Have you been LOST? (In the woods-lost in city doesn't count) - Page 3

nazshooter · September 4, 2012, 07:21 PM

Ended up coming down the wrong side of a mountain once. THAT was a long day.

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Major Dave (retired) · September 4, 2012, 11:49 PM

I had sat in my ladder stand all afternoon, with a road hardly 50 yards to my left, which led to my parking spot.

So, when darkness began to fall, I wasn't really worried about finding my car in the dark. I turned around and looked at my parked car several times, and convinced myself that I could stay in the tree until after dark. It would be only a couple of minutes walking to the car.

After total darkness fell, I was somewhat surprised at how dark it was. No moon, no stars, no lights from nearby houses, no sky glow from a nearby town. Just DARK!

So, I climbed down and started my short walk to the car. After about 15 minutes, I still had not even cut the nearby road. Then that sick feeling in my gut hit me. I didn't know which direction to go to get to the car.

Then, in the total darkness, a pack of coyotes sounded off. Sounded like 8 or 10 of them - close by. I had always heard they wouldn't attack humans, but they were snarling and fighting and making a big racket. I backed up to a large tree, and held my rifle at the ready - just in case.

Finally, after about another half hour of just sitting still, a car came down a nearby road, and I was able to get my bearings by watching it pass by. I had gone about a mile out of the way, getting farther and farther from my parked car, all the while.

I had to walk for about half an hour to get to the road where I saw the headlights pass by, and another half hour following the road, once I got on it.

So, my 2 minute walk to my car turned into a 2 hour ordeal.

sksfan22 · September 5, 2012, 02:21 AM

Last year pop's and I went out to a new area neither one of us were familiar with but I figured my good sense of direction would help. It was a monday (I take my vacation during deer/elk season) ... And was raining so hard,I was already bout 1 1/2 miles or so from base camp,and went down a trail I had been down a few times already....

Long story short some thunder and lightning came in so I headed back and a couple of tree's had fallin so I ended up a bit frazzled and wandering off and a couple hours later,completely soaked,tired and cold I found my way back to my temporary home..... No matter what I loved every second of it!

Rifleman1776 · September 5, 2012, 09:40 AM

I live in the Ozarks and believe it is impossible to get truly lost.
First, whenever I strike out in a new area I take a compass reading.
However, my theory about it being impossible get lost in the Ozarks goes back to logging practices.
If I were ever to get "confused", I would simply start walking uphill. Eventually I would come to an old logging trail. I would follow that uphill where it would come to an old road, that road would lead to a more used road, etc.

NUKE HUNTER · September 5, 2012, 08:40 PM

got lost in MA once when i was young bear hunting, very thick, very dark and very scary. taught me bring extra flashlight,a compass and keep the gun loaded and ready.

Saltydog235 · September 6, 2012, 10:16 AM

Lost? No, misplaced myself a time or two but always found myself a way out.

GPS went out on the boat once and being a ocean newby I had to navigate by chasing the setting sun and a compass heading.

Husqvarna · September 6, 2012, 11:49 AM

my grandma always got lost when picking wild berries or whatnot in her summer cabin, you have your eyes on the ground and it is easy to do it. and it is out there, woods without roads for miles and miles, but she most often ended up in the same place

Eghad · September 8, 2012, 05:01 PM

I remember the old E&E exercises where they would drop you off without a map, compass or anything and you had to find your way back undetected to the camp. of course they always rigged it so not not being detected wasn't going to happen. I would always get as close to base as possible then find a space choked with brush where the normal person would walk around lay down and take a nap. Usually by the time they found me the exercise was over and it was time to go back anyway.

RevGeo · September 9, 2012, 09:35 AM

Lost on the ocean once, kinda confused in the woods a time or two.
The ocean incident was when I was a commercial salmon fisherman in Oregon. Had a 20' open dory. Back in the 80s there was no GPS, just radar and LORAN. I had no radar and one foggy day with about 50 yard visibility my LORAN decided to just quit. I knew how far off shore I was from my depth sounder, but had no idea how far north I had trolled from my home port. I headed south for a while but was worried about running out of gas so I shut down the engine and waited to hear another boat come by. Then I heard the home port whistle bouy and knew where I was. Kinda scary. More than kinda lucky. After that I spent a whole lot of time learning about navigating in the fog - mainly by over-navigating in clear weather. The same principle applies on dry land. Practice, practice, practice...Be careful out there, ya'll.

TimW77 · September 9, 2012, 07:43 PM

Never been lost but have not known where I was a few times...

T.

Buzzcook · September 9, 2012, 10:00 PM

As others have said, I've never been lost but I have been confused.

Most of the time in the woods I know what direction I need to go. The problem has been when the terrain wouldn't let me go that way.
If you have to circle around an obstacle, or back track enough it can get confusing.

Oh by the way, that bit about moss growing on the north side of a tree. In the Pacific Northwest it grows on the South, West, and East side as well.

September 4, 2012, 11:49 PM	#52
Major Dave (retired) Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2008 Location: Between Dallas and Shreveport, LA Posts: 569	Yes, within 100 yards of my parked vehicle I had sat in my ladder stand all afternoon, with a road hardly 50 yards to my left, which led to my parking spot. So, when darkness began to fall, I wasn't really worried about finding my car in the dark. I turned around and looked at my parked car several times, and convinced myself that I could stay in the tree until after dark. It would be only a couple of minutes walking to the car. After total darkness fell, I was somewhat surprised at how dark it was. No moon, no stars, no lights from nearby houses, no sky glow from a nearby town. Just DARK! So, I climbed down and started my short walk to the car. After about 15 minutes, I still had not even cut the nearby road. Then that sick feeling in my gut hit me. I didn't know which direction to go to get to the car. Then, in the total darkness, a pack of coyotes sounded off. Sounded like 8 or 10 of them - close by. I had always heard they wouldn't attack humans, but they were snarling and fighting and making a big racket. I backed up to a large tree, and held my rifle at the ready - just in case. Finally, after about another half hour of just sitting still, a car came down a nearby road, and I was able to get my bearings by watching it pass by. I had gone about a mile out of the way, getting farther and farther from my parked car, all the while. I had to walk for about half an hour to get to the road where I saw the headlights pass by, and another half hour following the road, once I got on it. So, my 2 minute walk to my car turned into a 2 hour ordeal. __________________ Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be but a vulgar brawl.

September 5, 2012, 02:21 AM	#53
sksfan22 Member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: OR Posts: 28	yup.... Last year pop's and I went out to a new area neither one of us were familiar with but I figured my good sense of direction would help. It was a monday (I take my vacation during deer/elk season) ... And was raining so hard,I was already bout 1 1/2 miles or so from base camp,and went down a trail I had been down a few times already.... Long story short some thunder and lightning came in so I headed back and a couple of tree's had fallin so I ended up a bit frazzled and wandering off and a couple hours later,completely soaked,tired and cold I found my way back to my temporary home..... No matter what I loved every second of it!

September 8, 2012, 05:01 PM	#58
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	I remember the old E&E exercises where they would drop you off without a map, compass or anything and you had to find your way back undetected to the camp. of course they always rigged it so not not being detected wasn't going to happen. I would always get as close to base as possible then find a space choked with brush where the normal person would walk around lay down and take a nap. Usually by the time they found me the exercise was over and it was time to go back anyway. __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

September 4, 2012, 07:21 PM	#51
nazshooter Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2008 Posts: 151	Ended up coming down the wrong side of a mountain once. THAT was a long day. Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

September 5, 2012, 09:40 AM	#54
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	I live in the Ozarks and believe it is impossible to get truly lost. First, whenever I strike out in a new area I take a compass reading. However, my theory about it being impossible get lost in the Ozarks goes back to logging practices. If I were ever to get "confused", I would simply start walking uphill. Eventually I would come to an old logging trail. I would follow that uphill where it would come to an old road, that road would lead to a more used road, etc.

September 5, 2012, 08:40 PM	#55
NUKE HUNTER Member Join Date: August 22, 2009 Location: dutchess county, new york Posts: 85	got lost in MA once when i was young bear hunting, very thick, very dark and very scary. taught me bring extra flashlight,a compass and keep the gun loaded and ready.

September 6, 2012, 10:16 AM	#56
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	Lost? No, misplaced myself a time or two but always found myself a way out. GPS went out on the boat once and being a ocean newby I had to navigate by chasing the setting sun and a compass heading.

September 6, 2012, 11:49 AM	#57
Husqvarna Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,000	my grandma always got lost when picking wild berries or whatnot in her summer cabin, you have your eyes on the ground and it is easy to do it. and it is out there, woods without roads for miles and miles, but she most often ended up in the same place

September 9, 2012, 09:35 AM	#59
RevGeo Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2011 Location: North Idaho Posts: 161	Lost on the ocean once, kinda confused in the woods a time or two. The ocean incident was when I was a commercial salmon fisherman in Oregon. Had a 20' open dory. Back in the 80s there was no GPS, just radar and LORAN. I had no radar and one foggy day with about 50 yard visibility my LORAN decided to just quit. I knew how far off shore I was from my depth sounder, but had no idea how far north I had trolled from my home port. I headed south for a while but was worried about running out of gas so I shut down the engine and waited to hear another boat come by. Then I heard the home port whistle bouy and knew where I was. Kinda scary. More than kinda lucky. After that I spent a whole lot of time learning about navigating in the fog - mainly by over-navigating in clear weather. The same principle applies on dry land. Practice, practice, practice...Be careful out there, ya'll.

September 9, 2012, 07:43 PM	#60
TimW77 Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2008 Posts: 485	Never been lost but have not known where I was a few times... T.

September 9, 2012, 10:00 PM	#61
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	As others have said, I've never been lost but I have been confused. Most of the time in the woods I know what direction I need to go. The problem has been when the terrain wouldn't let me go that way. If you have to circle around an obstacle, or back track enough it can get confusing. Oh by the way, that bit about moss growing on the north side of a tree. In the Pacific Northwest it grows on the South, West, and East side as well.