had a pair come in on us at the campfire. Killed one at the spot, and hit the other by the blood trail. The dead one was found to be in the early stages of rabies. Those were some scary times!!
Still though at this point it will always be the crazy humans that put me on edge in the woods!!