A little map and compass tutorial

[lpcjon2]

TTT this is a great thread that everyone should check out.

[Russ Clagett]

And once you get used to looking at a topo map and using it for orienteering, you will be familiar enough with it to also begin using them for scouting pieces of property you have never set foot on...just a thought.

Remember to always orient the map...sometimes features or roads can look right, but if the map isn't oriented properly you can walk off in the wrong direction..

[Suty]

"A GPS with a Bullet through it is a Brick, a Map with a Bullet through it is still a Map."

Truer words were never spoken when it comes to Land Nav. Myself, I am worried about the younger guys who have grown up on Smart Phones and GPS. Land Nav is a perishable skill and must be practiced. I was in the Army long before GPS, nothing sharpens the Land Nav mind more, than being at the head of a Scout Squad at night in Indian Territory. Just my 2 Cents Guys..... I am a Map and Compass man , I own a GPS, but usually it holds down one corner of my Map    
Ex Cav Trooper, Sutty

[lpcjon2]

This is an old thread that every one should look over and spend some time learning a few new things.

[grouseshooter002]

ttt

[chall]

good stuff! tagged for later

[lpcjon2]

up for the new guys to read 6 yrs later...lol

[CRM_95]

I'm glad ya'll bumped this up. I've grown up and hunted here in the same area of Texas all my life. When I was a kid I wandered the woods around my house at all hours of the day and night and never got turned around. Never had a compass, gps or anything and never gave it a second thought. When I was in my early 20's I shot a deer on a new piece of property and got lost tracking it. Late evening and getting dark quick. I followed a creek for about an hour or so and finally started hearing highway noise, and was able to walk out. It almost ruined me!! For a few years after that I wouldn't get 30 yards off the road because I'd start to panic. I got a good compass and learned to use it and followed that up with a GPS just recently that I'm still tinkering with. I use a compass all the time now on property I'm not familiar with just to make sure I'm staying in the right general direction. Ton of good info on this thread that everybody who hunts can use.

[lt-m-grow]

Every time I see these threads...I am reminded of an encounter I had in college.  A friend of mine was busying himself learning a slide-rule.  I asked him why...he said my calculator could run out of batteries this never will.  

True enough, but haven't seen another slide-rule since that day 30 years ago.

Nothing wrong with learning interesting and challenging things.  Heck that is why I shoot trad.  But arguing that it is necessary or important - not so much.  

In the event, I need something besides my GPS, I will take out my compass, pick a good cardinal direction and go.

[grouseshooter002]

I haven't looked back through this thread completely, but if you are ex-military then you will understand the UTM system and it's basics. This is the system that I use and am wondering how many others use it? Thanks.

Grouse