ever been lost?

[ATbuckhunter]

Never been lost in the woods, but Ive also not really hunted a place where I don't know the property like the back of my hand. The times I have hunted places im unfamiliar with, I never stay too far from where I know. Only time ill go deep in those scenario's is if im walking along a river or something that really stands out. I do plan on getting a GPS for the times I want to explore new places and go deep. 

[BigVal]

One time on the power lines off rt 16 when I was 15. But I found my way back after a couple hours

[Elmo]

Heck...I'm still lost.

 

Got "lost" twice early on when learning to hunt.  Hiked in deep once.  Didn't bring a compass as my brother had always advised me.  I relied on a GPS but I kept getting interference and it couldn't get pin my location.  Ended up zig-zagging my way out instead of a straight line.  As a result, it took much longer and got dark.  I ended up doing a good portion of it in the dark.  I always bring a compass from now on.

Second time I had scouted a good location and "memorized" how to get there based on certain landmarks.  Opening day of bow season, there was a huge down pour the day before and as I'm hiking in pitch dark, those landmarks changed.  Ended up walking around in circles until day break.

[The_Real_TCIII]

54 minutes ago, Elmo said:

Heck...I'm still lost.

 

Got "lost" twice early on when learning to hunt.  Hiked in deep once.  Didn't bring a compass as my brother had always advised me.  I relied on a GPS but I kept getting interference and it couldn't get pin my location.  Ended up zig-zagging my way out instead of a straight line.  As a result, it took much longer and got dark.  I ended up doing a good portion of it in the dark.  I always bring a compass from now on.

Second time I had scouted a good location and "memorized" how to get there based on certain landmarks.  Opening day of bow season, there was a huge down pour the day before and as I'm hiking in pitch dark, those landmarks changed.  Ended up walking around in circles until day break.

The only way a compass would help me is if it were edible

[RangerClay]

I got lost once.  Didn't panic and used my head.  I was it took me a while but I found my way out.

[grampy]

I have been blessed, to be born with a built in, great sense of direction. AND, learned to use a compass when I was 12. I've been deep in the Dac's, Blue Ridge and Smoky Mtns. also many, many night time deer search calls. And have never been lost. Perhaps, confused a time or two, on where I was exactly, but always found my way to where I was going. The compass always comes through, even if my sense of direction,  is questioned.  I've been asked so many times by a hunter on HIS land, after looping around for hours in the dark, looking for a deer, "how do we get out from here"? I just say, "that way".

[G-Man]

Never lost in nature.. but lost in society and ediqute in social situations all the time.

[tarheel95]

Haven't been lost in the woods (yet). Did get lost out on the ocean once. Was sharking at butterfish hole ~25 years ago on a family friend's boat. No GPS, only LORAN. LORAN went down, pea soup fog rolled in and sharks in the slick. Never felt more lost in my life. Other than putting a course at NW, not sure what we would have done. Luckily LORAN came back. We'd still be out there trying to use a sextant.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

turned around plenty. man talk about an anxiety spike. Can't say i've ever truly been lost though. I imagine that definition would include making plans to spend the night like you said.

[ApexerER]

When I was young I couldn't sit still for 10 minutes while deer hunting. I figured I would head out what we called the east ridge for at least a  couple miles then cut in go up the west ridge and down the other side and then work my way back to camp. Well, I walked far enough out the east ridge that there wasn't a west ridge after I cut in. I felt like I walked forever. I finally came to a stream that had an old logging road beside it. I was positive I knew the stream but the logging road was on the wrong side so I talked myself out of the fact that I knew where I was. I made so many stupid decisions right there that I would never make today. I followed the stream down even though I should have followed it up. I again walked forever in the wrong direction and I started getting really nervous. I wasn't nervous that I was lost but I was really nervous that my Dad was going to start worrying about me if I wasn't back before dark and didn't want him to go out looking for me. I finally came to a dirt road and that's when I realized I had gone the complete wrong direction. I followed the creek back the opposite way for several miles before and just as it was getting dark I found where the stream crossed the logging trail and I was positive I knew where I was and was going the right way. I started running ( I was in pretty good shape back then) and must have jogged at least 2 or 3 miles in the dark on an old logging road. I finally came out to the dirt road camp was on and knew it was about a mile down. I got back just as everyone at camp was heading out to look for me. Everything told me, even my gut that I was going the wrong way once I hit that stream and I didn't believe it because a stupid logging road was on the wrong side of the creek. What a stupid decision. I have learned to trust myself and my sense of direction and haven't been lost since. 

[NFA-ADK]

Dam ApexerER that was a long hike!  By now most of my hunting partners know not to worry about me after dark but I still tell them to keep the radio on.  Sometimes just talking to someone while you can't see past 10 yards in the dark is comforting and a bit stressing when no one answers. 

Back in bear trap swamp I was turned around for a bit then saw a bear, he lead me to the trial, lol.  I can say I have been stuck way to many times, sometimes close to camp.  Next to Lost ponds camp site in Moose River is some of the thickest area I have ever hunted, along sumner stream.  Buddy Chris saved a guy who fell in the stream about 5 years ago.  I was about 300 yards from camp and was having major issues seeing anything, it was foggy, and for some reason smoky.  When I finally got to within 20 yards of the trail I yelled to my buddy to come down the trail so I could see where it was.  I said did you hear me, he said "yes that's why I built a signal fire to help" but it only added to the fog, lol.  

My buddy gets lost on LI!  I said WHAT!  You hike the ADK with me how did you get lost?  He found the magnets in his gloves where throwing the compass off.  No big deal, he had to walk about a mile or so to get back.  So what does he do, buys me a pair with magnets in them!?  Thanks?  Buddy?  WT!  I asked are you trying to get me lost!  He just laughed.  

[moog5050]

Only 2 weeks ago, I had a very scary experience.  I was on unknown property and heard my friend sobbing that he was lost and it was dark out.  He was clearly terrified.  Since we were sitting next to each other, I calmly reassured him I would walk him back the 50yds to the truck as soon as I missed the approaching fox.  It distracted me from making a good shot but, it all ended well.  In fact, I found a new kill light mounted on my rifle.  In his defense, its easier to get lost at night. 

[Elmo]

Many many years ago I stumbled into a strip club looking to buy a quick drink and got lost.  Took me several hours to find my way out.  I lost a good amount of cash along the way.

[Elmo]

Funny thing is that wasn't a joke.  I was on my way to Los Angeles and flight delays caused me to miss my connecting flight in Dallas and the next flight won't be till the next day.  Tired, frustrated, and hungry, I texted a friend of mine who knew Dallas well and asked him where's a good place to grab a bite to eat at such a late hour.  He gave me directions which I relayed to the cab driver without ever mentioning what the place was.  I should had known my buddy would do something like that.

[NFA-ADK]

Funny how you don't have to be miles away to get into trouble.  Real easy to get turned around at night, I constantly look at my compass and hate to use my light as it kills my night vision.  Worst is dark and fog, basically you are blind.  GPS is a valuable tool if the fog allows GPS reception. 

One day in Moose river I hiked out from Indian lake back to camp with no light used as the moon was full and bright as can be about 4 miles back to camp.  Next night I was stuck about a half mile from the road and could not see 10 feet the fog was so thick.  I hiked about 45 min and found I was still a half mile from the road but closer to camp.  What a pain to hike down a steep area but better than going up in the dark.  

I have been stuck in swamps more than I can remember, they simply get me into trouble so I skirt them now if possible. 

[moog5050]

33 minutes ago, NFA-ADK said:

Funny how you don't have to be miles away to get into trouble.  Real easy to get turned around at night, I constantly look at my compass and hate to use my light as it kills my night vision.  Worst is dark and fog, basically you are blind.  GPS is a valuable tool if the fog allows GPS reception. 

One day in Moose river I hiked out from Indian lake back to camp with no light used as the moon was full and bright as can be about 4 miles back to camp.  Next night I was stuck about a half mile from the road and could not see 10 feet the fog was so thick.  I hiked about 45 min and found I was still a half mile from the road but closer to camp.  What a pain to hike down a steep area but better than going up in the dark.  

I have been stuck in swamps more than I can remember, they simply get me into trouble so I skirt them now if possible. 

While you are right, I was just joking.  - taking a jab at Treeguy!

[TreeGuy]

Only 2 weeks ago, I had a very scary experience.  I was on unknown property and heard my friend sobbing that he was lost and it was dark out.  He was clearly terrified.  Since we were sitting next to each other, I calmly reassured him I would walk him back the 50yds to the truck as soon as I missed the approaching fox.  It distracted me from making a good shot but, it all ended well.  In fact, I found a new kill light mounted on my rifle.  In his defense, its easier to get lost at night. 

Weird. On that same night I too was in the woods, after dark.... I was pred hunting with a guy trying to learn the art ( righty who brought a left handed gun). When I played fox distress, I heard him whimper " this is terrifying" . To my surprise, he started racking rounds through his lever action as if to scare away incoming predators... When one finally showed he had the nerve to send a warning shot and scare it off for good.

Was the same night my kill light was stolen.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[moog5050]

3 minutes ago, TreeGuy said:

Weird. On that same night I too was in the woods, after dark.... I was pred hunting with a guy trying to learn the art ( righty who brought a left handed gun). When I played fox distress, I heard him whimper " this is terrifying" . To my surprise, he started racking rounds through his lever action as if to scare away incoming predators... When one finally showed he had the nerve to send a warning shot and scare it off for good.

Was the same night my kill light was stolen.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

That is a coincidence.  Crazy!  And what a putz!

[Nomad]

NFA ADK, so right ! I have about a 15 acre thicket, that I’ve been turned around in ( and i feel I have a Grampy  sense of direction ) I’ve come out the other side and stood there in disbelief, “ CORN??? “ there’s no corn on the west side !

My mind couldn’t process what side I was on , I’m sure I was headed west  yet there’s corn here , it’s a very weird feeling .

[NFA-ADK]

Real easy to get turned around especially in an area you are not  familiar with or can not see any land features due to high cover.  Probably why I get turned around in swamp so often, I pick up the track and could care less where I end up by the time I realize  where I am I have to figure out how to get out.  That usually involves going back into the swamp.  2nd year hunting in Warrensburg I got turned around about 30 yards into the woods, lol.  Guy hunting with us said meet me on the other side well he went right and we went left and never saw him till we meet back at the house.   Funny first day out in the area considering we where basically lost the entire day. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Never on purpose

[fasteddie]

My son has some property in Italy Valley that is bordered by a lot of State Land . One summer my wife wanted to go on a hike up across the State Land . We walked quite a ways and found the parking lot where hunters parked during hunting seasons . Took a break and she wanted to take a different way back . We walked a ways and got turned around and had no idea which direction to go . If we went back towards where we thought the parking lot was and missed it we could be deeper in the wooded state land and really lost . I decided to walk toward the sun that was to the South and hope that we would come to the gully so we could follow the trail ( I hoped there would be a trail ) back towards my son's property . WE found it and all was well . 

Don't go into an unfamiliar big woods without a compass or GPS . 

[Buckskin Dave]

Have I been lost? In a word, yes.   Hunting in the White Mountains back in 1988.    Finally found  a road and hitched a ride with some hunters back to my truck.   It was 9 miles away in the opposite direction I would have walked if they had not picked me up.    For me that  weird "lost" feeling lasted for days afterword.   Ive been turned around a few times since then hunting new areas but not badly.     

 

[erussell]

Served 4 yrs airborne infantry  with the 509th airborne out of fort polk.  Land nav is a must. I always have a map and compass on new large tracks. Never get lost.

Edited March 15, 2018 by erussell

[Adkhunter1590]

Navigation skills is one of the most important thing my dad and Uncle ever taught me. Honed my skills in the ADKs in my teenage years and perfected them out west in guide school. Never been lost.

In guide school we had a land nav test that really put you to the test. You were given a small map and a compass, blindfolded and drove way up into the hills on a fire road. We were instructed to make it to this little pond at the bottom left corner of the map by sundown or have fun overnight with nothing but your knife and lighter for supplies. The instructor gave us one little hint when he dropped us off, “o by the way, your not on the map to start with”. We were dropped in pairs of 2 in hopes at least one of us could figure it out. Luckily the other guy I was with was just as good at land nav as me so we had no issues finding our location based on topography around us. Once we found where we were, we set a bearing and course. 11 miles from that dang pond. Took all day as we were dropped higher up than the rest of the class so we had to take turns breaking trail in 4ft of snow until we decided to break our course of staying on the ridge tops and drop into the valley to get away from the deep snow. Farthest dropped, deepest snow, and we still made it to the pond first. The other guys weren’t so good at land nav.