Some reasons for and against hiking SOBO?

[Johnny Swank]

I just strapped on a blaze-orange vest and kept on truckin'. No real problems for me. If anything, it was sort of nice knowing that a few other folks were running around in the woods as I was WAY alone for the last few months.

[Marta]

One thing I was wondering about was whether anyone had their hike affected by or took any extra precautions due to the southern deer hunting season? I believe that in most states it goes from Sept. through January.

I've got a blaze orange hat and a blaze orange pack cover, and on Saturdays especially I avoid walking in low-light conditions. So far, so good.

[khaynie]

One thing I was wondering about was whether anyone had their hike affected by or took any extra precautions due to the southern deer hunting season? I believe that in most states it goes from Sept. through January.

Good advice above. Definitley wear a lot or make sure there is plenty of orange on your pack.

One other word of advice...don't befriend, feed, or try and help any hunting dogs no matter how miserable they look. Do whatever you have to do to convince the dog not to hike with you. Use your imagination.

Case and point: We knew a guy who only tried to help a hunting dog by giving it some water which in turn caused the dog to hike with him. This guy didn't have a cell and was a few road crossing later that he was going to be able to call the owner. Unfortunatley, at the road crossing he was planning on doing so, the owner (who was with a group of other hunters) was already there. The situation turned ugly as they wound up harrassing our buddy. He was by himself and was pretty rattled; however, the harrassment didn't stop here. The hunters kept meeting our buddy at other road crossings which really made him uncomfortable ~ to the point of hitching about 15 miles down the trail to get away from these crazy bastards.

While I realize this was proabably an unfortuante and rare instance, it's something I consider when I'm faced with a similiar scenario.

[lock&bolt]

That is good advice.
In addition, I'm considering whether it might not be a bad idea to keep tabs on when the rifle portion of the season starts in a given state and make that day or following weekend off time. It's almost inevitable that there are a good portion of hunters in the woods around then who are handling their rifle for the first time since last season -if not the first time period. I've met a few people who've flat out admitted that to me without any embarassment.

That advice about stray dogs is worth keeping in mind, though it sounds almost like your friend ran into a group that was looking for any reason to make trouble more than anything else. The incident would seem to fall under the general rules of being on guard around strangers and not giving a jerk any excuse to get his hooks into you.

[KirkMcquest]

One thing I was wondering about was whether anyone had their hike affected by or took any extra precautions due to the southern deer hunting season? I believe that in most states it goes from Sept. through January.

I was under the impression that hunters had to stay a certain distance from the trail. Obviously, people don't always follow the rules, but, for the most part this should provide a measure of safety. Does anyone know the law regarding hunting near the trail???

[Marta]

I was under the impression that hunters had to stay a certain distance from the trail. Obviously, people don't always follow the rules, but, for the most part this should provide a measure of safety. Does anyone know the law regarding hunting near the trail???

There is not a uniform law for the whole Trail. The only places where there is no hunting going on at all is in the State and National Parks. Other than than, the big plots of wooded land are used by hunters as well as hikers. Much, possibly most, of the Trail in Pennsylvania, for example, runs through State Game Lands. There are enigmatic white paint blobs on trees marking the border of the PA Game Lands, which is often the same as the AT. In some states where the Trail runs through public hunting lands, there are posted signs stating that hunters walking along the Trail must have their guns unloaded, etc. There are also sometimes signs deliniating "safety zones" around shelters and springs. That said, it is not unusual to see deer blinds and platforms up in trees not very far from the Trail. And to see hunters sitting around with their guns, waiting.

Some of the AT maps have information about hunting on them. The AT clubs in Pennsylvania have also put up helpful posters at bulletin boards giving the dates for various seasons.

It's pretty hard to keep track of what's going in as you hike from state to state. When I'm in town, I often ask the clerk at the Post Office. They talk to lots of people all day long and usually know what's happening in their area.

[1Pint]

I just received the best reason to hike SOBO... my best friends are having a baby in June! I'll be able to hang out until after the baby's born and then start my hike. Yippee!!

Okay, I HATE the dancing banana, but I'm soooo happy for them.

[tarbender]

The big issue is that a southbound offers a different start date window that lasts from about mid June until about mid august for most folks. Another consideration is that you will not encounter as many people along the trail as a nobo would. You also condition in rough terrain as a sobo which if done correctly is no problem. I experienced no lack of "trail magic" during my sobo. I met and formed good friendships with a total of about eight other sobos and at least met many other sobos at some point. I also took a very long hike at just over six months which may have had something to do with me meeting so many thrus both nobo and sobo. Summer and Fall seem to stretch on forever during a sobo with no spring and a little bit of winter for good measure. Blackflies ain't nothing most years by late June even in the hundred mile, but mosquitos were another story. In summation, you have decided to thru-hike so you should. If start date or social aspects guide your direction of travel let them. Insects and weather will likely plague you at some point regardless of your point of origin. I think the only real difference is that you end up seeing fewer people as a sobo especially at the end.

-jeff aka frankenfeet

[English Stu]

I went from near Daleville VA to Springer in Sept /Oct 2005 the weather was great apart from the ends of two hurricanes.Socially great and space in shelters and campsite .I plan to hike the rest in two sections one south again and then finish northbound to approach Kathadin as finish.My point is to flip flop to get best of the seasons and avoid the flies and cold.

[ryan207]

From the hikers I've talked to, the flies are still a pain in the arse through most of July. I was going to start my SOBO on July 4th, but pushed it back to August 4th to avoid the flies.

Any input on the flies is greatly appreciated!

Most southbound hikers I've talked to say the 100 mile wilderness is bad but gets a lot better afterwards. From my personal experience I think it just depends, each year varies in intensity.

[jmcdonou]

My personal reason for SOBO.

I was born in Massoftwosh**s and moved to Georgia when I was 8. I’m heading up to Boston to meet up with some old friends and then getting a ride to Katahdin.
My training for the hike has been removing driftwood out of my cove on Lake Lanier (about ½ and hour from Springer).
There is a 6 foot high bonfire pile, a bottle of Jack, my keg tap, my girlfriend, my dog, and a 100 degree hot tub waiting for me helping me walk home.

I don’t want to hike for 6 months and then have to sit on a plane for 3 hours waiting to get back to Atlanta.

[applejack]

what's massoftwosh s? haven't heard that one before. i'm just a curious qualified, certified massh**e

[jlb2012]

what's massoftwosh s? haven't heard that one before. i'm just a curious qualified, certified massh**e

the mass of two shts is about a kilogram

[neighbor dave]

sun's always in yer eyes

[TIGGER]

What the hell please is nobo and sobo?

[Heater]

What the hell please is nobo and sobo?

NOrthBOund and SOuthBOund.

[minnesotasmith]

What the hell please is nobo and sobo?

NOBO = Northbound, hiking either overall or completely in the direction of GA towards Maine.

SOBO = the opposite.

Note that an overall NOBO may well be hiking for a day or even longer SOBO (or vice versa). This is most likely for a slackpack, but can be part of a flipflop as well. I did my thruhike last year as a NOBO, going GA - Kent CT, Hanover NH - Katahdin, and Hanover - Kent. I identified myself as a NOBO even when doing the 281 miles SOBO from Hanover - Kent, as that was what I was overall.

Another issue with going SOBO: Maine is loaded with unbridged streams hard or impossible to rockhop/fallen-tree walk over if the water is at all high. While in Maine, I read multiple horror stories in shelter registers of people earlier in the season going through absolute Hades to cross streams that I (in Sept/Oct) found no big deal, even rockhopping at times. We're talking in some cases where they took over an hour to cross, had to do it in groups with human chains, lost multiple pieces of equipment in the process, you name it. At least in the South they understand that more than every third river needs a bridge.

[applejack]

aw, got it now. wasn t separating the letters into words and syllables right. im like, what s mass soft woshes?

[mudhead]

Just water. Drains to the ocean eventually. You ought to see what the williwags are like...

Where bugs are bugs, and men are scared.

[TIGGER]

NEWBIE?? Ya Got that Right!!!!!
I have had my nose to the grindstone for 30 years as a Navy Doc.
I will get ot hike it more someday... Someday...
Right Now We have Tigger's Tree HOuse.
Thanks for the info!!
T