Ever gotton lost while hunting? I'm ashamed to
admit I have hunting unfamiliar territory in
Idaho as a younger man. The day it happend star-
ted out great, We got to were we planed to hunt
that afternoon set up camp and decided to split
up and scout the area. While out looking for
sign it started snowing, At first I thought it
was great as it would make tracking easer but
the snow keep comming down harder and harder
till I could'nt see 10' in front of me. I
decided it best to head back to camp and as I
reached in my pocket for my compass realised it
wasnt there. In my haste to hunt I neglected to
make sure I had it. The next hour or two were
spent walking and trying to fight the fear of
of being lost and spending the night on the
mountain unprepared. All the surroundings had
changed and the natural landmarks disappeared.
To make a long story short by the grace of God
I was able run into a creek that led down to
the river we were camped next to, cold-wet-
and tyred but alive. Learned some lessons that
day for sure.
Never really been lost.I always know where I am at.There have been several times where things like my truck or stands were not where I thought they should be however.I think they might have been lost. :biglaugh:
Paraphrased from some movie " lost ? never, a might confused as to where I was for a few months maybe, but never lost."
Been there, kinda, been lucky. Don't go nowhere without the compass any more.
ChuckC
Quote" lost ? never, a might confused as to where I was for a few months maybe, but never lost."
Jeremiah Johnson, great movie.
I've never been lost since I started carrying a GPS. Then it occured to me one day when I didn't have the slightest idea where I was and I was waiting for it to turn itself on, what if the darned thing broke? Or what if the system that fed it information broke or was turned off due to a national emergency? So now at least I also carry a backup compass and try to plot my course enough that I could get back to camp without the GPS if I had to.
Guys,
It's always a good idea to carry a compass and don't forget the topo map to go with it. It helps to know how to use them together.
Rick
When i was a kid I asked my uncle in Pennsylvania what he would do if he ever got lost. He said "I would just go home".
Even woods you grow up in look different at night or really different without a light.
My Buddy John sez your not lost unless you gotta spend the night...RC
I was lost once but was not to worried, I was on a fenced military base, 65,000 acres, but after a 15 mile hike to get back to my truck that was only a ¼ mile from me I went and bought a GPS and use it every time I go out, 2 sets of fresh batteries in pack at all times.
One other time I was in the Sierras and hunting a large clear cut, I decided to inter the woods from the clear cut and walk in 100 to 200 yards turn left walk about ¼ mile turn left and walk the 100 to 200 yards back out to the clear cut. When I walked back out of the woods I walk out in the exact same place I walked in at, it scared the hell out of me because I realized I was no where near where I thought I was.
I was temporarily mis-placed one time. I had crossed too many square mile sections and then at some point my compass & I didn't agree. My poor father didn't know if he wanted to hug me or beat me senseless when I finally showed up.
Rollin's story nails it...circumstances can change in a New York minute. Take a compass, trust it, take a bearing before you head out.
twice
once in a swamplike are in MN on a cloduy day and another time on a SD prarie on a cloudy day
not totally lost, but I came out way, way away from where I wanted to !
i was lost in the oregon coast range as a teenager.i spent two whole days lost and it changed me and the way i hunted.very terrified,not fun at all,its very hard to focus and look for landmarks when you are scared to death from spending the night lost in the forest
bad part was that no one knew where i was and even that i was lost.never again i hope.now i carry two gps and extra batteries just in case.i mark camp and where i parked my rig.
Using RC's definition, I've never quite been lost, but I have had the scared feeling that comes from your mind telling you that your compass is wrong and the way it wants to go is not the way to get out and back to the truck. Fortunately I decided to ignore my mind and follow my compass - and of course it was right. Since then I carry two and a GPS just so the majority can always win.
I lost my truck once for 3 nights. I was hunting elk; and there was snow on the ground. I saw a herd of elk; and started following it; it got dark; and I spent the night in minus 20 degree weather keeping a fire going. I took three dry logs- big ones and put the end of each together and as the fire continued - I just moved the logs ends closer to the fire.
Second day there was a one lane road in the distance; the elk tried to cross it; and a bull got hit - it made its way back into the woods; and I took the backstraps off of it and ate well that night and the next.
I finally came upon my own tracks again; and found my truck.
I was never lost though; just confused for a few nights :)
I really am a proponent of hunters spending the night with just what they normally carry on them in a hunt. Camp in your back yard; or in the woods real close to your car or truck. That way you get to spend the night and see what it is like to do so.
Panic is the number one killer of lost people. Panic and you get more lost.
A long time ago Patrick McManus suggested MSP when you find yourself 'lost'.
MSP is 'Modified Stationary Panic'. You lay all your stuff down and step to the side and scream and yell and jump up and down and fall to the ground and cry- and when your done with your hissy fit panic....your no more lost than when you started the MSP.
Seriously- most hunters are not prepared to spend the night in the woods; even with all the stuff they need to survive. They keep thinking: maybe if I just went over there- or maybe if I ran to that ridge I could see something.
Well out east there are a lot of places where you can climb a tree at night and see homes in the distance. But out west; you can see for fifty miles in every direction in the day; and at night not see one single light.
They call it 'letting the elephant get you'. You suddenly realize that all the money in the account on the credit card in your pocket does you no good; having a good job means nothing; your Masters degree or Doctorate means nothing; your ego is bruised... and its getting dark..... and you don't know where you are... and panic sets in.
If you find yourself lost; the best thing to do is to realize it; and then prepare for the night.
You can live through the night without a fire; you can live through the night - its not the law of nature that you have to be 'home' at dark.
One way to avoid getting lost is to every 100 yards or so; turn around and take a look at what it looks like. If you are familiar with what the terrain etc is on the way back; you have a better chance of finding your way out.
If you are hunting with friends; and you get lost; just spend the night where you are. If they send out a search party you will be much easier to find.
If your determined to walk out and find a road; walk it until you see a side road going off from it. When people are putting in roads they make cut offs; and not cut backs. So if you see a road that is cutting back along side the road your on - your most probably headed to a larger road. If you see a road ahead breaking off to one side or the other; and leading away- a main road is probably behind you.
Just be prepared mentally to be lost. If you are not- it could cost you your life.
:archer:
u cant get lost in ohio u just keep waiking and u will hit a road been there done it
I got lost in the bush behind my place when I was out with the dog shooting grouse. It started to snow.....all good lost stories start like that. I got turned around, it is dense bush and no goo land marks.....long story short I put in a bunch of miles and eventually found my way out but it was scary.
I have noticed the first thing I want to do is go faster. Like moving quicker will get me out of the bad feeling of being lost. So you have to tell yourself to slow down, relax everything is okay If I really had to I could live for a number of days out there from what is always in my pack....Having said that after being lost I added a couple of things to that list.
Compass is great, if you can use it same with a GPS. I had a GPS when I was lost and the problem was I had never used it before. Sounds like the perfect storm right.
Good topic. One thing I have learned is that I need to spend more time with some of my gear and get solid with it before I "need it"
One thing I would say is if you get lost flag your location. Nothing worse then doing circles thinking you are going somewhere
Allan
Twice last year after dark very deep in unfamiliar woods miles from camp. Once w/o a flashlight. Didn't panic but came as close as you can w/o singeing your short hairs. Hurricane Ike destroyed all the trails. East Texas Piney Woods are a massive blanket of trees which all look the same after dark. I had a flourescent compass but tried hard not to trust it. Lucky I did.
Your never lost it you don't care where your at.Yes i've been lost a couple of times and yes i've had to spend a night or two in the woods.And yes I lived each time.
Don't pinic only story to tell your kids.
Whats a GPS anyway.
You mean a morning hunt that turned into 27 mile hike?
Or returning to camp at mid morning and actually making it by eleven o'clock ----PM :)
A good Marine never gets lost! A bit disorientented at times, but never lost.
Was out in Colorado this past year elk hunting and me and my partner were following the GPS when we realized it wasn't working properly. We turned it off 3 times and everytime we turned it back on it showed us somewhere else. With dark approaching I pulled ouut my trusty lensatic compass from the corp and did a little plotting. We headed up a ridge and I told my partner that if the trail wasn't up here, we might as well get ready for the night in the bush. Well the old compass was true and got us back to the trail. GPS is good but remember, it's a machine. The compass never lies. Glad I payed attention in land nav class or instead of eating ribs over the fire I would have been eating raman noodles. :scared:
Here's a secret for help when your lost.
Carry a deck of cards with you at all times, when and if you get lost sit down and start a game of solitaire. It won't be long and some butt hole will sneak up behind you and tell you to play the red queen. When he does ask him how to get back to civilization!
I have been temporarily misplaced on more than one occasion while elk hunting in everything from fog to snow and unfamiliar territory. I have found the best thing to do when the lost feeling comes is to sit down and think about it.
I also carry a gps and two compases, one in my pocket tied to a string on my belt loop. I pull it out every couple hundred yards and take a look. The spare compass is in my pack.
John
I spent a week one night in the woods! Less than a mile from the camp, but dark caught us.
My buddy walked guard duty all night (city boy) I beded down as best as possible. Next morning got to the top of the ridge and could see smoke form the landowners house. Just walked to it.
Daniel Boone said "I never was lost but was once a might bewildered"
Hawkeye: I call them 'death marches'. I remember one in particular; where a buddy of mine and I parked at 'dumbflat parking lot' ( might of had another name - but that one seems appropriate). So we got into some elk and chased them all day. Started getting dark; and we found a road; and after a piece; we saw a wooden sign post. It said on it: 'dumflat parking lot - 13 miles >>>-----> '. That was a hike back to the truck !!!
yep 'death marches'. :)
Great thread, tks for the info. I'm a new hunter and have a compass but I will go buy a GPS. Tks.
The main thing is be cool, if you don't know where your at and you don't think you can find your way back by dark "STOP" get your self ready to spend the night, you won't die, you might be uncomfortable but if you get ready early enough it'll be OK.
Find some kind of shelter, that could be a brush pile or lean-to or anything ells.
wood, wood, & more wood, get enough to last all night, you don't want to run out before it gets light, make a bed next to the fire or just stay up all night.
The next day back track your self, look for boot prints and scuff marks made buy you.
Again the most important thing is be cool, keep your head.