Your Most Frightening Event In The Pine Barrens?

[RJG]

Let me preface this by saying that I think the NJ Pine Barrens is a pretty safe place. I have hiked thousands of miles, sometimes at night, and I have camped out in many places, and I have never felt like I was ever in any real danger.

I was hiking the Batona Trail one fall evening in a moonlight sky. The weather was perfect. It was 50 degrees and no wind. Evening can be the most peaceful time of the day to hike. I was relaxed and completely zoned out in my thoughts, barely aware that I was walking. All of a sudden I heard this scratching sound on the ground that was immediately followed with a horrible screeching noise that sounded like 20 people running their fingernails across a chalk board. Then something grabbed the back of my hoodie and started pulling on it while smacking me furiously in the back of the head. Then I started screaming and jumping up and down, trying to get whatever was on me off of me. I finally gained my composure and removed the attacker from my neck.

Here’s what happened. I had walked into a flock of birds that was bedding down for the night on the Batona Trail. When they detected me they started screeching to warn each other of the danger. As they shot up into the air one of them bumped into my back and got its foot stuck in the head covering of my hoodie, which was resting on the back of my neck. The slapping I felt on my head was its wings bumping into me as it was struggling to free itself and fly away.

I was no longer relaxed. In fact, I almost needed a change of underwear.

 

[manumuskin]

I had a squirrel fall thirty feet out of a tree in my yard and bounce off my head.Momma saw it fall.The dogs were so in shock they didn't lunge for it till the squirrel recovered and made it back to the tree.I also had a hoodie on.This is warning to all of us,get rid of your hoodies.

 

[manumuskin]

I"d say the scariest thing to ever happen to me in the barrens would be several encounters with swarms of yellow jackets when I inadvertently disturbed their nests.I'd say I came out the worst in every battle.

 

[imkms]

Way back in the 60s when I was about 15 I went to Harrisville pond, (back then we always called it “root beer falls” and still do) to go swimming. It was an old wooden dam then with a 3 foot concrete spillway at the bottom. The water was also deep past the spillway so you could dive from the dam, over the spillway into the deep water. When it was my turn, just as I pushed off to dive, I slipped on the green moss on the dam, and thought for sure I was doomed. Somehow I just missed the concrete, head first! Everyone watching also thought I was a goner, but I really believe God saved me, I have no other explanation. To this day, I still get chills thinking of what could have happened.

 

[bobpbx]

Way back in the 60s when I was about 15 I went to Harrisville pond, (back then we always called it “root beer falls” and still do) to go swimming. It was an old wooden dam then with a 3 foot concrete spillway at the bottom. The water was also deep past the spillway so you could dive from the dam, over the spillway into the deep water. When it was my turn, just as I pushed off to dive, I slipped on the green moss on the dam, and thought for sure I was doomed. Somehow I just missed the concrete, head first! Everyone watching also thought I was a goner, but I really believe God saved me, I have no other explanation. To this day, I still get chills thinking of what could have happened.

I have two similar to yours. We used to swim at the highway bridge on route 70 where the creek from Lebanon State Forest crosses under and creates Presidential Lakes. This was about 1968 I think. We used to stand on the bridge masonry and dive in. There was a wooden platform about 4 or 5 feet down that they used to service the boards regulating the flow.

My stepfather had to go to Vietnam and my mother had died 2 years earlier. He tried to get a hardship, but the Army made him go anyway. So, he got some friends in their mid-20's to watch over us. They were great. One was named Helena. She stopped at the bridge one day on the way home and saw me standing ready to dive. In fun, she grabbed my ankles from behind, just when my body was launching off. That arrested my dive and I collapsed onto the wood below on my knees. God was with me that day too, as I was remarkably unhurt, but so scary. Thought it would end my summer.

Another time at the bridge, we had a hard rainstorm, and the creek was swollen. The falls on the other side of were terrifying, but kids could not resist skimming through on our bellies. But some had a hard time getting out from under the falls after going through due to the water roiling the opposite way. So a couple of the older boys would have to reach in and grab our hands to pull us out. I think I only did it once. Freaky-scary.

 

[RJG]

I have two similar to yours. We used to swim at the highway bridge on route 70 where the creek from Lebanon State Forest crosses under and creates Presidential Lakes. This was about 1968 I think. We used to stand on the bridge masonry and dive in. There was a wooden platform about 4 or 5 feet down that they used to service the boards regulating the flow.

My stepfather had to go to Vietnam and my mother had died 2 years earlier. He tried to get a hardship, but the Army made him go anyway. So, he got some friends in their mid-20's to watch over us. They were great. One was named Helena. She stopped at the bridge one day on the way home and saw me standing ready to dive. In fun, she grabbed my ankles from behind, just when my body was launching off. That arrested my dive and I collapsed onto the wood below on my knees. God was with me that day too, as I was remarkably unhurt, but so scary. Thought it would end my summer.

Another time at the bridge, we had a hard rainstorm, and the creek was swollen. The falls on the other side of were terrifying, but kids could not resist skimming through on our bellies. But some had a hard time getting out from under the falls after going through due to the water roiling the opposite way. So a couple of the older boys would have to reach in and grab our hands to pull us out. I think I only did it once. Freaky-scary.

Wow, that was really cold for the Army not to give your stepfather a hardship discharge to care for children.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Everyone watching also thought I was a goner, but I really believe God saved me, I have no other explanation. To this day, I still get chills thinking of what could have happened.

That's exactly how I feel about the time I almost met my Maker after a mishap while kayaking frigid flood waters on Nescochague Creek 15 years ago:

Flood paddle

On Monday, December 28th, I decided to take an adventurous paddle on the Mullica and some of its tributaries while the water level was still very high. I knew that this would be a dangerous trip, and that capsizing would be likely to occur if I wasn't careful. I recalled the time several...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

 

[Leewardian]

One time at the back loop of Double Trouble, shortly after the pandemic made that place much busier than ever before, a clearly disturbed and disheveled man spun out from a blind path and stood there staring at me, smiling, like he was in a damn horror movie. Kept shuffling back and forth across the path, facing me, without responding to me, laughing. I finally pushed him aside and kept on my way, though keeping an eye on him.

He moved back into the blind path, and I don't go anywhere anymore without some items to help me out of such potential future situations, easily and quickly.

Erik

 

[slingblade]

Don't remember any truly scary situations happening to me.

But the above story reminded me of one hot summer day. When was I was walking down a sand road, back to the truck, after clearing a large blowdown on the PBT. Disheveled, sweat soaked, covered in dust and wood chips, with a large crosscut saw strapped to my back, a machete hanging from my hip, and a felling axe in my hand. A young couple in a shiny new FJ came driving up the sand road. I smiled and waved hello. They averted their eyes. Which made me smile wider and wave faster. I know it's wrong but I was laughing all the way home.

 

[Teegate]

That's exactly how I feel about the time I almost met my Maker after a mishap while kayaking frigid flood waters on Nescochague Creek 15 years ago:

Flood paddle

On Monday, December 28th, I decided to take an adventurous paddle on the Mullica and some of its tributaries while the water level was still very high. I knew that this would be a dangerous trip, and that capsizing would be likely to occur if I wasn't careful. I recalled the time several...

forums.njpinebarrens.com

It is a shame the photos don't show because they were great. I especially like the bench well under your kayak. Do you still have them?

 

[Teegate]

Bob, do you remember in the Union Clay area when we ran into those two men and during our quick conversation with one of them he said something like "they kill humans".

 

[RednekF350]

Let me preface this by saying that I think the NJ Pine Barrens is a pretty safe place. I have hiked thousands of miles, sometimes at night, and I have camped out in many places, and I have never felt like I was ever in any real danger.

I was hiking the Batona Trail one fall evening in a moonlight sky. The weather was perfect. It was 50 degrees and no wind. Evening can be the most peaceful time of the day to hike. I was relaxed and completely zoned out in my thoughts, barely aware that I was walking. All of a sudden I heard this scratching sound on the ground that was immediately followed with a horrible screeching noise that sounded like 20 people running their fingernails across a chalk board. Then something grabbed the back of my hoodie and started pulling on it while smacking me furiously in the back of the head. Then I started screaming and jumping up and down, trying to get whatever was on me off of me. I finally gained my composure and removed the attacker from my neck.

Here’s what happened. I had walked into a flock of birds that was bedding down for the night on the Batona Trail. When they detected me they started screeching to warn each other of the danger. As they shot up into the air one of them bumped into my back and got its foot stuck in the head covering of my hoodie, which was resting on the back of my neck. The slapping I felt on my head was its wings bumping into me as it was struggling to free itself and fly away.

I was no longer relaxed. In fact, I almost needed a change of underwear.

You win.

 

[bobpbx]

Bob, do you remember in the Union Clay area when we ran into those two men and during our quick conversation with one of them he said something like "they kill humans".

Guy, are you thinking of the man hunting on the county line north of 72 opposite Coyle Field?

 

[Teegate]

Guy, are you thinking of the man hunting on the county line north of 72 opposite Coyle Field?

Yes

 

[RJG]

If you’re ever hiking alone and you cross paths with people who make you a little nervous, tell them you’re hiking with a group who should be catching up any minute now.

 

[amf]

Had a snake fall out of a tree into my canoe (no, it wasn't a water moccasin! Cracks me up how folks swear they saw a water moccasin.). But the scariest was with my 6 yr old daughter. We were looking for blueberries outside of Atco, off on a sand road where Jackson Road bears to the left before the old dragway. My daughter was terrified when the car bogged a little in the sand... she KNEW we would get stuck, run out of gas, and never be seen again. Took a while to calm her... of course, now she races motorcycles and I'M the one who is terrified.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

It is a shame the photos don't show because they were great. I especially like the bench well under your kayak. Do you still have them?

These are the only two I have.

 

[Teegate]

Maybe it was the sign I was thinking of. Maybe not.

 

[manumuskin]

I picked a water snake off an over hanging tree once and threw it in the canoe.Whipoorbill wasn't pleased.he would not admit to fear but he froze in the bow and would not paddle till I crawled up the canoe and got it out from under his seat and threw it back in the crik. Wasn't scary for me but I still suspect it was a bit for him

 

[sojerser]

I’ve always felt safe in the pines but there was a bizarre and somewhat unsettling encounter involving one of the park police 2 Aprils ago. Three of us were doing a little backpacking loop out of Batsto. On the 2nd night, we were camping at Lower Forge and were the only ones there. I was in my hammock, testing out my new windsock (which meant an extra zipper and less visibility). We all went to sleep but then I was woken up by voices and the sound of a car running. I could hear my one friend talking and a man responding to her as I was still trying to get my bearings. By the time I found my way out a minute or so later (dang windsock) the vehicle was pulling away and now my other friend was also awake in her tent. We’re like- “Kim what’s going on? Who was that?” She told us she was walking back from the privy to her tent when the park police vehicle came driving up. The officer rolled down his window & asked her if she’d seen anyone hiking through camp. She told him that she hadn’t seen or heard anyone because she had been asleep until just a few minutes prior when she got out to use the bathroom. She said, “why? Is everything alright?” And he responded, “I think so. We had a call come in a little while ago that some people were hiking at night with face paint on” Again, my friend goes, “No…haven’t seen anyone.” Then the officer says- “okay, try to stay safe”, rolls up his window, and pulls away. She tells us and we’re like- okay, yeah…a group of people wearing face paint walking through the woods at night is kinda creepy. The officer provided no helpful follow-up info like how recently the call had come in, if these people were reported to be headed in our direction or not, just goes “TRY to stay safe” and drives away. Needless to say, the 3 of us didn’t fall back asleep quickly after that.