Lesson Learned the Hard Way: Compass
In short, don't trust the GPS unit.
Last night as I was tracking a deer, I was using my GPS unit to mark blood spots. I have a backpack on my back 25lbs, A coleman propaen lantern in my hand, a GPS unit, a 9mm on my hip and finally I find a 3yr old doe that I shot about 150 yards from where she was shot in small timbers. So you can only see 5-7 yards at a time. I tell the GPS unit to take me back and it I start following the direction. After about 50 yards or so I realize that GPS unit is acting really strange sending me in all directions. After dragging this very large deer, the lantern and all my crap I realized I was lost. The temperature had dropped 10 degrees (32 degrees)since I started tracking I was covered in sweat. I had no moon. I didn't even know the general direction to head because I trusted my gps unit and I've been hunting here for years.
I ended up walking away from the deer several times looking for a way out. I would drag the deer a ways and the walk around. Drag then look etc... I gave myself another 1/2 hour to find my way out or I was going to abandon the deer.
I don't how I did it because I honestly wasn't following any kind of trail or anything but I ended up on a dirt path that I recognized about a quarter mile from camp. Even while on the path heading back to camp the GPS unit was telling me to go the other way. I'm pissed.
I will NEVER head into the woods again without using a compass which I carry two of and I might start using some kind of string to track deer. Not sure on the tracking thing.
I was so exhausted that I couldn't even lift the deer to get it in the back of the truck. I had to hug it and throw myself in. I'm just glad it worked out.
Tom