Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

When you go hunting is there always at least one person that can walk to the exact spot you are hunting if you are injured?

If not, what is your plan for such a contingency?

Here's mine:

1. Before I hunt, I tell someone when/where I am hunting and when I will emerge from the woods. In essence, this is a flight or float plan which guarantees someone will be looking for me if I am injured. Usually, I send a text to a hunting buddy who is familiar with the area.
For example: "Magnolia tree this PM. Will call when out"

2. If there are no buddies intimately familar with the stand site (secret honey hole), then I have a corkboard in the garage withprinted satellite images. I put a thumbtack on the exact spot I will be hunting. This is also handy for explaining the terrain to a guest. Ifsomeone elseis hunting, I have a couple extra color-coded thumb tacks for them. I tell my wife that I marked the corkboard and I give her a rough time that I will check in.

3. With the increasing prevelanceof night-vision goggle aided helicopter flight, it is essential to have a light source with you. The NVG's magnify available light 2-4000x. Even the smallest artifical lights can be seen at great distances. Boaters: Any helolooking for you in the water will definitely be wearing them. I can't emphasize this enough for boatersand evenscuba divers.Sometimes, it is actually easier to find someone at night if they have a light. I digress.

4. If my hunting plan changes, I send a text to modify my 'flight plan'.

5. I use the same plan when I am hanging stands solo because this is probably at least as dangerous as hunting.

I would like to hear about any other inventive techniques to get found.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I started doing this last year. Before the season started, I took a 30 foot fall out of a stand that I was hanging. I was lucky because I have a few friends at the farm with me, but it got me thinking.

I took GPS coords of all my stand sites and gave them to my wife. I tell her which stand I am going to and then call when I get back to the truck. This way, if I ever take a fall when I am by myself, she can call help and direct them to where I am suppose to be.

It is a great idea and everyone should do something similar.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

My wife usaully knows the area I'm in. I also turn on the GPS Locator feature on my phone if the need were to arise.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I just tell my wife where I will be at least in what woods. Not exact tree but that's the best I can do given my situation where is I have no ne to hunt with.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

If I'm hunting alone I'll put a note on the dash of my truck. If they find the truck,(easy), they will then know where to start looking for me. Someone usually has a good idea of where I'm going to be.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I know I should but I don't. Someone usually knows the areaI am at. I check in every night. Besides that they would have to find my truck or quad and start searching from there. During rifle hunts I am very mobile so it would be impossible to pinpoint my location anyway.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I always let someone know the drainage that I am in and give an estimated return day. I always have a signal mirror and a way to start a fire. I hunt mostly in the back country and know to stay put even if it seems like it has been a long time. Alway remember, even if you do not have cell phone reception, your phone will send blips even when you do not have coverage that can be picked up by satelite.

Emergency locator beacons can also save your life......

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I do this when I am headed up to the cabin land on the mountain regardless of hunting. I just don't think it's fair to my loved ones not to. I usually call up my buddy and tell him where I am going and what I will be doing. He's the first person anyone will call if I am missing. For example: "Hey Mike, I am heading up to check the train cams. Just so you know" He usually laughs and says ok bud, have fun, call me later.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

I hope this stays on top for a while and people chime in.

In CA last year we had a fellow hunter get lost in the woods and even after 3-weeks searching (they new what general area he was in but it took a day to findhis truck) was not found and his body is still missing to this day...it hit heard for many people who new him from X hunting web site....it made a lot of us think and put together plans for being safe and one of them was to have a list with coordinates and directions on how to get to every "main" spot we hunt. I did this and gave it to my wife, father and mother..my wife knows which spot i go to when i go and if something were to happen to me then she could atleast have a great starting point to try and come find me.

RE: Do you file a Hunting 'Flight Plan'?
 

JNTURK-
I have hunted Humboldt County and I believe the techniques for staying found even more impotant in the West. Most of my hunting is eastern whitetail but even the crowded eastern whitetail woods can make a difficult search if you are not sure where to start!