I've won several orienteering contests in theMarine Corps andin the civilian world. That being said, when I go into the woods I don't write down bearing and how many paces I take in that direction before I travel in a new direction so I can make a back azimuth to find my way out. I was just wondering how people that are quick to downplay a gps unit and bring only a compass into the woods actually use that compass to find their way home.

In the service I have seen people that were competent with map and compass be just a couple of degrees off on one of the legs of their course end up "off the target" by almost a quarter mile.