Hassle when out

[william#]

never had hassle
for one simple reason and step i take
if my camp spot secrecy is compromised or i think it has been i move to another one quickly.

when im out im out to de stress re connect to nature and therefore i get very precise about moving into an area as unnoticed as possible - i spend a lot of time sussing out the general area set up camp and keep alert.

i suppose really its all part of the game the youngsters found you so you lost.
you may have inadvertently stumbled onto there turf.

in terms of engaging or confronting young people i think you need to judge each situation on how it presents itself and what your gut says. but you are setting yourself up if you try to lord it over them.

those young bucks are always wanting to test the pecking order lol

 

[Tor helge]

Never had any hassle.
"Gangs" of youth is very seldom in the woods. When I come to think about it any gang at all is .
People in the Norwegian woods tend to be both polite and kind. It is customary to greet each other when passing at a path (not all do, though) and let yourself be known if passing by another mans camp.

Tor

 

[w00dsmoke]

That's the thing,
If you don't engage them then you're just a target for the 'group' mentality.


I'm sure a lot of these neds would like to learn more and enjoy being out more if they had a wee bit mentoring.
QUOTE]

That's all very sweet and all that and in a perfect world, but these days and neds chucking rocks at your camp means trouble that can very quickly escalate into something far far worse. If anyone looks into the psychology of groups/crowds/violence then you can assess the risks for yourself but they do increase significantly particulary if they are under the influence. I wouldn't engage with any group under those conditions.

I was camping on Loch Lomond once when I was awaked at night with a small group of around 5 or 6 (not sure it was pitch black), late teens and adults rampaging through the island I was camped on. They had a hunting spotlight and dogs and were chucking rocks at camps they found, ****** and screaming. They found a pals camp but not mine so I waited until they passed and returned to camp more drunk, then I slipped into my canoe and paddled to their camp quietly and used a fishing catapult to scare the living hell out of them . A perfect plan, they couldn't see anything on water and assumed it all came from the land and drunken chaos ensued, they put out their fire so they couldn't be seen, they collapsed their tent by falling over it...justice was done. I didn't touch any of them, but they were terrified of things that go bump in the dark! pmsl

 

[Lasse]

Must be very disappointing to meet such aggressive youngsters in the woods, but not all of us are that retarded
I'm a young lad myself and often get into the woods with a couple of friends, bringing a tent and sometimes quite a lot of beer (only when the car is in reach, never on multi-day hikes) but that doesn't mean we're a bunch of antisocial idiots... We always make sure we don't leave anything behind when we leave the next morning and don't play any loud music or such, just sit down, talk, scare each other whenever possible, drink, enjoy the absence of cars/other people/sound pollution and freak out when some wild animal suddenly makes noises right behind us
Hope you guys aren't too disappointed in all members of my generation...

Cheers,
Lasse

 

[Zammo]

When I was in my early teens many moons ago me and a few fiends went to go camping in some local woods, on our way to their we had to cross over some open land ( it was dark at this point) and while doing so a pick-up truck came tearing onto the land with a set of spotlights on the back, which I presume they were using to hunt rabbits with as a few people were stood on the back firing rifles. Me and my friends were obviously terrified and we managed to take cover in a ditch and were shouting at the people to stop shooting in case they hit us, but they were either drunk or complete nutters as they started shooting at us! Eventually we were able to get away (I can't remember if we ran or they left) but when we got back to the main road a police car stopped us and one of the police got out and started asking us loads of question such as why are you out here, what are you doing, etc. I then said to him don't worry about what we were doing and explained what had just happened. He then said to me oh well it's private land we can't do anything about it and got in his car and drove off!

 

[hen]

in my experience it's not just young people that can be a problem. People in general can cause me grief when I'm on a solo trip (it's rare though, to be fair). So I have to ensure that I have given myself ample time to get somewhere well out the way and, in some cases, haven't been followed. It's just all part of it I suppose.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Not really had any hassle when out camping, so i guess im lucky. Also, i tend to hike in a fair way, so maybe that helps.......

 

[phaserrifle]

unfortuenately there is that kind of attitude amongst some teenagers, and there are more of them than there used to be. By having this attitude they tar all teenagers with the same brush in manny people's eyes. like lasse2 says, some teenagers are responisble, and not all of us go rampaging round the forest, causing trouble. The ones that do make me ashamed to call myself a teenager.

 

[sharp88]

I've had hassle from:

- chavs

- dirt bikes, quad bikes and mini bikes

- farmers/landowners

- conservationist wannabes

- old people

- dogs

- cows

 

[xylaria]

Generally I will say hello to people who pass me by. Most of the people that stop to chat about what i doing, want to do just that, chat. Its just being social. When i was teenager I used to go the woods in north london on my own, so my wierdo alert radar is pretty well tuned in. Saying that if saw someone a night in a wood I do regard them as a potential threat, but they only become a real threat if I see them either drunk or doing something suspicious. Even in my local country park there is lot less twits that muppet off to passers by than there is on the streets I walk daily. I wouldn't camp there even if I had permission as it is too close to town i would be too scared to sleep. I don't have the same problem on the moors as I can walk a whole day and never see a soul.

I do worry that a increasing number of teenagers have no idea how to interact with anyone outside their own social group unless it is chucking abuse, it is like they have never had a positive conversation with any adult. About 18 months ago i got two muppets sitting on my back wall while I did some whittling, I tried being nice, they kept muppeting off. In following weeks I managed to start up a conversations in street with one of them, the other grunted when I tried. The talkative one is now polite and wants to join the army, the other smokes pot. Oh well!!!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

guys i am twenty and love the woods and when i go out never see a sole and guess what i have done exatly what has been described on hear I.E gone out camping with mate and tents and cans of the good stuff. What amazes me is there are people who leave it all behind cos thats wrong plus its more expensive next time and thats why my mates are well suprised when asked had the ever known anyone do this or done it.

 

[WoodWildling]

Well I'm a young lass and I hate how those irresponsible idiots give everyone a bad name, not just when out wilding it but also in general. I consider myself a (hopefully!) unscary person and feel that it is polite to pass the time of day with someone or hold a door open etc. when i do this people look worried especially the wee old ladies who think i've got a hidden mugging agenda lol!
I had some trouble a few weeks ago when out practising with me bow - some lads come up and start teasing me, saying 'bet you can't shoot us' etc! Like i'd want to hurt anyone?!

 

[crazydave]

borrow a theoben precharged air gun and shoot a few in the buttocks or take out the windscreens of the chav wagons. they soon get the hint.

did something similar with a catapult on a scout site a few years back as muppets were burning the furniture and play equipment. the police didn't want to know so I made sure they darent leave their cars behind. eye for an eye and all that. :AR15firin

 

[inthewids]

Not had any hastle in the woods thankfully as i live in a small town, had more hastle IN the town from neds bevvied up wanting a go. only thing i have experienced was an owl mum and baby, freaked the hell out of me at silly o clock in the morning

 

[jojo]

I do feel sorry for young people generally. Because of the behaviour of some, they are all tarred with the same brush. I have two teenage daughters, and know some of their friends, they wouldn't dream to behave in the uncouth, nasty manner that appear to be portrayed generally.

I have not had much hassle when out. Yet! Mind you, if I meet some unsavoury looking people, I try to project myself as a grumpy, bad tempered old man, sort of: don't p**s me off look!

And I carry my carved hiking stick. Useful tool all round, walking, bashing rogue brambles and nettles, putting a tarp up, show off my carving skills (could be useful if you have a bushcraft knife on me) no end to its usefulness .

 

[the big guy]

thank god for legends.I camp alot on dartmoor & find most people are frightened of the dark.After 4pm anytime of year you've got the moor to yourself.A lot of people I talk to about bush camping on the moor say to me "were you scared", Lots of people thretened by large open spaces so thats where I'm heading.If you find a place you really like put some animal skulls on sticks or in the trees puts the willies up people.love a good story about local legends like the beast of the moor.

 

[Nagual]

I'm lucky, I have never been troubled when out any about, but then I've never really been in a place thats easy to get to. I suppose if you can get to it easily enough so can trouble. I think that generally the type of people that enjoy 'noising' up others don't really want to cross streams / rivers and hike a bit cross country, which is kind of a shame, doing so might, just might change their outlook on life, the outdoors and those that actually enjoy it for what it is.

Nag.

 

[crazydave]

thank god for legends.I camp alot on dartmoor & find most people are frightened of the dark.After 4pm anytime of year you've got the moor to yourself.A lot of people I talk to about bush camping on the moor say to me "were you scared", Lots of people thretened by large open spaces so thats where I'm heading.If you find a place you really like put some animal skulls on sticks or in the trees puts the willies up people.love a good story about local legends like the beast of the moor.

funny how people are scared of the not normal. taking kids out into even a scout site and sticking them under a tarp or in a bivvy and they are phased out. my missus wont camp out even though the most dangerous thing in the woods is probably me

allthough sargeys camp is probably more dangerous if you happen to trip and fall into a large bag of cutlery left lying around

 

[NatG]

before now, i have been quietly carving in the woods, about 12 feet from the path, when 3 or four younger people of questionable moral character yelled something along the lines of " Oi you there, you fat bar steward"

at which point i turned around with an axe in one hand, and a beetle ( mallet) in the other. the looks on their faces was just superb

 

[crazydave]

a good response would also be a bill bailey style 'ello my lover'