Fear of the Forest?!

[steel_ram]

I usually hunt, fish or just hike alone. When I was a kid I was afraid of the dark. When I was 12 I decided to hike out beyond the point of return by dusk and spend the night. Freaked out at first but when I thought about things, noises in the dark, I concluded the scariest animals out there are the two legged ones, and there were none of them for miles.
I like being out there alone, but now that I'm older, the security of a companion wouldn't be a bad idea. Out right death would be OK, but dragging a broken leg, or getting trapped or jammed some where would suck.

[caddisguy]

I hunt the Region 2 jungle where there is a lot of cover and visibility is low... maybe 30 yards on average but you don't necessarily know what is 2-3 yards away. To be honest, I am always on high alert, especially while hunting solo. I am constantly rubber necking.

My phobia is mainly big cats. Our area always has cougar sign. We have seen one and had a few on cam. So far no close encounter, but we did have to tell at a 30-40lb bobcat that stalked in to 3-4 yards away. Last year I was walking back after dark and almost stepped on a bobcat by accident. It let out a howl like an African lion... scared the crap out of each other I think.

I saw a video the other day of a 4 point buck being taken down by a cougar. The cougar had it by its neck and held steady despite being booted in the head. That bucks neck had probably 15-20 times the neck I have. I imagine I wouldn't have time to react before fatally injured.

Not really worried about bears while hunting. They stand out a little more and make more noise. That said we have been surprised a few times by snoozing bears. One was sleeping between some brush and a place we use to climb up to the next ridge. The bear jumped up and bolted right before we would have walked into it. Usually I smell them but not this guy. We were lucky not to get run over or worse.

Caddisgirl has had a few close ones. She likes morning walks. I have woken up to "f#@$ a bear" and "Chris wake up this bear has been following me 2kms" ... look outside, holy crap and you brought it right into camp how nice, too bad season is over lol

A healthy amount of fear is a good thing. I guess it depends where you hunt but if there are a lot of bears and cats around and you stomp around in the dark solo without the need to be on high alert, natural selection is a possibility.

[kennyj]

I'm very lucky to have never worried about bears, cougars etc...and have been happily wandering around in the woods by myself all my life. Some people wonder how I survive with all the critters out there. I've had many close encounters with bears, including grizzles and these are some of my most exciting memories. Some people think there are bears and cats behind every tree. The fact is encounters are very rare. The odds of actually getting attacked are so slim they aren't worth worrying about. Way more likely to bite it on the highway getting there. Now that is a worry.
kenny

[Walksalot]

Fear is a built in self preservation instinct. Usually it involves ones desire not to become a meal for one of the gollies and ghosties and long leggedy beasties and things that inhabit the wood, or go bump in the night. Everyone has a fear of getting lost. If one didn't then one would never need a direction finding tool. You will probably find most people who claim to never need a direction finding tool never stray far from a cut block , road or trail. Relying on ones familiarity with a piece of real estate can end one in a pickle when the piece of real estate is covered by a blanket of fog. When one enters the woods one has to be cautious because all predators love an easy meal but there is a difference between caution and paranoia. The only way to conquer this fear is to start with small ventures into the woods and slowly expand ones horizons. Being afraid in the woods takes away from the joy of being a wilderness wanderer and that truly is a shame. People go to church to profess their faith in The Creator but what better cathedral than the top of a ridge overlooking all creation.

[two-feet]

Walking out in the dark covered in moose blood is a peculiar feeling. Especially with fresh grizz sign around. But it makes a guy feel alive. I am 100% comfortable in the bush during daylight hours, but there is always an edge when night falls. I think this is the human condition, a product of a million years of hominids getting killed and eaten by carnivors in the night.

[Fisher-Dude]

Im personally more scared of ticks than cougars and bears.

Me too. I think you're more likely to have a problem from a tick bite than a bear bite.

I think a healthy respect for the animals and hazards you encounter out in the bush helps keep things from going sideways. Pay attention to your surroundings, think before you leap, and plan your route. And tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back.

I've had a few close encounters of the grizzly kind, I got totally lost when my GPS lied to me, and I got completely fogged in during a blizzard at the top of Boulder Mountain while sledding. Still here to talk about it.

I feel safer strolling through the alpine than I do in a Surrey parking lot.

[DeepJeep]

I think the more time you spend in the bush, the more comfortable you get.
I am a new hunter and I vividly remember my first day out alone. I over analyzed every single noise. I dont think I truly hunted that day. I was really scared. However, I since then I have been getting more comfortable. I still worry about a bear every now and then. Never really thought about cats too much. Dont know if they would attack human?

I dont go into crazy thick bush either. Since I am only deer hunting, I usually stay 1-2 kms from my truck. I always take a screen shot of where my truck is parked in google maps with the blue dot showing my location.
And then I take screenshots as i move along hiking. This way I always know where my base is and how far away i am from it.

[two-feet]

I have personally met 3 people that have had grizzlies chewing on them, so while the odds are slim the chance certainly exists.

[Mulehahn]

When I was young I guess I thought of myself as the macho, scared of nothing type. I have been followed stalked by bears, had cougars follow me, charged by a moose. They all just made great stories, but never really frightened me. Then one day I was out just hiking the Region 2 jungle as Caddisguy puts it, I am talking really thick undergrowth. There is a clear path but off of it visibility is a few feet. All of a sudden I hear a large animal breaking through the bush and it is heading straight for me. I am start to get pretty nervous, but not scared thinking it will turn. Nope, it is still heading straight for me and all I can see is glimpses of black. Now I am downright scared, thinking I just walked in on a sow with cubs or something. When it broke onto the trail and jumped straight on me I let out a less then dignified shriek and almost needed new underwear. Next thing I know I have an overly friendly Newfoundland Dog on me who just wanted attention. His master was up around a bend and I guess the dog just took a straight line rather than follow the trail. Didn't feel so tough after that.

Still don't have a fear of the Forest. Carry a compass, have a first aid kit, and enjoy it. But be aware that you are not top dog anymore.

Another

[Iron Glove]

Everyone has their phobias I guess.
Personally I have no real fear of bear or cougar encounters whether I'm carrying a rifle or not.
Wife on the other hand insists I carry every time we walk in the wild but she's mainly concerned about the welfare of the dogs.
It's allowed me to expand my firearm collection "Yes Dear, I do have a lot of rifles but I really need a specific cougar rifle to protect the dogs".
My biggest fear is the truck or quad breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Now, I drive a Ford F-150 so the chances of that are about the same as the Canucks winning the Cup this year but I went out and bought an inReach this year.
As others have mentioned, I really, really hate crapping in the woods. Something I just don't like doing, particularly in cold, wet weather when you have to take a pack off, unsling the rifle, take jacket off, drop the suspenders and pants, roll down the long Johns then end up crapping on your boots.