Getting lost

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Tim H
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Tim H » Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:58 am

Dewey wrote:Getting lost is half the fun. Found some awesome hunting spots when lost but the problem is finding them again in the future. :lol:

These days with a gps, smartphone and other technology it’s just about impossible to get lost. We’re always connected to help. I miss the old days when you better know what your doing because no help will be available. Now I see people navigating in areas I never have before and of course they are staring at a gps or phone. Bet a majority of them would be completely lost if that stuff failed. Always carry a compass and paper map then learn how to use them in areas you are not familiar with.


When I was younger I got lost on a gloomy day when all the snow was wet and melting. It was nearly dark and I didn’t have a light. Really I managed to get lost because I was following some buck sign and was pretty excited and wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Well when I realized that I didn’t know my direction, I sat down to pull out my compass. Then I realized my compass was in a different pack. Not good. Well I sat for a minute thinking where the sun was and essentially guessed which direction was which. Then just headed as straight as I could. About 20 minutes I found a road. I was pretty relieved and now I always have my compass. :lol:


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Killtree
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Killtree » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:01 am

I have never been lost, but I have misplaced myself a time or two.

I coonhunted pretty hard for 20 years or so. I have spent a lot of time in the woods at night so needless to say I have been turned around more than once.
Standard procedure is to take a compass reading on the treed hounds when you leave the truck and then follow the compass out in the opposite direction.
I used to have some tracking collars that were turned on and off with magnets.
One night I took the magnets out of the collars and stuck them in my coat pocket.
Later, when the hounds got treed, I took a reading and headed in to the tree.
Once I had the hounds caught up I checked my compass and headed towards where I thought the truck was.
Lets just say I was thoroughly misplaced by the time I figured out I had stuck the magnets in my coat pocket instead of sticking them to the inside of the truck bed as usual
:violence-bowandarrow:
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Rob loper
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Rob loper » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:05 am

Good point
I always reference the sun and what time of day it is i was once told by an old cat one time that the sun where i live will never be in the north its always always always either east se south sw or west. Never north or any kinda north
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby brancher147 » Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:20 am

Dewey wrote:Getting lost is half the fun. Found some awesome hunting spots when lost but the problem is finding them again in the future. :lol:

These days with a gps, smartphone and other technology it’s just about impossible to get lost. We’re always connected to help. I miss the old days when you better know what your doing because no help will be available. Now I see people navigating in areas I never have before and of course they are staring at a gps or phone. Bet a majority of them would be completely lost if that stuff failed. Always carry a compass and paper map then learn how to use them in areas you are not familiar with.


Yep. Although it is not impossible for some folks to get lost. I know a guy that could walk 200 yards in the woods and be lost, he gets lost almost every hunting trip, sometimes to the point we have to go find him, or he comes out on a highway somewhere and has to hitchhike. Turns out hitchhiking is also a good way to meet local landowners...
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Bedbug » Mon Feb 12, 2018 12:44 pm

Cell towers
ihookem
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby ihookem » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:33 pm

In northern WIs. I almost always carry 2 compasses and my GPS. I am familiar with the land but land can change, and black clouds, wind , fog and snow make everything confusing. Walking out with a pink sky to the west is easy, it is in snow storms ETC that it gets funny. Walking out , I never use a flashlight. I look to the tree tops and recognize pines, or broken trees and such. Last gun season I had to break out my compass. I just got turned around enough with the 30mph wind , rain and black clouds. I knew something wasn't right , so I stopped , then went another 50' and it didn't look right. I took out my compass, and it spun in circles from the iron in the ground. It is a cheap compass but I did not have a spare for the first time ever. I get the GPS out and I could not get it to work for some reason. I did know the wind was from the north and I needed to go south to hit the river. I saw just enough light to see I was going down hill, so the river should be there. I shined my light and was only about 50' off my path. I have one orange ribbon and darn glad I out it out. I was out in 5 more minutes . It was the first time I was back there since mid September so things were not quite right. At this time , you need to have confidence in your compass. I have sworn the compass was wrong but agreed to trust it one last time if it wasn't. It is always right. This is the worst time to get lost. Noone can hear you in a wind or snow storm and is the most dangerous time to get lost too.
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby magicman54494 » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:56 pm

the worst is when the trees are hanging full of snow. i was still hunting one day in these conditions when i came across another human track. it was quite fresh and i was bummed that someone was out in front of me.
then i realized it was my own track. i walked a big circle. lol.
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JAK
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby JAK » Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:00 pm

On the private I hunt I can't walk in blindfolded. But since beast there's a few times I've been nervous about getting out. I've always used my phone but have a compass just in case I've got no cell service. Definitely gunna invest in a good GPS this year.
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby checkerfred » Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:43 pm

I make note of land features. If road runs E to W and I go N, then I can walk S coming out and will intersect that road at some point. I use my garmin GPS mainly and phone as backup. Carry a compass Too although I’m sure I don’t know how to navigate with one properly. I use it to just get direction of travel.

Even in our big woods or swamps there’s usually some kind of edge to travel with. In the hills creek bottoms aren’t good as they might intersect other creeks and go miles before hitting roads. Staying up high is best as you’ll usually intersect a logging road or gravel road. In swamps, creeks, lakes, service roads etc can be noted for exit. We mostly don’t have huge interrupted swamps.
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Rob loper
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Rob loper » Tue Feb 13, 2018 1:40 am

JAK wrote:On the private I hunt I can't walk in blindfolded. But since beast there's a few times I've been nervous about getting out. I've always used my phone but have a compass just in case I've got no cell service. Definitely gunna invest in a good GPS this year.



Me too bro me too
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Bonehead » Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:50 am

Used to be light infantry a long time ago, and the first thing you learn is a grunt never gets lost, just temporarily disoriented! :lol:
The main thing about land navigation is to have a back up because electronic equipment can and will fail you. Get used to using your compass, Because sometimes you will swear it’s taking you the wrong direction. The compass does not lie!
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Tim H
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:58 am

magicman54494 wrote:the worst is when the trees are hanging full of snow. i was still hunting one day in these conditions when i came across another human track. it was quite fresh and i was bummed that someone was out in front of me.
then i realized it was my own track. i walked a big circle. lol.


I've done this before! :lol:
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tgreeno
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:13 am

The reality is, everyone has a dominant leg. And the times you think you're walking in a straight-line, you probably are not. My left leg is my strong leg so I have a tendency to shade to the right as I walk. Something to be aware of.
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Dewey
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:18 am

Bonehead wrote:Used to be light infantry a long time ago, and the first thing you learn is a grunt never gets lost, just temporarily disoriented! :lol:
The main thing about land navigation is to have a back up because electronic equipment can and will fail you. Get used to using your compass, Because sometimes you will swear it’s taking you the wrong direction. The compass does not lie!

Unless you are hunting in an area where there are iron ore deposits. See that alot in the UP and some parts of WI. I have run into that a few times where my compass went pretty wacky. One time it kept spinning slowly in a circle while I was standing still. :o
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Re: Getting lost

Unread postby Bonehead » Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:20 am

Dewey wrote:
Bonehead wrote:Used to be light infantry a long time ago, and the first thing you learn is a grunt never gets lost, just temporarily disoriented! :lol:
The main thing about land navigation is to have a back up because electronic equipment can and will fail you. Get used to using your compass, Because sometimes you will swear it’s taking you the wrong direction. The compass does not lie!

Unless you are hunting in an area where there are iron ore deposits. I have run into that a few times where my compass went pretty wacky. One time it kept spinning slowly in a circle while I was standing still. :o

Never had that happen myself. I’ve heard about it though. If that ever happens to you again, video it Dewey, that would be cool to see.


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