If you’re SCARED of anything in the woods.. WATCH THIS

[@StepMassive]

My number one fear in the backcountry is my imagination, especially solo camping. Like, aliens and stuff lol. Anytime I start thinking about what sort of supernatural things "might" be lurking out in the trees, I put a stop to it right away. Also, I carry an "emergency" episode or two of SpongeBob SquarePants on my phone to help lighten the mood :D

[@JeremiahStringer]

Love it!! 😃 I always have some stuff downloaded to watch when chilling before bed. You can really get into your own head out there

[@Diddley_Squat]

Haha if I have service I play bigfoot sounds for my campmates

[@MayaRaimondo]

What if they’re not just your imagination? 😉 You’re watching SpongeBob and here comes... something. 🤣 JK

[@CrossoverGenius]

The SpongeBob episodes is GENIUS. I never would have thought of that.

[@StepMassive]

@@CrossoverGenius Works every time! 😄

[@AndyParrishOutdoors]

To overcome my fear of wildlife, I hike with folks slower than me. 😆

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol that'll do it

[@jenyates3033]

You don't have to faster than everyone. Just faster than someone

[@frugalmum7943]

Hahaha.. Wait.. That's me 😳😄

[@sammyjudeh1117]

Lol that's great

[@beezneez2056]

That’s a solid strategy

[@dontall71]

Someone once posted an official looking notice on a trail head in bear country. "When hiking in bear country you should always carry bear spray and small bells attached to your gear. If you come across bear squat on the trail you can determine if it's black bear or grizzly. The black bear squat will be smaller and contain berries while the grizzly bear squat will be much larger, contain bells and smell like pepper spray" Hope everyone has a better year than 2020

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol that is awesome!!

[@jeffoettle7324]

This is the funniest thing I've seen a long time! 🤣🤣🤣

[@korereviews8088]

Really interesting to see how many men here list other people as their number one fear when backpacking. Not that it's good for anyone to fear this, but as a female hiker, I always assumed it's only women who fear being in the woods. It's definitely my number one worry, especially for solo hiking. Nice to know it's not just a female thing.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Definitely cautious around strangers in the backcountry. It can be especially scary if you know that they aren't hikers or backpackers. They are just there to cause trouble. Luckily I don't think we run into that much :D

[@newenglandscrambler2262]

Definitely not just women, and not just hikers with that fear either. I spend a lot of time on motorcycle travel and off-road riding/camping forums, and even among the "biker" crowd, many would list other people as being their biggest fear. Though most people report only positive experiences, it is always good to exercise caution with strangers.

[@Wondering_Fireball]

I understand your concern, but as a male I find I am more protective of the females I hike with than guys. Maybe because I’m old school.

[@frugalmum7943]

I live in Australia. The actor who was my childhood male role model of sorts on 'play school' (similar to sesame Street) later starred as the most convincing and terrorising serial killer in the movie 'wolfcreek'... Set in similar landscape to areas I hike in. Tip: don't watch 'wolfcreek'. Second tip: realise people like that are everywhere, not only around hiking trails. Third tip, remember this is Australia, everything can kill you... Yet here I am over 40. I'm a survivor :)

[@infoninja]

@@JeremiahStringer whatdyu mean "that much"?!!! :-O who is out on trail not either hiking or backpacking???

[@BackpackingWithJason]

I’m always scared of a big red bearded guy eating all my snacks in my food bag when I’m not looking. 😁

[@HuckOutdoors]

That would be scary

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol you better keep those things hidden XD

[@mikedidomenico1]

Just bring a bag of Doritos in a Gonex bag and you'll be safe!

[@Wondering_Fireball]

LMAO, wonder who that could be? Jeremiah does look a little thin, o don’t think his wife gives him any lunch money. LOL

[@d.c.1059]

My pops taught us a healthy fear of the wilderness which tended towards stewardship and conscientiousness and what would happen to you if you transgress those boundaries. Now that I know what he was doing I totally appreciate it.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That's the best

[@d.c.1059]

@@JeremiahStringer The greatest was the legend of stumpy which some people may have heard of, well stumpy took revenge on those who turned trees into stumps, and came around when you sat around the campfire so that people would know he was real, and I'm sure other children of the 70's and 80's may have heard that from their hippie parents.

[@kamilliasaylor1000]

Wow, thanks for mentioning bees! My main fear is bees, and that fear ended up being somewhat justified on my first backpacking trip. We took a break and ate some food, and we started seeing yellow jackets. I was trying to pee and I saw one... and then another... and then another... and then there were 10-15 of them and I never knew just how fast I could pack my pack until that moment lmao, I put everything I could in there, hung it over one shoulder, and ran about 40ft away carrying the rest of my stuff in my hands! After that I started noticing they were freakin EVERYWHERE in those woods. But we didn't get stung... so I guess in a way I became less afraid, but man was I anxious for a while. We didn't touch any logs on or off trail because my husband has had similar experiences to yours as a kid and he warned me lol. I also saw two giant wasps like fighting each other or something? One was on top of the other and they were buzzing super loud and it scared the fuck out of me. Ran from that too!

[@JeremiahStringer]

They are very scary!!

[@nathanaelkolb4024]

My biggest fear is other people.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I'm right there with you

[@championsgaming1]

I carry a kabar 7 inch combat knife 😂 they make a smaller version but the 7 inch one has the intimidation factor. I dont typically go for just hikes tho i go for camping so the weight matters a little less

[@Murphy326]

I carry a Glock 45 😁

[@epischeananas]

I live in europe😅

[@SweatCookienese]

@@epischeananas some wackos over there too man!

[@kevinjamiesonbelou]

soooooo happy you did this video. I am a 240 lb burly guy and it feels like im not allowed to talk about being scared of stuff, but guess what, grizzly dont care how tough of a person you are, youre still just a person, no problem for a grizzly. I live in BC canada, and we have all the big ones here, cougar , grizzles, black bears, stupid off leash dogs with irresponsible owners (the worst!)

[@JeremiahStringer]

Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin :D I would have poopoo pants facing those animals

[@dreimann]

Rattlesnakes are the things that scare me the most. I've had a few close calls with them.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I have a very healthy respect for snakes. Especially when I'm hiking solo

[@AlaskanGeezer]

1) Strange people in the woods who try to get in my tent or face (we have lots of homeless people gliving in the woods or doing drugs out there, and you can be robbed), 2) Bears .I live in Alaska and there are Grizzlies all over and black bears - who are everywhere, everywhere, downtown, or where I live in the woods up against the Chugach Mountains which is called The Bear Factory by Fish and Game here. They've ripped open a lot of tents up here in my area and a bear drug one big guy out while he was sleeping and the people aroynd there said the bear threw him around like a doll till people scared the bear off him. Fish and Game showed up and shot the bear because it was always ripping up tents to get food. People have food insecurities here - lots of homeless people in the woods. The city gave homeless people bear kegs, they wouldn't use it. They had all these plastic bags of food in their tents. Bears are eating machines.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Now I'm scared

[@kristymoore7052]

Fantastic video! You covered all of the bases and made me feel better, that yes, I have too. I’m an over 55 female that just came on to the backpacking scene after 50, but I’m a quick learner...body not so much, but I do what I can. Often I’ve solo backpacked and I tell others that solo is not alone on the trail....until just recently. Ok, so my fear is yes, water, but I watched the Missing411-the Hunted video while in lockdown. Much of it was filmed in the SAME AREA I backpack. :-0 Living here, I’ve heard all of the tales, but.... I recently packed out where I found my self not just solo, but alone in 411, hunted territory. . I had to sooth my fears by keeping a book tape blaring while hiking, at camp, and all night. I survived ‘till morning, but I need to work on this fear going forward.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Watching that will def make you more cautious :D

[@theblindhiker6960]

Whichever of the SOS devices you get consider attaching to your person and not your gear just in the off chance you get separated for a minute

[@JeremiahStringer]

Great thinking :D

[@hannahdeise297]

If you have a fear of running out of water when they're doing a long-distance backpack hike especially in terrain where water resources are naturally limited or none at all. If you at least have the option of knowing that you're going to be Crossing through a town section. It's always good to have a utility stickit key. Usually any convenience store or gas station has a little box hole off the back side of their building with a spicket but without the turn knob. So that not just anybody could go up to it for water. But if you have one of those utility keys for the spicket then you always have access. And you can get those keys at a Home Depot or Lowe's.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

I was on a fairly front country trail one time following a river between two towns and walked right up on a bear. I'd hiked that area my whole life and never even thought about bears lol. I banged my trekking poles a bit but he was already heading out. :)

[@JeremiahStringer]

Was it a black bear? They've always ran off from me too once they hear noise

[@muddyshoesgardener]

Finally! I have wanted to see more videos like this! Nightime issues are different!

[@JeremiahStringer]

I'll have to make some more :D

[@Simple_But_Expensive]

@@ThePrairieChronicles Went camping in Olympia National Forest once with three friends. We planned for a week. We left after the first night. It was just too spooky. We were in the deep rainforest part. Moss hanging from everything. Water dripping everywhere. At night there was eyeshine everywhere. The hair on the back of my neck stood up until we were back in the car and driving away. I was very aware of my back the whole way out. Years later I read that the local Native Americans have legends about sasquatch in the area. Unlike in other areas, they are said to be not shy and very aggressive. I have always wondered if that was why we all got so spooked on that one trip and not on others. I have only been so spooked one other time. It was a solo trip off trail in Oregon. One section I came to had been clear cut years earlier. The lumber company had replanted, but they had used only one type of tree, and they placed them in a pattern like an orchard. There was no underbrush. Also missing were birds, squirrels, insects, or any other forms of life. A few miles in and all of my instincts were screaming something was wrong. I was really glad to get out of that section. Nowadays the lumber companies don’t make that mistake. They plant a variety of trees and space them randomly.

[@jaredj631]

When my wife and I started backpacking my mother-in-law was seriously concerned for us. She really didn’t want us to go and get into the sport LOL. We thought she was maybe worried about us getting lost/hurt or possibly bear attacks! After talking to her for a bit it turns out she thought we were going to get ax murdered because she watch too many horror movies LOL. Later that year I was having dinner with two pals one from New York and one from Georgia. The topic of backpacking came up and my buddy from New York said he would never go backpacking without a without a gun we both thought that was absurd. Later we were talking about New York City and my buddy from Georgia said he would never go into Manhattan without a gun LOL. They were both irrationally scared of pretty much nothing and each thought the other was crazy. Having ridden the train to Manhattan a bunch when I was a teenager and doing some serious back woods hiking I thought they were both crazy too!

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol isn't it amazing the different perspectives we all have due to experiences and geography? Love the comment :D

[@brentmcallister7194]

In Mn i carry in the woods and in the city......two different reasons but the same goal....personal safety!

[@jschneider5500]

Only about 8 months into my backpacking/hiking journey, when I started I was always worried about wildlife, (coyotes, mountain lions, etc..) and after spending lots of time on the trails, and seeing literally countless coyotes, I have realized that they really don’t have a care in the world that I’m there, usually don’t even look at me…and I haven’t seen any mountain lions yet, but I’m sure they have seen me… Basically, I carry my pistol on me just incase, but I have never felt like I was even close to needing it…. It’s probably more for peace of mind than anything…I think I spent more time than necessary imagining things that are most likely not going to happen. 👍

[@JeremiahStringer]

So excited for you!

[@DetraDearmas]

Fear: meds getting wet. I have no thyroid so I can't make body heat with out them. Double bag underside of brain in first aide. Warm layers. Wild life contact: since I also use a kayak to travel back country in the summer, I went to a familiar area to chill. I saw the gator's bubbles when I went by, they were unusually large so I spoke out and for got him. I didnt give it a second thought since we have run gators of the bank to camp. Later I kicked my feet up and laid back to drift. He came from behind at an angle and literally picked me up out of the water and set it back down as he went by. He was a huge mossy back with no fear. Well I made it out in record time after I figured out he wasn't coming back. Lesson learned, no kayaking alone in rivers or swamps! Never take ANY animal for granted.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is insane!! I've never had any experience with gators. I would have made double time too XD Glad you made it out

[@lisacharlanza5277]

That story is TERRIFYING!! Luckily there aren't any gators in Pennsylvania. That I know of...😳

[@suecharnock9369]

I went to Canada on holiday once. Couldn't work out why Canadians shouted and talked when they walked through the beautiful countryside instead of watching quietly and observing as they went. Then I stayed in a town that had just had someone attacked by a Mountain Lion....... Most dangerous thing I am likely to come across out hiking is a squirrel. Although the Dartmoor Ponies can be a bit too inquisitive and there are wild boar in the New Forest now, but even so - the UK has some advantages....

[@JeremiahStringer]

Some very scary animals out there. I would hate running into a mountain lion or a wild boar. Either could kill me

[@MegaLitefoot]

My son woke up with his hammock swinging in the middle of a very dark windless night. Whatever caused the swinging bumped the hammock again and he froze with fright until whatever it was ambled off into the woods. He spent the rest of the BP trip in the tent with his other brother.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is insane. Wonder what it was

[@MegaLitefoot]

@@JeremiahStringer Imagine it was a bear. He told his wife about what happened. Thought she would be shocked, but she instead laughed herself silly.

[@MegaLitefoot]

Really well-presented, Jeremiah. You're easy to watch. Good tips. Love the "that-a-way" sprinkled in here and there. Reminds me of friends in TN. Fear of cold compels me to carry a large industrial trash bag to use as a VBL in my sleeping bag when out in colder weather. Light weight and adds amazing temp boost.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol my southern peaks through sometimes

[@2laughandlaugh]

" Hiking with Braids" will like your Baby Yoda shirt....

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol I love it too XD

[@davidschmude]

I'm always amazed how itty bitty mice can sound like some giant creature in the middle of the night. Probably my worst "almost piss to bed" moment was the time I was camped in a remote area in my pop up camper. Two raccoons decided to have a fight right under my bunk at 2 AM. Talk about a rude awakening !! It's funny now. It wasn't funny then.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol that is funny. I'm with you. A deer outside can sound like a giant

[@RyanSchell]

I have a lot of similar fears, and have addressed many of them. But the biggest one I have, especially if I planned the trip, is finding a good campsite or having to share it with people I don't know. I know most people are cool, but if I'm with friends or family, sometimes I'm trying to just enjoy that time with them. But finding a good site def gives me anxiety. The people one came from a kind of bad experience in the Smokies.

[@JeremiahStringer]

We had a bad experience with some people recently while camping too. It can be terrible

[@RyanSchell]

@@JeremiahStringer It definitely can suck the air out of a trip really quick! I imagine it has been a little worse this year bc of the pandemicbtoo. I hope when this all clears that the genuine people have found a new appreciation for the outdoors and the lands we are privileged to enjoy. And the others well they can get back to whatever it is elsewhere.

[@Alaska_Gal]

I travel to Alaska to hike. Went solo to Denali in September & will be heading back to Alaska in May. I will be flying (via Seaplane) from Juneau to Admiralty Island. It has the largest concentration of brown bears and eagles in the world. As of 2017, it was 1 brown bear per square mile. What scares me most though…is human creeps.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yeah humans are def one of the biggest dangers, unfortunately

[@jonallenoutside]

I have an inReach and literally had my thumb on the emergency button when it was getting dark in the Sierra and a husband had lost his wife for over two hours. Luckily we found her a mile down the trail confused and walking the wrong direction but stopped at a creek crossing.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Woah! That is a crazy story. Glad it turned out for the best :D

[@lucasmdonald7486]

Biggest fear is getting out of my tent in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere to take a leak and seeing someone standing there looking at me lol . On my last hike I put my tent light on went out to do my business and as I turned around there was two eyes glowing in the dark staring at me , turned out to be a reflection off a tree but I had to change my underpants afterwards 🤣.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That would make me change my pants lol

[@bukketkid2567]

I have a similar story. I live in an area with no bears or cougars. Just deer and elk, and the usual small critters. My 1st time kayak camping solo I decided to go to a camp ground on an island. They have a host who lives on the island so I felt safe doing it. It's a popular island and can be booked solid months out, but my 1st time alone the island was practically deserted on my second night. I was the only camper on the north half of the island which is about 1 mile long and I was praising God for my awesome luck. It got a bit foggy after the sun had set. My only concern was that the small critters might be more bold getting into my stuff since I was alone. Well I'm drinking a cocoa by the fire and talking to my mom on the phone when I look over towards the river and see a massive black figure coming out of the water. I shined my flashlight thinking I'm just seeing things, I'm like 100 ft from the waters edge, and two glowing eyes are bobbing up and down shining back. I can't see anything else but the eyes, the fog just reflect my light back at me. I panicked for a hot sec because the glowing eyes are at my eye level and human eyes don't glow. The eyes turn away from me and I hear rustling and breaking of blackberry bushes. Since I'm on the phone with my mom I feel empowered enough to take a closer look, and sure enough a young elk swam across the river to chomp on ripe blackberries. 😑

[@davidtiner4094]

I have two things to look out for and those are packs of dogs and feral hogs. I carry at all times a side arm capable of dispatching these treats. Yes, I live in Texas.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Both crazy creatures!

[@hikingwithaaron]

Your lighting and camera setup looks fantastic! Very professional.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you!! Trying to clean it up :D

[@Batman8356]

I fear running out of water because I live in the desert of New Mexico. There are so many beautiful places to go but few have reliable water. So I always plan ahead and take way more than I think I need, and when possible I definitely "camel up"

[@JeremiahStringer]

Playing it smart camelling up

[@timmellis5038]

I have a big wooded park in my city (Vancouver). I was jogging along the wood-chipped trail and something crunched. Immediately I was attacked by wasps. I took off full speed and got six stings. I got in my car and drove home; everything was fine. I stopped at a coffee shop. When I opened the car door to get out, I saw a wasp hanging to me on my sock. I reached down and pulled and sort of tried to stretch the sock and pull him off me. The little prick got me. Some of them hurt more than others. It's like: "ah man that one really hurts". I'm basically terrified of all the things you mentioned, especially bears... and getting lost.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is a wild wasp story!! Talk about some terrible pain 😳

[@jeffs6229]

I have a triple crowned friend of mine tipped me off on a small air horn. Perfect for black bears and pretty much anything else. Small lite weight and effective for sure. I have used it many times for black bear and wild boar and it does the job. Now about that LT video you were trying to finish up... thanks for sharing great topic!

[@BackpackingWithJason]

I take the small air horn to when I’m by myself in Bear county

[@JeremiahStringer]

Small air horn is legit. I met someone on the AT in the Smokys that used one while we were at the same campsite. And yes the proverbial LT vids. I will be working from home. Sounds like a good time to work on them

[@voltron5128]

The scariest moment I had while camping was when the state parks free wifi went out for 3 whole hours!!! The horror

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol horrifying XD

[@Brkk-hw4fc]

Well I wasn’t scared till I watched this. So thanks.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol sorry

[@D45VR]

I live & camp in Colorado and have learned where and when to be aware of rattlers who like to stretch out on the trail to get some sun on cold mornings. By and large they are not aggressive but you don't want to startle them.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yeah def want to be aware of them

[@annsolce572]

Creepy people scare me, especially in a camping area, also noises at night.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yep all the above!

[@smefeman]

I had a bee incident just like yours. I was mountain biking and stopped to move my bike over a newly fallen tree when I felt prickling. Thorns? No, a swarm of angry angry bees. I ran off screaming down the trail and had to ditch my bike until sundown when they were less active. I took 6 hits in the leg!

[@JeremiahStringer]

Oh no! That is terrible!!

[@walkingwithuwu7054]

We ran into 4-5 black bears on day 3 of our thru hike on the PNT. Then couple weeks ran into a mama bear and her cub on the trail. Ended up singing to the bear and walking around them off trail

[@JeremiahStringer]

Glad it all turned out well :D

[@jasonsoutthere7733]

A couple of months ago, my adventure bud and I took our kayaks down a local creek here and did the kayak camp thing. He was several yards behind me when I noticed, hanging from a branch (right in front of me) a HUGE hornrts nest! It was the size of an overstuffed brown paper grocery bag. About a dozen or so flying around it. We quietly floated underneath with no issues, but it was really scary and could have spelled disaster!

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is insane! If there is anything I hate it is Hornets

[@Simple_But_Expensive]

When I was a kid, a “friend” and I were riding our bikes on a trail near our houses. He was in front of me, and spotted a hornets nest. He kicked it on the way by. I only got stung once because I set the land speed record getting away. He tried to slow me down, but I forced my way by. In the process, I knocked him over. He got stung multiple times. He got mad at me for knocking him over. I had no sympathy. The argument grew over the next few days until we were no longer friends. My family moved away shortly after. Years later I found out that he still lived in the area and that he was a beekeeper. I looked him up and we laughed about it over a few beers. He finally admitted that it was a case of instant karma. Go figure.

[@Hftimes2]

I won’t camp alone. It’s not really a fear but more so a preference. I don’t care to hike alone but at camp I like to b.s. around the fire and maybe sip from a flask a little. If I could get over my lonely feeling camping alone I could get out way more then I do now. Cause I don’t have many friends that backpack. The struggle is real. lol

[@JeremiahStringer]

I'm right there with you. One of my favorite things about backpacking is getting to hang out at camp with others

[@freeradical77]

Big foot and the possibility of going through a portal into another dimension and never to be seen again. I have watched too many missing 411 videos.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Maybe a couple too many

[@herbieburbie]

I have a little uv light thing that weighs about 4 ounces It was popular about 10 years ago. It still works and I use it in combination with a filter. With all the stories of thru hikers getting sick on trail I think I'm going to keep using it with the sawyer.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Maybe a steri pen

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

I’m always scared someone might put a rock in my pack. 😂 😆 😝

[@BackpackingWithJason]

😂😂😂😂

[@BackpackingWithJason]

Or bells

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol freaking rocks!!

[@Wondering_Fireball]

LMAO, wonder why he would do that. LOL

[@J-S2014]

We did this to a buddy took a couple miles to figure it out

[@michel1157]

mate your video quality and lighting is so on point, its a pleasure to watch 👏

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you so much!!

[@meredithmonroe9723]

Im not really afraid of anything. Cautious, certainly. But, years ago I read a supposedly true story that creeped me out for a while. Basically, the person had been camping alone for a few days and never even saw another person. Got back and developed pictures from the trip and found three pictures of themselves sleeping in the tent. I have no idea if that is true, but it could be and that story was one of the biggest motivations to switch from cowboy camping to tent camping. I know a tent won’t protect me, but I am a light sleeper so I see it as an early warning device.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Scary stuff

[@theOasisSeTarot]

@@ThePrairieChronicles Ooh that is a fabulous idea! I may have to do that.

[@SF-mz3rw]

I'm hoping to try backpacking for the first time this year! The things that I think will scare me the most: sounds in the woods...especially if those sounds belong to a human.. Humans are what scare me the most, honestly. Maybe because I'm female and feel more vulnerable than a big, burly man.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Humans are often the most scary part when it comes to the woods, but sometimes I go and don't see anyone. I suppose that's good and bad

[@infoninja]

I'm headed out too this year solo. Planning my whole trip around trails far from popular areas to avoid humans. However, for me I see it as no more scarier than walking around the city. When I walk in the city I'm more wary about humans than I would ever be of a brown bear and that makes the hike all the more to look forward to. So, don't be THAT scared. Don't let your guard down but cities are far worse than wilderness.

[@johnhikesss]

Even though I enjoy the solitude, I find places that are a little more popular and have multiple people camping a little more comforting. If by some crazy chance one psycho is around(so rare) if you have 3 to 4 groups camping by you, chances are they'll come to your rescue.

[@jeromebullard6123]

I do lots of backpacking in northeastern MN. Lots of time on the Superior Trail. Black bears, meh, but black flies are HELL ON EARTH.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Super cold up there atm :D

[@Simple_But_Expensive]

My fears are animals, both two and four legged. I walked up on a brown bear on the PCT about 40 miles north of Whitney, at Woods Crossing. He took off, but then proceeded to follow me all the way to the trailhead at the Kings River. Every time I turned around, there he was about 1/2 mile back, pretending he didn’t know I was there. When I drove off, there he was, watching my truck go by. I think he was more curious than anything, but it spooked me so bad I didn’t stop for breaks. I wear a bell now. I have had problems with two legged critters several times, but I am a light sleeper, and I have found that the sound of racking a round is very distinctive. I have an automation on my phone that turns my volume to 100% and plays that sound when I cycle my sound off/on. I usually hear someone running away in the dark right after playing it. I used to carry a .45, but I live in California, and doing so nowadays makes you automatically guilty of something, and likely to be arrested. When I grew up, open carry was common and nobody noticed. It is still legal, but you are going to have cops pointing guns at you while you are arrested anyway. Once they figure out it was a legal carry they will release you, but you won’t get your weapon back. Don’t assume someone is a bad guy just because you can’t explain their behavior. I was car camping with my brother at Valley of Fire, Nevada. It was late season, and only two other campsites were in use when we pulled in. The campsite is about 20 minutes off US-15, and 30-45 minutes from Vegas. We saw a guy pull in, circle through twice, then pull into the first campspot. He didn’t get out, didn’t set up camp, didn’t cook, nothing. Why would someone drive 20 minutes off the freeway when Vegas was 30 minutes away? We decided to set up a watch schedule to keep an eye on this obvious serial killer. After a mostly sleepless night, he got out of his car, took a leak, put on a reflective vest, grabbed an orange trash bag, and started poking around in the rocks with a stick. Turns out the park service paid him to pick up trash and clean the outhouses. He didn’t camp because he didn’t have the equipment, and he came out the previous night because he needed a head start because he had to work at his day job (bartender) that afternoon. Now if he had tried to approach our campsite in the middle of the night…

[@JeremiahStringer]

Very real fears

[@petitehiker754]

As a Dutch person I absolutely love your shirt and happy that the only wildlife I have to be scared of are spiders 😁

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you so much :D My wife is terrified of spiders as well lol

[@wyndwalkerranger7421]

The only time I was threatened in the woods was being chased by a bull moose. It is amazing how fast they are, four shots over his head before he decided to back off, even then he followed me for a ways. Many AT NB through hikers come through Northern New England during the rut so should be careful. Whistle on my Osprey sounds like a wounded rabbit would not use it to discourage large unfriendly mammal.

[@JeremiahStringer]

A bull moose is no joke 😳

[@frugalmum7943]

I'm in Australia. Snakebite. I did a workshop from www.livingwithwildlife.com.au it had live snakes, to show us how shy and non aggressive they generally are. Australian snakes rarely attack, they prefer avoidance. If they feel threatened or are startled they may defend. Mostly with warning 'dry bite' (no venom) etc. The workshop included a first aid instructor and statistics on actual deaths etc. (rare). A few months later during a heatwave a snake slithered out from under my Son's school classroom.. Turns out a sprinkler had broken in a nearby garden and it was after the water. This happened just in time for school pick up. I felt better able to handle it because I was educated on snake behaviour, safety and first aid. I'm aware of snakes when hiking, but I'm not fearful in that same way anymore :) My point is, get familiar with the threat, understand animal behaviour /threat behaviour (fire, flood, insect, animal whatever the threat)

[@JeremiahStringer]

Sounds like a very useful workshop. I would be interested in checking something like that out. I normally steer well clear of any snakes that I spot, but I guess it's the ones you don't see that are the issue for me lol

[@hannahdeise297]

I think I would recommend keeping a harmonica even if you don't know how to play on you for any larger Wildlife such as bears and mountain lions

[@adamklotzify]

grizzly bears, rutting moose/elk, wolves, cougars....heading out tomorrow to start scouting our area in the rocky mountains of canada

[@JeremiahStringer]

Hope it was a great time!!

[@Hodmokrin]

I am always carrying so I don't worry about much here in KY. Bees are pretty hard to shoot out of the sky so that does have me a bit concerned since I'm pretty allergic... Time to get an epi pen.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol that's the truth

[@2laughandlaugh]

Im from VA so when i get worried about wildlife i think about people in the Pacific Northwest and the fact that they have wolverines and huge brown bears and I instantly feel better.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol much safer with that VA wildlife

[@2laughandlaugh]

@@JeremiahStringer you and yours have a fun and safe Thanksgiving...

[@2laughandlaugh]

@@ThePrairieChronicles wow....not a ringing endorsement of Canada....now I'm afraid to visit..😆

[@bluewolfadventures689]

One of my fears on the trail is running to another wild hog. I got treed by hog when I was 15 on a day hike. Now I almost have my bushcraft knife with me.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I haven’t had any experience with them yet. Seen where they are rooting around and there is fences up on the AT to keep them out of certain areas in the Smokys. Pretty scary. They can really tear you up

[@Gilliegrl4]

My most intense animal encounter was not with wildlife, but with livestock. Hiking the AT in Virginia, the trail went through a pasture with cattle. Most of the steers were pretty chill and just watched me walk past, but there was one that was upset enough that he charged or bluff charged me! When I saw him coming I jumped into the bushes closest to the trail and stayed there for a couple minutes. After the initial charge the one direction, he came back running the opposite direction looking around. Black bears I'm 100% cool with, but cattle are a little unnerving!

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yes! And cattle are so huge. They can straight up kill you by running into you 😳

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Great tips there man! By biggest fear is usually other people... Have had a few weird encounters out there but overall they've been positive.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yeah other people can be the worst thing you face in the backcountry

[@treebeardtheent2200]

All the food planning I see being put out there is still always based on ideal conditions, making idealistic distances, etc. An injury, illness, weather conditions or even a compromised water filter are among numerous things that flush all that idealized planning down the shitter. A self-reliant hiker has days worth of extra food (not necessarily full meals) to accomodate such contingencies. Another thing is the ability to ration. While a person can Survive for days without food, a person cannot do strenuous work without food almost every day, but it need not be a feast.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Rationing is everything foodwise when backpacking

[@treebeardtheent2200]

@@JeremiahStringer Well you are not alone when it comes to packing food heavy, and it really saved my butt this last November. I hate being constrained by schedules, permits, etc. when I go into the wilderness, so I waited until October ended to thru hike The Enchantments wilderness in Central Washington. My preparedness was good (always #1 with me), but my readiness was lacking bigtime. Not physically fit enough, gear not all dialed in, planning was spotty, etc. but winter was coming on quick - it was go right then or probably never. Well, a 4 to 5 day hike turned into abiut 13 days mainly bc of my Sawyer micro going dysfunctional. I had a few backup tablets, but not enough for days, but I had my pot (prep) even though fires were bigtime illegal there. I really had to unpack my skills on that one especially when rain came on heavy followed by over seven (7) consecutive days of 24hr sub-freezing temps often with wind and scrambling over ice or snow covered boulders, etc. I walked out, on my own (hungry, tired and thirsty) on Friday the 13th of November 2020 with even a little food left to spare, and the Chelan County Sheriff picked me up in the road to town...and they then called off the SnR operation, (which I did not call for btw) So, yep, there are times when food is everything. Btw, I did also learn to appreciate icicles - very good for a little hydration boost with almost no risk of Giardia (at least I hope so) and they don't lower body temperature as much as snow particularly if timing is good bc they form when it's only barely freezing or just below with sunlight produced snowmelt.

[@MuayThaiTherapy]

When I was a young kid I saw a small garden fence sticking up from the ground. I pulled the fence up and pulled a bee hive out and I was attacked by a country of bees. I remember running being stung in the neck, face and smacking myself in the face running top speed. Ever since then I think twice before pulling something from the ground.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is insane 😳

[@insanityknows]

Animal encounters are the main thing that I freak myself out about. Studying the animal types that I have where I plan to camp and learning how to handle the encounters with them is helping me. The other thing that bothers me when I am solo camping is being in a strange place that has even minor dangers that I cannot see through the dark or walls of my tent. So one thing that I did was sleep in a tent right in front of my vehicle with the key fob next to me so that the headlights will shine all around when I press the lock button. This was just training wheels for the next increment to acclimating myself to solo nights in the wild. Helped too because it allowed me to retreat to my vehicle if I must. Next for me is to pack bear spray in my tent the whole time. For any encounter.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I don’t blame you

[@multidimensionaltraveler806]

In bear country its good to just hang a bell on your pack. Thats what i do and i never came across any while hiking. I have two dogs that always go with me and i have a bell on each of their collars with their tags so it makes a good amount of noise. I had a bear walk into my campsite at night because i tossed chicken bones into the metal trash bin provided by the campground i stayed in, i hit remote start on my vehicle and the headlights and the engine noise scared it away

[@JeremiahStringer]

Glad everything turned out okay with your bear experience :D

[@Deverud]

Always check the other side of a log your stepping over before hand. There might be snakes, or as in your case, bees, and you don't want to step on either.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Absolutely true

[@firtee_adorabold]

Definitely everything to do with water. Ending up dehydrated a couple times really leaves an impression lol

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is the worst!

[@infoninja]

TICKS!!!! the ONLY thing that freaks me out on trail or camp

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yes!!

[@infoninja]

@@JeremiahStringer what are your recommendations for dealing with ticks? I met an army chemicals specialist who remembered during training at one fort that ticks would JUMP from a TREE over a picnic table onto people. She said wear hard hair gel to keep 'em off. One can't use hair gel in the wilderness though.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I treat all my clothes and gear with Permethrin and take 100% deet with me. It's not great for the longevity of gear though lol

[@infoninja]

@@JeremiahStringer THNX!!

[@ronaldrose7593]

Hello Jeremiah, thank you for sharing these words of wisdom. You brought out some great points. Please keep those great ideas coming along. All the best to you and your family. 🤗

[@JeremiahStringer]

Appreciate it, Ronald! :D

[@SheGoneAgain]

I am liking you more and more. Love your humor! You lost a serious amount of weight. Did you do this hiking?

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you so much, Mary :D I lost the weight before hiking. I did it over a couple of years through proper nutrition and consistent exerise

[@annalowe8910]

I have a very outdoorsy family and I always carry bear spray. So far I've had one cousin killed by a cougar in the woods at his school yard on lunch hour. ( Vancouver Island ). I've had another cousin stalked by a cougar on a hike ( Salmon arm). My grandad was almost killed by a black bear while planting his garden (100 mile house) it doesn't happen very often but if your out side and in there home it can happen.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is WILD!! 😳

[@DragonRoams]

Always a good conversation to have.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you :D

[@drathali6524]

I live in Northern Idaho, and Grizzlies are SUPER common here. And highly aggressive. Which makes me very nervous. Aswell as Moose

[@JeremiahStringer]

I might have to avoid Northern Idaho lol

[@HooksandHammocks]

No water is always one for me. Terrified of having the last sip expecting water closer to camp and it be dried up. I will probably never pass up an opportunity to get water because of this fear. Thanks for sharing always nice to hear we are not alone with our fears.

[@JeremiahStringer]

My pleasure!! I can never have enough water

[@mysterylovescompany2657]

I was eating while watching this, so a bit of background noise was happening, + I was so sure you said, "I have lost multiple ovaries from Sawyer water filters..." I was pretty confused until a few seconds later when I heard you say, "o-rings" & I could be like, "Oh, okay, logic has returned to the Universe." X-D

[@JeremiahStringer]

XD I'm always misplacing my ovaries 😂

[@Wondering_Fireball]

As for the Sawyer and it’s o-ring, superglue. I also carry the drops.

[@JeremiahStringer]

I like it, but what if the ring wears out? You pick it out with a knife?

[@Wondering_Fireball]

@@JeremiahStringer, by then it’s usually about time to replace the filter any how. Most people over tighten their tops when they don’t have to. Let the o ring do it’s job, just lightly snug it on.

[@danielsingh9415]

Been there, done that. We got "lost" on a little day hike, I knew where we were, and where we needed to go, but we lost the trail & ended up bushwhacking thru impenetrable underbrush, devil's club & the like. My sister & her friend had pants, me & the wife, shorts. That was rough, we got scratched up pretty bad, especially when we stumbled on a hornet's nest! My wife got stung, thankfully I did not, else it would've made a bad situation worse - I'm allergic to bee stings! And did not have my EpiPen! Tho I did lose my hat making a "bee" line outa there 😝 Those suckers are big & unlike bees, they can sting u multiple times, without dying, unlike bees! We were at odds for the best route back to the car, they wanted to follow a creek down, but I knew it would be MORE treacherous & lined with more devil's club. We were on a ski hill, and I knew there was a run somewhere above us, heading down, so if we headed up or across, eventually we'd hit it. And we did, after my sister climbed a tree and saw a clearing ahead. A lot of lessons learned that day. Even if it was just to bring some flagging tape to mark the trail b4 we ventured out on the bluffs to eat our lunch, that would've saved our bacon. But even tho u didn't intend on getting "lost" (I wasn't lost) & spending the night on the mountain, in the rain, u should be prepared to & to survive it. But, my fear is predatory black bear attacks when hiking alone. After watching that video where those 2 guys found the previous hikers' camp abandoned & the bear was eating him across the creek...

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is a pretty wild time!!

[@pizzarat6145]

I live in AR. Hogs scare the crap out of me. I did encounter a mother hog and piglets bping, once upon a time. Luckily my dog chased her off. Unfortunately, my dog Cherub Rock has passed away. I've seen bear, bped in tstorms, crossed flooded rivers, etc. Those things don't scare me anymore. I have a great deal of respect for those things, but once you have faced the things that frighten you usually you overcome your fears.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Amen :D A healthy respect

[@obikedog]

I always hike with my small dog; often solo, so black bears are a concern. Not necessarily for me but because I worry he'd try to be a hero and get hurt. So I recently started to carry bear spray. And in Eastern US I prefer hiking in winter because of ticks and lime disease concerns.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Very scary running into a bear with a dog 😳

[@mkultrahikes]

My biggest fears: 1. Mountain Lions 2. Sasquatches 3. Dogmen 4. Falling Great video man! Hope all is well on your end.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you!! I'm still looking for one of those sasquatches

[@infoninja]

too many fears. narrow it down to one and focus on that. like falling, which is the one thing most likely to occur. So monitor your stepping and dont rush certain terrain. I fell once. 100ft off a cliff. major damage, but I was being a cocky teen on a mountain and lesson learned. I still hike, just slower now. I've encountered face to face with a mountain lion and yearling cubs....no problem but, I was also very respectful. I've encountered black bears on a couple occasions, no problems. Just be louder than they are. Basically everything boils down to studying up on wildlife in area and how to mitigate a bad encounter. Chat with very experienced people familiar with the area. You'll be fine, the more knowledge you have. Less fears.

[@sirsir108]

I had to break the rule of not cutting through switchbacks once cuz someone stepped on a tree with a bees nest on it I only got 1 sting some others with my group got over a dozen it's totally worth carrying a few benadryl when you go out

[@JeremiahStringer]

Gotta do what you gotta do

[@Rusted_Link]

I totally get the being cold. I only lost about 70 pounds. Afterwards even 70° seemed cold.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Yes! Someone gets it

[@Whoz71]

One time when I was hiking in the smoky mountains with my family a black bear and two Cubs crossed the trail 10 yards from us

[@JeremiahStringer]

All too common in the smokys. Seems like they are pests around the cities unfortunately

[@kylerhallam9680]

O my gosh I’m literally waiting that shirt

[@JeremiahStringer]

Love it :D

[@viewsandreviews180]

Good video presentation.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you so much! :D

[@viewsandreviews180]

@@JeremiahStringer I suppose I should be fearful of bears but after three close encounters (at about 4 years old I ate lunch with two bears, at about 17 years old I surprised one while hiking alone and at 36 had one brush by the outside of the tent my son and I were sleeping in.) over the years but instead I respect them for what I believe they are. My concern while sauntering through the woods is getting lost, ticks and snakes I don’t see, hear or smell first.

[@hannahdeise297]

I know it should be obvious common sense but not everybody has it. And for those few people sometimes things need to be Spilled Out Loud. So with your whistle recommendation I would make sure the hikers use a plastic whistle that could not freeze over when the temperatures fall and stick to their lips

[@JeremiahStringer]

That's a great point

[@guylainedoucet9634]

Hi! Thanks for your good videos. I watch them from Quebec (Canada). I try to control my thoughts...I don't let my imagination overcome myself. One day, if I see bears or wolfs, I am going to be scared for sure, but before I see them, I refuse to be scared and avoid going in the woods like some of my friends... Guylaine

[@JeremiahStringer]

From Canada? That's awesome!! Excellent advice :D

[@odenonthetrail]

My Nan tells me and my cousins that the sounds of kids whining attract bears. I think she's kidding. Lol

[@JeremiahStringer]

Lol maybe!! XD

[@Missadventures423]

It's TRUE.. I am NOT kidding.. Never be whiny on a hike.. Safety first.. :)

[@Everydaybackpacker]

Some really great advice and fears that I think most backpackers have faced at some point. I share many of these and had a resurgence of those fears when I moved from Ohio to Montana. A world of difference from each place.just the wildlife alone is way different. Great video.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Oh man! Ohio vs Montana is a huge difference :D

[@hannahdeise297]

Definitely don't want to be stung by a bee. But Hornets are a-holes. LOL

[@J-S2014]

As a young kid first time in southern US found a gecko in a tree as I couldn't get high enough I shook the tree not smart got rained on by fire ants it was a bad day

[@JeremiahStringer]

That sounds like a wild day lol

[@berniebroering7438]

This time of year... Inexperienced hunters.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Gotta bring some orange this time of year 😳

[@NANA-xb8ew]

"People don't fear the dark, they fear what's in it"

[@JeremiahStringer]

Oh yeah

[@BackpackingandBlisters]

The thumbnail for this video is awesome!!! Great job!

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you very much!! Got soaked trying to get the pic XD

[@inkblots-life1111]

Buckhorn state park in Wisconsin. Backpack site about 2 miles in from car. About 1.5 miles in huge trap with a sign that says its for a problem black bear. Trails lined with berry bushes. Bear scat on trail. Lol. I hiked up to the trap, saw it, back to the car to get my bear canister, then back. Saw a bear off in a tree but never near me. However i slept like crap. Woke up to every sound.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That would have really hurt my sleep too lol

[@coasternut3091]

I'm more scared of people than animals. I was hiking about 8 miles from the closest road and ran into a guy with no gear but a water bottle and a bag. He said he was out picking mushrooms since he lived near by. That was WAY creepier than any animal encounter I've had

[@JeremiahStringer]

You can make some great money picking those things :D I wish I knew how to recognize the different ones, but I'm too lazy to learn XD

[@lisacharlanza5277]

My fear too. Bear spray or bug spray should at least give you a head start.

[@agatho00]

Well, here's a list of my fears. First of all, bears. In some way it's hard to tell what is rational fear and what is irrational when it comes to bears. I would say that in my case it's a big slice of irrational fear. Always when I camp with others, I'm the most fearfull between them. It used to be worse in the past. Two: shepherd's dogs. In my country there a lot of sheepholds next to hiking trails and shepherds have lots of agressive dogs. You have to be very carefull around them. The best thing is that in the winter you can use the sheepholds for shelter, because they're empty and not closed. Three: lightnings. In the summer, when I'm on the ridges and bad wheather approaches, lightning is a possibility. Four: avallanches. In the winter, there's this possibility and I'm not that good on judging when the snow is stable or not. Five: ticks. Yea, I'm affraid of lyme disease. And not least, other people. There are always bad people out there. Illegal logging and other things bring bad people in the woods. But those things don't keep me far from trails, that's for sure.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Wow! You have a few things where you live that I didn't consider. A lot of legitimate things to be fearful of

[@darstar217]

I love your shirt!

[@JeremiahStringer]

Thank you!! :D

[@j.hetfield9422]

I have seen big horn sheep. Was amazing and scary. I was on the side of a mountain with a narrow trail, going up Mt Baldy of Angeles National Forest. It just looked at me and turned and slowly grazed it's way down the steep mountain side. I saw 2 brown bears in the same area, luckily, I was already in my car and was heading home. I still couldnt believe it. My bear spray goes everywhere with me now. Beautifully scary animals.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That is wild!!

[@infoninja]

I've encountered a lot of wildlife in my years but it was only recently (after playing Red Dead Redemption 2) that I started getting worried about being randomly attacked by a deer or bighorn sheep. So I'm glad you're lucky that sheep didn't get upset with you.

[@j.hetfield9422]

@@infoninja Yeah. I think they have learned they dont have to worry about humans. It is protected land, so no hunting. They wont come up to you, but they dont run away either. I go to San Gabriel National Monument and do overnighters 1 or 2 times a month. Helps clear the mind and get rid of stress. I always hear something walking around my tent. I assume its deer/sheep. If it were bears, Im pretty sure I would be able to hear a difference.

[@markcummings6856]

That’s what I’m talking about! Good tips.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Out here trying to spread what little knowledge I can XD

[@myentertainment55]

Ticks! I surprised that it was not even mentioned.

[@JeremiahStringer]

That’s a good one!!

[@heatherlyng3491]

My kids and I were doing a day hike up Cowles Mt in San Diego and there was a huge swarm of bees that looked like a huge dark cloud and the sound was the most terrifying.

[@JeremiahStringer]

Very scary. Especially with the kiddos around 😳