Afraid of the dark??

[Scott85]

I hate using a headlamp.

 

[Bigjay73]

Navy seals are no match for the badasses on HT. Being afraid is normal, doing things in spite of fear is what the vast majority of us do when we take 3am hikes whether we admit it or not.

 

[DFS]

Navy seals are no match for the badasses on HT. Being afraid is normal, doing things in spite of fear is what the vast majority of us do when we take 3am hikes whether we admit it or not.

When you add wind for whatever reason that is when I notice it.

 

[Bigjay73]

Wind is bothersome to me in daylight lol

 

[Hem]

I still think there is a difference between being afraid and on edge.

 

[D_Walt]

Wouldn’t say I’m scared of it, but I do get the heebeejeebee’s from time to time. Has never kept me from going where I want to when I want to.

I damn sure don’t like dark and foggy. I was once hunting on a ranch in south Texas when I was a teenager, wandered through an old, unkempt, unfenced graveyard on foggy evening right at dusk. Started noticing headstones, just enough light to read them, most from the 1880’s & 90’s. 0/10 stars, do not recommend. Have not liked dark and foggy ever since.

 

[DFS]

I still think there is a difference between being afraid and on edge.

Agreed I voted yes but I do it all the time. Quartering my deer out this year with coyotes howling at point blank I was laughing to myself thinking I bet we could have a formidable fight right now. Couldn’t imagine had that been wolves.

 

[MTTW]

To clarify, I don't consider it dark if I have a head lamp even if it is off. True darkness is no artificial light available. I spend many hours per year walking at night with a headlamp at my disposal, solo. I used to use it minimally but after a bear encounter in daylight I rarely turn it off now. The headlamp is like a pacifier; it has a calming effect even if it is off because I have it available.

 

[Hem]

Agreed I voted yes but I do it all the time. Quartering my deer out this year with coyotes howling at point blank I was laughing to myself thinking I bet we could have a formidable fight right now. Couldn’t imagine had that been wolves.

Im on edge all the time in grizz country, snake country, urban areas.
But I do it.
At this stage I'm too old and afraid to jump out of a plane, cliff jump on skis, probably a chit ton more if I think about it.
Im not afraid of the dark in principle.

 

[jimh406]

I don't think it's being better or tougher than a Seal. They'd probably tolerate it more with conditioning or different experiences.

Just another example ... in high school, the Boy Scout Explorers spent the night in an underground cave. No lights allowed after bedtime until wake up time. There were hundreds of us and also leaders. I don't remember anyone being afraid. I do remember losing all concept of time.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I’m not scared of the dark. Just the things that might be in the dark.

I do find that my unease in the darkness lessens significantly when I’m not hiking in grizzly country.

 

[grizzly63]

I think most of the SEAL footage I have seen, they are all using night vision equipment. You are not allowed to use that when hunting. Not really a fair comparison. Having no light enhancing equipment on while holding the LBE of the trooper in front of you in 0 visibility conditions on uneven ground or rutted trails with complete silence is challenging. Having even a little natural lighting helps tremendously. The terrain and obstacles make a big difference as well. Most people can easily walk across a CRP field in the dark. The challenge comes when the rooster blows up between your legs. Knowing its likely going to happen in advance helps you not gets so startled. In 0 visibility its ok to turn on a light to avoid hurting yourself. The fear of grizzlies probably helps the odds for tags in dangerous areas.

 

[gouch]

I wouldn't count being afraid of grizzlies in the dark the same as being afraid of the dark.

 

[PoleX]

My dad was a big western hunter who grew up out west. We ended up in Ohio and I pretty much only deer hunter Ohio growing up. When I was mid teens my dad made a deal with me. If I wanted to go on a bear hunting trip with him to Canada, I’d have to stay a night in the woods with nothing but the cloths on my back. So he drove me out to a state section after dinner and picked me up the next morning at sunrise. It seems silly looking back but I know it gave me a lot of confidence when I first started exploring the west in college. His justification was basically, things can get uncomfortable in the backcountry and you need to be able to calm down and think logically and be mentally prepared for those situations. I think the biggest risk was getting bit by a tic but I certainly didn’t sleep much that night. I’d probably be considered child abuse now but I kind of feel like I need to make my son do that someday lol.