When I used to do wood cutting work in the mountains, camping by myself, and with a wood truck coming up every 2 weeks to load my wood and take me to town for a shower and supplies, I couldn’t resist the impulse to search for the bears unarmed through the woods for recreation, trying to track them , something that probably wasn’t the right thing to do.
My first time in the Okefenokee, we were camping on Mixon's Hammock. When we got there, the landing 'beach' was covered with sunning 'gators 2'-4' long. Maybe one or two close to 5'.
So we pulled our canoes up broadside and poked 'em gently with paddles until they decided to leave. They didn't leave when we simply splashed 'em. Probably wasn't the right thing to do now, but it was at the time.
I have at least three other 'at the time' Okefenokee stories, one of which involves a chubby Scout, an overturned rental canoe with a bad flotation well, and a Free Willie moment.
I'd love to hear your other solo wood-cutting stories. You owe me a winter campfire, some cowboy coffee, and a lot of stories punctuated by Robert W. Service. The longest I've ever gone without the shower is eleven days, while my son has me beat with, I think, 25 days.