theres ways to combat that fear rob.find a survivalist/school in your area and you'll come out of it a new man when it comes to hiking around in the woods.or even a good scout/ranger will help ya out.

Yes I did, I was out hunting a piece of property that I never hunted before, never even had a chance to scout it out. So I settled in a thicket of thorn bushes hoping a big whitetail would pass by. I kept telling myself to get down from the tree before nightfall. Well sometimes being young and stupid go hand in hand and by the time I got down from that tree it was pitch black. I completely lost any directional sense and felt the panic hit. I calmed myself down and basically told myself to walk in straight direction and let the lord guide my way. Man I must of looked funny after being attacked by those thorn bushes when I popped out into an open field. I just stood there for awhile trying to get my bearings. Needless to say I made it home, but I was a little bit wiser after that for sure. Just one reason I don't hunt from a tree anymore.

I became dehydrated once on a hot Aug. scouting trip and became disoriented. Had to sit down in a dry creek bed and take a nap. About two hours later I awoke, refreshed, but thirsty. Took a look at the sun through a canopy of trees, listened to highway sounds across the ridge, stepped out into a small clearing and spotted a persimmon tree with fruit. Walked to the tree, ate some fruit(believe it or not , it was sweet as honey) and quickly figured out where I was. The moral to this story is when in doubt, sit down, relax, get your bearings and make logical decisions when lost or disoriented. Above all, carry water and something to eat even when your familier with the area.

Been turned around, kinda lost, several times thru the years. Usually found some real good deer sign while trying to sort things out. Hardest part was trying to find the sign again.

Yes and if you see me tell me where to go! When I see the same spot more than three times I know I am lost!

I'm never lost!!!! Turned around good but never lost. As long as I know where N is I'm in good shape and can get back to camp,home or restaurant. I always carry 2 compasses, map and some candy bars. Naturally I have a knife and my weapon. Bought what I had when those people were trying to kill me and I survived that. I've found some good hunting spots when I was "lost" just wish I could find them again. Frank

...been a little "confused" for an hour or two a couple of times but always have a compass and know the general direction of the nearest msr (main service road) and the direction it travels (maps). Had to do alot of land nav in the middle of nowere with the Marines and dont trust anything with batterys if I dont have to. I figure if Lewis and Clark could travel the NW territories with just a compass I should be able to find my truck.

Got turned around one time in Colorado's San Juan Mtns...wasn't pretty. Got caught above timberline with the temps dropping pretty rapidly. Luckily found my way back down by following a stream and ended up 2 miles from the pickup point. Sure wish they had GPS's back then....

Badly turned around 4 times.
1. Squirrel hunting in Southern In when in my teens.
2.  In a huge cornfield in N. IN
3. Elk hunting near Kremmling, CO
4. Elk hunting north of Fort Collins, CO

I found my own way in each of the situations. Neither time was I turned around for more than 60 minutes but it was a bad feeling knowing I was going to be terribly inconvenienced until I found my way.

Ironically, I spent 3 months in Colorado as a forester after college using aerial photos and compass every day in very remote areas conducting timber inventories. During August, 1977 I never saw a person for 3 weeks. I never one time got turned around (lost) during those months because I always knew where I was on those maps.  

Both the times in Colorado I got in a hurry and left my compass in one spot and took off on a "quick" trip to another. One of them I had just returned to the woods from emergency surgery for kidney stone removal and was packing an elk hind quarter. It was only 300 yards to the truck and I tried a short-cut -- missed the truck by less than 50 yards but it took me 60 minutes to find it the long way.

The time in Kremmling I saw elk about 3/4 mile away from our camp which was on the continental divide (nearly 11,000 feet). I figured I could get down to them and back to camp in just a bit.  To move quick I discarded my pack (compass, map, fire starter, whistle, space blanket, and emergency food inside). Turned out I followed those elk all day long and towards evening all the "up courses" looked the same. As I came to the top of the last gulley I had the strength to climb I was about to simply lay in the rocks (it was going to be very cold -- it started to snow) and then I heard my campmates less than 100 yards away!

The cornfield was strange. It was big and late in the season so I couldn't see over it. Of course I could follow the rows and get out but it bummed me out because I came out on a road more than 1/2 mile from the truck.

The squirrel hunt was classic. I passed a set of deer tracks in an  anthill.  On my way out I passed the same anthill track two more times--that's when I knew that I was circling.

The feeling is always the same for me: 1st embarrassement that folks waiting on me may have to wonder where I am. 2nd   a tinge of "panic" that I'm no longer in complete control of the day.  3. Logical thinking  which direction will take me to landmarks, road, or location where I can see.

Only been real lost twice and both times a long time ago.

The last time and probably one of the worst situations I've ever found myself in was in the early 70's. Me and a friend were hunting a place called the Bird Sanctuary on the St. John's River in East Central Fl. We went in on his air boat. That afternoon he went one way and I went another. Water was up and everything was under water except the highest hammocks.

Anyway I didn't have a flash light or a compass and was getting a little concerned about being able to find my way out and it was getting later in the afternoon and was overcast..no sun. But I was into either deer or hogs and they were splashing off just out of sight and I just kept on trying to get up on them.

Finally I told myself I got to get out of there. The slew I was in was getting deeper and deeper and it was right at dark.

I realized I was lost and made my way to the edge of the head I was in and climbed a tree. I saw the St. John's River but couldn't get to it due to razor sharp saw grass. So I went back into the slew and tried wading back the way I thought I'd come in. Then it got pitch black dark..new moon..couldn't see my hand in front of my face and I couldn't find shallow water. Things were splashing off all around.big things. Every way I went it got deeper. It was up to my neck and I was sliding one foot ahead of the other trying not to step in a hole. This place was full of gators and cottonmouths also.

I luckily when I got neck deep the bottom started sloping up wards and got in about knee deep water.

I shot 3 shots with my shotgun to let my buddy know about where I was and heard an air boat crank up...then another one and another one. After I heard all the boats get out of hearing I shot again and then heard my buddy coming.

It was one bad ordeal, but he got to me and we made it out.

QuoteOriginally posted by robtattoo:
I could get lost in a dadgum shower cubicle   :rolleyes:  

Unfortunately I have the same sense of direction as a kitten & I get 'mildly' lost every time I step off a track, trail or road in the woods. I actually have moments of sheer terror if I don't know exactly where the trail is from where I am. Bloodtrailing at night, in the woods, scares the crap out of me.

It's a terrible affliction & probably 90% of the reason I'm not a lot more successful as a hunter. I end up talking myself out of exploring off the trails.

Never lost....only temporarily disoriented.    :p

Have gotten turned around real good several times. Its funny how things all start to look the same. It is hard to walk a straight line especially at night. It's really hard to get more than 3 or 4 miles from a road here in Illinois.

QuoteOriginally posted by PAPA BEAR:
theres ways to combat that fear rob.find a survivalist/school in your area and you'll come out of it a new man when it comes to hiking around in the woods.or even a good scout/ranger will help ya out.

This is the stupid thing. I did all my survival training years ago. I'm totally comfortable knowing that I'm going to be spending a night in the wood, as long as I plan to spend a night in the woods & I always carry basic survival gear (knife, string, matches) If I'm going away for a few days hiking, or backpacking I really don't worry. It's the times when I'm only a half hour from home and probably less than 400yds from a road. I don't know why, the fear is totally irrational but it can, at times, be completely debilitating.

I have been truely, honestly, motherlessly lost twice. Once when I was a 12-13 and I was scared and overwhelmed with panic. My grandaddy came and found me in a couple of hours, that flashlight was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. The second time was about three years ago. I was bloodtrailing a doe I shot, (badshot), and when I found her I had no clue which way was out. I didn't get scared, I had a cell phone and as I put it to my wife,"I will be unexpectedly camping tonite". LOL as soon as the sun come up I knew where east was and got my bearings and headed out. I remembered a pearl of wisdom I forgot from the first lost experience, don't think you have your compass, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR COMPASS!

Rob look up the thread about land navigation and there are some great tips that can help you.All you need is a jacket pin compass and you can find your way back.If you want help let me know.

Yep been lost good twice . Found my way out right at daylight on a 1000 acre track coon hunting once . The 2nd time i shot a doe with my bow , climbed down to tell my Dad about it and give it some time to lay down. It was a huge 300 acre 10 old cutover that was a thick as you know what and Dad said dont you get turned around in that cutover make sure to mark you trail but young and dumb at the time me decided I didnt have to do that . Lucky for me Dad checked up on me before he went to work that night on 3rd shift . He kept blowing the horn untill I found my way out about 12 hours after i started tracking the deer . I guess some of us have to learn the hard way .

Mike

Misplaced a couple time's but not lost..

One time when I was a teenager.  I was in some thick Ohio green briers.  I got on top of a ridge and started walking out it slowly checking my back trail for deer as I walked.  After walking for a bit I wanted to drop down off the ridge and make my way back to where my Dad was.  I could not tell which side of the ridge I needed to drop down on.  IT ALL LOOKED THE SAME!!!!

I totally freaked out started yelling at the top of my lungs for my Dad.  It ruined our hunt, but it was nice to hear him yell back at me.

I still remember how it felt and that was 17 years ago.

Ohhh boy here come the memories. Got lost in the national forest ounce with only a knife. Was knee deep in muck! Walked over 13-14 hrs and 12 miles To this day, I carry everything I need to stay out for 3-5 days.. PERIOD. Everything from food, water, shelter, first aid,signiling, fire. Was I panicked? Yes. Mother nature taught me a valuable lesson that day. Things could have turned out alot worse stuck in the middle of thousands of acres, I was lucky. Next time I will "ace" the lesson.