Lost in the woods
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Northern Plains
Posts: 138
RE: Lost in the woods
This happened when I first started bowhunting.
On one of those black moonless nights I was walking into a tree stand in some heavily wooded river botton area when I thought I was near my stand I turned on a flashlight to find it. What a mistake that was. Everything looked exactly the same. By the time I walked around in circles looking for the stand I turned the light off. By then my eyes adjusted to the light and what little night vision I had was now completely gone. Plus I had no idea what direction I was facing. I walked around for a while and decided I better wait for sun up since I had no idea where I was going. The sun can up and I was about 70 yards from my pickup. One thing I never do anymore is turn on a flash light while going to my stand in the dark.
On one of those black moonless nights I was walking into a tree stand in some heavily wooded river botton area when I thought I was near my stand I turned on a flashlight to find it. What a mistake that was. Everything looked exactly the same. By the time I walked around in circles looking for the stand I turned the light off. By then my eyes adjusted to the light and what little night vision I had was now completely gone. Plus I had no idea what direction I was facing. I walked around for a while and decided I better wait for sun up since I had no idea where I was going. The sun can up and I was about 70 yards from my pickup. One thing I never do anymore is turn on a flash light while going to my stand in the dark.
#12
RE: Lost in the woods
anytime you rely solely on something that is battery operated, you can run into trouble at any given moment.
Take your time and LEARN how to orient a map w/compass, and you can't go wrong. It's not that hard, and it's worth it in the long run!
Take your time and LEARN how to orient a map w/compass, and you can't go wrong. It's not that hard, and it's worth it in the long run!
#13
RE: Lost in the woods
Last year a buddy of mine and I were hunting a 2500 acre piece of Game Management property and got turned around in the darkness and ended up spending 2.5 extra hours getting out of those woods. We were walking parallel with the dag gum road but never knew it. Both of us had GPS's but left them in the truck with both of our phones. Very Bright. If I had been by myself I may have freaked out but having someone to talk to helped.
#14
RE: Lost in the woods
Never been lost, but got turned around a few years ago trailing a deer at dark I shot with my bow. I did find the deer, but it took me a while to get it out. I'm not worried in the least bit about getting lost on my own property or the land that I lease. It's just not going to happen unless I get Alziemers.
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,526
RE: Lost in the woods
I have had to spend a night in the woods before. I was in an ore field on a cloudy night so I could not usemy compass or the stars. It really was not too big of a deal since I knew that if I walked approx. 3 miles in either direction I would hit a trail or a railroad. Still I carry a map, compass, and a GPS now.
#17
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Teton Valley, ID
Posts: 196
RE: Lost in the woods
ORIGINAL: 2 Lunger
Good Lord! I coon hunted for years and never had an adventure like that! I bet when you think about it now you realize how neat that was. Just you and your hound roughing it.
ORIGINAL: Wlfdg
Yep! When I got my drivers lic. I went out coonhunting with my (young) dog. He struck a track that took him all over creation. When I finally caught up to him I had no idea where I was. I was soaked to the bone, beat down and exhausted. I shot the coon, skinned it, made a fire, ate it up with the dog, curled up with him tucked in my jacket and went to sleep. In the morning I shot 4 squirrels ,cooked and (we) ate them. We followed a creek to a road and followed that to a road I knew and found my truck. It was quite the adventure.
Yep! When I got my drivers lic. I went out coonhunting with my (young) dog. He struck a track that took him all over creation. When I finally caught up to him I had no idea where I was. I was soaked to the bone, beat down and exhausted. I shot the coon, skinned it, made a fire, ate it up with the dog, curled up with him tucked in my jacket and went to sleep. In the morning I shot 4 squirrels ,cooked and (we) ate them. We followed a creek to a road and followed that to a road I knew and found my truck. It was quite the adventure.
#18
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location:
Posts: 866
RE: Lost in the woods
ORIGINAL: CupCake28
Have you ever gotten lost in the woods while hunting?
I think that is one of my biggest fears. I have to have a GPS where ever I go. I know they have specific ones for the woods, but I dont have one. Would it be a good thing to invest in one of those?
Have you ever gotten lost in the woods while hunting?
I think that is one of my biggest fears. I have to have a GPS where ever I go. I know they have specific ones for the woods, but I dont have one. Would it be a good thing to invest in one of those?
Do you plan on scouting that area?
#19
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 40
RE: Lost in the woods
when one gets turned around in the young aspen on a cloudy day, its not a pretty feeling! everything looks the same! in minnesota the forest is so thick on a sunny day one could get lost in those damn aspen!
little trick! moss usually growson only the north side of trees. has never let me down yet!
little trick! moss usually growson only the north side of trees. has never let me down yet!
#20
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location:
Posts: 282
RE: Lost in the woods
30 years ago I got lost on a flat in a snowstorm. The one day I forgot my compass! It is true that you walk in circles - I crossed my own tracks. Everything looked the same. And I did know about the moss on the north side of trees, but it was a flat with young trees.
Of course I know a lot more about what to do today than I did back then.
Of course I know a lot more about what to do today than I did back then.