Critters in the Winter

[Striderhiker]

Forgive my ignorance for not knowing more about wildlife this time of the year, but I’m getting ready to do a short section hike of the AXT from Reavis Canyon to possibly Four Peaks next month and I would like to leave my tent body at home and use just the fly to save weight. How likely though am I to run into critters (snakes, bugs, etc) this time of the year?
Thanks for the help!

[outdoor_lover]

Snakes are already out, so I would expect that most things are out now...

[azbackpackr]

@Striderhiker
Thousands of people in Arizona "cowboy camp" under the stars every month of the year, (when it's not raining), with no problems other than mosquitoes in some areas. Even if snakes are out doesn't mean they are going to get into your sleeping bag. For many years I never slept in a tent. In recent years I have taken up tent-sleeping because a lot of my camping is in winter, and I tend to get cold very easily. A tent is quite a bit warmer, especially if it's windy. I am concerned for myself, however, and may take up "cowboy camping" again very soon, because I fear I am becoming too much of a wuss in my old age.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Critters at night like skunks and ring tailed cats are looking for food not you. Place your pack right next to you and place it in a plastic garbage bag so if an animal such as above starts to investigate it the noise will wake you up. Then just say hello kitty, thanks but no thanks, you cannot have my food and in most cases they will run away. A ring tailed cat that is used to being a camp robber however will not leave you alone until you toss a handful of gravel at it. Keep your camera handy and you just might get a good candid shot of those camp robbers. I almost never used a tent and not even a rain fly. I just took a section of painters plastic and pulled it over me if it rained a little bit. I did have however for really windy, cold or wet weather a bivy sack.

[Striderhiker]

Thanks for the input! Overall I’m hearing that I shouldn’t worry about stuff. It would be nice to not have to carry that tent and shave another pound from the pack.