Lost

John Y Cannuck

John Y Cannuck

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A tale of my past.
Many years ago, I had just finished high school, and I had been hunting a few years with my uncles. I'd been reading stories from hunting rags, Outdoor life etc. i decided that I would find out what it was like to spend a night alone in the bush.
i had read that a shelter was simple to construct, and a young fella like myself could do it with ease.
I set out with three days worth of sandwiches, and a jug of water. I had a good Kmart sleeping bag, it was good for boy scouts anyway.
I headed out, checking my compass (gps did not exist) and walked from around 9am 'till about 3, when I figured I should set up a camp. I found a nice spot by a lake. No clue where I was, I figured I'd come out by compass. Young and foolish.
i set up a lean to it went fairly easy, and i built a nice fire in front. BTW, I tried making a fire without matches for a half hour first, Id freeze before it got going I think.
It was April, I was on a two week break.

I learned that night a few things about lean to type camping.
There isn't enough fire wood in a hundred acres to keep me warm in a cheap ass Kmart sleeping bag for one, and the roof leaks like a bastard even in a heavy dew unless you really pile on the roofing.
morning found me shivering beside what was left of my fire. I'd spent most of the night hunting firewood with a flashlight, as i had not gathered anywhere near enough. at the time, deer were scarce, and wolves scarcer, however i heard for the first time the hair raising howl of a bobcat. I was exhausted, and I'd quickly ate through more than half of my three days supply of food. This was really looking like the dumbest of moves.
I packed up and headed for the car.
using the compass, I quickly came upon a long and un-crossable swamp/lake. I sat down, scared. I knew the highway was on the other side somewhere.
i started to work my way around the water, hoping there was a beaver dam on the end of it to cross, and wondering how far off line I was. Should i have gone the other way round?
Thankfully there was a dam
I managed to get soaked, and fall just as I got across it.
But I pulled out the compass, and still trusting it, moved onward. It was all I had.
That's when the crap really hit the fan, I dropped it. The cheap ass thing fell on a rock, and the needle now lay uselessly inside the case.
I had read somewhere about floating a compass needle on water when this happens, but i was itching to get the hell out. Scared.
I remembered two things my uncles had told me to always remember. That the sun rises to the south east, and sets in the southwest, and that ridges run roughly north east to south west in much of Ontario. with that basic knowledge, even though I was scared half to death, I moved onward, eventually hearing the highway, and walking out into a back yard of an old log cabin. No one was home, but I knew where I was. Ten miles or so from where I was supposed to be. Embarrassed as hell, I decided to not tell anyone, and walked without thumbing a ride back to the car. I had eaten all my food, and had been drinking water from wild sources since mid day. I did not suffer for it.
It was only one night alone in the bush, it was my own fault, and it taught me much. I never repeated it for one. ;)
I've spent nights alone in the bush since, but always knew exactly where I was. That fear of the bush is long gone, in fact I love the solitude of being alone in the outdoors.
Oh I have wandered off, and come out where not intended more than a few times, but never again did I venture in so unprepared both in gear, and in area knowledge when far out in the bush. For Gods sake buy a decent F'n compass, and bring a good top map for the wilderness!
Even if you use a GPS, the back up is essential.

Anyone else want to admit to being lost?
 
I'm lucky I guess. I hardly remember the specifics of it but the feeling of absolute panic left a memory which hasn't faded over all these years.

I was only 6 or 7 years old at the time and my family went to visit the 'Whichamacallits' down the road (I actually thought that was their last name for years and years - thanks Dad :redface:). Anyways a big wooded property that was unfamiliar turf to me and my older sister, and we were playing together just as we would do in the back of the acreage we lived on. She went into the house to go to the bathroom and despite her telling me to just wait in the same spot until she got back, I was having a good time so I kept playing through the bush.

It couldn't have really been that long since all she did was hike back to the house and use the washroom, but at some point I looked up and realized I had no idea at all where I was. I went from having a great time to utter terror in a second and started running around screaming and sobbing. Not sure why I freaked out so much, but I immediately assumed I was a goner for some reason and lost my mind, musta been a wimpy kid or something. Did everything wrong that you could do wrong.

The funny part of the story is that I was so close to the house absolutely everyone heard me and ran right out to where I was to find out what the hell I'd tangled with!

Now that was all that happened, but I never forgot that panic and how absolutely useless I became the moment it set in. I was a 'country' kid even at that age and thought I had a pretty good grip on being in the bush but as soon as I freaked out any knowledge or woodcraft I had was gone in a second. I've carried that with me ever since and it has completely innoculated me from being 'lost' ever again.

I've since been in many places I didn't know. I've been in places where I didn't know where I was. I've been in places where I had to go a lot farther than expected because I misplaced my previously intended route.

I've never been lost again though, since that time as a kid, and due to that experience I never will be again. Good lesson.
 
Sure, if you've never been lost, you've never been anywhere, and staying warm is far more difficult when it wet out, than when its -30. But here's a couple of circumstances when problems can/or have occurred. Heavy overcast, and a lack of distinguishable landmarks can combine to confuse one's sense of direction, whether deep in the bush or in open country. GPS is a game changer, unless you neglect to enter the waypoint where you left the canoe. Expecting to follow your snowshoe tracks back out is a good plan, then the blizzard hits; refer to the comments about heavy overcast and a lack of distinguishable landmarks. If you emerge from heavy cover at a lake shore, only to discover that the waves are moving in a direction opposite than you expected, and if about the same time you begin to doubt what your compass is telling you, you might be lost. Hike with your dog, you might not know where you are, but he does. You're traveling by snowmobile along the coast only to discover that you're out on the sea ice, and not on land, the realization that you don't know how far away the land is, is a bit disconcerting. When did I last see those tufts of grass? Was it an hour ago? Two? And a quarter tank of gas left!!!! Priceless. Did you know that 30 minutes of good travel on a snowmobile puts you beyond your walking distance, and that searchers always find the snowmobile, when the guy who breaks down or runs out of gas decides to walk, and is never found.

Its more far important to know what to do once your realize you're lost, than it to aimlessly stumble around, depleting your energy reserves and nerve.
 
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I got turned around on an overcast day in a very large alder flat. That was probably 45 or more years ago.
I remember vividly the panic that swept over me when I realized I had no idea which way to go. I was able to
stifle the panic though, and discovered a large Spruce tree with limbs right to the ground.
A trip up that spruce about 75 feet let me look over the flat and get my bearings. I was a bit taken aback to
discover which way was really the right way. This episode was not lost on me. I never hike without my GPS,
a good compass, and a topographical map of the area I am in. Eagleye.
 
I haven't been "lost" to the point where I panicked or had to spend a night in the bush, BUT... I have certainly been mixed up in direction. Several times. For me, it is easy to get muddled up. One area where I have hunted for years, maybe 35 or 40, I did get muddled up. Knowing the area, I knew I couldn't get "lost", so I plodded on until I could see the big evergreens at the little cemetery where my grandparents are buried. The world made a turn and I was on my way.

Where I got mixed up was right beside the area I was familiar with. A friend had come along in his truck and gave me a short ride to this new area. I always thought it was a no hunting area, but things changed, and hunting was allowed. So, he dropped me off and away I went. When I realized I was mixed up, darkness was looming and a heavy snowfall had started. When I did get going in the right direction, I walked up on a doe and its fawn, not fifty feet away. I chuckled to myself, "mighty hunter", and walked on, back to my truck.

Days later, I saw my friend and told him what happened, we both had a chuckle. Served me a lesson, though. Cheap one.
 
Ohhhh, there have been a few.
One over nighter.

The funniest was hunting not too terribly far from where I reside now.
I was mid twenties and went for a hike.
Not sure what was on my mind, but I don't think it was hunting.
Came out of the bush and found an old unused road.
Thought heck, this would be a good one to ramble down.
And ramble down I did.
I walked and walked and walked. The quiet solitude was wonderful.
After a bit, the scenery started to duplicate itself.
And again..............wtf me thinks go meself.
Tossed me cappella on the road and looked at me wartch.
Took 'bout an hour and I came upon my hat...........hmmmm.
Had to sit me arse down and do some heavy thinking.
Walked the route again scouring the bush.
Finally the light bulb came on as to where I came out of the bush to return
back to where I started.
Phewwwww.

The other time was up at Jamieson Creek area.
That was an over nighter late in the fall.
Should of listened to me rather than the chap I was with.
Big and tuff but a sissy pants in the bush.

Nudder story for another time.
 
I have never been majorly lost. Just got turned around and had to take long walks back to the truck...more than once. But I have spent many nights in the bush with minimal equipment in all seasons. I have learned many of the same lessons the OP has just over multiple events in safer environments while with army cadets.

So does any one else get a laugh when non outdoorsy people try to tell you how bush survival is not that hard? Can't count how many people generally believe they can start a fire with one match, make a shelter, and find food and water even though they have never actually experience it. Or how many people believe that their Para cord bracelet is all they need to make it through the night comfortably.
 
Been lost, following a dog through swamps is a good starting point. Always carry a compass but have had some major adventures. Buried the snow machine and walked 17 hours on snowshoes and managed to get back to the snow machine. That was the ugliest one. Always carried an overnight survival kit but the perfect storm. Radio quit,stove leaked and destroyed food, the strike anywhere matches would not strike. Always carry a lighter, it had hooked something in my pocket I guess and only ran for about 3 seconds. The rope for my come-a-long was about five feet short of the nearest tree. Spent quite a while digging out so was soaked right through. Knew I was not getting out by 4 pm and figured about a two hour walk home. Had been two years since I had been in that country and they had been logging that whole time. Simply could not find the old trails after walking all night and headed back to the sled. I had walked myself dry, only about -10c with slight breeze. Got back to the sled about noonish the next day. Having had a while to think about things the plan was simple. Build a tripod above the sled and lift it out of the hole and on my way. My buddies showed up, two minutes later we were on our way. 15 minutes we were home. Long night. While walking back to the sled noticed a coyote had been following my tracks all night. The radio failure was the tipping point.

Got lost while in the Boy Scouts at camp, guess I was about 12. Spent the whole afternoon wandering around in a swamp somewhere in SW Quebec. That was the most terrified I ever was in the bush and never left me. No compass. That never happened again.

GPS has changed the game, make sure you have enough batteries. Always carry a compass.
 
Nice part about hunting in the mountains is that you always know where you are, just look up. :) Got thoroughly disoriented in a quarter section of land once, would you believe ? Flat as a pancake, thick bush and foggy. GPS fixed that.

Grizz
 
Grizzly Adams said:
Nice part about hunting in the mountains is that you always know where you are, just look up. :) Got thoroughly disoriented in a quarter section of land once, would you believe ? Flat as a pancake, thick bush and foggy. GPS fixed that.

Grizz
Click to expand...
Yep, one of the guys i hunted with swore he never got lost, never used a compass, and didn't know how. He went into a new area one day, when we teamed up with another deer camp, as we were both short of guys that season. It was basically a giant tag alder swamp.
He was two hours overdue and it was getting dark when he appeared, white as a sheet. He took an orienteering course, and the following year, he was the camp 'expert' on compass. :D
Dog setting means that about every other year or so, we'd be looking for someone. Usually they came out on there own. Only a couple of times did the more experienced guys have to rescue them. Gotta train 'em somehow. Some folks were just never meant to be off the main trail.
Thankfully, most of the areas we hunted we'd been through hundreds of times, and knew them very well. The trouble was when we were getting older and trying to train new guys. Or when nature did a nasty, and dropped fog or heavy snow on us when we were in the middle of a chase.
I think a lot of guys have had that 'where the hell am I' feeling only to find they are a few yards from the road. It doesn't take much to get a person disoriented.
 
oh had my fun in the woods over the years. Worse when the helicopter puts you down in the wrong spot... right next to the other crew who navigated to the wrong spot... A whole lot of what the hell is wrong with my map till I figured out we were in the wrong ravine...

turned around a few times, came out on a road a few times that surprised me as it was running the wrong direction, till I checked the compass.

now with GPS and smart phone coverage life is easy, I still carry a compass. :)
 
Getting lost an a lake in heavy fog isnt much fun. Especially when you realize that no matter what you do, you will always go in circles and legal shooting light is not far away. Much easier to navigate now using an iPhone
 
Have been turned around a few times but luckily have never been lost in the bush. Very comfortable in the bush and would stay there full time if possible. Love it in the bush!!!!
NOW.......put me in a city and I'm totally screwed.....got to have a guide in those $hit holes!!!
 
When I was young boy we lived in several remote parts of northern Ontario. I played in the bush, and spent many an hour roaming around and always seemed to know my way, my natural sense of direction was very good. All that was well and dandy until puberty came along. When I was 15 my Dad gave me a double barrel Ithaca 20 ga. I was out one day I got so turned around I swear the only directions I new was up and down. Finally got out to a road and made it home. Shortly afterwards I bought a Silva ranger compass and the Silva book on how to use a map and compass. I still have both and carry that Silva compass plus one more when in the bush. I have carried two compasses for many years as an argument and confidence measure. As there have been times over the years I would be certain that ranger compass was wrong. I would take out the other one and set them both down about 6 ft. apart. Without fail they would both point in the same direction and prove me wrong. My natural sense of direction has been poor since becoming of age to shave, I swear some days I could lost heading down the hall to the bathroom. I am very comfortable roaming around the bush as long as I have a compass as I was one of the doggers at the hunt camp for over 30 yrs. I have a good GPS these days and find it useful for many things especially laying out trail systems. But I always, but always have those two Silva compasses on me. No batteries required and they have always got me where I wanted to be.
 
I have never been lost (that I would admit to).

I always know where I am but sometimes I am not sure where that is.
There was this one time in the swamp and the fog set in and I could not get the GPS to boot up and the swamp is one of those places the compass goes crazy.
Took a big fire and a while to get myself out.

David
 
I was tracking a deer for someone when I was in my early 20's. It was in some incredibly thick brush and I made some mistakes of not marking my route and not having my compass on me. I found the deer and in my joy of finding the deer got turned around. I came out in a clearing that I had never seen. Took me a good hour to confirm what direction I had gone and how to get back. Hauling a deer along made it more difficult. It helped to know that whichever direction I went in, if I went far enough I would likely hit a highway or bush road that I was familiar with.
 
I had early schooling on being in the bush from my Pa, plus went all the way through Scouts from beginning to the end at Queen's Scout. Did extensive reading as a kid and would talk the ears off of anybody that had any real bush experience and spent tons of time out in the bush wandering around with my dog and my rifle. This left me very comfortable in the bush and I never worried about getting lost. Then as an adult I took a survival course from Vern Cotrall (sp?) and learned about the "shock" and "fear" response when humans become lost. I found it puzzling because as I mentioned I was very comfortable in the bush.

Then one day I was hunting/exploring the slopes of the foothills east of Hinton and became very interested in the gullies and ravines that cut the slopes. I decided it was time to head home and that's when things went strange. My head said to go THAT way and my COMPASS said to go THIS way. WTH?? I chose to follow my HEAD and about 30 minutes later I felt the first pangs of panic. I couldn't believe my response! I had all the knowledge I needed, all the training, all the tools in my Possible Sack and I STILL felt those pangs of Panic.
The details of an ugly story that Vern Cotrall told us in Survival training started to run through my brain and I then understood how his story could happen.

This was back in the day when smoking was more common and I was a smoker in those days. Vern had once said that if you find yourself in this situation to sit down on a log and light up a smoke and sit there until it is done. Don't get up and pace, don't turn in circles, just sit. So I did just that and when I decided I was ready to go again my Brain was active again. Trusting my tools (compass) and logic, downhill to the nearest road, I ignored my faulty instincts and sure enough found my way out.

Now flash forward a number of years and my best friend and I were out in the foothills stream fishing. My friend was very good in the bush and he often said he was born 200 years too late and I think he was right. He had an uncanny ability to find his was around in the bush and never used a compass. So he decides that instead of backtracking back down the stream we had fished all day and then following out the trail we came in on, that we should just cut straight through the bush. This "shortcut" would be somewhere on the order of 3 miles through the bush. Part way out I asked him if he ever worried about being lost. His reply sticks with me to this very day. He said "There is no such thing as being lost. You simply are not where you wish to be at this particular moment in time." He said that, to him, it made no difference if he came out 15 feet or 15 miles away from where he wanted to be. He would simply go to where he wanted to be at that time. I still chuckle about his simple logic to this very day. It served him well for his entire life, I never heard of him being lost.

But being prepared is still the number one lesson.
 
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