Lost in the woods...PLB Question

[frassettor]

Let me start off by saying I'm one of those guys that are extremely directionaly challenged.

About 12 years ago I got an "education" in wilderness survival, when I got lost in the national forest with nothing but the cloths on my back, and a pocket knife.

I was younger and a little cocky, and in need of a lesson.. Mother nature taught me that lesson.  With the weather that was quickly changing, and the worst 15 hrs of my life, we managed to get out of there thanks to a fella that was baiting bear. Ever since then I am totally obsessed with wilderness survival. Wether I am  hunting a small 80 acre plot by my hose I am prepared for at least a night or 2.

 Me and a buddy are leasing some land this year that is so thick and big that you can walk for miles without even running into something. I was looking at getting ACR's Microfix PLB for one of those "just incase" instances.

Anyone have one of these units, or stories they would like to share about similiar experiences??

[longbowman]

Lensatic Compass.  Batteries never go ded and they're always accurate.

[Wannabe1]

Being full time military and years in, I have to agree with Longbowman. A quick class on map and compass and you'll be just fine. It's pretty easy too learn, you just need to do it once in a while to keep your skills sharp.

[frassettor]

Who wants to teach me????

[Onehair]

Try this:  http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/

[Chris Surtees]

Learn to use a compass and map first. Then back it up with a GPS.

The ACR's are nice but quite costly. Unless you have the spare cash I would go with the above first.

From the classes I have had they are very easy to maintain and testing them is a snap. There is no way for us to activate one since it will send the distress signal.

Thank God I have never had to use an ACR or responded to someone who has activated one. In my line of work that is not a good thing.

[Wannabe1]

If you go with the map and compass route, buy a  Cammenga lensatic compass. They are built to military specs and will last a life time if taken care of. I got mine for around $80.00.

[Curveman]

Brunton 54lu best of both worlds. (Lensatic and baseplate). Read reviews via google.

[frassettor]

Ok, What if you break a leg, or unable to get out by yourself....Now what do you do??

[Jeff Strubberg]

It's pretty difficult in the continental US to get far from help anymore.  There are spots out west where you might need some gear, but walking out always beats staying if you are talking about survival.

A compass, a sierra cup, something to start a fire with and a 6' square of lightweight plastic will see you through 99% of problems in the woods.  Add a cell phone and something to signal with and you will cover 99.99%.

You can go crazy trying to carry everything you need when a better answer is to simply walk in a strsight line until you find civilization again.

[ishiwannabe]

I cant remember where I read it, but somewhere, it was saying that the public GPS sattelites will be returning to military control in the next year(Sorta like the old TV channels being turned into digital). That means GPS may not be what it used to be.
Batteries are always an issue also.

I strongly recommend the above. A good compass, and the ability to read a map...and I mean read terrain features, topography, grid coordinates, etc, will trump a GPS in many instances. Bad weather hampers the signals GPS works on for instance.
I think they are a useful tool. BUT, they are only a tool. Same goes for a map and compass, only as good as the person using them.

Another thing you might want to learn is how to orient yourself(by direction-i.e. which way is north) in any situation. Knowing direction of travel is a big help when the question of your location comes up.

Hope this helps. And I am by no means trying to deter the use of a GPS, but speaking from experience, the tools you carry are only as good as the knowledge you possess about them. That should read: My batteries died(no map for back up) while in the field, and it was hard to explain to the platoon leader where I had been for so long...  :D

[straitera]

Hunted public land for the first time last year. Miles & miles & miles of heavy tall timber and vegetation with few breaks albeit flat for the most part. Three times, after dark, miles from camp, & DEEP in the woods, (once w/o flashlight) I was disoriented. Fortunately, I always trust (2) phosphorescent compasses & water. Yes, I have a GPS; but, too many trees in the Piney Woods. When flashlight batteries failed I knew it was gong to be a long walk.

[longbowman]

frassettor, I would highly suggest you read Mike's new book, Alone in the Wilderness.  This was as good as any for getting the basics down for hunting alone.  I hunted all through the Montana mtn.s for 4 yrs. and always needed to be prepared to take care of emergency situations if they occured.  Like was already mentioned, once you can navigate with map and compass then the GPS is a good back-up but you'll probably never turn it on.  As for breaking a leg while out there.  Things happen and you need to be ready and electronics isn't an answer to all of them.

[longbowman]

Oops!  Sorry Mike!!!  The book is One with the Wilderness.

[SELFBOW19953]

Like everyone before has said a compass and a map.  Most importantly, learn some simple navigation skills (which way is north, where was the sun when I came in, did I go uphill or down, etc).  Just as with a calculator, a GPS is a fantastic item, but you need to have some idea of what's correct.  When you enter 4 times 20 in the calculator, you should get 80, not 3.14159.  If your GPS heads you toward the setting sun when the morning sun was at your back when you left camp, you're in big, big trouble. If you get what Daniel Boone called "a mite bwildered", sit down, relax and try to think your way our. If all else fails, stay put and wait for help.

[Apex Predator]

Apparently the GPS satellites are getting old, and unless the current administrations spends some money on them, they will start failing next year.  I don't think "they" have much desire to spend money on something that doesn't directly help the homeless, the poor, or finances the campaigns coming in 2010.

[Fletcher]

I'm gonna go along with Onehair and recommend a little orienteering.  You will learn how to use a compass and map, gain confidence and have a bunch of fun in the process.  

[hvyhitter]

I have been in some pretty desolate places and back with just a map and compass. I feel no need to use battery gadgets when tried and true methods and a little brain power have worked for hundreds of years. If you are really worried about being 100% safe,stay home.

[unclewhit]

First of all, ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS tell someone the general location of where you'll be.
That way when you don't show up at camp someone will have a place to start a search.

"I've Never been lost..... a bit dazed and confused for a couple of days, but NEVER lost."

[frassettor]

This is a Personal Locator Becon, not a gps. Its used for emergencies ONLY, if you are unable to get out, or get injured. They send out a signal via satallite, that gets transfered into the "call center". It tells them your coradinates, and they send help.(helicopter, search and rescue ect)...I have a GPS, but this is something incase you are not able to get out on your own for some reason...