Dont be this guy........

[hvyhitter]

This weekend a hunter was lost overnight in a local hunting area and local S&R was called out to look for him. After spending the night in the woods he walked out the next day. The thing is he relied on his phone GPS to get out that night but spotty service and a dead battery left him clueless and lost. The area is not that big so he couldnt have been more than a mile from a main road or farm at any time.  Just having a 10 dollar ball compass and knowing what way the road ran could have let him walk out and not tie up the sherrif and fire departments for 12 plus hours.........just something to think about for those of you that put all your trust in your cell phone............

[-snypershot317-]

i fully agree. with all this new technology, basic navigation is a lost skill at its best. even learning how to roughly navigate with out a compass is almost unheard of. i agree with you that everyone should atleast carry a basic compass and atleast some sort of 24hr survival kit...the kit i would say is more needed if in big woods but even hunting the area that i know well i still carry a small survival kit. mainly because i would rather carry the extra 5lbs and have it and not need it than need it and not have it. so far, thankfully, i have yet to use it. but that is unfortunate that so many people rely on cell phones instead of learning the basics and studying the area that they hunt in. that was a very good post and a thought provoking one too.

[Shan]

Sheesh       probably a guy with a sight on his bow lol.

You should definitely know your hunting area well enough to know an escape azimuth

[gringol]

Stupid with a fancy gadget is still stupid.

[SELFBOW19953]

Technology is a killer.  How many store clerks do know that can't make change unless the register tells them what the change is?  How many people do you know who can't look at the answer on their calculator and know the answer can't be right?  How many people do you know that can't read a map, of any kind, but especially a topo map?

[Sockrsblur]

Great post! I greatly appreciate technology but always have a old school silva compass in my pack even if in familiar woods. Don't take up much room com paired to the piece of mind

[McDave]

If it was a clear night, the North Star would have been as good as a compass, and should have been able to get him to the road at least.

[Steve Jr]

Good post and a nice reminder to be prepared no matter how big the woods is.

[elkken]

I still carry a good old fashion compass in my pack along with a map of where I'm hunting ...

[mec lineman]

When it comes to me carrying my compass " Two is one and one is none"!  You GOT TO TRUST YOUR COMPASS.

[Rob DiStefano]

a simple cheap compass and ... a map - even a google map will do.

[LB_hntr]

I actually choose not to use my gps for navigation (just carry it for blood trailing and grid searches) and rely on my compass for everything. I prefer to do it this way so that i keep my skills sharp and keep learning more. A cell phone doesnt work in most of the places i hunt so noone in my area gets to use a map on a phone.
 Navigation is a perishable skill and the above story is a great reminder of that.

[KentuckyTJ]

Yep my uncle was in the military and is no longer with us, but his compass is in my backpack. I have found that tracking a deer late at night in the thickets can get you disoriented fairly quickly.

[tomsm44]

A compass and a first aid kit should be in everybody's pack.  I don't carry a 'survival kit' because I hunt on private land where I can't walk over a half mile without crossing a 4wheeler trail or dirt road so actually having to spend the night in the woods is pretty unlikely.  I can't say my first aid kit has saved any lives, but it's saved a couple hunts.      

Matt Toms

[Tajue17]

good post,,,,,, speaking of compasses whats a decent compass to buy?   I bought one at dicks sporting goods that has a magnifying glass and whistle,, seems decent but is there cheap ones that are not reliable????

[achigan]

Google Suunto. They make very good compasses in a wide price range.

[dagwood64]

I don't need a compass, just a deck of playing cards.
When lost I just deal out a game of solitare. Pretty soon someone shows up and tells me to play my red ten on the black jack. Then I am no longer lost.  

[LongStick64]

I can relate, I'll admit I got lost once in the woods, because I forgot to pack my compass. It happens. Maybe that happened here as well and he tried to use what he had.

[Hopewell Tom]

Well, that won't be me as I don't own a cell phone and certainly wouldn't be counting on it for a directional aid.
I have 3 compasses on me at all times when afield. Overkill for sure but so what? I like the pin on ball for generally getting around and being orientated. There's one in the cap of my waterproof match container and a third is a very good Silva if a definite bearing has to be followed.
I don't feel overloaded at all.

[NYArrow]

I carry a compass for navigating. I do also have a gps with many waypoints plugged in, but thats only to help me pinpoint a tree for my stand at 5am. Aside from that it's all compass and knowing the lay of the land for me.