MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

This past deer season was the last one I'll ever go on. I had a terrible experience that left me shaken and afraid. To make a long story short I was solo hunting high in the mountains for a monster muley. Camp was set up and after i ate I was playing solitaire by the fire when it happened. There was a loud racket off in the dark to one side of me. I couldn't see a thing. It sounded like coughing/moaning but very very loud. I shined my flashlight towards it and shouted if anyone was there to come out in where I could see them. the noises stopped and it was quiet!! I didn't sleep for several hours. When I woke up in the morning there was tracks all around the camp. I was so shaken I packed up and went home that day. I never ever saw whatveer it was, but i was so rattled I couldnt have shot straight anyways. Am I the only one who has been seriously afraid in the wilderness?

Where were you and what kind of tracks did you find?

How far off the trailhead were you also? Not trying to sound rude, but I'd give it a try again but not SOLO next time.

Glad you made it out okay though.

Need more details, what did the tracks look like? what general area were you in? What do you think it was? and why were you so scared?----SS

When Your out in the back country camping there are ALWAYS sounds in the night often very close by.
Been there dozens of times. I love it, makes for a better adventure.

Why was I so scared? Because the whole situation was freaking me out. I don't know what all is is those mountains that would make those sounds and I can't shoot to kill if I can't stay awake all night! If you had been there the hair would have stood up on the back of your neck too. Only total exhaustion caused me to sleep some. The tracks bigger than any black bear I've seen and different than a bear. They were almost like a raccoon shape track but enormous! At least as long as my boot. I'm never going back there again. Even with a spotlight and a machine gun. I don;'t know what it was, but I'm not going back there. It was at least 5 miles from help and I was all alone. This creature could have killed me and no one would have found my remains. I'm just going to hunt from the road from now on. So I guess this is a warning to other guys who backpack in alone to be careful, and maybe bring several other hunters with you.

Please let us know exactly where this was at. Provo Canyon?

ridgetop wrote:Please let us know exactly where this was at. Provo Canyon?

No idea where that is, this was in Colorado. Over 9,000 feet in elevation.

Too bad you couldn't have got some video footage. You could have become very rich. I've seen and heard some really weird things out in the mountains too. Nothing would stop me from hunting . I do aviod going out alone a lot more now days. I had a mountain lion kill a deer right next to me last year in the dark. That kind of freaked me out.