How do you protect yourself when woods hunting?

[njnydigger]

Quick question guys and gals...

I'm going to start getting more into the hunting of woods sites here in NJ. Cellar holes, old trails, etc. I'm not normally one to go alone into the woods by myself, so, will probably be bringing along a hunting buddy or two of mine. Question is...

How do all of you protect yourself when out detecting in the deep woods? You know, from bears, snakes, loonies walking around in the sticks, ticks, etc. Any advice to a newb woods hunter is greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, do most of you prefer to hunt in the Spring and Fall when the vegetation dies down or do ya'll just "brave it" all year long?

Finally, any strange or scary situations that has happened to any of you while out in the woods seems like a good topic post. So, fire away!!!

 

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[goldseeker4000]

Another story, a friend and I were prospecting in Libby MT near Howard lake and Howard Creek and the water was too low to pan or sluice so I was trying to figure out where I could build a dam with rocks when I heard Stephan whooping and hollering. I got fed up with his whaling and I turned around to say what the _ _ _ _ is your problem, and that is when I saw the basketball sized paper wasp nest a foot from the right side of my head. I got stung in the throat and I took off like a cat that had been chased by a dog. I never dropped any of thequipment I was carrying. when I got out of harms way I looked back and Stephan was still on the ground fighting with the wasps. I yelled to him to get the hell out of there. He finally did and he left my buckets he was carrying. I told him he has to go back to get them. Do I have to, he said. Yes you do, I said. Did I drop anything I was carrying? No I didn't, I said. go back and get them. He did. We still talk about that adventure to this day. that happened in 2003. I carry everything I can possibly need in the mountains, cause you never know what is going to happen and how long you could possibly be stuck up there. Be prepaired is my motto.

 

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[Sky Pilot]

Haa! I heard that!

We have yellow jackets here in Tennessee as well, so taking a pack of antihistamines wouldn't be a bad idea!

For sure there are things to watch out for, but like you've shown there's also great fun to be had!!


Sky Pilot

 

[gleaner1]

I usually bring some OFF! for the bugs and ticks. Since the nice foliage from the trees offers good shade, I leave the sunscreen bottle at home, to offer more room in my fanny pack, where I store my H&K 13.456mm, bowie knife, freeze dried food for a week, and survival kit. I find that the AK strapped over my shoulder seems to bump into my headphones on occasion but I got used to it quick-like. It sucks trying to get thru the brush, but it's worth it for that silver. After my run in with Sasquatch, I never even care about these minor inconveniences anymore. Hey, I forgot to mention the little .25 duct-taped to my calf, it pulls on my leg hairs something awful and I am working on a new calf holder made of kangaroo leather, you never know when you might have to pull an Ace out of your bootstrap. Man, the memories of the woods haunts me to this day, but nothing can get me now. And no coin can ever elude me. I'm protected. Pics soon......

 

[tinpan]

Hi All the guns and weapons in the world are useless against the deadly critter you don,t see.

tinpan

 

[05Duramax]

Have 100% DEET for the bugs (plus I heard it is really good for you), the S&W .460 for bears, S&W Bodyguard in .38 special for humans, bear/pitbull spray for if I plan on metal detecting schools and a cutoff shirt in the summer because I believe in my second amendment rights to bear arms.

 

[gleaner1]

I usually bring a big-azz can of bug dope into the woods because I am a big skeerdy-cat. When I ate the yummy lunch my mommy neatly packed me, I violently vomited it all over the place because I was so frikken skeered to be out in the big spooky woods, I just could not take it! Wow, what a relief just to get this monkey off my back. Thanks for understanding Tnet members. I feel better now...

 

[gleaner1]

Okay, this story is real, I feel like typing. In '95 out in a 1880's amusement park deep in the woods, hard to get into, long walk, it was midwinter but freak 50 degree warm spell. All the snow was melted, it was a new spot, I had a new machine, I was off on a mission, I pulled a 98 barber dime and some indians days earlier. About an hour in the woods, another tector dude snuck up behind me and yelled "HEY!!!!"

Well this absolutely scared the hell out of me, I just about crapped myself and I turned around and looked at this guy, he had phones on, he was a tector dude, I had to do a double-take on him, I could not believe my eyes. It scared the bejeepers out of me. Anyways we chatted for a long spell and became good friends ever since. Even though I blew his brains out with my .44 Mag.

A couple years later I drive down to the good old site and by the jeepers, I see his car, I walk into the woods, a good ten minute walk to get to the grounds. I am excited. I am going to do the same to him, revenge is mine! So I finally see him, it's like I was still-hunting deer, I see him and I sneak up behind him and yell HEY! and he did a little bit of a jump to say the least. I feel bad 'cause he was in his sixties. He found a 1853 O half dime that day (after he blew my brains out with his Beretta .40...I am writing this post.....post mortem). I saw him in the fairgrounds last spring, he is some of the best. He only digs targets with a robust 8" knife, and that is some good protection in and of itself.

 

[gleaner1]

Have 100% DEET for the bugs (plus I heard it is really good for you), the S&W .460 for bears, S&W Bodyguard in .38 special for humans, bear/pitbull spray for if I plan on metal detecting schools and a cutoff shirt in the summer because I believe in my second amendment rights to bear arms.

I'm human. Yer lil .38 is for me. Are you saving the small rounds for humans? For protection, I like your .460. Humans are much more dangerous than bears. That's why we bear arms. Big ones. For protection. In the woods. Good work!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Quick question guys and gals...

I'm going to start getting more into the hunting of woods sites here in NJ. Cellar holes, old trails, etc. I'm not normally one to go alone into the woods by myself, so, will probably be bringing along a hunting buddy or two of mine. Question is...

How do all of you protect yourself when out detecting in the deep woods?

I carry a can of OFF.

 

[s.c.shooter]

RUGER .357 BLACKHAWK

 

[gleaner1]

I protect myself in the woods by getting up on my hind legs and roaring like a big bad bear! It works every time. Heck, the last five or six times I did this I was shot dead or was subsequently "hauled away" by the police under charge of "Public Intoxication" and maybe if I remember correctly "Mental Case". Believe me, as hard as it is to believe, I have found this to be a fantastic protection mechanism. Not to mention the fact that my Coinmaster has been retrofitted with an old Nylon66 which is a good one for getting off a good barrage of quick lead which is almost certainly needed in the woods. Man, the memories of the old days in the woods still haunts me. Guess I'll have to start bringing the Kimber out wid me next time im in da wooooodsss. Yeah!!!!!

 

[ottawadigs]

get a pet skunk!

 

[Badger 5]

I like having my dog with me,He says close and lets me know if anything is around. With a head set on its hard to hear and I do carry hard ware with me.

 

[WAres]

yes wild animals are a reality. well its very simple really , you bring a partner thats not as fast a runner as you .

Dan

 

[Deadwood Dick]

Kel-Tec 9mm with hollow points. Lots of mountain lions out here and I don't want to be cat poop if I can help it.

 

[Sandman]

Used to be you could hunt in the woods or off the trail in parks and not have to worry about anything but the blood sucking mosquito's. Now days only a fool or newbie would go there without packing Iron. Not for the four legged animals or snakes but the two legged creeps that are growing Marijuana. You are out there with no witness and are a free hit to anyone wanting what they think you might have. Being a NRA life member, the only time I am not armed is when I water hunt, then I have a dive knife.

Better to have a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[Dirty Money]

Spray for bugs & ticks, never worried about bears - basically they'll leave you alone, if you leave them alone(black bears, anyway). Mature rattlesnakes will leave you alone unless provoked, but watch out for small(young) ones - like kids they have little common sense.

The things to be concerned with in order of danger to humans are bugs & ticks, drug dealers/growers, rabid dogs, racoons, etc., feral dogs, and the rarely seen(in the Midwest & east) cougar & black bears. For the more dangerous animals, something like a NAA Black Widow or Pug in .22 magnum should be more than enough. Plus they're light, easy to carry, and won't try to tear your hand or wrist off.

 

[Sky Pilot]

Used to be you could hunt in the woods or off the trail in parks and not have to worry about anything but the blood sucking mosquito's. Now days only a fool or newbie would go there without packing Iron. Not for the four legged animals or snakes but the two legged creeps that are growing Marijuana. You are out there with no witness and are a free hit to anyone wanting what they think you might have. Being a NRA life member, the only time I am not armed is when I water hunt, then I have a dive knife.

Better to have a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Well said, SandMan!

Love the motto too!


Sky Pilot

 

[gleaner1]

Quick question guys and gals...

I'm going to start getting more into the hunting of woods sites here in NJ. Cellar holes, old trails, etc. I'm not normally one to go alone into the woods by myself, so, will probably be bringing along a hunting buddy or two of mine. Question is...

How do all of you protect yourself when out detecting in the deep woods? You know, from bears, snakes, loonies walking around in the sticks, ticks, etc. Any advice to a newb woods hunter is greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, do most of you prefer to hunt in the Spring and Fall when the vegetation dies down or do ya'll just "brave it" all year long?

Finally, any strange or scary situations that has happened to any of you while out in the woods seems like a good topic post. So, fire away!!!

Fire away! Yeah!!! Can you imagine coming home from the woods on any given Sunday or whatever day knowing you just had to shoot and kill some nut bag because you encountered him in the woods and you needed to protect yourself because he attacked you with a knife or gun or baseball bat or stick or whatever, so you shot his dumb ass and are now heading "downtown" to offer your rendition of the whole thing to the police, and then see the story on the news with your name blasting across the headlines that you had protected yourself in the woods. I choose to stay home, thanks.

 

[Keppy]

I'm new to this form and recently got back into MDing after a 10 year lay off, also living in N.J. and having spent way to much time in the woods of our state doing many diffrent activities I can tell you for certain you have nothing to fear. I would be far more worried hunting in many local parks than out in the woods. Bears won't bother you, if you make enough noise they will be long gone before you see them, as for ticks, spray your clothing with "Permonone" a bug spray you can get at most outdoor stores. Spray yourself with a 40% Deet bug spray. Don't run into to many crazies in the woods, mostly hikers, have never had a problem even when carrying thousands worth of photo equipment. Carrying a good digging tool like a Lesche should give you all the protection you need since we can't carry firearms in this state. Get out there and enjoy.

I have to agree there is more danger in your bad part of town and parks then there is in the woods..........................I hunt the woods up here in northern Ohio i never carry in the woods never had a problem........... as a matter of fact i have a carry permit and i never carry........... I feel a lot safer not carrying than carrying.............. If you shoot some one not in your home ........... You have about a 98% chance of geting locked up for a long time............ And if you just pull a gun on someone and don't shoot you will more than likely still get locked up........................ Soooo that is why i feel safter to not carry........