Caseknife
Well-known member
Dad always told us kids to look at your back trail every now and then, because that is what the scenery will look like on your way back to the truck.
You Ever Get Turned Around In The Woods?
- Thread starter Nameless Range
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MarvB
Well-known member
Twice…once actually duck hunting heading back to the truck. Low ground fog, no visible shore line, and tules that looked the same as far as the eye could see. Decoys felt like 200# by the time I got back.
Other time in a central Oregon snowstorm in a juniper jungle. Kept cutting my own tracks.Sucked! Long before OnX and too young and dumb to make a compass a habit yet.
Other time in a central Oregon snowstorm in a juniper jungle. Kept cutting my own tracks.Sucked! Long before OnX and too young and dumb to make a compass a habit yet.
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fishing4sanity
Well-known member
Hunting with one of my sons, we were on a large sagebrush flat, the fog rolled in very thick. After awhile we decided to head back to the truck, as I take off walking my son asks why I'm going in that direction. I told him that he got turned around in the fog, he still thought I was wrong (which NEVER happens, obviously). About this time a train can be heard in the distance and he points out to me that apparently the train has gotten lost in the fog as well! Nothing I could do except humbly turn around and follow him to the truck. 
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Hem
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Thats what I tell my daughter, unless its dark out.
Hunter4Life78
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I've had my compass do the same thing. Thought it might be the compass, when I got back to truck we pointed the north and tried again and compass was accurate. Chalked it up to something in the rocks.
Irishman
Well-known member
I had a bad experience back in 1985. The plan was to hike a ridge top, then meet my buddy back at the truck a few hours later. It snowed all morning, over a foot of new snow, with little visibility. I decided to drop off the ridge and make my way back along the valley floor. Problem was the ridge didn't run N to S like I thought, but actually turned a gradual corner to run W to E. I realized I'd screwed up after an hour or so, but had no clue which direction to go (no visibility, no sun, no GPS, and no compass). Eventually I found a set of older human tracks in the snow and followed them, figuring they would get me out somewhere (I was beside a wilderness area and going the wrong direction would be bad).
I happened to be in about the best physical condition of my life, I was 25, and had spent the whole summer in Ireland training for and playing Gaelic football. So I was able to follow these old tracks quickly with a combination of running and walking in the deep snow. After an hour of following these tracks, I got back to where I first started following them, they had been mine from earlier in the day. That's when I was momentarily a little depressed, I had no clue which direction to go and I was pretty tired.
I got lucky because the snow stopped mid afternoon, and with the sun out I knew which general direction to go. I ended out having to walk many miles around the road to get to the truck. Even when I knew where the truck was, and walking the road was adding miles, I still wouldn't leave the road. It was a long day, and I don't think I hunted the rest of that season. Nowadays, I always have a GPS, and after that I always carried a compass.
I happened to be in about the best physical condition of my life, I was 25, and had spent the whole summer in Ireland training for and playing Gaelic football. So I was able to follow these old tracks quickly with a combination of running and walking in the deep snow. After an hour of following these tracks, I got back to where I first started following them, they had been mine from earlier in the day. That's when I was momentarily a little depressed, I had no clue which direction to go and I was pretty tired.
I got lucky because the snow stopped mid afternoon, and with the sun out I knew which general direction to go. I ended out having to walk many miles around the road to get to the truck. Even when I knew where the truck was, and walking the road was adding miles, I still wouldn't leave the road. It was a long day, and I don't think I hunted the rest of that season. Nowadays, I always have a GPS, and after that I always carried a compass.
Me and my hunting buddy did about exactly the same thing you are describing in a big bowl on top of a ridge in our home woods in VA. We both agreed 100 percent the truck was in this direction and we’re both 180 degrees wrong. We call it the Bermuda Triangle now. Very strange when it happens to you.
I have a pretty poor sense of direction that’s resulted in a bit of paranoia. I carry a pair of compasses, my phone and backup gps, and compulsively check my back trail.
Even then I’ve been in weather where I’ve had to use panic azimuths and handrails to find my way back.
Last elk season I learned that having a new backup gps with a touch screen was a bit of a mistake. In a whiteout the moisture on modern touchscreens can make them kinda worthless.
I’ve never had to spend an unexpected night out due to being turned around but I’ve come close.
The first time was at age 14 in the boundary waters. Our group of teenagers decided it was a good idea to stumble cross country through deadfall and army worms to “see Canada”. After a couple arguments, and the oldest kid set an azimuth on my compass and told me to follow it. We were able to use a lake as a handrail ending up in earshot camp at dusk.
There are probably plenty of books on this stuff but two of my favorites are:
The natural navigator
And
A green beret’s use of vector addition etc. to navigate without a map or lanmarks. Not super practical but interesting
Even then I’ve been in weather where I’ve had to use panic azimuths and handrails to find my way back.
Last elk season I learned that having a new backup gps with a touch screen was a bit of a mistake. In a whiteout the moisture on modern touchscreens can make them kinda worthless.
I’ve never had to spend an unexpected night out due to being turned around but I’ve come close.
The first time was at age 14 in the boundary waters. Our group of teenagers decided it was a good idea to stumble cross country through deadfall and army worms to “see Canada”. After a couple arguments, and the oldest kid set an azimuth on my compass and told me to follow it. We were able to use a lake as a handrail ending up in earshot camp at dusk.
There are probably plenty of books on this stuff but two of my favorites are:
The natural navigator
And
A green beret’s use of vector addition etc. to navigate without a map or lanmarks. Not super practical but interesting
Wallydeuce
Well-known member
Fascinating thread. Without a visible horizon, walking in circles believing you're going in a straight line. Spacial Disorientation. Your inner ear is telling your brain you're going in a straight line while you're turning, and vice-versa. Looking down with your head turned makes it much worse.
First and most important rule of advanced flight training is: Trust your instruments. In this case, onx, inreach etc.
First and most important rule of advanced flight training is: Trust your instruments. In this case, onx, inreach etc.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
For those preaching the compass gospel as a cure for all misdirection ills...
I've been lost once. At 15 with my grandfather, hunting this western WA timber for elk in Nov, with snow on the ground and 34 deg rain coming down, terrain was an old lava flow undulating gently, covered in pretty thick lodgepole and grandfir. He was visible upset and stopped hunting and we just started walking. When we first cut some tracks we decided to follow them, thinking "those guys must know the way back." but after not very long, we caught on that they were our own tracks. I'd always be taught to carry a compass, and not a janky one, but a professional grade suunto, same one used by my mom cruising timber for the FS. I was well versed on following it, I set a course for east, and followed it, all... the... way... around... in a circle. Incredibly frightening to have the one tool that's supposed to save you, fail on you. We eventually just picked three trees in a line, walk to the first, line up a third with the two in front and keep going that way. Eventually we came out on a road and eventually my grandfather recognized it and we walked the half dozen miles back to camp.
That was the last time he hunted, at that point he was in the early stages of dementia and no one knew, but he could tell something was wrong within himself, and feared he'd put his grandson in peril.
1 of 2 things happened, and I've experienced both since later in life while working for the FS myself. 1, there are iron deposits that contain enough magnetite to pull a needle off of north. 2. To a lesser degree, I've had large metal objects on my person effect the needle, never a huge amount but a dozen or so degrees off.
I've been lost once. At 15 with my grandfather, hunting this western WA timber for elk in Nov, with snow on the ground and 34 deg rain coming down, terrain was an old lava flow undulating gently, covered in pretty thick lodgepole and grandfir. He was visible upset and stopped hunting and we just started walking. When we first cut some tracks we decided to follow them, thinking "those guys must know the way back." but after not very long, we caught on that they were our own tracks. I'd always be taught to carry a compass, and not a janky one, but a professional grade suunto, same one used by my mom cruising timber for the FS. I was well versed on following it, I set a course for east, and followed it, all... the... way... around... in a circle. Incredibly frightening to have the one tool that's supposed to save you, fail on you. We eventually just picked three trees in a line, walk to the first, line up a third with the two in front and keep going that way. Eventually we came out on a road and eventually my grandfather recognized it and we walked the half dozen miles back to camp.
That was the last time he hunted, at that point he was in the early stages of dementia and no one knew, but he could tell something was wrong within himself, and feared he'd put his grandson in peril.
1 of 2 things happened, and I've experienced both since later in life while working for the FS myself. 1, there are iron deposits that contain enough magnetite to pull a needle off of north. 2. To a lesser degree, I've had large metal objects on my person effect the needle, never a huge amount but a dozen or so degrees off.
PrairieHunter
Well-known member
I have been powerfully turned around in the sandhills of nebraska before, thank goodness for GPS. Those sand hills all look the same in every direction.
DouglasR
Well-known member
As a soloist, I carry no fewer than 3 digital compass/mapping/tracking devices.
BRI
Well-known member
Three times I can remember being really turned around to where my internal compass was way off. Back before the days of GPS, I'd hunt a drainage with a fairly wide flat saddle at the head end. I'd hike in the dark and attempt to get to a small 2 acre meadow at the top. It was thick LP and if I didn't find the meadow to get my internal compass set, all day long, I'd just feel off. Many a days in the fog and low visibility, I'd be walking and the fog would lift enough to make me think....What the hell is that rock scree hillside doing over there, it should be behind me.
Probably the worst time was maybe about 8 years ago. Hunting Wyoming late season cow. Was a relatively nice day, good visibility and not too cold. Decided to take a quick hike out to the end of a road. Just threw on my light fleece jacket, left the GPS in the truck thinking no problem. Saw some elk and started working towards them in a direction that we thought was back towards the truck. Well after about 3 hours a wall of snow moved in and visibility went to bad. We dropped off the ridge thinking the truck was below us. We walked for a while and didn't hit the road. Kept going in the direction we thought and came upon some tracks that were filled in with snow so we followed them for a ways until we got to a spot that we recognized and realized they were our tracks. So turned around and walked for a couple hours back to the truck. It was downright cold and miserable. Got back to the truck right about dark thinking how lucky we were.
My profession is working in the woods all year round. I believe I'm as good a navigator as there is out there. That was a big lesson learned for me. Even when I know exactly where I am, I routinely look at my GPS and never not have my map, GPS or compass with me.
Probably the worst time was maybe about 8 years ago. Hunting Wyoming late season cow. Was a relatively nice day, good visibility and not too cold. Decided to take a quick hike out to the end of a road. Just threw on my light fleece jacket, left the GPS in the truck thinking no problem. Saw some elk and started working towards them in a direction that we thought was back towards the truck. Well after about 3 hours a wall of snow moved in and visibility went to bad. We dropped off the ridge thinking the truck was below us. We walked for a while and didn't hit the road. Kept going in the direction we thought and came upon some tracks that were filled in with snow so we followed them for a ways until we got to a spot that we recognized and realized they were our tracks. So turned around and walked for a couple hours back to the truck. It was downright cold and miserable. Got back to the truck right about dark thinking how lucky we were.
My profession is working in the woods all year round. I believe I'm as good a navigator as there is out there. That was a big lesson learned for me. Even when I know exactly where I am, I routinely look at my GPS and never not have my map, GPS or compass with me.
That is the basic story of how I ended up on the first date with my wife. It was in 1986 and we are still together.One year back when I was about 31, I had met this really cool girl. Opening day of bow season I hiked in 6 miles to stay for a few nights. Not much happening the first two days, ...yep, I got turned around alright. Beat it the hell out of there.
You know,rut, and all that.
I have been turned around in low visibility a few times also. I have tracked myself down once or twice.
jpcoll01
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Earlier this season in the big hole I had ridden my bike in on a gated fs road and then hiked 3-4 miles back along a ridge and then back out the bottom of the drainage. Was a great day, busted out a couple spikes found some good water when a lot of stuff was dry but no bugles or anything. When I got back to the road I turned the direction that I knew my bike was parked which was away from my truck. I walked about a mile and a half and started to doubt myself. I opened my gohunt maps and saw a waypoint called "bike" that was the other direction not 200 yards from where I'd come out of the woods onto the road. Talk about blowing my mind. I pondered on it a bit then turned around and started walking. THis was 3 miles on top of an 7-8 mile day already but at least it was on the road. Got to the waypoint and it was a creek that I knew I had passed near my truck, no way was that where I'd parked my bike so I looked at the waypoint and noticed the full name of hte waypoint was "See if I can bike to here" and I had created it in June in OnX and transferred to Gohunt. I dropped my pack and headed back the other way to get my bike, no pack, easy walkin'. Here's where it gets really interesting, I walked a about 1.7 miles and got to the bike, thank god. About 10 feet from the bike I remember that the key to the cable lock is in my pack...not joking it was locked through the frame and back wheel so I couldn't even push it. I tried shouldering it for a while but it just got too much after about a half mile so I dropped the bike and headed back to my pack for the key. Retrieved key then hoofed it back to bike. All in all it ended up being about 16 miles on my boots that day. But, even with the miles, the worst part was the way it made me feel, dumb, lost and (I'll even admit it) scared like I was questioning my ability to get around when I had always had a good sense of direction. It was humbling.
deer_shooter
Well-known member
I did a long time ago. Very humbling but a good lesson. I was checking out a new spot about 20 miles from home. Parked along the road and planned to hike up a fairly steep hill and see what it looked like on top. I got out and angled up the hill slightly to the left of my truck. Got on top and found a hiking trail so a followed that for maybe a quarter mile till I found a nice spot overlooking a bowl that looked promising. After an hour or so, I decided check out the other side of the bowl and once there, I decided that I'd back out and try a different area. To this day I swear I retraced my steps. From where I topped the ridge to the opposite side of the bowl was no more than 1/2 mile and I had a compass. The lesson here was the brain is far more fallible than a compass. I was so sure I was going in the right direction, I convinced myself the compass was broken. Fortunately, I eventually spotted a road and figured I'd follow it till I found something familiar. I eventually did and realized I was about 2 miles from my truck. I still don't know how it happened. Now I always carry a GPS, compass and map.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I appreciate everyone’s contributions to this thread.
A common factor on a lot of these stories is limited visibility. I think we (I) use the horizon for our bearings, and move from one benchmark to another, more often and more significantly than we think
A common factor on a lot of these stories is limited visibility. I think we (I) use the horizon for our bearings, and move from one benchmark to another, more often and more significantly than we think
Rzrbck918
Well-known member
Interesting thread. Ive only been in a similar situation a couple of times. Once, at about 14, in the Pine woods of South Arkansas got started across a clear cut, couldnt see treelines for a while and it got dark. Spent a few hours in the dark until my Dad came near enough yelling for me to hear. Had built a fire and was comfortable but scared.
Second time, I was in the Pecos wilderness in NM and thought I knew the topography of the back side of a particular mountain but there was at least one point/ridge/finger I didn't remember seeing on the maps and I took it believing it to be a different ridge. Ended up a couple miles from where I expected to be about dark when I finally climbed enough to get a reasonable view. It wouldnt have been a big deal if I had my full pack with me but I knew I was going to do some brush busting and left way too much of my stuff at the camp. I didnt have enough water or clothing for a comfortable night. Won't make that mistake again.
Second time, I was in the Pecos wilderness in NM and thought I knew the topography of the back side of a particular mountain but there was at least one point/ridge/finger I didn't remember seeing on the maps and I took it believing it to be a different ridge. Ended up a couple miles from where I expected to be about dark when I finally climbed enough to get a reasonable view. It wouldnt have been a big deal if I had my full pack with me but I knew I was going to do some brush busting and left way too much of my stuff at the camp. I didnt have enough water or clothing for a comfortable night. Won't make that mistake again.
I've had my internal compass get completely fried twice, both times it happened in Africa.
My family lived in Nairobi when I was in grade school, and I have returned to East Africa several times afterwards as a young adult, and then later with my wife for a DIY vacation. I wanted to show her where I attended school (Rosslyn Academy https://rosslynacademy.org/ north of Nairobi proper). Leaving our hotel in our rental car, I headed towards city center, found the main roundabout and then headed towards the school. After driving along I almost started to doubt my directions but was happy to see multiple Rosslyn buses full of kids driving back towards town.
After walking around the grounds and meeting with some administrators who were seemingly excited to talk to someone who knew the school in it's early days, it was time to head back to town. Getting back to the main roundabout which is over 400 yards circumference with shops and trees in the middle preventing one from seeing the entire roundabout, I knew that I wanted to turn right, (left hand drive in Kenya) so I took the 3rd exit, completely forgetting that this roundabout has 5 main exits. With the already sun set, we ended up in commercial downtown Nairobi. There are no straight streets, with almost no sidewalks against the 3-4 story buildings and no view of the nearby hills, or even the larger downtown buildings that would offer my addled internal compass a directional bearing. Workers just getting off work were flooding the streets and bumping up against our barely moving car. I decided to turn left and drive several blocks hoping for a familiar landmark. Not finding any help, I decided to keep on the road we were on at that point, to leave city center. Driving out, I saw the main bus station and instantly reoriented my internal compass and all was once again right with the world. Lynne was freaking out seeing me lost for the very first time in our marriage.
Years later I was in Ghana doing dental mission work with a national Christian organization. We were driving back to the capitol city from way up north, and decided that stopping at a butterfly sanctuary was a great idea to break up the 15 hour drive. (https://www.ncrc-ghana.org/bobirihome/) After taking our lunch, we arranged for a tour of the forest/sanctuary. The winding pathway through the towering original growth tropical forest was a nice walk, and the guide was good at demonstrating the flora and fauna that we were observing. With the tree canopy and overcast skies I had no idea of which direction we were heading as we weaved thru the "jungle". Nearing the 90 minute of the tour, he announced that we were done.....and were arriving back at the nature center. We had made a large loop, with my brain thinking that we had been walking away from the headquarters the whole journey.
My family lived in Nairobi when I was in grade school, and I have returned to East Africa several times afterwards as a young adult, and then later with my wife for a DIY vacation. I wanted to show her where I attended school (Rosslyn Academy https://rosslynacademy.org/ north of Nairobi proper). Leaving our hotel in our rental car, I headed towards city center, found the main roundabout and then headed towards the school. After driving along I almost started to doubt my directions but was happy to see multiple Rosslyn buses full of kids driving back towards town.
After walking around the grounds and meeting with some administrators who were seemingly excited to talk to someone who knew the school in it's early days, it was time to head back to town. Getting back to the main roundabout which is over 400 yards circumference with shops and trees in the middle preventing one from seeing the entire roundabout, I knew that I wanted to turn right, (left hand drive in Kenya) so I took the 3rd exit, completely forgetting that this roundabout has 5 main exits. With the already sun set, we ended up in commercial downtown Nairobi. There are no straight streets, with almost no sidewalks against the 3-4 story buildings and no view of the nearby hills, or even the larger downtown buildings that would offer my addled internal compass a directional bearing. Workers just getting off work were flooding the streets and bumping up against our barely moving car. I decided to turn left and drive several blocks hoping for a familiar landmark. Not finding any help, I decided to keep on the road we were on at that point, to leave city center. Driving out, I saw the main bus station and instantly reoriented my internal compass and all was once again right with the world. Lynne was freaking out seeing me lost for the very first time in our marriage.
Years later I was in Ghana doing dental mission work with a national Christian organization. We were driving back to the capitol city from way up north, and decided that stopping at a butterfly sanctuary was a great idea to break up the 15 hour drive. (https://www.ncrc-ghana.org/bobirihome/) After taking our lunch, we arranged for a tour of the forest/sanctuary. The winding pathway through the towering original growth tropical forest was a nice walk, and the guide was good at demonstrating the flora and fauna that we were observing. With the tree canopy and overcast skies I had no idea of which direction we were heading as we weaved thru the "jungle". Nearing the 90 minute of the tour, he announced that we were done.....and were arriving back at the nature center. We had made a large loop, with my brain thinking that we had been walking away from the headquarters the whole journey.
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