Fear of the dark
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and only 20 fatalities in the last 120 years with most of them being unattended children.......and if you look at the statistics of wild beasty attacks you are 30 times more likely to get killed by lightning and 4 times more likely to be mauled to death by a dog than get a bear fatality (there are on average 4/year on the north american continent).......if you are to believe what you read! So the stats particularly when you are aware and respectful are in your favour!
Nothing like a large carnivore to give you a fright, mind you!
and only 20 fatalities in the last 120 years with most of them being unattended children.......and if you look at the statistics of wild beasty attacks you are 30 times more likely to get killed by lightning and 4 times more likely to be mauled to death by a dog than get a bear fatality (there are on average 4/year on the north american continent).......if you are to believe what you read! So the stats particularly when you are aware and respectful are in your favour!
Nothing like a large carnivore to give you a fright, mind you!
Yes but the majority of those have been since 1970 and those you reference were in North America alone (no reference at all to the number in South America) Nine of them were adults; all but two were at least seven years old (quite old enough to be allowed unsupervised in their own yards)
It appears they're on the rise.
It's also concerning that the stats don't mention how many TOTAL attacks. Only the fatalities. In other words, how many attacks didn't result in a human fatality because the victim was armed? In other words, I agree with you---be aware and respectful (meaning well armed)
All that said, I'll trade you. Send me your cougars and I'll send you our gators
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Haha! of course, send them in November and we'll scoop out the frozen dead ones in March!
There are lots of attacks, particularly from bears but there are also lots of stupid and disrespectful folks (I heard of one tourist smearing the arms of their youngster with honey and actually sending them out to the bears for a photo opportunity!!
and not too far from here a German tourist chased a bear for a better photo, cornered it and got mauled to death, then the Bear had to be destroyed and there was lots of p***ed off people over that incident too - at the woman not the bear!)
Joking apart we have had a "Big" cat experience in the last month, all pics, vid etc on the Blog in my sig.
There are lots of attacks, particularly from bears but there are also lots of stupid and disrespectful folks (I heard of one tourist smearing the arms of their youngster with honey and actually sending them out to the bears for a photo opportunity!!
and not too far from here a German tourist chased a bear for a better photo, cornered it and got mauled to death, then the Bear had to be destroyed and there was lots of p***ed off people over that incident too - at the woman not the bear!)Joking apart we have had a "Big" cat experience in the last month, all pics, vid etc on the Blog in my sig.
Thanks. I'll have a look at that blog when I get time.
Yeah bears are a bigger problem. They're not as reclusive as cougars (or maybe the cougars are there just as much but better hidden) And as you say idiots don't want to believe they're actually "wild." It seems they'd rather believe they're props put there just for the tourists.
Every year we have several incidents of bears coming into neighborhoods. Raiding trash, dog food, etc. I know at least once (might have been twice) the school has been on lockdown because of a bear on campus.
Yeah bears are a bigger problem. They're not as reclusive as cougars (or maybe the cougars are there just as much but better hidden) And as you say idiots don't want to believe they're actually "wild." It seems they'd rather believe they're props put there just for the tourists.
Every year we have several incidents of bears coming into neighborhoods. Raiding trash, dog food, etc. I know at least once (might have been twice) the school has been on lockdown because of a bear on campus.
OK an UPDATE!!!! I've been there.
Unfortunately there is nothing to report, and I doubt there will be for 2013 unless the rain stops till June. The whole area - woods, stream, banks and open areas, are all under three feet of water for as far as I can see. What was there will have been obliterated by mud and fast moving water. It's a right mess. Quite sad as it looks like the only way I'll be watching the otters this year is by wading through metres of soft deep black mud and swamp.
Unfortunately there is nothing to report, and I doubt there will be for 2013 unless the rain stops till June. The whole area - woods, stream, banks and open areas, are all under three feet of water for as far as I can see. What was there will have been obliterated by mud and fast moving water. It's a right mess. Quite sad as it looks like the only way I'll be watching the otters this year is by wading through metres of soft deep black mud and swamp.
As I'm from the UK and have only solo camped half a dozen times at this point I deal with the dark by telling myself I'm the scariest thing out there. Apart from a extremely ****** off badger or a horny deer the only thing I need to worry about is other people which I have ways of dealing with. The only scary experience I've had is what I think was a Moorhen loudly shrieked close to my tent whilst camping along the canal. It woke me up and I struggled to get to sleep after that but overall it was a good night. I've just purchased a DD hammock and tarp and will now be sleeping out in the open I wonder whether this will be scarier or better than sleeping in a tent.
You'll love the hammock,it lets you hear the wildlife better and if you're lucky see it better too.
If you come up the L. Lomond way and camp on one of the islands, you'll get wallabys sleeping beneath you, or at least trying to get your grub.
I want some more creepy stories!
C'mon, everyone has at least one from camping out in the wilds! Share!
C'mon, everyone has at least one from camping out in the wilds! Share!
I am really afraid when alone in the dark. I guess my state can be described as controlled panic, lol.
It does not help that I am in Norway, where the hills are full of trolls, goblins, vettir and hulderfolk. But the knowledge that the fear I am feeling is just them using their magic to make you leave
their land alone is comforting. So just offer them som butter, milk or beer (traditional) and they leave you alone. Also they can't touch you on cultured land, as that is not their domain. A fire will also help,
and as a last resort, show them steel, as it's magical properties will render their spells useless.
Should you get them inside your house thats another matter. A husnisse for example will never leave. He will even follow you if you move. So leave steel by your door (a horseshoe is popular, just hang it the right way, so your luck does not run out), to prevent them from coming in. Ghosts are easy to get rid of,. Just trample 3 times and say: get out! with a loud voice and they leave.
Oh and when you toss your wash water or hot tea water on the ground, it is polite to warn the vettir, so they don't get scoldet or wet. Just tell them politely to move. Same when you arrive at camp, just tell them that you will camp there, and how long you intend to stay. And leave at the agreed time and you should be fine.
If you need more advise, don't hesitate to ask, personally I love the midnight sun....
You don't believe in trolls you say?
[video=youtube;TLEo7H9tqSM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEo7H9tqSM[/video]
(this has been an education in Norwegian folk beliefs. You may or may not treat it as a joke...rest assured the trolls won't)
It does not help that I am in Norway, where the hills are full of trolls, goblins, vettir and hulderfolk. But the knowledge that the fear I am feeling is just them using their magic to make you leave
their land alone is comforting. So just offer them som butter, milk or beer (traditional) and they leave you alone. Also they can't touch you on cultured land, as that is not their domain. A fire will also help,
and as a last resort, show them steel, as it's magical properties will render their spells useless.
Should you get them inside your house thats another matter. A husnisse for example will never leave. He will even follow you if you move. So leave steel by your door (a horseshoe is popular, just hang it the right way, so your luck does not run out), to prevent them from coming in. Ghosts are easy to get rid of,. Just trample 3 times and say: get out! with a loud voice and they leave.
Oh and when you toss your wash water or hot tea water on the ground, it is polite to warn the vettir, so they don't get scoldet or wet. Just tell them politely to move. Same when you arrive at camp, just tell them that you will camp there, and how long you intend to stay. And leave at the agreed time and you should be fine.
If you need more advise, don't hesitate to ask, personally I love the midnight sun....
You don't believe in trolls you say?
[video=youtube;TLEo7H9tqSM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEo7H9tqSM[/video]
(this has been an education in Norwegian folk beliefs. You may or may not treat it as a joke...rest assured the trolls won't)
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You'll also need a hammer with to short a handle, smithed by dwarwes, a pair of steel gloves, and a belt that makes you stronger when you tighten it!
Better to wait for the sun to come up. They turn to stone then. Thats why I love the midnight sun
And one must remember that if one takes a drink to check that the end of it is not in Ocean nor to wrestle with a little old lady.You'll also need a hammer with to short a handle, smithed by dwarwes, a pair of steel gloves, and a belt that makes you stronger when you tighten it!
Better to wait for the sun to come up. They turn to stone then. Thats why I love the midnight sun
Just take a friend with you and don't worry about them: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnE5MaZ2gLI or maybe this one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5C0_iVbD6A
I used to be scared of the dark. The way i got over it was getting out there. The first time i was scared so i went in with a freind. I was scared another time and what i learnt was that using a torch was worse becuase it makes you panic and just losses it. And now after speding about 4 hours over a couple of times with a freind and i was not scared any more. 
When in the dark dont use a torch. You can see better with out one because of your "night vision"
Hope this helps.
The sooner you get over it the sooner :You_Rock_
When in the dark dont use a torch. You can see better with out one because of your "night vision"
Hope this helps.
The sooner you get over it the sooner :You_Rock_
I also avoid using a torch. Theres something in my mind that always tells me that if I use a torch, I am extremely more visible to "them".
I'm just about to live and forage in the woods for charity starting the middle of next month for 1 month, and to be honest I can't wait for the break..lol
I don't really get spooked in the woods at night, sometimes I might get that spooky feeling but what you have to remember, as has already been said, you are the scariest thing out there.
Don't forget all the time your cooking over the fire and moving around doing admin with a head torch on and making noises, all of the wild life wont be anywhere near you. But the minuet you settle down for the night in your pit and your nice and quite, the wildlife will most probably return creating noises that sound like zombies and monsters.
Being truly scared of the dark is a phobia and a phobia is irrational fear, so all you have to do is rationalise the situation or the sounds your hearing and a little giggle to yourself and hopefully feel better.
But anyone who say's they NEVER get spooked are liars...........Boo!
I don't really get spooked in the woods at night, sometimes I might get that spooky feeling but what you have to remember, as has already been said, you are the scariest thing out there.
Don't forget all the time your cooking over the fire and moving around doing admin with a head torch on and making noises, all of the wild life wont be anywhere near you. But the minuet you settle down for the night in your pit and your nice and quite, the wildlife will most probably return creating noises that sound like zombies and monsters.
Being truly scared of the dark is a phobia and a phobia is irrational fear, so all you have to do is rationalise the situation or the sounds your hearing and a little giggle to yourself and hopefully feel better.
But anyone who say's they NEVER get spooked are liars...........Boo!
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Now that's the most sensible advice i've read yet. I know of someone who would stop outside of a wood and say out loud "May we come in?" before he went in.
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