What's up guys? This is my first time actually posting on this forum with a registered account but, I have frequented this site regularly for a long time reading many posts from a variety of different areas. I have been exploring the Pine Barrens, and researching their history extensively for the last year or two and I always find more and more to explore, and more and more to love. Anyway, a couple of my buddies started getting really interested in the Pine Barrens and a lot of the abandoned towns and ruins in the woods and have asked me to lead them on a tour of a couple of key places. I'm thinking I'll take them to Batsto, Harrisville (and the surrounding area of Martha and Calico), Mount Misery Rd. and Brooksbrae during the day, and then wrap up with a nice Sunset watch at Apple Pie Hill. Then, I had a very simple plan. I am going to scare the daylights out of the them. I am thinking the absolute best place to do this would be at the Carranza Memorial during the night. I'm thinking of bringing them out there and telling them it's haunted, then letting their own thoughts make them paranoid as they travel down the abyss which is Carranza Rd. at night (I'll probably come in from the Friendship-Speedwell Road junction too showing them Friendship Ruins, even though it will be night time), but for the grand finale, I am thinking of setting up a little "surprise" for them. My question is, what could I set up or plan potentially the day before that would scare the death out of them without disturbing the ecosystem or disrespecting the structure and it's history? I am thinking I could build a zipline with a stuffed animal that would swing across above them or something crazy to spook them. (I'm a Mechanical Engineering major in College I can build some impressive stuff lol).
"Haunted" Carranza Memorial
- Thread starter Barry_Timony
- Start date
sounds like fun. I think friendship might even be a bit spookier than the memorial, but either will work i suppose. depending on what you decide to set up you just want to consider anybody going to the site before you do. the memorial gets quite a bit of traffic (relatively speaking). The zip line idea could work but if possible a live actor is always a sure thing. Perhaps you could have someone else in on it and stash a costume of sorts.
You might get varying answers here, but I would say rule numero uno would be not to put anything on/attach anything to the monument itself. Rather than trying to arrange something on a zipline or whatever, you might be better off coordinating with a friend to be out there before you get there. Maybe you could attach a couple of red LEDs to a board about eye width apart and have he/she approach as the jersey devil. Just make sure your friends aren't carrying any weapons of any kind! 
Have fun!
Have fun!
I appreciate the replies so far guys. Having some other friends go out there before me would be a good idea but many of them don't know where they are going. The gorilla suit would be good but it's too unrealistic to get the type of response I want to do something that will get them spooked just enough that it is believable and there isn't much explanation for. I'm trying to come up with something really creative but I honestly can't.
Nice and simple. Buy or borrow an electronic game call like a Foxpro Spitfire. Place it a hundred yards from your gathering. You would have the remote control.
Set it on "raccoon fight" and trigger it with the remote when everyone is out of their vehicles.
Your friends will be diving into their cars like the Dukes.
Set it on "raccoon fight" and trigger it with the remote when everyone is out of their vehicles.
Your friends will be diving into their cars like the Dukes.
Thats actually a really great idea. How much do they cost? I'd probably have to borrow it because I dont think it's worth buying for one prank lol. I bowhunt deer so maybe I could find another use for it during the hunting season though.
On sale at Cabelas for $159 right now. They are a lot of fun. Even if you don't hunt, they attract birds of prey and other curious critters for photo ops.
Scott, I went to youtube and listened to the spitfire's rendition of "raccoon fight". You weren't kidding! I litterally laughed out loud to the thought of them hearing that in the pitch black at Carranza.
Barry, if you do this, you should make sure your friends bring extra under garments! 
Scott, I went to youtube and listened to the spitfire's rendition of "raccoon fight". You weren't kidding! I litterally laughed out loud to the thought of them hearing that in the pitch black at Carranza.
I am telling you, I can scare myself with that "raccoon fight" call !
The "ranting red bird" and "vole squeak" are hawk magnets. The 'female coyote long howl" is hauntingly beautiful and I love to hear that call in the woods at night.