Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,833
- 6,302
Europe":3aqkt8gy said:
Only in the Marines.
Survival in the wilderness
- Thread starter Europe
- Start date
Only in the Marines.
pre6422hornet
Handloader
- Jan 24, 2012
- 974
- 12
I was lucky enough as a kid to have grown up fishing on the great lakes with my grandfather, father, and all of my great uncles. My brother and I were taught at early ages how to navigate by compass, landmarks, and stars. They were very adamant that if anything happened to them, we needed to know how to get back to whatever marina we used that day. We would chase the " bite" so one day we may be out of marina "A" and the next day 40 miles down the coast at Marina "B". I still have the navigation chart my gramps made back in the 60's or 70's with compass headings, distances, depth readings, etc... That chart stayed in his boat and then my boat through the years. I remember when I bought my first GPS and mounted it on the dash, he laughed and said something under his breath about relying on technology to find fish... haha. My two oldest girls saw that old map laying on my bench a few weeks ago and thought is was a treasure map! I said " well in a way yes it is".
Anyway I have never had to spend the night on my own away from basecamp, but I truly believe I could last a good while if needed. I always have fire starting materials, water, emergency granola bars, two compasses, cord, etc.. in my pack.
That being said I did get lost once in a pretty thick cedar swamp in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. I dropped my BIL off at his blind and drove a mile and half down the road and walked into the swamp a mile in hopes of cutting a big buck track in the snow and pushing him toward my BIL. Well nothing was moving that morning so I knew where he was, knew where I was, and instead of walking out to the truck, I decided to cut across country on a compass heading and get him.
Well after an hour or so I was surprised at the tracks I cut in the snow. Fresh boot tracks. My boot tracks. Yep I somehow had went in a big circle...
I learned a good lesson that day as cedar swamps don't offer the best landmarks to shoot a compass reading at so the rest of the hike to his blind I checked the compass about every 30 yards..
When I finally got his blind it didn't matter anyway, I could hear him snoring from 50 yards away.
Anyway I have never had to spend the night on my own away from basecamp, but I truly believe I could last a good while if needed. I always have fire starting materials, water, emergency granola bars, two compasses, cord, etc.. in my pack.
That being said I did get lost once in a pretty thick cedar swamp in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. I dropped my BIL off at his blind and drove a mile and half down the road and walked into the swamp a mile in hopes of cutting a big buck track in the snow and pushing him toward my BIL. Well nothing was moving that morning so I knew where he was, knew where I was, and instead of walking out to the truck, I decided to cut across country on a compass heading and get him.
Well after an hour or so I was surprised at the tracks I cut in the snow. Fresh boot tracks. My boot tracks. Yep I somehow had went in a big circle...
I learned a good lesson that day as cedar swamps don't offer the best landmarks to shoot a compass reading at so the rest of the hike to his blind I checked the compass about every 30 yards..
When I finally got his blind it didn't matter anyway, I could hear him snoring from 50 yards away.
c. schutte
Handloader
- Jan 24, 2012
- 578
- 0
I've got a buddy who gets lost. He won't admit it but, he has more than once. On a hunt with his wife (huge mistake) we were in state owned land in a bottom area. Super thick and it was one of those November days when thick low clouds made it impossible to make any determination of where north was. Since I had never been there and the trail was very narrow I used orange flagging tape every 100 yards or so.
My buddy decided to take us off trail into the swamp and all we did was make circles trying to find that trail. His wife was giving him the what-not like she did every day, he was being silent and I was mad as hell for allowing myself to get in this position. Finally I just stopped and waited, noticed what remaining dead leaves were blowing in what direction and remembered that a Northern was coming in so I then knew where North was. I told the group I had enough of walking in circles so turned where I knew the trail should be. Not more than 50 yards was one of my flagging tape markers!
My buddy decided to take us off trail into the swamp and all we did was make circles trying to find that trail. His wife was giving him the what-not like she did every day, he was being silent and I was mad as hell for allowing myself to get in this position. Finally I just stopped and waited, noticed what remaining dead leaves were blowing in what direction and remembered that a Northern was coming in so I then knew where North was. I told the group I had enough of walking in circles so turned where I knew the trail should be. Not more than 50 yards was one of my flagging tape markers!
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,360
- 970
Gee Charlie that was a smart move remembering the weather front moving in.
When in heavy cloud cover not being able to see the sun knowing the prevailing winds and what side of the trees the moss grows on helps to find a northerly direction to travel. One can also make a compass with a needle or pin, a leaf and a still pool or puddle of water. :grin:
When in heavy cloud cover not being able to see the sun knowing the prevailing winds and what side of the trees the moss grows on helps to find a northerly direction to travel. One can also make a compass with a needle or pin, a leaf and a still pool or puddle of water. :grin:
