midnight hanging creeps

[bigboymike]

So as i grow as a hammock user ive been wanting to get out deep in the woods just me and relaxation, but i cant get over the fact that when im hanging at night on the edge of the field at my house, my sences heighten to a incredible high i hear every whisper and crunch of a leaf and i panic. And i hear of horror stories of waking up to a bear sniffing your tarp or somthing rubbing your back while hanging. Creepy haha, how do you get over the fact that you could become a bear taco or getting the crap scared out of you buy a coyote or what ever?
Thanks
Mike

[mauiarcher]

That appears to be a pretty common anxiety. Though not much time in a hammock yet, I have spent a fair bit solo hunting initially in a tent and lately under a tarp. For me it was a gradual desensitization/progression. I still get spooked occassionally if I am being honest. Now days a widow maker is a greater concern than animals. Hammocking under trees with branches that can fall on me in high winds freak me out more than anything. I think it was Dutch or Shug that shot a quick video of a tree that he was strung to fell during the night in a storm while he was in it-not helpful for my phobia. This is why I ordered a chameleon with a titanium cover. In reality, that is probably a bigger danger than a bear eating me. I have heard others take a Tylenol PM or wear ear plugs. I guess like most anything you will either get used to it, learn to live with it, or quit.

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[echinotrix]

I think it was Dutch or Shug that shot a quick video of a tree that he was strung to fell during the night in a storm while he was in it-not helpful for my phobia.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-Tree-VS-Dutch

[ylnfrt]

As long as you observe proper food storage and cooking practices, ie; at least 50- 100 yds from hanging area. Some folks take a four legged companion or put up bear bells when in bear country. Bears that have been fed by humans are the most dangerous I think, but don't mess with the little ones unless you are ready to deal with mama. As far as the sounds of the night- you get used to them.

[echinotrix]

Winter hangs are much more quiet: no bears, much less birds, and the snows catches a lot of "noise".

[BackpackerGuy]

Isn't Beckley WV the epicenter of blurry Bigfoot sightings?

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[deckster]

So as i grow as a hammock user ive been wanting to get out deep in the woods just me and relaxation, but i cant get over the fact that when im hanging at night on the edge of the field at my house, my sences heighten to a incredible high i hear every whisper and crunch of a leaf and i panic. And i hear of horror stories of waking up to a bear sniffing your tarp or somthing rubbing your back while hanging. Creepy haha, how do you get over the fact that you could become a bear taco or getting the crap scared out of you buy a coyote or what ever?
Thanks
Mike

This is how humans have been wired by evolution--our ancestors had to be alert, or be lunch. Our brains still trigger those reactions. But what should happen is that with more experience your brain will learn to weed out what are the normal background sounds, and you'll only tune in to the "unusual" cracking of branches, rather than the wind blowing through the trees. And as you learn those cracking of branches are raccoons or porcupines and not bears or bigfoot, you'll feel different about them, too.

I've never heard a bear or bigfoot, but it is surprising how much noise those trash pandas can make. I remember being totally freaked out years ago when my flashlight revealed reflecting eyes over by some bushes, but when the beast turned tail and scurried away and I could see it was a raccoon, and, well, you get used to it.

I just got back into camping last year, after too many years away from it. I was surprised during my first couple nights out by myself last year that I was a bit twitchy! You can always try a state park drive-in campground where there are people nearby, and that will help tune your senses. If you are like me, that will also give you motivation to get out to more remote sites. Those drive in campsites are nice, but so many big RVs...

Or join a small group trip out into the backcountry. I'm moving from Wisconsin to Florida next week (oh my god, so much to do) and I think I'll try to go on some group hangs until I learn which snakes are friendly and that I can pet vs which ones will eat me, important stuff like that.

Happy adventuring! Go for it!

[MagicPaddler]

I was very concerned about this the first time I soloed. When came time for bed I was so tired from the day’s activity I was asleep in 5 minutes. Problem solved.

[TrailSlug]

Ear plugs will lessen that noise anxiety. Whisky will less the brain anxiety Seriously though, it gets easier the more you do it. I have big issues sleeping in my backyard as every noise known to man happens. We have a lot of Coyotes in our area and they only kill on the nights I sleep out apparently. Then all the muffler-less cars come out after midnight and you can hear these guys from 20 miles away. Once I got into the deep woods I was amazed just how quite it is, that is until the owl in the tree I'm hanging in began to call a mate. Yea, ear plugs + Whiskey = Sleep

[Chemguy]

In my experience the best cure is, well, experience. I recall one night when I heard what sounded like footsteps during the wee hours. (two legged interlopers are more a concern to me than four). I pulled out a flashlight, pointed it right where the sound was coming from and...there was nothing I could see. After a few anxious moments of confusion I looked more closely. It was a mouse. Over time, you learn to at least tentatively ID what is going on. I'm reminded of a quip by the comedian Steven Wright: "Experience is what you get, right after you first need it."

As for bigger things with teeth, some common sense can help to temper any uncertainty. Cook away from your hammock, use a canister in a tree for your food, don't bring food back to where you will sleep, and try to stay a few miles from those campgrounds that bears love to frequent. Those campgrounds will draw the critters away from you.