What where these things tall slender following me through woods?

a reply to: St Udio

The mantis things were known to visit the uranium tailing site in Canonsburg, PA in the 1960's according to a few locals. Stick-like with big eyes and a triangular head. At least 4-5 feet tall or taller but the person I know who encountered one didn't stick around long enough to get a detailed look.

Wow that's about 5 mins drive from me!. That's the first I have ever heard about this. I'll be sure asking around thatsa reply to: infiniteMeow

a reply to: visitedbythem

Black Annis

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

...and are best left alone.

That applies to most critters out in the woods, even the woods in the middle of town.

But, yeah, most stories of mysterious creatures include that warning--or ones just like it. Best left alone. Dangerous if provoked.

a reply to: infiniteMeow

Just had a thought. Yes, I have those every now and then...

When you said it ran away when you began to approach, and you had your hatchet in hand--hatchet as in something like a tomahawk?

I can't help but wonder if it's running away had something to do with "cold iron". Fey, assuming--and it's a huge assumption--that is was a fey of some sort--legend has it that cold iron is lethal to them, or at least harmful.

a reply to: infiniteMeow

I live about 5 mins from there...not that I'm ever going to visit again now

a reply to: seagull

yes the legend goes that some fae can't touch iron. It steals they're magical energy or something like that. Also a relationship to djinn seems plausible as they are reputed to be electrical plasma beings or something like that.

originally posted by: baggy7981
Who goes to a supermarket with a hatchet?

Do the same route repeatedly in the middle of the night, strap some night vision cameras fore and aft.

you've got to remember we don't have access to guns in the UK as normal members of public.

as for the hatchet its wood splitter I use for fires when out in woods. I've been carrying a small survival or tool bag for a while now. The axes are a bit large to carry but a trusty hatchet is just for me a tool.

Although if used in a violence/being attacked situation it like any other tool/weapon could end up being used against me.

I am rather fond of hatchets / axes and have amassed quite a few woodworking tools of late.

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originally posted by: infiniteMeow

originally posted by: baggy7981
Who goes to a supermarket with a hatchet?

Do the same route repeatedly in the middle of the night, strap some night vision cameras fore and aft.

you've got to remember we don't have access to guns in the UK as normal members of public.

That's not really an excuse for taking an axe with you to the supermarket!

I'm just glad I don't live in your town. In my part of England an axe is for chopping wood only, all we take to the supermarket is a carrier bag, and if hand guns were legal, no-one would buy them cos what's the point?