Hammocking in solitude: "What was that?!"

[Gordzilla]

Now hold on - I'm just now thinking about giving this hammock camping thing a try. The hype is that I will be sleeping deeply through out the night and not hear a thing. Now I hear the sleep isn't all that deep. Maybe I ought to bale out now before getting in any deeper.

OTOH - one could down load this sound clip and listen to a while before dark to get the ole imagination going.
http://www.bfro.net/avevid/mjm/Howl.mp3

Like another said - its the things you don't hear that are likely to be the most worrysome. btw - the sound clip above is supposed to be the bigfoot ohio river howler.

I've had lots of sounds scare me in the night - thankfully most where when I was a boy scout - and most often it was other boy scouts tapping into long held secret knowledge of really scary night sounds.

David

Two friends and myself were out on a night hike just last night and about half way through our trip we heard this exact noise except for the dogs were absent. it would sound at regular intervals for a bit then take a slight pause and go again. We decided to take off, and after about 5 mins we didn't hear it any longer. We were joking about bigfoot the whole time but I wonder if it was an elk or deer maybe.

[FanaticFringer]

I love the idea of earplugs but I want to hear Jason Vorhees as he's about to slice my head off in my hammock.
I'd use them if others were camping with me.

[BillyBob58]

I love the idea of earplugs but I want to hear Jason Vorhees as he's about to slice my head off in my hammock.
I'd use them if others were camping with me.

Well, if you used them them, just think how horrified your fellow hangers will be when your ear plug stuffed head come bouncing by their hammock after Jason does his thing on your neck! That is not very considerate!

[FanaticFringer]

Well, if you used them them, just think how horrified your fellow hangers will be when your ear plug stuffed head come bouncing by their hammock after Jason does his thing on your neck! That is not very considerate!

That's their problem.

[bristolview]

I know this is an old thread, but it's kinda funny. To be honest, I'm not often that scared in the bush. I absolutely love to hear the night noises of the animals and such that come out. If I can afford the weight, I take some old night vision gogs with me and see the local wildlife too. I love to watch fox and such snooping around.

There is those moments like the original poster stated, when you start to imaging the zombies. Yes, I'm convinced that they are out there sometimes too, I'll admit it. When this happens, I think of the odds though... my house is 100 feet off a major road, with who knows who driving by. If they want, they can drive into my driveway, park, have a cup of coffee in the backyard, smash a window and come in. I have a guard dog, who will promptly kiss them, and then may drop a ball at their feet. This will slow them down long enough to get a weapon, ok, maybe not. When in my hammock, I think... I'm miles away from anywhere so anyone here really had to work at it. I also don't camp on the trail, or in the sites frequented by others (you know, the largely dirt zones with fire pits that all the other hikers use?). I pick my site such that it is not visible from the trail at all (hidden by a hill or something) and I often go fireless as I really don't need one. I cook with an alcohol stove which produces almost no smoke. All in all, my campsite if pretty hard to find. And yes, I've lost it. No comments please. Only ONCE! And only for a couple of minutes, like about 40. The US Army field book; "Survival, Avoidance and Retrieval" or something like that has really good info on this.

Yes, I'm more worried about people than the local bears. As for the zombies, I know they're real. I've seen Army of Darkness and the Exorcist. Those were documentaries right?

[Ramblinrev]

Bruce Campbell is second only in George Romero in his reputation for "cinema verite".

[dcarso41]

I sleep amazingly well with a 40 Cal. S&W strapped to my side. When a curious critter wakes me, I let out a Tarzan yell that would would stop anyone one in thier tracks. Makes me feel better doing the scaring!!

[Perkolady]

I once had something that seemed huge nudge me several times.
I thankfully had a netless hammock, so I was able to jump up out of the hammock (a lot faster than I thought possible), while yelling. After fumbling with my headlamp, and doing a quick scan of the area, I never did see what it was. It was 14 degrees that night, but I was sweating bullets !!

Last year, I was camped at a primitive site at a state park, and I was awakened by approaching leaf crunching. It was a brightly moonlit night, so I opened my eyes to find a spotted skunk, who stopped about 2 feet from my face to investigate! Needless to say, I did NOT jump up and yell, lol.
He went on his way when he was good and ready, and that was fine with me!

I hike solo most of the time. I cannot sleep with earplugs. I want to be able to hear what's coming...

[Rushthezeppelin]

Yes, I'm more worried about people than the local bears. As for the zombies, I know they're real. I've seen Army of Darkness and the Exorcist. Those were documentaries right?

Just carry a fist full of boomstick and you'll be fine : ) Hail to the King baby!!!

[sir White Wolf]

Just carry a fist full of boomstick and you'll be fine : ) Hail to the King baby!!!

Alright you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick! The twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about a hundred and nine, ninety five. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. You got that?
~ Bruce Campbell as Ash : Army of Darkness ~