Weird Camp At Horseshoe Bend

[Mark]

IF you set up garlic and/or onion on top of coolers, food boxes, trash, etc., it will keep the coons and other critters out of food. Foolproof method hasn't failed us yet!!!! Preferably garlic!!!

[lizard]

coons.. bears... and BIGFOOTS... oh my

[2sheds]

Hey Csfishinfool !

I have to admit that I heard the exact same story about 2-3 years ago in late July from 3 guys who were taking out at Riverton. They were plenty freaked by the possibilities, and in my opinion, reasonably so. Was that the event you refer to ? They told me they actually hear the zipper, but assumed it was one of the others in their crew. In hindsight, I'm certain it was an experienced and well-motivated raccoon.

I have floated these Ozark rivers for many years and have never had problems with "smellables". My recommendation is to pack all food/smellables in a 5-gallon plastic bucket with an air-tight lid. I also add a twisty-tied plastic bag as an inner liner. Overnight, put a rock on top so you will hear if it topples.

At the end of the day, the bucket and lid make a handy table. I get mine as a "pickle bucket" from a deli or fast-food restaurant. Need to rinse with bleach a few times and set in the summer sun for a week to kill off most of the odor, but the hint of residual garlic is a potential advantage (as stated above by Mark).

PS - I recommend against storing food in your tent - you want to keep it free of smellable odors for bears (winter season) and mini-bears (year-round).

[Dave Cook]

Way back in the late 70's my brother and I and some buddies were floating the 11 point. The river was up and at one point on a rather difficult stretch both canoes turned over. Some of our gear floated downstream. Before we could retrieve it some rather odd looking characters ran out and scooped some of it up (coolers, etc) and took off. Kind of creepy and ruined our trip. When we asked the guy we rented the canoes from about it he said that was normal for the area!!!

Regardless I'd still like to float/fish the 11 point again.

Greg

I remember those days. No internet forum to warn you back then.

Must have been below that last channel divide upstream of Riverton.

[Guest csfishinfool]

Hey Csfishinfool !

I have to admit that I heard the exact same story about 2-3 years ago in late July from 3 guys who were taking out at Riverton. They were plenty freaked by the possibilities, and in my opinion, reasonably so. Was that the event you refer to ? They told me they actually hear the zipper, but assumed it was one of the others in their crew. In hindsight, I'm certain it was an experienced and well-motivated raccoon.

I have floated these Ozark rivers for many years and have never had problems with "smellables". My recommendation is to pack all food/smellables in a 5-gallon plastic bucket with an air-tight lid. I also add a twisty-tied plastic bag as an inner liner. Overnight, put a rock on top so you will hear if it topples.

At the end of the day, the bucket and lid make a handy table. I get mine as a "pickle bucket" from a deli or fast-food restaurant. Need to rinse with bleach a few times and set in the summer sun for a week to kill off most of the odor, but the hint of residual garlic is a potential advantage (as stated above by Mark).

PS - I recommend against storing food in your tent - you want to keep it free of smellable odors for bears (winter season) and mini-bears (year-round).

Yup three years ago ...that was me. We were totally freaked out. Yeah we heard the zipper and if it was a coon or bear or whatever you would think that it would have some delay opening a tent ...this was one long quick unzip just like the sound i would make coming out in the morning or something , i was the only one awake i turn to my buddy and say in a wisper " what is jesse doing ( refering to our other friend thinking he just went out to piss) he pops up and looks at me from his sleep. At that time i grabed my rifle cocked it and yelled i have a gun, who ever it was, as i said before ran down the path. This thing had two feet, i mean we could hear it for like 15 seconds just thump,thump thump thump running off down this dirt trail. This was no small animal, it had some weight to it to make those foot steps. Plus it never let go of the bread lol The strangest question i ask myself is if this was indeed a person then they had to of watched us put that bread into the freakin foot things of the tent at like nine o'clock ...CREEPY I have been to the eleven point twice a year ever since then . Love the river one of the most beautiful places around.Boze Mill is out of this world . But i guarentee if i stay on the river agian im not staying at horseshoe bend and im staying on the west side of the river lol Plus im packin heat again. There is really only two expliantions that i can come up with for what ever it was, one being some backwoods dude that was really hungry. Which people from that part of the ozarks have told me actually live in the wilderness... Or as Crazy as it sounds to some people Big Foot... like i said this thing was on two feet ,NUTS! This thing scared us so bad, like i said before in the post we floated at night on a river that isnt that easy to navigate in the day time, plus that rain had just come in and the fog had set in on the river...Scariest night of my life.

I think i remeber talkin to you about it. There was a guy from texas that said he was up there once or twice a year That we told about it, was that you>?

[creek wader]

Well I had a different experience one night, while camping at a primitive campsite on the Curtois, river. In the middle of the night I hear snorting, panting, grunting, and something moving through the brush. My first thought was a wild hog. It came within inches of my tent, I could see it's silhoute on my tent. Pitch dark, I'm in a pair of shorts, no weapon and the only thing between me and it, was a nylon tent. I lay still till it moved on down a little bit. Then I bolted to my truck and unlocked the doors in a frenzy and jumped in. My dome light comes on and I have tinted windows, so I can't see out. Then something jumps against the door and puts it's face to my window. it's a pit bull. Needless to say my heart was racing and when I saw it's face, I about sh*t. I watched it snoop around a couple of other tents. It went over by my buddies' tent and snooped around. I got out of the truck and watched it. Then someone on down the lane, got out of his tent to take a piss. I hollered at him and asked him if it was his dog. He said it belonged to a tent on down the way. Then an old hillbilly, down the way, opened his tent and called it into his tent. I was over the fear and now was pissed off. I was about ready to tell him off. But, he had a pit bull and I had nothing. I saw him the next morning and almost said something but, let it go. It was a public site and he let a pit bull roam free. What an butt. Maybe it was friendly, but, you just don't let it roam like that. I would of shot it had I had a gun. I know they are not all vicious killers but, how would you like one waking you up out in the woods, like that.

[mark hedger]

My wife and I camped at Big Springs a few years ago. While we were eating at the picnic table a skunk ran under the table then it disappeared into the brush. Later that night, after we crawled into the tent and were almost asleep, it returned and rummaged around outside the tent. I was on the horns of a dilemna. How do you run off a skunk without getting sprayed? It finally left.

[2sheds]

Hey again, Csfishinfool !

Yup, that's me from Texas. I remember the overnight storms, and I remember you guys paddling by my campsite (across from Connor Spring) so early in the morning (fog just breaking up, but probably 8-miles downstream from Horsehoe Bend). And I can vouch for how serious you guys were about the event. Very glad it hasn't recurred. As I have followed the river news, I have not heard of any similar recurrence.

See you down the river,

-Two Sheds

[snap]

...whatever it was....great story!!!

[Mark]

I thought we had a bear in camp one night but it was just Snap snoring!!!