travisville

I got lost my second season of deer hunting when I was about thirteen. It was the final weekend of rifle season in northern Minnesota and I had already shot a spike. I wasfollowing some deer tracks that were fresh in the first snow. I came up on a doe in the thick cover and I was standing about 15 feet away from her. She didn't see me so I threw the gun up and took a quick shot. The snow was starting to melt as it warmed up. Being very inexperienced I just started to chase after it right away and I jumped it when it was laying down where it should have died if it wasn't for my stupidity. I continued my stupid streak and continued to follow it and jumped it once again. I now realized that maybe I should go home and get some help. It struck me that I had no idea where I was. I didn't see any of my tracks and I began to panic I started to run back the way that I thought was the way back to my 4 wheeler. I then realized that I had run in a complete circle and I was back where I was. I started tocalm down a little and tried to plan a little. I tried to follow my tracks a little but I had run in a circle and screwed up all the tracks.
I started to look orsomething of a spot to build a fire. My fire starting skills were awful I just sat there and burned up a bunch of Fire starting sticks and birchbark but Icouldn't find any dry wood and everything in the woods was wet from the melted snow. I knew that my grandparents were going to come out and check on me at about 2 o'clock and I had lots of extra ammunition in my backpack.
I waited until about 2:30 figuring that they would've figured something was wrong I did the 3 shot thingand I got a 2 shot answer and I shot once in return. My grandpa is the master of the woods and a superior outdoorsman. He would shoot once every five minutes or so and I would answer back. I just stayed in the same place the whole time waiting for him to come to me. I could now hear him yelling after about 30 minutes of this. I yelled back at him but he couldn't hear me ofcourse because of his bad hearing. I could see him now and I got up and walked towards him. He just seemed so calm and relaxed. He took out his compass and walked that way and in no time we were back on the trail.
Now it was time to go find my deer so I showed him where I was standing when I took the shot. Got on the blood trail like a hound and got to the deer. It was I big doe took out the knife he gutted it for me because darkness was starting to close in on us. It seemed like it took him only a couple of seconds. Now was the tough part dragging it back he had cancer and was in poor physical condition and I was only a little kid. It took us quite a while to get her out on the trail but we finally got her. By now my grandma had a couple of neighbors looking for us. It was now time for me to take on the embarressment.

My grandpa was taken by cancer the year after this and I really wish I would have been alive while he was in his prime. I made about 50,000 mistakes that day and I learned so much in that little period of time. I've taken six deer in the two years since this day and all of them have dropped right where they stood. That was the scariest day of my life.



Let's hear some lost stories that you guys and gals have.

cowboy4513

Well I have never been lost I have Hunted the Backcountry of Idaho washington and Montana. and hunted michigan but its hard to get lost here.you just need to be always paying attention to your surrondings and you will be fine. and if all else fails get a GPS.

Icedragon

I got lost in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan when I was about 14 years old, it was still dark in the morning and I was walking to my stand, I guess I got really turned around for about an hour trying to find it. Eventually I came upon a two track and it took me 4 more hours to find the truck we had entered the woods with. I was so tired, by then it was like 11am an I just sat in the truck and slept until my dad was done hunting lol I was wiped out!

uncle matt

Years ago as a probobly 13 or 14 year old kid I found myself lost in the strip mines of southern Illinois. For those not familiar with strip mining, it leaves behind hundreds and hundreds of piles of earth that has been salvaged of any coal it had in it. The piles are basically in organized rows, all about the same size. Row after row and isle after isle.

I had a doe I was dragging out and it had slowed me down quite a bit. Not to mention that I should have started heading out alot earlier. Not to mention I shouldn't have taken that "shortcut" thru those "hills" either.

Darkness fell like a rock and all I could see to navigate by was the outline of the stars against the tops of the piles. The piles that all looked the same. I could hear deer jumping in the darkness but I wasn't scared. I knew they'd run from me and I had a shotgun. The deer I was dragging was getting bigger and bigger (the opposite of ground shrinkage). So I let her lay. Shortly thereafter I knew I had "walked the circle" when I found my deer again. Right then Iheard my name being yelled and could see flashlight beams in the air. I holled back and headed towards the voices and lights.

Never told them I was lost. Just thought the truck was "that way" and was taking a shortcut. Since that day, I have never entered any place I'm not 100% familiar with without a compass, always taking my heading before going in.

Doubled 150

I got a pretty good one...

Bowhunting in IL.The area is completely flat so you can easily get turned around. I always use a compass, however, that day, a friend of mine came with me and didn't have a compass. I gave him mine because I hunted the area a few times and thought I didn't need it. Wrong. Just before dark I started out of the woods. It should have only taken me about 15 minutes to get to the logging road and then I'm home free. I walked for about 30 minutes and realized I was lost. I walked for another 30 minutes and came to a large creek with a log bridge. Never seen that before! I turned around and started walking the other way. 45 minutes later...back at the creek with the log bridge. Then I started to yell for my hunting party thinking maybe they had come into the woods looking or maybe I was closer than I thought. Nope. My yelling did cause dogs to bark, so, if there's dogs, there's probably people. So, I started walking towards the dogs. I would have to yell occassionally to get them barking again. Finally, I saw a house light. Made my way to the house, knocked on the door and told the gentleman where I needed to be. He said, "It's about3 miles straightthrough those woods or about 6 miles out this road." I offered him every dime in my pocket if he would give me a ride. He did and wouldn't accept any money. I slipped a $10 bill in a cupholder.

Oh, and to top it all off, I missed the biggest deer I've ever seen in my life. I misjudged the yardage and shot right over his back. That probably aided in me getting lost because that was certainly on my mind as I was walking out of the woods.

travisville

I'm getting a GPS for christmas and I think that will helpme out quite a bit I've got a lot of country that needs to be explored.

Good stories so far guys.

uncle matt

travis, GPS is great, if..........

the batteries are good. ALWAYS bring a couple sets of spares.

cowboy4513

Ya I despise anything that i hunt with that takes batteries. I used to use one of those holographic sites with my bow but junked it for the one time the batteries ran out right when i was drawing back on a 140-150 class deerill never forgive myself.... well now im depressed.

travisville

i've boughta pack of batteries to keep sealed up in my backpack just for that reason

Bowflex

One night I was watching Lost, and some friends came over with some beers and we drank the beers and watched Lost.

That was great.
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Just kidding.