Could it be related to bewilder? Hmm, she said, having decided to LIU:
bewilder
1684, from be- "thoroughly" + archaic wilder "lead astray, lure into the wilds," probably a back-formation of wilderness. An earlier word with the same sense was bewhape (c.1320).

wilderness
c.1200, from O.E. wildeoren "wild, savage," from wildern (adj.) "wild, savage" (from wilde "wild" + deor "animal;" see deer) + -ness. Cf. Du. wildernis, Ger. Wildernis, though the usual form is Wildnis.

Online Etymology Dictionary