Critters while hanging

[SilvrSurfr]

It is interesting to see how different critters react to humans. A raccoon (actually, multiple raccoons) have been going in my house while it's under construction. I've seen them going up and down the ladder (stairs aren't built yet). I've watched them enough from my office window enough to know when they show up (around dusk), so I waited for him tonight.

The raccoon was about to go up the ladder when he spotted me. He ran into the next door neighbor's yard, but a car pulled up and parked right in front of the tree he was hiding behind. My neighbor got out of the car, and the raccoon just hid behind the tree. However, the neighbor spotted him, so the raccoon ran back into my yard, and hid behind a tree that I was standing next to.

The neighbor saw me, and said, "You realize there's a raccoon three feet away from you behind that tree, right?" I said, "Yeah, he's hiding from you but he didn't see me because I wasn't moving." The neighbor and I had a conversation about the raccoon as he tried to hide from me, three feet away.

After our conversation I started walking back to my office, and the raccoon finally saw me and started climbing up the tree. "Don't bother," I told the raccoon. "I'm leaving and won't bother you." He climbed down the tree, and resumed his business of climbing up the ladder to check out my unoccupied house. I guess my house is now a regular part of his evening scavenging rounds.

[dudeman_atl]

I am pretty sure I got sniffed by a grey fox yesterday.

I put a writeup in trip repots with pics of the fox.

Knowing the fox was out there, that he's curious and not afraid of humans heightened the anticipation.

[Kamper Kurt]

I have done most of my ground camping without a tent. Just sleep on the ground an look at the stars. I carry a tarp in case it rains. I have never had anything bad happen to myself. Have seen mice, snakes, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, skunks, etc. around the campsite.. but except for the spiders I don't know of any ever coming into contact with me.

Before you are 20 you are to indestructible to care, and after you are 30 you have learned to put it out of your mind. I was actually hoping that I would feel less exposed in a hammock, than just laying in a bag on the ground. I guess I will find out soon enough.

[dustin]

I'm actually more wigged out trying to hang in my backyard. I know that I've got coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks... which I know are also around when I'm in the woods. What freaks me out is that I know all of these critters are not afraid of people. I've had raccoons and skunks staring me down while I was taking out the trash (Don't worry, I have a heavy trashcan) and coyote pups playing in the backyard.

I've ground camped in bear country and found big tracks through camp in the morning. I just know that if they wanted to get me, they would already have done so. Which is why I go deep into the woods where I'm the one that everything is freaked out by.

It's either my snoring or morning breath that will scare off anything that's not used to it, like my wife...

[nyhiker50]

I'll give this one a bump. I have had animals under my hammock. I've actually had coyotes sniff around. Last year I was watching some mice play and I accidentally left a cup of water out. They started playing in it as if it were a great gift. I've had a few skunks also but I never had any problem or felt afraid. One of their tails actually touched under me because I was hung a bit low. No problem.

[sescallier]

This weird fear-connection is actually the thing that hooked me on hammock camping, other than the fun and comfort factors!

[nyhiker50]

It shouldn't be a fear unless the animal is sick and acting strangely. I have never had to fear a skunk since they won't spray unless they have a reason to. A raccoon may bite but you can always chase it. Most of the time they will go below you without so much as a look.

[-c0de-]

I always see stuff for sale in the FS forum saying, "from a pet-free home." Heck, you should probably pay a premium for a quilt or hammock that has plenty of dog scent on it. Most critters steer clear of dogs.

That is what my bottle of fox urine is for!

[SemoBushman]

I do solo hangs from time to time and really enjoy the solitude. My wife recently asked me was I not afraid of sleeping several miles down a trail in the woods alone. I told her I feel safer out in the middle of the woods than I do in the middle of most towns I've been in, that's were the harmful "critters" are.

Semo