Ever been lost in the woods?

[Idaho Dave]

as a kid when ever we would go out into the hills on one of his wondering camping hikes, my dad made it a habbit of making us each carry matches and knife and occasionally asking us which direction the truck was, which way to the road, which way to where we were going, how would we get home from there etc. He made a little game of it and would sometimes walk us around in different directions to try and get us mixed up. After awhile it just became second nature to keep those things in mind when we would go out. Like that big rock outcropping, a funny shaped tree, or that lonely cluster of quakies. My borther took to kicking a scuff or snapping a twig everyonce in a while so he could "track himself". since that time when ever I am out in the woods I keep part of my mind on where I came from and whare I am going. Now I do the same thing with the kids, asking them where we are especially when we are out hunting or picking wild berries and get in the thick of it so it is nearly impossible to tell directions or see far off land features. As an interesting side note, and this is not scientific nor am I drawing any conclusings here, but the boys caught on pretty quick and it is pretty hard to lose them. the girls on the other hand I could lose in the yard by the dog house. All this aside I did spend a long night walking out of the Wind River range once when I had mistakenly misplaced myself on a day fishing hike and found my route back to camp straight up a cliff. Maps, especially the ones that show changes in elevation, are very handy for places you are unfamilure with.

[Big Dog]

Everything is so grown up and developed here - I can hit a road in any direction with a couple miles, even 'deep in the woods' - turns out it ain't so very deep after all.
Biggest danger is getting runover by some yahoo on his ATV.

[Seabeescotty]

I'd be willing to bet everyone on the forum has been a bit muddled at one time or another. You just can't spend your life going into strange country and not get forgetful or preoccupied at least once. I started carrying a topo map and the compass I left in camp that day, with religious fervor. I really don't like that feeling of "Hey Stupid! Look what you did now!" Scotty

[jashoffa]

I had a training at a local high school last night. When I went to leave I got lost in there. Had to ask some young girl which way was out!

[CrazyIvan]

Ever been lost in the woods?

You are kidding, right?

I don't understand how people get lost. I've always had an ability to easily find my way out of most any place I find myself a bit turned around in.

Hmm, maybe it is that implant...?

[troy2000]

A couple of the stunts my dad taught me: one is to turn around now and then, and look back the way you came. The country looks a lot different on the way out, sometimes.

The other is to always have three landmarks lined up in front of you, if you want to go in a straight line. When you get to the first one, line up a new third one beyond the other two.

[snuffysmith]

Troy, the thing to do if your lost out in CA. is to take out all your money, stick it in your shirt pocket with some showing; pretty soon someone will come along and mug you. Just follow them back to town. LOL

Snuffy

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by snuffysmith

Troy, the thing to do if your lost out in CA. is to take out all your money, stick it in your shirt pocket with some showing; pretty soon someone will come along and mug you. Just follow them back to town. LOL
Snuffy

Any muggers looking for victims out where I like to hang around would find slim pickin's, snuffy. Very few people, and most of those ornery and armed. And the coyotes and jackrabbits don't carry wallets..

[ArkansasHunter]

Dang troy 2K I walk backwards when I goes a hunt'in and I stills get lost !!!!...I even took a horse one time.
That sumbish stepped in a bed of Yeller Jackets and stiredom up and they got on the horse and they got on me, the horse took off runn'in and I passed him and got so lost I just sat down and ate my manaise sandwhich and drank cherry koolaid and waited for my big brother to figger out I was miss'in and 3 days later he come found me...A.H

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Dang troy 2K I walk backwards when go hunt'in and I stills get lost !!!!...A.H

You have to look forward occasionally too, Mike.

I've spent very little time in deep woods, though. But you'd be surprised how easy it is to dip down into a wash in the desert, follow it a ways, climb back out and have no (bleep)ing idea where you are in relation to where you started. But the real trouble usually starts when you decide you're going to short-cut back, instead of tracing the way you came. Even if you had a good idea where you were headed to begin with, a wash shoves you this way, a hill shoves you that way, a patch of cholla (jumping) cactus sends you on a big circle around it, and the next thing you know you're totally befuddled. Not to mention worn out...

Nice of your brother to look you up eventually, Mike. He must've gotten tired of doing the chores singlehanded...

[ArkansasHunter]

Troy I got now where I buy the pink colored forrester tape when I go to the woods.
When the roll runs out I tie another one on.
That bag of tape gets heavy some times, but it works real good...A.H