Probably the most famous mountain man/outdoors man of all time , Davey Crockett was once asked by a reporter if he'd ever been lost in the woods . Davey pondered the question for a moment or two and then replied , no , but i've been turned around for a week or two .
Lost
- Thread starter John Y Cannuck
- Start date
Probably the dumbest time I got lost... if only for a few minutes:
Someone had stolen some runway lights, so I was out in the truck, slowly driving through the grass with my head out the window, looking down trying to fill the footprints in the dew to see where they got onto the property. A think fog was rolling in, and the tracks petered out and split up all over the place. When I gave up, and looked up, the vis had dropped to zero and I realized I had no idea where on the Airport I was. All I could see was grass in every direction for maybe 20 feet.
I could have just followed my tracks back, but noooo. I decided to head off in random directions looking for something familiar. Nearly got stuck in a fox hole. After 15 minutes of screwing around I gave up, turned around and had to follow my (now very elaborate) tracks all the way back.
Just dumb.
Someone had stolen some runway lights, so I was out in the truck, slowly driving through the grass with my head out the window, looking down trying to fill the footprints in the dew to see where they got onto the property. A think fog was rolling in, and the tracks petered out and split up all over the place. When I gave up, and looked up, the vis had dropped to zero and I realized I had no idea where on the Airport I was. All I could see was grass in every direction for maybe 20 feet.
I could have just followed my tracks back, but noooo. I decided to head off in random directions looking for something familiar. Nearly got stuck in a fox hole. After 15 minutes of screwing around I gave up, turned around and had to follow my (now very elaborate) tracks all the way back.
Just dumb.
Trimmer 905
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Tagged......
Lol. Is that a case of “Learn from the mistakes of others, because you won’t survive making them all yourself”?
................so he can find his way back'ear.
I have been lost a couple times with partners and had them panic and fall to pieces... it isn't pretty. One guy started running in panicked circles, he was hyperventilating and burning all of his energy... I had to jump on him as he ran past and basically sit on him while I talked him down and reassured him that we would be alright. The other time, I wasn't using a compass (long before GPS), I was just following a ridge that I knew ran north to south... what I didn't know was that it split at one point and I went around in a circle three times trying to figure what the frig happened... finally sat down to contemplate and heard a train whistle way off in the distance, which got me pointed North... to this day I don't know why the train blew its whistle as there were no crossings for a hundred miles.
During my "previous life", I was involved a "few" times searching for lost/overdue hunters. What has been consistent once they are located...is the fact they all "denied" being lost. LOL.
As for me, got spun around a couple of times, mostly flat tall willow bushes, but managed to find my way out. And yes...I kept it to myself...lol
As for me, got spun around a couple of times, mostly flat tall willow bushes, but managed to find my way out. And yes...I kept it to myself...lol
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
They say you should always believe your compass, right? Was walking the high ground back from a lake, My partner was supposed to meet me at a bay where I might push a moose out to him. This was in the days when the old checkered red and black hunting coat was the style. Started to rain buckets. Wool coats weigh about 30 pounds when they get soaked. Couldn't see 20 feet. No, problem, follow the compass. Didn't seem to be getting where I wanted to go, eventually the rain let up a little. Saw a tall tree across a little clearing that lined up with the direction I wanted to go. Happened to look at the compass half way across and it was out 90 degrees. Heaved the compass and started to go downhill till I came out to the lake. Carrying a second compass is a good idea, even if it is a cheap little pocket one. GPS is great, but if it switches from recreational to driving mode in your pocket and you don't realize it, can screw you up. Carry a compass as well, AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER A WAYPOINT WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR CAMP/TRUCK/CANOE!
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
Only got turned around once in my life while searching for a beaver pond a local trapper told me often held lots of ducks. Was an old stump filled pond that birds used to hide when the pressure was on. I found the pond and after a bit of recon turned and left. Twenty minutes later I am back at the pond within 5 yards of where I left from. I had travelled in a circle. Got up on a high rock next to where I had come in and took a good look around at my surroundings then without a compass handy took a line and headed out again. Half an hour later I walked into the clearing I had parked the truck in about 25 yards from my truck. I’ve never travelled the bush on foot since without a compass.
Foggy day, flat light, doing geology survey/sampling in and about a tag alder and cedar swamp on a grid - I walked off the end of the grid.
Pre-GPS, I had a compass but it wouldn't work due to iron deposits in the ground.
Figured I couldn't have walked more than 5 minutes off the grid so I tied survey tape to my starting spot and walked in different directions from there.
Turned out I was less than 300 yards from the grid but it took 5 hours to find it.
Dan
Pre-GPS, I had a compass but it wouldn't work due to iron deposits in the ground.
Figured I couldn't have walked more than 5 minutes off the grid so I tied survey tape to my starting spot and walked in different directions from there.
Turned out I was less than 300 yards from the grid but it took 5 hours to find it.
Dan
I spent quite a bit of time traversing in the woods doing geological exploration. Of course, in those days we relied upon maps and compasses, no GPS, cell phones, friend finder, etc. One manages to become very proficient in being able to traverse in and out to a particular location (we paced our distances). We worked in pairs, which was a good idea for obvious reasons.
Fast forward to years later, and a partridge hunt with a buddy in the Ottawa Valley. We were going into an area we had been to before. The plan was to take a known trail to a small lake, traverse around the lake and catch a logging trail (as shown on the map) that would take us in a circle of several kilometers back to the local highway. We liked this approach as it optimized our hunting time, and gave us the opportunity to check out the new trail.
When we arrived, I realized that I had the map (1:50000), but had forgotten my compass. My buddy was equipped with neither. It was a nice sunny day - not wanting to forego a pleasant walk in the woods, we pressed on. The logic was that we had the map, and could check our bearing against the sun. We got to the lake, looked across the lake to see a small landing, confirming the existence of the desired trail on the map. We made our way around the lake and found the trail. By this time it had clouded over. We started on the trail, confirming our direction by looking for bright spots in the clouds - this turned out to be a less-than-stellar idea.
After about a half an hour, I began to realize that the topography we were encountering did not match the map. In fact, it looked as if we were going 180 degrees from our desired direction. We sat down and discussed our options. Being young and ambitious we decided to continue on the trail, as it appeared to become more established, and should ultimately lead us back to the highway.
Well - it started to rain and the temperature dropped, and neither of us were wearing suitable clothing. My buddy was wearing a wool sweater that quickly became saturated with water, giving him the appearance of a drowned rat. He didn't complain, but I knew that he was becoming distressed. We walked for another hour - by this time it was mid afternoon, and the thought of walking out in the dark crossed my (his) mind. Neither of us said anything. Finally we came to a crossroad that went north and we took that, hoping that it would lead us to the highway. After another half an hour in the pouring rain, we came to the highway. Recognizing the intersection, we made the realization that we had a five mile walk back to the car.
At that point, neither of us was feeling too spry. We started walking, agreeing that we would attempt to hitchhike a ride as darkness was upon us. Sure enough, a pair of headlights comes down the road, and we stuck out our thumbs, with our shotguns slung over our shoulder. The car stops - "Gidday, Gidday, Gidday - where you goin?". It was a couple of lads from the valley out for a joyride. We explained where we wanted to go, without betraying our misadventure (after all, we were accomplished hunters...). They ushered us into the backseat, where we were met with several cases of beer. Beverages we offered ... The turn of events bordered on surreal...
We got back to the car, stripped off our clothes to our gauches, and turned the car heater on full for the return trip....
Anyway, the lesson I learned here is that it is easy to become over-confident about bush skills. To this day, I wont go in the woods without a compass, even though I now use a GPS for traversing. If I get ambitious, I'll type a story about the infamous "black hole" - a formation of magnetite at our deer camp.
Fast forward to years later, and a partridge hunt with a buddy in the Ottawa Valley. We were going into an area we had been to before. The plan was to take a known trail to a small lake, traverse around the lake and catch a logging trail (as shown on the map) that would take us in a circle of several kilometers back to the local highway. We liked this approach as it optimized our hunting time, and gave us the opportunity to check out the new trail.
When we arrived, I realized that I had the map (1:50000), but had forgotten my compass. My buddy was equipped with neither. It was a nice sunny day - not wanting to forego a pleasant walk in the woods, we pressed on. The logic was that we had the map, and could check our bearing against the sun. We got to the lake, looked across the lake to see a small landing, confirming the existence of the desired trail on the map. We made our way around the lake and found the trail. By this time it had clouded over. We started on the trail, confirming our direction by looking for bright spots in the clouds - this turned out to be a less-than-stellar idea.
After about a half an hour, I began to realize that the topography we were encountering did not match the map. In fact, it looked as if we were going 180 degrees from our desired direction. We sat down and discussed our options. Being young and ambitious we decided to continue on the trail, as it appeared to become more established, and should ultimately lead us back to the highway.
Well - it started to rain and the temperature dropped, and neither of us were wearing suitable clothing. My buddy was wearing a wool sweater that quickly became saturated with water, giving him the appearance of a drowned rat. He didn't complain, but I knew that he was becoming distressed. We walked for another hour - by this time it was mid afternoon, and the thought of walking out in the dark crossed my (his) mind. Neither of us said anything. Finally we came to a crossroad that went north and we took that, hoping that it would lead us to the highway. After another half an hour in the pouring rain, we came to the highway. Recognizing the intersection, we made the realization that we had a five mile walk back to the car.
At that point, neither of us was feeling too spry. We started walking, agreeing that we would attempt to hitchhike a ride as darkness was upon us. Sure enough, a pair of headlights comes down the road, and we stuck out our thumbs, with our shotguns slung over our shoulder. The car stops - "Gidday, Gidday, Gidday - where you goin?". It was a couple of lads from the valley out for a joyride. We explained where we wanted to go, without betraying our misadventure (after all, we were accomplished hunters...). They ushered us into the backseat, where we were met with several cases of beer. Beverages we offered ... The turn of events bordered on surreal...
We got back to the car, stripped off our clothes to our gauches, and turned the car heater on full for the return trip....
Anyway, the lesson I learned here is that it is easy to become over-confident about bush skills. To this day, I wont go in the woods without a compass, even though I now use a GPS for traversing. If I get ambitious, I'll type a story about the infamous "black hole" - a formation of magnetite at our deer camp.
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some people see mirages others are hearing a whistle from the train ...
During a late afternoon hunt, the guy who was familiar with the area assigned us different areas. Got turned around and spent the night under an old split cedar. Walked out in the morning.
Another time when I realized it was about time to head back to the truck I took a compass reading . . . turned 180 degrees and walked back to the truck.
Another time when I realized it was about time to head back to the truck I took a compass reading . . . turned 180 degrees and walked back to the truck.
I got lost and was bedded down under a tree for the night when I heard a car on the road I was looking for. I had a compass but had not looked at the map when i went into the bush. it was supposed to be just a short jaunt along a ridge. The ridge gradually turned one way while the road (that I assumed to be parallel to the ridge) turned away. When I came down off the ridge there was no road. It was getting dark, so i climbed back up the ridge and bedded down.
I since learned to set the reciprocal on the compass when I enter the bush. Never tried the GPS. Probably a good idea. I think it will catch on.
I since learned to set the reciprocal on the compass when I enter the bush. Never tried the GPS. Probably a good idea. I think it will catch on.
My sense of direction is poor - always has been. I think it comes from growing up in Sask on the farm. Everything was always flat and you could see for miles where you needed to go so sense of direction never developed. I do have a mortal fear of being lost and carry a butt pack with survival gear enough to spend the night (or more) if needed.
I carry a good GPS with spare batteries and always waypoint the truck and I carry a silva compass for backup. I constantly check the readings on the GPS while walking so even if it suddenly crapped out I would have a rough idea where I'm at and could use the compass to get a bearing back to the truck.
For me the GPS has been a God send. It has given me the freedom to go wherever I want, whenever I want without fear. It has opened up the wilderness to me.
I think it is one of the most important inventions of the modern era.
I carry a good GPS with spare batteries and always waypoint the truck and I carry a silva compass for backup. I constantly check the readings on the GPS while walking so even if it suddenly crapped out I would have a rough idea where I'm at and could use the compass to get a bearing back to the truck.
For me the GPS has been a God send. It has given me the freedom to go wherever I want, whenever I want without fear. It has opened up the wilderness to me.
I think it is one of the most important inventions of the modern era.
I once got lost in 400 acres after tracking a wounded deer...... it was at night and i was so focused on the deer that i didnt pay attention to where i was......
I eventually made it out with the deer, but had not brought a gps or a compass with me..... would have made iife much easier....
I eventually made it out with the deer, but had not brought a gps or a compass with me..... would have made iife much easier....
Some people said they had a bear on the back forty and one evening I went out to see if I could find him. When I drove in the yard a dog gave the usual bark at me. I talked a bit, then set out to see if I could find the bear. Long story short, the evening got dark pretty fast and I thought I had stayed out too long, to be able to find my way back to their house in the quickly darkening sky.
Then I heard a dog bark, and not just any dog, but the same dog voice I had heard when I drove into their yard! So I quickly got going in the direction of the dog and made it out, just before it became too dark to walk in the bush.
I sneaked through that one without having to spend a long, cold night in the bush!
Then I heard a dog bark, and not just any dog, but the same dog voice I had heard when I drove into their yard! So I quickly got going in the direction of the dog and made it out, just before it became too dark to walk in the bush.
I sneaked through that one without having to spend a long, cold night in the bush!
Greg we had a train tracks (close to the farm) not far from home when i was a kid. every morning the driver or engineer was using his whistle. because he was not sleeping he did want everybody else to be awake ... moose has been extinct since roman invasion in france. so i imagine they can whistle for any reason.
