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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 14:02:03 GMT -5
It was claimed that when asked if he had ever been lost in the woods, Daniel Boone said: "No, but I have been turned around and confused for several days at a time." I have been lost or if you prefer "turned around" several times both during the day and night. It is a weird feeling and can be scary or even dangerous. Some folks have a stronger sense of direction than others and hunter seem to develop skills that prevents getting lost. A compass or a GPS can literally be a lifesaver for the woodsman. If you have been lost you have no doubt felt the urge to panic and needed to exercise self control. I was taught as a child that if I got lost to simply go downstream until i reached a road, a homestead or a place I was familiar with. People settle along streams and sooner or later you will reach something that helps you get out. Would love to hear of experiences you have had, means of prevention. I think of it as day and night navigation. Lets explore this one ok? Ben
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Post by whyohe on Jan 18, 2009 14:53:46 GMT -5
i have gotten "turned around" when hunting with a friend in a new area.it was by a lake so going down hill amd following a stream is what i figured i would do. BUT i happen to find a flat area!! i got that un easy, heart sinking and fluttering feeling. but i calmed downsaying my friend knew about where i was at and would find me if nescissary. but i looked at the shadows around me and got my bearings and headed in the direction i thought the car would be. 30minutes later i hapen to run into my friend and we worked our way out. he better told mer where i was and a better desription of the hunting area and if i went this and that direction where i would end up. so next time i went out i went in thoes directions and explored.
with the help of computers i look for topo maps of areas i am going to hunt and get a mental pic of the lay out that way i have a good idea of wich way i need to go. also i will use some thing like google earth to get an i dea of land marks(pine tree groves, creeks,powerand gas lines.....) to pin point areas im in and where they are comaired to where i parked. doing this i feel comfortable to explore new areas.
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 15:24:20 GMT -5
I am never comfortable unless I know the direction of North. At night I may use the north star or a compass (Which incidently should never be questioned). Roads and straams generally go fairly straight. If I am going to hunt west of a stream or road then I always know the solution to any confusion is to go East Becoming lost can be dangerous if one tries to travel after darkness overcomes you without a light. Although I have never had to spend a night in the woods I have had some close calls. If it gets near dark and you are still lost force yourself to get a fire started and prepare to spend the night. Know that one night without food isn't going to harm you. Here in the hills shooting three well spaced shots after dark maans that help is needed. Three shots should be answered with a single shot to acknowledge that you were heard. After recieving the one shot response do not move. Someone knows where you are and they are not lost. Let them come to you. Recognize that you are lost and avoid panic and don't let fear override your common sense. Other suggestions are invited and could help a fellow hunter or hiker. ozark
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Post by ET on Jan 18, 2009 16:40:12 GMT -5
This is an interesting topic and for an outdoorsman going into real wilderness had better be prepared because Mother Nature has no compassion or pity for the fool hearty. 1) Panic is the number-1 killer. 2) Dehydration and Hypothermia is next in line for killing. 3) Arrogance of woodsman skills can set you up for #1 & #2. Never assume this can’t happen to you. You have to be prepared especially in a new area.
I have hunted in Northern Ontario where there is wilderness that you can hike until your time runs out. Many hunters have different methods of traversing the woods and compensating for the above 2-killers.
To start with I always acquire a Topo map to study the area before I plan to hunt. You’d be surprised what your memory can retain with some time invested here should you lose the map for any reason. This map along with a compass, GPS and spare set of batteries is always packed in my vest or backpack. When I use my backpack with additional items that shows I plan to go into an area where no viable logging roads or rivers exist that can be easily referenced. Now before I even head out I inform my hunting partners my game plan for the day and stick to it. Should I need help from an injury they know exactly where a search needs to start and hopefully end quickly.
This point I want to expand a little with a true story just in farmland country. A young married man once was going out alone bow hunting for deer. He informed his wife he was going to try at one location for that evening. But for some reason he changed his mind about the location and decided he would go to a new secret one he just prepared for a try. It was located some miles from the location he gave his wife earlier.
To keep a long story a little shorter he somehow managed to get his leg wedged into the fork of tree where his stand was located and was trapped. That night a search party was sent out to find him at the location he said he would be. Then the search expanded to his other well-known haunts for deer hunting and still could not find him. It wasn’t till next morning that they could contact his hunting partner to see where this person may be. Luckily his hunting partner knew about this new secret location and suggested trying there. They found him and managed to get him out of his predicament.
But because his leg was so tightly wedged blood flow was cut off to the lower extremity for too long and the leg had to be amputated. I believe you recognize my point here and will let you come to any other conclusion as to how this may have been avoided. Ed
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Post by dans on Jan 18, 2009 16:54:36 GMT -5
Yep if two trees grow close together I get confused. Maps compass help but I have never gone into true wilderness.
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 17:20:49 GMT -5
A couple of friends of mine spent a wet tiresome night in area 29 on the Ft. Lewis, Washington reservation. Area 29 is mostly flat and covered with dense jungle like vegitation. Just before dark one killed a deer and they field dressed and started to carry it out. About dard they discovered that they had went wrong and knew they were in for a bad night. They had signed in to hunt area 28 at the Military police station who were also responsible for supervising hunting. Not long after dark one of the wives called the MP station and advised that the two hunters were not in. The area has several roads where jeeps could travel and a half dozen jeeps were searching. It was raining and during the night the two hunters abandoned the deer and tries to get a fire started. That was not successful so they sit down to wait. Soon a jeep horn sounded and they yelled and started toward the sound. Unfortunately the jeep moved to another location and again sounded the horn. Again they tried going to the sound only to have the jeep move. They spent the night walking in the rain going toward the sound of moving jeep horns. If you are part of a rescue party and decide to sound a vehicle horn then stay put so the lost can come to it. Fortunately, these two lost nothing except their deer and experienced a bad night. It can happen to anyone if they don't take proper preventive measures. One more short story: My brother (Jake The Woodsman) and I were coonhunting one night and in route to the treed dogs crossed a branch and climbed to the top of a ridge. It was foggy and vision was limited to our light beams. After looking the tree over and finding it full of holes (a den tree) we headed back and when we reached the stream the water was running the wrong direction. "Huh, the water is running the wrong way." My brother said. " Yes, I see that, what do we do now? I asked. He then said: "I think the best thing to do is panic don't you?" We had somehow crossed over the backbone of the ridge and by going downhill found a different stream. For us it was no problem because we reasoned what had to have happened. But his joking words of saying it was time to panic was reassuring to me that he understood feeling a need to panic and thus would never suscumb to that tactic. If you have ever been lost you know that avoiding it is more important than a successful hunt. Is this why so many road hunt? LOL
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 17:31:20 GMT -5
Suggested compass education: Before heading into deep woods, wilderness or jungle areas take a compass reading of the direction you are generally going to travel. Getting back out is naturally following the opposite direction but here is a military method. To determing the exact oposite (Back Azimuth) follow this rule in degrees: If the reading is less than 180 degrees going in add 180 degrees to find the oopposite direction in degrees. If the reading is more than 180 degrees substract 180 degrees to find the back or opposite direction. With a good compass and knowledge of reading it any person can avoid getting lost or if they do get lost can follow a straight line to get out. Ben
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Post by deadeye on Jan 18, 2009 17:34:55 GMT -5
i have 17yrs deep wilderness experience in the mountains of colorado elkhunting, i would add to et's list #4-slow down &dont take unnecessary chances(example-crossing mountain creeks on logdown,even rocks accumulate unseen ice,etc#5 -use common sense,#6 should be #1,get some training from someone with experience& dont go until you are comfortable(ready), it is impossible to leave your whereabouts while elkhunting if you are truly hunting elk & not just hunting camp. i sometimes hunt alone for 1 week or so but like to hunt in pairs if possible,there is alway some risk but i enjoy it so much i just have to be out there somewhere chasing those bugling elk where someday my ashes will be spread!
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 17:45:13 GMT -5
Great responses here. Ben
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Post by petev on Jan 18, 2009 18:51:39 GMT -5
When first going in to hunt, I walk in for a few minutes, until I am sure what general direction I am headed in, and then I turn around and point the compass back at the vehicle. I then turn the dial until the north arrow lines up with the needle, fold the compass and put it away. I always do it this way, so that the compass is always set so if I need it to find my way out, I merely hold it out in front of me, and move it left or right until the needle and north arrow line up, and then follow where the compass is pointing. As Ozark said "the compass should never be questioned". Two of us questioned our compass in the Adirondacks in 1974 when hiking and spent all day and into the night getting to the next leanto. A tough way to learn! The only time you might have to be careful with this method is if you go in from a roadhead or some other point (ie not something linear like a road). Then upon returning you have to be careful not to miss it to the left or right a little, but to hit it right on the head.
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Post by ET on Jan 18, 2009 19:25:20 GMT -5
This has been a good subject and it will surprise you about how many hunter’s head into wilderness are not prepared. As Deadeye pointed out if you are not ready with some training or comfortable in navigating and surrounded by dense woods, DON’T GO THERE. To truly use a map with a compass one should know I believe the term is (Inclination). It’s been a while since I have used a map and need to brush up for a moose hunt this Fall. Also be aware of objects that may be magnetized and generate a false reading when using a compass. You’d be surprised the amount of magnetism a rifle can hold. Deadeye I see you have that feeling of just being alone sometimes and know it very well. I also agree that when possible hunt with a team partner if he doesn’t get on your nerves. ;D You’ve also made some good points to consider that I left out. Awareness of your location can make a difference especially if the adrenaline is flowing tracking a wounded animal. That animal can quickly lead you to uncharted territory and have you turned around in no time. Almost got caught on this one in my early days when helping another party track a cow moose they wounded. Not wanting this animal to suffer long I went trailing after it quickly with no tape markers identifying my path. As it turned out it circled back to the road where a hunter left on watch got her. Thank goodness. Being in the wild can be a wonderful experience if you are ready for it and know Mother Natures rules and demands. I truly love it and usually am prepared when I go. So anyone new at this get ready and have a wonderful time, just remember to bring some toilet paper along to make such a venture more comfortable. It can also be used as a trailer marker in a pinch that is bio-degradeable. Ed
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Post by youp50 on Jan 18, 2009 19:40:57 GMT -5
If you want to learn how to use a compass to get out of the woods go coon hunting in a big woods. You can't see farther than your light will shine and will learn your compass.
Take two compasses with you. I like one to be the type with a mirror for taking a backsight. If you begin to doubt your compass look at the second one. The mirror is to look at the person who is lost. If you hunt with hounds and tracking collars keep the magnets away from your compasses.
If you have to spend the night in the woods. Build a fire. If you can't build a fire learn how and then go outside in the rain and practice. I am fortunate to hunt where there is yellow and white birch. the bark off either makes great tinder even when soaked. Find out what is good tinder where you hunt. Butane lighters get a bad rap. Survival experts says they don't work when it is real cold. So keep them in a pocket. If your shirt pocket gets too cold for the lighter to work, you are past needing a fire. Two butane lighters and a match safe weigh next to nothing
Make a bed and lean-to. Around here the balsam is the preferred evergreen for lean-to and bed, the branches snap of the trees easily. If you build a bed, make it big enough. The fire will get you warm and you will stretch out. If there is snow on the ground you will wake up with charley horses in your legs. Then you may burn the wool in your Malones trying to warm up.
These are first hand observations. I won't go into detail on how these things were learned. I was bummed about the pants.
Lost and alone at night are a tremendous mental strain. You cannot simulate it. If it happens pick one small task and perform it. Build a fire, then move on, gather wood for the night. then build your lean-to etc. Keep your tasks small and simple. Do not dwell on your circumstances. You need to make good decisions. A fire and camp will occupy your hands and mind. The stress will lessen and you will be able to make better decisions. At this point your decision should be to stay put. Morning will come. It will be light and you can make your way out in the daylight.
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 19:54:45 GMT -5
I have been fortunate being raised at the ecge of the ozark national forest and using it as a playground. Then I happened to be in The Panama Canal Zone and involved in setting up the jungle warfare training school which was big on staying oriented and surviving in the jungle. I was with the very first group to became Jungle Experts. This required that you navigate from one coordinate to another through dense jungle during both day and night. Naturally you had to know the compass and how to use it with the map. I enjoyed most of it but never developed a love for monkey meat. Iguanas tasted like chicken and bananas were there by the stalks for the picking. Years ago I felt like people going into the wilderness should have a helium inflatable balloon attached to a stiring and let rise above the tree tops so that searchers from the air or ground could spot people needing help. So far that isn't available that I am aware of. Even if one can prevent getting lost it is possible to break a leg or get sick. I can't imagine one costing a lot or why everyone couldn't have one that hunts in these wildeness type areas. As mentioned by others being in the wilds is a wonderful experience and if you gain the self confidence of navigating and learn a few simple rules anyone with health can do it. But don't go there guilty of the four Ps. PI$$ POOR PRIOR PLANING. BEN
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 20:06:28 GMT -5
ET, Declination constant is the diference between true north, grid north and Magneitc north. You are probably thinking of intersection and resection which are systems of finding yourself on the map or finding a distant terrain feature and its location with respect to your own.
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 20:13:12 GMT -5
Very sound post Yote50. Few are aware that Vasoline is great for starting a fire. It burns easily and hot for a long period of time. Trying a little of it will convice you that it is a good item to have along. Ben
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Post by ET on Jan 18, 2009 20:29:12 GMT -5
ET, Declination constant is the diference between true north, grid north and Magneitc north. You are probably thinking of intersection and resection which are systems of finding yourself on the map or finding a distant terrain feature and its location with respect to your own. Yes you are correct it was declination I wanted to refer too and thanks for correcting that. Like I said I need to get back into compasses and maps. Ed
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Post by raf on Jan 18, 2009 21:38:41 GMT -5
I've only been "turned around" once. I've hunted the same pastures for 45 years now and think I know them like the back of my hand. One morning a couple of years ago a dense fog moved in. I was away from stands and land marks I knew and soon every tree looked alike. It was over cast that day and I think the fact that the clouds and fog blocked the sun added to the problem. I had my GPS with me and once I checked it I knew what direction to go. It was a little unnerving for a while.
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Post by ozark on Jan 18, 2009 21:53:12 GMT -5
raf, what do you suppose the feelings would have been if you didn't have the GPS. Most of us know that feeling of possible pending big problems.
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Post by petev on Jan 18, 2009 23:06:51 GMT -5
Just for the record, everything necessary has been pretty well covered here, but let's say you were negligent one day, as far as preparing, or you underestimated the terrain, and as a result did not bring a map or compass. In lieu of a compass, when hiking off road into terrain I am not 100% sure of, I resort to first memorizing the direction I hiked in by according to the sun, and if the sun is not out I resort to memorizing the direction of the wind, yes the wind! I see what direction, in comparison to my direction of travel, it is blowing in the surrounding area, and then I look up high to see what directions the clouds are going. Hopefully the two are the same, but if they are not the clouds rule! This has helped me alot. Moss growing on the north side of trees has not been very reliable. So my order of orienteering tools on a long hike in the backwoods is compass, sun, and last memorizing the wind direction. The last is just used as an "if all else fails" type thing, but it has helped me alot. I will say after passing the half-century mark, I've gotten more careful or sensible, and usually have a compass. In addition to keeping you from getting lost, it can give you a much more direct, faster route out in uneven terrain. As I close I get the feeing I'm not telling anyone here anything they don't already know, but I thought I'd mention the sun and wind ideas, as I use them alot. Pete
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Post by deadeye on Jan 19, 2009 0:08:51 GMT -5
petev, i respect what you are saying,but im in belief dont go out there without a compass,i carry 1gps,3 compasses,2 in backpack one on me @ all times with a mental knowledge of paths & such,in the mountains the wind usually blows all 4 directions in a single minute,a few years ago while 8 miles deep,we got caught in a storm basically in a hellhole in survival mode for 4 days with snow approaching 3 feet deep,we finally got out & aborted camp to return 1 week later to pull camp out after a meltoff,came across a college kid in which i probably saved his life,another storm was brewing when i came across him,he was already disoriented & showed signs of stress dressed in windpants & tennis shoes,i asked him where his compass was & said he never carried one. he was as the crow flies 5 mi from his veh,too make a long story short it took me from 3pm to 11pm to find his veh by roadwork from my veh, i had to laugh inside when he said just point me @ my veh direction & i'll make it,i knew the terrain ,he would not had even made to the first ridgetop let alone the other 4 ridges,when he offered to buy me dinner & such later,i replied,just return needed help to anyone else that you might encounter in your situation .
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Post by ozark on Jan 19, 2009 0:55:23 GMT -5
I respectively disagree that all that needs to be said has been said. This subject needs to be chewedd swallowed and digested. By using a system called dead reckoning one can develop navigational skills which under normal hunting situations will get us through the woods and back to the safety of our vehicle. But the weather can cause havoc in a short while. A hard rain can swell streams making crossing them impossible within an hours time. One does not have to be lost to get into a situation that spending a night or using an alternate route to civilization is required. I have been cought out in severe weather and several times had to accept that to prevent a miserable night I needed to use my head and think rationally. They now have a system where one can blow their car horn remotely for long distances. In the country I hunt there are bluffs with overhangs that provides some shelter and one can usually find dry wood under the overhangs. I always knew in advance that if it was needed for me to spend a night in the woods I woud find some shelter at a bluff and get a fire started. A compass, a small flashlight, means of building a fire and my rifle always made me feel my life was not threatened. I have been acutely aware of the dangers of being unprepared or careless and fo that reason I have been able to fully enjoy the great outdoors without being consumed with fears. It doesn't take guts to ventrue deep into the wilderness areas it takes learning the craftes of survival under all conditions. I hope others chime in because this issue prevents many so called hunters from fully enjoying the great outdoors. Ben
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Post by deadeye on Jan 19, 2009 1:14:45 GMT -5
i completely agree ozark & not all can be certified here. my recruits that i have taken out west had to pass a test in the "indiana natl forest" before being allowed to join us in the big forest. we used to take them approx 3 miles deep & put 40lbs of saltbags in their backpack's & make them guide us out (not using any established paths)to prove they were ready. i remember one of the best laughs i ever had when this occured just making it to the top of one small indiana ridge approx 150ft,we had two recruits draped over trees(sweating,out of gas,etc,ready to faint)) thinking that was tough,we continued & every time they inquired on how to get out-we replied we are not here,dont know,finally one got us out & passed the other failed & did not get invited
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Post by youp50 on Jan 19, 2009 4:28:56 GMT -5
A couple of good points. No, you don't need to be lost to have to spend the night. I have poor uncorrected vision, loss of spectacles can do it. I have a deceased friend that lost his on the way to a camp. It was early fall and the weather was not life threatening. He lay down that night and the glasses were apparent in the morning, Ken was none the worse for the wear.
There was an article in a major outdoor magazine about a fellow that experienced some kind of severe GPS malfunction and really screwed him up. My GPS screen states "Do not use a sole source of navigation."
I am fortunate that the magnetic declination here is less than 2 degrees.
Flashlight. You better have one with you. The worse night I had was when my Dad nicked a buck and asked me to get it. I took off my coveralls and left my flashlight in the pocket. I got the buck.
I now always carry a small day pack. It contains map; gps and spare batteries; an additional match safe: LED head light and spare batteries; A couple of votive candles the ones in the aluminum cup; piece of cord; an extra compass in the form of one of those pin on bubble kind; and survival food, for deer season here warm weather spoilage is not a problem, I make an extra sandwich the first day hunting. After a day or so in the pack the sandwich is not appealing, it is now survival food. I will not eat it unless I need it. Candy bars, trail mix etc could be long gone when you need it. After expending many calories running down wounded animals a root beer barrel makes for a poor supper. I have read about a fellow that uses Gaines burger dog food for his survival food. IMO survival food should be unappealing to you.
And water, I found a water bag serves me best. I did not figure out how to keep the water in a bottle from chugging as I walk. I am uncertain, but feel that deer do not like chugging water bottle noises. I can burp the air from the bag and it is then quiet.
The day pack also carries the assorted stuff I can't leave camp without.
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Post by petev on Jan 19, 2009 9:25:20 GMT -5
There was an article in a major outdoor magazine about a fellow that experienced some kind of severe GPS malfunction and really screwed him up. My GPS screen states "Do not use a sole source of navigation." I am fortunate that the magnetic declination here is less than 2 degrees. Flashlight. You better have one with you. The worse night I had was when my Dad nicked a buck and asked me to get it. I took off my coveralls and left my flashlight in the pocket. I got the buck. I now always carry a small day pack. It contains map; gps and spare batteries; an additional match safe: LED head light and spare batteries; A couple of votive candles the ones in the aluminum cup; piece of cord; an extra compass in the form of one of those pin on bubble kind; and survival food, for deer season here warm weather spoilage is not a problem, I make an extra sandwich the first day hunting. After a day or so in the pack the sandwich is not appealing, it is now survival food. I will not eat it unless I need it. Candy bars, trail mix etc could be long gone when you need it. And water, I found a water bag serves me best. I did not figure out how to keep the water in a bottle from chugging as I walk. I am uncertain, but feel that deer do not like chugging water bottle noises. I can burp the air from the bag and it is then quiet. The day pack also carries the assorted stuff I can't leave camp without. I think we are talking about different parts of the country. I forgot some of the members are hunting in wilderness. Here in the east no-one carries all these things.
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Post by petev on Jan 19, 2009 11:06:14 GMT -5
Well, my wind idea wasn't a hit, although I use it alot- only when I have to. Anyway, I guess one thing I like about posting, is that it serves as a reality check (for me)! Anyway, there is another tool that is available for wilderness travel, and it is some sort of GPS beacon, that is more than a receiver. If someone is lost, and in dire straits, they can activate it, and it comes across a frequency that is constantly monitored. The location coordinates are supplies to authorities, and a rescue is begun. There was a story about one of these being used in the Adirondacks of N.Y. about 5 years ago. A canoer got stuck on a river there (I don't remember the details), and he set off the GPS beacon. Rescue came and he was airlifted out. Well, this same individual went back in I believe in November, supposedly to retrieve his canoe, but when he got to the area, by hiking, he didn't find it, and everything had frozen up, and he began to suffer from hypothermia. So, he activated the beacon again! Rescue came, and he was again airlifted out. The rescuers were annoyed at his repeat performance, and it raised serious questions about whether such an individual should be held financially liable for the rescue. In conclusion, I will say that one of these beacons may be of interest to me when I get a little older, when going back in the wilderness (for me this is primarily canoeing). Another thought that is more on the subject of survival than navigation, is that of when someone is canoe camping or canoe hunting, which some adventurous types do. I work on a whitewater rescue team on the Delaware River, N.Y., and when we pull someone out of the rapids in spring-like conditions, and assuming they are dressed in cotton and nylon, we give them a "Skinners Falls hypothermia suit". That's a fancy name for a hefty garbage bag, with holes cut for the arms and neck, and slid over the individual after they ring the water out of their clothes, as much as possible. The people who wear them always are amazingly happy at how warm they quickly become, and if the sun is shining on the black or green bag, so much the better. Well, hope this wasn't off the subject too much, but it is a simple and useful technique. Pete
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Post by deadeye on Jan 19, 2009 11:11:30 GMT -5
good info-that gps beacon i believe is called SPOT
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Post by youp50 on Jan 19, 2009 11:45:06 GMT -5
I think we are talking about different parts of the country. I forgot some of the members are hunting in wilderness. Here in the east no-one carries all these things.
I believe there are parts of the east that a man would be wise to bring these things. If I were walking to a 10 acre wood lot surrounded by section roads I would probably forgo them. If I were in any of the National Forests, Adirondacks, The Big Swamp in south Georgia also comes to mind. I would not leave home with out them. These items weigh about 3 pounds. They offer you the ability to get yourself out of a fix. I also carry a cell where service is available.
Nothing will get you twisted up faster than following wounded game on a cloudy day. Throw in a river bottom with the variable wind direction and a person is toying with becoming a statistic.
From my personal experience, I won't hit the bush with out the daypack. Before my personal experience, I thought and acted similar to less prepared individuals.
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Post by petev on Jan 19, 2009 12:24:19 GMT -5
"If I were in any of the National Forests, Adirondacks, The Big Swamp in south Georgia also comes to mind. I would not leave home with out them. These items weigh about 3 pounds." OK, sounds reasonable. For Maine too.
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Post by ozark on Jan 19, 2009 13:26:17 GMT -5
Some people are blessed with a good sense of direction while others can get lost in their back yards. Where one would need to depend on mechanical means of staying oriented another would instinctively know where they were within a forest, jungle or whatever. I simply cannot depend on another to lead me blindly through a hunting area. I have to know for myself because I know something could happen to my companion and it would be left up to me to get us out. The compass I carry will probably stay in my pocket 99.9 percent of the time because I am oriented with my surroundings. But the instant I become dis-oriented I will know it and out comes the compass. Fortunately, I know how to use it to navigate rather than something that has a needle that points north. That I had to learn because it is not instinctive. The beauty of of having navigational skills is in being comfortable entering as deep as you wish into the never before visited hunting ground. I cannot relax and enjoy hunting when I am in doubt as to where I am located. Here in the hills it is simple to select prominent terrain features such as odd shaped peaks, bluff lines of stream beds and use these to keep yourself oriented. I was discussing highway travel with my daughter the other day and mentioned that all highways and main roads running north and south were given an odd number and that east/west roads had even numbers, She was shocked when the map bore that out and stated few people knew that. Even that helps a traveler keep themselves oriented. If you are up north and want to visit me in Arkansas select a odd numbered highway. Just pondering, I ran of good things to write ten minutes ago. LOL Ben
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Post by youp50 on Jan 19, 2009 17:30:10 GMT -5
On the subject of roads, woods roads or logging roads if you will. It is cloudy and you don't have a compass, the wind is swirling, you have decided that you are in unfamiliar territory. It is approaching dusk, you have no flashlight and you happen onto a logging road. You follow it and come to a 'Y' in the road. It is shaped just like a letter 'Y', you came into the 'Y' from the bottom leg. Which way do you go?
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