Last night sitting on the couch, i told my wife. "ya know i think i'll go outside and sleep tonight"..

So i grabbed a sleeping bag a pillow and headed down by the garden.

When the last light in the house was turned off and everyone was in bed, i lay there in the dark looking up. The only sounds were the night sounds and the trickling of the mt stream at the edge of the yard. I could hear deer (or whatever) walking in the woods.

But what was so incredible was the stars...WOW! talk about feeling small.

I think i'll do that more often, possibly this archery season, skip the tent and sleep under the stars...talk about peaceful.

I remember lying on a cliff edge in WV as a kid looking at the stars. They were beautiful. Not sure if all the shooting stars I saw were real or if it was the Pre- medical weed that I was smoking. The most beautiful night sky that I have ever seen was in Afghanistan. No city lights around to distort he view. Alaska has some great night skies also. Makes you feel small looking into such a vast space.

Your lucky you don't have the mosquitoes like we have around N/W Indiana this year. I don't know how the deer survive without losing all their blood. We have a good crop of acorns though. Skeet

Yep Shade. Always preferred sleeping in my bedroll under the good lords night lights.

We use to do that quite often.

A lot of satellites even back then.

I use this site for ISS crossings.

http://heavens-above.com/

You need to do that when the Perseids Meteor Shower is in full bloom around the second week of August.

Carry a good wool blanket in October. The air is drier in the fall and the warm radiates away fast on a clear night. It is a great way to enjoy a night.

When my kids were young they had a trampoline.Sometimes we'd lay on that at night and watch the stars. Northern Michigan doesn't have a lot of light pollution. Sometimes the Milky way is bright and beautiful!I don't see how you can you look at such an awesome wonder and not believe in God!!This world is full of beauty and wonder. Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and take it in.

Nothing like sleeping under the stars. When I had permission to hunt on a large tract of private land I always looked forward to the season so I could sleep under the stars.. no light polution at all.

I think we will see alot more of this soon, both my kids bought camping hammocks this year for just this reason. Seems real trendy to have a camping hammock right now, maybe we will see more. oz

SteveMilbocker

couldn't agree more.

George..yep wool blanket. Then in the morning. campfire, cast iron skillet, eggs, bacon and lots of coffee. Then a all day bowhunt, amidst fall color. I'd say that's about as good as it gets, this side of heaven.

Sounds fun, but the Mosquitos Here in Arkansas would like kill me!

For me, being out-doors is synonymous with being out-side-walls.

Substituting nylon tent walls for wood & drywall hardly makes for an outing... under the stars is the only way to go!

Last year I tried sleeping out in the woods the night before opening day, and I didn't see anything that day (which is unusual) causing me to wonder if variable winds during the night spread my scent in every-which direction. Ho-hum.

Tarp camping is a.lot of fun.. can leave it rolled up in skins on nice nights, I like my hammock under my tarp.. Gonna be up in the yooper soon at the pictured rocks park, doin the 43 miles of trail there...Hoping for some great skies.. Life is wonderful!!

Agree that Alaska skies are incredible. Was in the. Sierra this weekend and saw the skies as they were meant to be seen

Hey Guys, If You are having problems with skeeters? Ya can always google the HUBBLE TELESCOPE! Don't have to worry about the bugs or light pollution! If nothing else? Get a good pair of binocs? 7x50's are good! Look at the Pleaides ( spelling?) KNOCK YORE SOCKS OFF! My 3 batman

My first elk hunt in 1976 we backpacked in about 7 miles and took a small tent. We slept in the tent one night out of 7 and then only because it rained. I got hooked on sleeping outside on hunts then. By the way my Colorado non-resident tag was $25 either sex!

When up high, or sleeping in a clearing, sleeping out is great here in Montana. Great way to fall asleep is to tell yourself you will not sleep until you see one more meteor and continue trying to do that. Very peaceful and soul gratifying.

In bow season, though, there is a good chance you will get wet here in Montana...I for one at least have to have a tent up for those sudden showers.

Many fond memories of growing up in Southern California and taking my 1972 Ford Pinto (yes, a Pinto!!) and then later my 1967 VW Squareback (with a mattress in the back and fancy curtains covering the windows) on long roadtrips up the Central Coast or up north deep into Owens Valley. Drove the backroads, never camped in campgrounds-- always set up in open country/ high desert under the vast starry skies. Exploring old mines, ranches with a 22 caliber repeater or my Bear Super Kodiak recurve and a King backquivers full of woodies. Shot quail and jacks, killed a lot of old ruste cans, too. Then, nightfall... Open campfires, cold beer, beef stew, sourdough bread. Sometimes with a couple of good friends, but often alone. Out there in the vast, big empty serenaded by the call of the quail and yap of coyotes. Slept next to a loaded revolver close to the crackling fire. The chill of Fall, the rabbitbrush golden in the morning light against the soaring countenance of the Eastern Sierra. Nothing better... Shoot Straight, rare breed

That is my problem with star watching. It either gets light and past time to be in the woods or puts me to sleep. I always thought I was just bored. I think starry nights are the ultimate sleep aid.

try that here and the mosquitoes will carry away. that aside yes the stars are cool

Try that in Dorchester County, MD. By the time the mosquitoes are finished with you you'll look like a Macy's parade figure.

I often wonder about mosquitoes. They absolutely love me. Thermocell takes care of that problem when stand hunting, though. The main mystery is the times when you do not have a one and then they appear. As quick they are gone. The dang things must travel in packs. Our camp is relatively free from the rascals for some reason. Some evenings they can be relentless but most it seems to be just the odd bunch. We do not burn a fire. If we get some that are bothersome we fire up the thermocell at the picnic table and get instant relief. I am sure if you slept out all night without protection you would be driven inside pretty early in the evening.

Ill go out every once in awhile in the backyard in the fall and do it,and enjoy it,my dogs seem to enjoy it just as much if not more.

Worked at a youth hostel on a beautiful inland lake in the summer of 1973 near Soo Ontario. It was a day camp during the day.

After all the guests ate, talked and finally went to sleep in the main hall I would steal down to the very long dock that jutted out into the lake with my sleeping bag and go to the end.

Jump in the lake for a swim, then crawl into the sleeping bag and look at the stars..did the Perseids as George related and will never forget it...did this every clear night when August came and the bugs abated.

Started a life long love with sleeping under the stars.

Thanks for bringing back a great memory!!

Stan, wife and I backpacked that 43 miles along Pictured Rocks about 20 years ago. 3 of the most peaceful nights that I can remember. What a great trip it was.

We camped in the Gila Mountains one night. We sat for hours around a small fire and noticed just how quiet and dark it was. Some city folk just never get to experience that.

Thanks Jon.. Life is currently trying to get in my way, to get up there...Still fighting though..

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