# Who's afraid...



## absolutecool (Mar 26, 2006)

I don't worry about it, I have decided I am the dominant predator...


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## Melissa78 (Aug 29, 2008)

I'm afraid of getting lost in the dark and who I might run into rather than what. This year I am on my own and am hunting property that I have never hunted before. Since I can't carry a gun, I guess I am going to put some pepper spray in the pack- something is better than nothing.


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

My daughter carries a Tazer, maybe I'll use that!


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

Actually, I love being out in the woods in the evening. From the time I was a little kid, we would go for walks in the woods at night, so being out there in the dark doesn't bother me.

As far as meeting someone out there.. I am carrying a bow or a shotgun. What idiot would try something? And I think most of the people I would meet would simply be other hunters with no harmful intent. But I guess you could just apply the same rules as you would when meeting a man on a city street.
1. Make eye contact
2. Speak (even if you just say "hello")
3. Keep your body language assertive

Those creeps are looking for an easy target-- a self assured woman with a weapon is NOT it.


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## Recurve Artemis (Mar 6, 2008)

I'm not afraid of the woods at night as long as I know the woods and there is even a little moon light, but I do not like it when the coyotes are close to our camp. When they're howling, I feel like they are starting to surround us and plotting to have us for dinner. They come really close to our camp and then leave droppings right by the entrance to our camp area. Are they challenging us?


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## kimmiedawn (Jun 26, 2006)

I like bein out there before sunrise and watchin the woods wake up and listen to it all.. But I do get a little scared when go to new "public" hunting grounds. had a guy decide to drive off the main gravel road into the woods once to park and do his huntin. He parked about 50 yrds from me. I was rifle huntin so I had on my blaze orange. I was sittin beside a fallen tree. I looked at him,he looked at me and walked away. He came back 15 min. later and drove away..Talk about makin a hunter mad, and ruinin a huntin day. Hubby picks on me about bein spooked of other hunter (men) in the woods, essp. during rifle season cuz I carry a rifle and pistol both. He says who in their right mind would bother your with that. LOL I guess hes right but I still feel that way. So I love we have a famil lease now so not so much publid land huntin goin on now days. :wink:


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

turns out I'm afraid of heights :embara: time to go ground blind shopping :lol:


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## kimmiedawn (Jun 26, 2006)

z28melissa said:


> turns out I'm afraid of heights :embara: time to go ground blind shopping :lol:


Heights not my friend either. But I do hunt from tree stands, I have found I am more comfy in a ladder stand. I will do most of my huntin out of a blind this yr though. Will have my lil one with me, shes 14 months old now  already...


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## Lady Hunter (Jul 27, 2008)

Im not afraid of anything, just wary. Things look different in the dark, so finding my way is very important. Using blaze orange trail tape and fire tacks gets me where I need to be without getting lost. There's not much dangerous game where I hunt. Ive heard of a coyote being spotted and a black bear, about 16 miles away, but i just pay attention to the noises and smells of the woods. Of cource, having a Bow or shotgun, during the proper season helps too.


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## Huntin4Elk (Mar 11, 2004)

I am *not* a fan of being out in the mountains in the dark. Mainly because there is a huge mountain lion population where we hunt. Not to mention the bears and wolves. :embara:


I've never really worried about running into someone out there. When I hunted alone I always had my pistol with me. Besides the majority of the people in our hunting area are tree huggers.


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## atomic archer (Jun 14, 2008)

Recurve Artemis said:


> I'm not afraid of the woods at night as long as I know the woods and there is even a little moon light, but I do not like it when the coyotes are close to our camp. When they're howling, I feel like they are starting to surround us and plotting to have us for dinner. They come really close to our camp and then leave droppings right by the entrance to our camp area. Are they challenging us?


I wouldn't worry about the coyotes personally. We have them running up and down our street almost every day. They just run on by and go do what they're going to do. They usually stick to small prey as they're not the most courageous animal out there. Now if you were a small dog....I'd be concerned. They do have a tendency to attack pets.

Around here, I haven't heard of one single coyote attack on a person, but the mountain lions and bears are a different story. And the dang elk love to jump out infront of your car!


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## BOWHUNTER920 (Feb 24, 2005)

I am afraid of heights as well. I have been working my way up a tree in the yard little by little every week. I have alot of ladder stand set up on our property and I will be hunting out of them alot. I also have a few blinds in places though. As far as being out in the dark, I am okay with it as long as somebody is with me. Which there normally is or at least they come right to my stand and get me after dark. We really don't hear many coyotes around here but they have been seen. 

Good luck and you can conquer pretty much any fear with alot of determination!


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## atomic archer (Jun 14, 2008)

You'll have to forgive me if this is a stupid question as I have not begun to hunt yet......

Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids? We're waiting until ours get older to hunt....but I wouldn't personally want to be out there alone (just the way that I am). And I wouldn't want to send my kids out alone either. Is it too hard to hunt in groups?


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

atomic archer said:


> You'll have to forgive me if this is a stupid question as I have not begun to hunt yet......
> 
> Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids? We're waiting until ours get older to hunt....but I wouldn't personally want to be out there alone (just the way that I am). And I wouldn't want to send my kids out alone either. Is it too hard to hunt in groups?


I hunt alone because I love the challenge of doing things on my own and learning on my own. We use single hang on tree stands because most of the ladder stands that are doubles are not high enough for us. When my daughter goes we will sit in a ground blind together or be close by in separate stands. When I first started hunting I was afraid to sit frontwards in the stand, I would just hug the tree. But as time has went by I now hunt around 25' and have little fear of that. My husband also used to take me and pick me up at my stand, but I have mastered that, just with a little fear of the unknown...Jason, Texas chainsaw murder guy (never know when he'll move to Illinois), the average weirdo that lives in the woods. The yote's howl just makes me nervous.


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## tn_huntress (Apr 18, 2008)

As long as there is not a swarm of bees in my tree with me, or as long as the wind doesn't start whipping through while I'm in what seems like the top of the tree, I am fine. But you put those two things on me, I'm jumping out of that treestand!


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## martinfamily (May 8, 2008)

I am not afraid of the dark in the woods I just do not have the best night vision so I am more afraid of falling than anything. Heights I am ok with I can get up in a tree but I hate coming down that scares me. Also the small tree stands scare me I am afraid I will fall out of them. I guess I will have to practice going up and down a tree stand. Lol I think I might stick to a ground blind hehehe.


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## imadragonkeeper (Oct 30, 2006)

This is my first season hunting out of a tree stand too and I'm not yet comfortable being up there on that little seat. But the ladder stand isn't too bad and at least it has arms I can death grip on until the initial nerves wear off. Of course I have yet to try and stand up to draw my bow which should prove interesting. I'm hoping I will be too adrenalized thinking about the deer coming at me to worry about falling out 

I don't mind as much leaving the woods in the evening as I do walking into them in the early morning. At night I have watched the sky slowly darken and know nothing is close by as I've gotten accustomed to the sounds etc. In the morning though I feel like I'm going in blind (no pun intended) since it's already dark and all kinds of things could be lurking behind the trees. That and I'm usually still pretty fuzzy eyed from just getting up...


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## Huntin4Elk (Mar 11, 2004)

atomic archer said:


> You'll have to forgive me if this is a stupid question as I have not begun to hunt yet......
> 
> Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids? We're waiting until ours get older to hunt....but I wouldn't personally want to be out there alone (just the way that I am). And I wouldn't want to send my kids out alone either. Is it too hard to hunt in groups?




There are no stupid questions!!!!!!!! :wink:

I hunted alone because I got divorced and all of my hunting buddies were not allowed to hunt with me anymore. (I was single and their wives didn't want them hunting with me.) So, it was either hunt alone or not at all. So......hunting alone it was. In fact, I went camping alone quite a bit when my kids were gone during the summer visiting their dad. Now THAT was a beautiful experience I will NEVER regret.

It wasn't such a bad thing, I still had fun even though I was unsuccessful. I don’t hunt in a blind or tree stand, out here it is spot and stalk. Considering that I have a VERY bad sense of direction, when I hunted alone I was very cautious about wandering around places I didn’t know. It wasn’t so much about killing but more the hunt and determination that I was going to do it anyway, man or not.

Now that I have Mr. H4E, I am never alone. We hunt together, never away from each other. (Just because we can’t stand being away from each other.)


I did take my kids hunting with me before. But I have to admit that when you spot and stalk game.......taking kids with you is very different. You just hope and pray that they are quiet enough to get to see something for thier experience only. Now that my kids are older, my son hunts on his own and my daughter has no interest in it anymore. :sad:


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## tmvidalsgirl (Aug 9, 2007)

I don't like the dark. I get lost pretty easy if I'm in strange territory. Morning is easiest because I know the sun will come up eventually. Evenings not so great cause I know it's gonna get dark and stay dark. Love bow hunting because I can leave the stand earlier.
I don't mind the heights unless it's a tiny tree stand high up. (we have one like that) I just make sure I'm strapped in good.


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

When I first started facing the correct way in the stand I thought my safety strap was going to strangle me...I had it so tight. I couldn't step off the platform if my life depended on it.


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## PAOUTDOORWOMAN (Aug 21, 2007)

Melissa78 said:


> I'm afraid of getting lost in the dark and who I might run into rather than what. This year I am on my own and am hunting property that I have never hunted before. Since I can't carry a gun, I guess I am going to put some pepper spray in the pack- something is better than nothing.


go get a ccw and you can carry your gun with you while you are archery hunting they changed that last year!:wink:


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## PAOUTDOORWOMAN (Aug 21, 2007)

i am afraid of heights so i am in a ground blind,i tried to do a tree stand but i just cant :sad: and the other one is snakes and this year i saw 2 one was Hugh!!!!! and the others was small ones.... the only good snake is a dead snakes!


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## Horses&Hunting (Oct 10, 2007)

I try not to go get out while its still dark, thats unless someone goes with me. Alone I won't go out. I'll wait til its daylight. Regardless of what time of the day it is I still see something. lol. The only thing I'm scared of is other people in the woods. This is why I carry a gun. Other than that, not really scared of anything.


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

atomic archer said:


> You'll have to forgive me if this is a stupid question as I have not begun to hunt yet......
> 
> Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids? We're waiting until ours get older to hunt....but I wouldn't personally want to be out there alone (just the way that I am). And I wouldn't want to send my kids out alone either. Is it too hard to hunt in groups?


It's the way we have always done it. We choose our spots the night before (or afternoon- I am not a morning person, so I usually only go in the evenings) and then we all go out at the same time. We cover more area that way. We hunt private land, so that may make a difference. 

The first few years the kids go, they DO stay with an adult, though.


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## BOWHUNTER920 (Feb 24, 2005)

I usually don't have to go by myself. This year we are doing alot of filming so someone will probably be with me most of the time. As far as kids go...my oldest daughter went out with me last year for the first time. She loved it! We had one of those seat blinds that pulls over your head with the chair built into it! It was a good set up! She isn't afraid of heights at all unlike me! So she will probably be going some with my husband and getting up there with him some. I have also set in the Tahoe with the back seats down and sleeping bags and the TVs and let me 3 girls play as I watch the fields. We have alot of deer that come out in the evenings to feed so it is kinda a easy tag.


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## HoytRintec85 (Jul 9, 2008)

I am afraid of walking off the College campus , through the parking lot, to my truck at night after my last class, it's dark and some wooded areas surround the parking lot.I do not feel safe at all. Seriously thinking about buying a taser....or some self defense lessons:set1_punch:...hmmm... maybe BOTH!


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## FarmGirl7 (Aug 3, 2007)

I too am afraid of the dark, but if I want to be out there early or late you just gotta' do it. I walk really fast and climb even faster if it's before daylight. Every little noise makes me jumpy. There really is nothing to be afraid of but I am just the same. I almost walked on top of a skunk a couple years ago before light. Thank goodness for my headlamp. Some days I will just think of something else until I reach my tree and it's better. So you are not alone.  What a goofball I am.


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

One morning last year I was walking to my stand and something BIG growled as I walked by...I could tell it was big by it's voice. I don't think I ever got into a stand that fast. Once I am in my stand in the morning I settle down really fast and enjoy the morning. It's just getting there  that freaks me out. Goofball, I like it!


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## absolutecool (Mar 26, 2006)

Just everybdy remember to use a safety system, no matter what kind it is, accidents happen and they can happen fast. We need everyone to stay safe!!


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## Recurve Artemis (Mar 6, 2008)

Good advice, Absolutcool. I met a female hunter who was also a physical therapy nurse. She said that she has seen so many guys who fell from tree stands come to her clinic, she doesn't hunt from trees anymore. Are guys clumsier?


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

Recurve Artemis said:


> Good advice, Absolutcool. I met a female hunter who was also a physical therapy nurse. She said that she has seen so many guys who fell from tree stands come to her clinic, she doesn't hunt from trees anymore. Are guys clumsier?


They are when they get into the stand with a hang over. :darkbeer:


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## smurphysgirl (Mar 6, 2007)

Alpha Doe said:


> what are you afraid of?


I'm not afraid of it....but I prefer to not hunt the evening hunts. I would rather walk to my blind or stand in the wee dark hours of the morning. Don't ask me why but this is what my logic is...when I'm walking INTO the woods, the animals are ahead of me/I'll see them coming...Evening hunt: it's dark when I come out and the animals are behind me/I don't have eyes in the back of my head...Crazy huh! I'm not afraid of it, I've done evening hunts, but would prefer to hunt with someone in the evening or just continue hunting in the morning.



atomic archer said:


> Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids?


Hubby and I work opposite shifts, one of us stays with the kids so the other one can hunt...Last fall was my first time to hunt anything...The first time out, I went one with hubby and then was out by myself. We hunt 15 minutes from home. So when i got my deer I used my cell to call him, he came out and took care of business for me. Thank you smurphy, :set1_applaud::kiss:, I'm not ready to gut a deer!ukey:

Our oldest of 3 boys is 8 and hubby is going to take him deer hunting this fall (with a 410).


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## PAOUTDOORWOMAN (Aug 21, 2007)

i don't really hunt "alone" i always have someone in the woods somewhere with me lol. we just don't hunt the same spots but we know where each others spots are so if something don't feel right we can go to each other that plus we take cell phones and or walkie talkies, that is for emergency and a safety precaution. now this year i might go out myself but everyone knows where i hunt aprox. so it is no big deal...i will be found by someone lol:wink: i cant lose them that easy! lol


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

smurphysgirl said:


> I'm not afraid of it....but I prefer to not hunt the evening hunts. I would rather walk to my blind or stand in the wee dark hours of the morning. Don't ask me why but this is what my logic is...when I'm walking INTO the woods, the animals are ahead of me/I'll see them coming...Evening hunt: it's dark when I come out and the animals are behind me/I don't have eyes in the back of my head...Crazy huh! I'm not afraid of it, I've done evening hunts, but would prefer to hunt with someone in the evening or just continue hunting in the morning.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Maybe you could walk backwards out of the woods! It is crazy what the brain thinks of.


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## kimmiedawn (Jun 26, 2006)

atomic archer said:


> You'll have to forgive me if this is a stupid question as I have not begun to hunt yet......
> 
> Why do you all hunt alone? Do any of you hunt with your kids? We're waiting until ours get older to hunt....but I wouldn't personally want to be out there alone (just the way that I am). And I wouldn't want to send my kids out alone either. Is it too hard to hunt in groups?


Last yr was the 1st yr in my 13 yrs of hunting i had a huntin partner, and she was 4 months old. Now at 14 months she knows a deer on sight and can say deer. Plus shes learnin to blow my fawn bleat..LOL


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## FarmGirl7 (Aug 3, 2007)

kimmiedawn said:


> Last yr was the 1st yr in my 13 yrs of hunting i had a huntin partner, and she was 4 months old. Now at 14 months she knows a deer on sight and can say deer. Plus shes learnin to blow my fawn bleat..LOL


Atta girl!!!


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## atomic archer (Jun 14, 2008)

kimmiedawn said:


> Last yr was the 1st yr in my 13 yrs of hunting i had a huntin partner, and she was 4 months old. Now at 14 months she knows a deer on sight and can say deer. Plus shes learnin to blow my fawn bleat..LOL


That's sweet! I'm shocked you can keep her quiet enough to hunt! Heaven knows my three haven't been quiet a second in their lives...well ok...while they're asleep they are:wink: Here's to hoping they will be some day so we can hunt too!  Do ya'll think it would be too hard to hunt with 5 people together? 

I hate being alone, personally. I think it's because my husband and I used to both be in the Navy. I got out to raise our kids, but he stayed in and was deployed most of the first 7 years of our marriage. I spent most of it raising the kids alone.....and now that he's out and has a normal job....I just don't want to be alone anymore. I'd really like to be there to watch our kids get their first deer too.


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## smurphysgirl (Mar 6, 2007)

Alpha Doe said:


> Maybe you could walk backwards out of the woods! It is crazy what the brain thinks of.


LOL..exactly!!!!!!!!!!!


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## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

I'm scared of the dark when we're out bear hunting - especially walking back to the truck after a bear has been at/around the bait. Not scared of heights, but I'm pretty nervous of falling off the hills/cliffs when we're out mule deer hunting.


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## CountryWoman (Jul 24, 2006)

Rattlesnakes, Rattlesnakes, . . . oh and I am not fond of javelina either:fear:


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

CountryWoman said:


> Rattlesnakes, Rattlesnakes, . . . oh and I am not fond of javelina either:fear:



Sound dangerous.


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## CountryWoman (Jul 24, 2006)

Alpha Doe said:


> Sound dangerous.


It is found another baby rattler while I was mowing the archery range . . . they say a human can out run a javelina after 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile . . . if you can get out and run . . with all the grass and weeds I am skeptical:wink:


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## UltraMaxBandit (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm not afraid of much but I am afraid of picking a bad hunting spot and getting so bored I fall right out of my tree stand! Ha ha just kidding, I am afraid of bears and mountain lions out here in the Rockies.


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## hunterchick (May 6, 2008)

I'm afraid of the dark. Terrified actually. I can hear noises that don't exist, which freaks me out. I'm not to keen on what I can't see in the dark and what might be able to see me.  Snakes......If it wasn't for my safety harness....I'd have jumped right out of that ladder stand! I never hunt without my boyfriend. We might not be in the same tree, but not far enough away that I can't see him! .....I guess you could call him my security blanket! 




imadragonkeeper said:


> This is my first season hunting out of a tree stand too and I'm not yet comfortable being up there on that little seat. But the ladder stand isn't too bad and at least it has arms I can death grip on until the initial nerves wear off. Of course I have yet to try and stand up to draw my bow which should prove interesting. I'm hoping I will be too adrenalized thinking about the deer coming at me to worry about falling out


This is my first year deer hunting.....My boyfriend set up our ladderstand in a tree in the front yard (we live in the country so we can do this safely) and we practiced standing up and shooting from the stand to our deer target in the yard. I thought he was crazy when he told me what we were going to do that day. I'm glad he made me do this as it got me more comfortable climbing up into the stand with my bow and shooting from it. I'll have to admit.....it was definately different than standing on the ground! The first few times I shot from the stand, I was shakey and nervous and even missed the target completely! If you are able to set up a stand and practice a few times before your first hunt, I would definately suggest it!


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## Alpha Doe (Feb 7, 2008)

hunterchick said:


> I'm afraid of the dark. Terrified actually. I can hear noises that don't exist, which freaks me out. I'm not to keen on what I can't see in the dark and what might be able to see me.  Snakes......If it wasn't for my safety harness....I'd have jumped right out of that ladder stand! I never hunt without my boyfriend. We might not be in the same tree, but not far enough away that I can't see him! .....I guess you could call him my security blanket!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah this is a really good idea. Set the stand in the tree and practice before you go out to hunt. Like I said earlier I was afraid to turn around the right way, I sat facing the tree with my legs and arms wrapped around...talk about a tree hugger. It didn't help that we didn't have saftey harnesses then.


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## BOWdacious (Jun 13, 2002)

I am clumsy so I have to be real careful going thru the woods in the dark.The only time I was scared was when walking to my stand(with my husband)on our property.it is very dark and I hear some gosh awful roars come up the holler.I froze and said "what the blank IS THAT?".He informs me that it is the lions at a big cat sanctuary several miles away.He swore that they had not gotten out but it was so loud,I wasn't sure.Needless to say he had to stay while I got into my stand that morning before I let him wander off to his.


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