Spend enough time in the woods, and sooner or later you are going to get that strange feeling of being watched. I guarantee it. And you need to recognize and respect it. In this post, I'm going to tell you the how and why. . .
We all have had it. .That sudden feeling of unease in a Library or Coffee Shop in which you quickly turn or raise your head and without even searching look directly at some person who is staring directly at you. Some people call it a "Sixth sense" and yes, there may be something to that. Remember, we had 4+ Million years of evolution - 200,000 years in this current Homo Sapiens model - and we didn't get here by sheer luck. We did it because we evolved to survive. It's in our genes. You "felt" that person's gaze on you.
The Marine Corps even teaches this phenomenon to young Marines. They call it "Mountain Gaze". Equally, they are taught to avoid doing it -to watch a sentry out of their peripheral vision, rather than staring directly at them, lest they feel that sensation of being watched and alarm.
Most days, we navigate an urban jungle. We see people on the street or in businesses who for whatever reason cause us unease. Perhaps it is a manner of dress, behavior being exhibited, or [very common] something you just can't define . . . a "feeling". This is very likely your Amygdala at work. The Amygdala is a structure in the human brain that reads emotion and processes sounds and the things we see to perceive whether danger exists. It's a key survival tool for each of us. I've known people who refused to believe their instincts and were consequently assaulted.
But let's focus on that "Sixth sense" - I can give a woodland example of that. Several years ago a friend ws running a State Park trail locally. At the end of the trail they paused to rest for a moment. Almost immediately they were overcome by a strange feeling of unease - that sense of "being watched'. After looking around for a few moments, my friend peered into the green undergrowth and was shocked to see a man in black clothing concealed and watching her. Break over! She ran out of there as fast as her feet could carry her. I passed the incident on to a Ranger friend who, a couple of months later informed me the man had been identified and found to be living an off-grid existence back in their park woodland.
I had a similar event hiking a backcountry trail. Everything had been going well when suddenly for no apparent reason I felt a wave of fear and unease wash over me. I became so scared I could not even will my feet to move. Certain I was under observation; I began looking all about me trying to find the source of my distress but could not. It took several long minutes before I finally became possessed of sufficient courage to move off again. To this day I've no idea what caused this, though my suspicion goes to a Mountain Lion as the source.
Using your eyesight to its fullest is critical. Open your gaze, take in the whole of the the scene before you. "Splatter Vision" or wide-angle vision is un-focusing your vision and allowing your eyes to pick up movement that would otherwise be missed. Understand, when we focus up, we're only using 5% of our vision and are blind to the other 95% of our field of vision. using splatter vision, you'll see less detail but you will see more movement. Take time to stop, scan, and look deeper to burn through the "wall of green" and see what's hidden within the shadows.
Another thing to be aware of is unusual stillness or sudden quietness in the woods. Try to be aware of the baseline vibe of the woodland. Bird and Squirrel chatter are good indicators of a normal healthy woodland environment. Train yourself to move slowly, quietly and with a peaceful spirit. If you wish to observe an animal or bird, give it distance. In this way you will not be a trigger for the woodland to go quiet. If you've ever heard a loud family group with cheerful chatty children moving through the woods, you'll know exactly the effect when the woodland fell silent and hid for safety
Smells are another indicator to be aware of. I cannot tell you how many times I've hiked a woodland and smelled cigarette smoke drifting in the air, a solid indicator someone else is in the vicinity. Some people use strong body washes or colognes. Putrefaction - the decay of a deceased animal may indicate a deer kill and the presence of a Mountain Lion in the area. If you do happen upon a kill, be alert and leave the area quickly.
Suspicious sounds, such as someone or something moving in the brush or through dry leaf litter on the woodland floor. I once was walking in out local oak woodland when i became aware of something matching my movement. I stepped and it stepped. I would look into the brush and see nothing. This went on for some time before finally a Coyote busted out of the brush and ran down into the creek bed - it had been following me and watching me from cover.
Sometimes your own movement will be so quiet and skillful, or the ground so favorable it permits silent movement so much so that you will surprise wildlife and provoke alarm and sudden movement as they break cover. Recently on a hike I heard crashing behind me and to my side and turned in time to see a deer disappear into the brush. It had been bedded and suddenly spooked when I entered the area. "Fox Walking" - lowering the outside edge of the foot to contact the earth, then rolling to the ball of the big toe, and finally lowering the heel - will greatly enhance quiet movement in the woodland.
To review - always trust your "Sixth Sense" instincts. Use your senses - sight, smell, and hearing. become familiar with natures baseline and recognize when it goes flat. Move slowly, quietly, and peacefully to increase awareness and not trigger wildlife alarm.
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