Over nighter...

[huntertrapper]

Went out alone saturday night. My dad went into one valley and i went into another... good nigt to be in the woods. I found a spot under a hemlock about 30 yards from the creek...i got to the spot and...stripped down to my breechclout and thats all i wore to collect my wood and lay out my bedroll.    it was a good night quiet and it was great sitting by the fire and it was a very dark night. So dark i couldnt see my hand infont of my face, PITCH DARK. Anyway to make a long story short, around 12:30 it started raining. So i pulled the covers over my head. Then it rained harder and i pulled all my plunder under my sleeping bag along with my dog who was sound asleep. After a awhile around 3;30 i decided to head out because my bag was soaking through. It was a "fun" walk being dressed in just a loin cloth and moccasins in the pitch dark with rain all around. I wasnt scared at all though being alone back in the pitch dark. I thought it was a greazt night despite the fact i walked out in the middle of the night. It was pretty good small trek to prove to my dad that i can last a few days alone living Primitively, loincloth and moccasins.... the best part though is that i did it alone and soon i will do my trek for a few days as i described before...

[Pat B]

 

[Minuteman]

A small 6x8 foot canvas tarp would have saved the trip. Coulda just thrown it over you and yer dog and went back to sleep in the rain.If your dad is anything like mine was I'm sure you didn't prove much to him. Didn't even last one rainy night!
 Rain is just weather and what if during your three or four day outing it rains a bunch? Don't wanna rain on your parade but you might wanna get a better plan in mind.

[huntertrapper]

my dads not a jerk and didnt mind me going out, i could have stayed yes and if i was doing a few days jaunt i would have been more prepared, part of me walking out was the fact that my dad said if it poured to head out....plus me walking out a half mile or so in the pitch dark was a good test...not many kids my age (16) will stay in the big woods alone or walk through the forest in pitch blackness alone either...

[Postman]

Nice start  - most kids wouldn't try again, either, but  I know you ain't "Most kids "

try a Tarp above a surplus hammock , both strung between 2 trees. no bedroll needed, just a thin cover/ hoded sweatshirt or "serape poncho"  if ya want. See if you can sleep like that in the yard first, though. hard to get used to, and You'll need good zzzzz's out there.

[Papa Matt]

You did good, HT. One thing about being a dad, if you're close to your son you're just about always one step ahead of him on everything until he's full grown, and if he told you to go ahead and duck out if it poured, I'll bet you he's real proud of his boy for doing what he told him to do, since after all, he told you to do it because he loves you. You can never question a young man doing what his daddy asks him to do. There's no straighter path to being a good man that being a young man who loves and listens to his daddy 

~~Papa Matt

[huntertrapper]

thanks for the suggestion Postman... ive thought about a hammock, and thanks Papa, i respect my dad when it comes to the woods a lot because hes taught me and knows my love for the woods and he said he was proud i can stay alone or walk out as i did alone....

[Kegan]

SOunds like you were dressed to sleep through a rain! I've tried it a few nights with cotton- not so much fun drying off the next morning ! But it sounds like you had a good night out, good medicine for later .

[Papa Matt]

Hey HT~

  Up there in PA, what all carnivorous beasts do you's have? If I'm not mistaken, you's got black bar, bobcats, and even some wolves? What about cougars?    What plan do ya have to stay out of the way of a hungry beast? I'm sure you've thought it out, I'm just curious. Because here in Indiana, the only thing we have are coyotes and coyote mixes (coydogs). Nothing really dangerous here, so when I go out at night I pretty much don't have anything to worry about, but you boys up there have it a little different and I just wonder how you's go about walking a safe path when it's pitch black and you're only carrying your bow.   

~~Papa Matt

[Kegan]

Hey HT~

  Up there in PA, what all carnivorous beasts do you's have? If I'm not mistaken, you's got black bar, bobcats, and even some wolves? What about cougars?    What plan do ya have to stay out of the way of a hungry beast? I'm sure you've thought it out, I'm just curious. Because here in Indiana, the only thing we have are coyotes and coyote mixes (coydogs). Nothing really dangerous here, so when I go out at night I pretty much don't have anything to worry about, but you boys up there have it a little different and I just wonder how you's go about walking a safe path when it's pitch black and you're only carrying your bow.   

~~Papa Matt

We've got black bears, the rare bobcat, and red necks . Dunno if there are any wolves or cougars, but I doubt it.

[huntertrapper]

yes, bobcat, black bear, coyotes and i have heard reports of cougar and know a guy who said he saw one, my dad swears he may have seen one too...it was foggy though and it was way out in a field.... no wolves though, though theres always the skeptics or whatever who say there might be some, i guess you never know, the game commission said there were no coyotes before now we have tons of em... but i usual carry a .22 buffalo hunetr revovler.....plus my beagle can usual get a scent or see whatever is lurking int he dark....like a few weeks ago i was laying in a logging road, my dog was sitting up and started growling and i sit up quick and a young black bear is 30 yards away from me..... 

[hawkbow]

A/ho young warrior, before you know it the wilds will be more like a home to you than anything society can offer...  that is good medicine, soaking up the night time and all it has to offer... Hawk

[Badbill]

I was just like you at your age. When I was a few years younger, i was afraid to go into the woods after it got dark. I swore right then that when I went into the woods I would be the thing to be afraid of.  Now at 44 I'm more at home in the forest than Iam in town. If I ever had an accident out there and died, that would be ok by me.

[Hillbilly]

It's good for you. When I was your age, I was out running around in the mountains most nights by myself (except for my coonhounds). I was lucky enough to grow up in an area where there was nothing but mountains and woods for miles around. My cousin and I would spend a good portion of the summer out camping for days on end, and were out hunting and running traplines in the winter. Like Badbill said, I feel a lot more at home in the woods than I do in town.

[Minuteman]

I don't wanna be a jerk but you caved man.   I ain't gonna blow sunshine at you and say you're doin fine. If your dad told you to come out if it rained thats good, ya did  the right thing. But you haven't proven anything to anyone especially not yourself.
 Now I ain't trying to get into a shoutin match with you just trying to keep you motivated towards your original goal in your other post.
 Walkin to the house in the rain and dark is one thing walking away from the house in the rain and dark is something else.
 How did you start your fire?