Land Navigation Course Rome, GA and Talladega, AL

[300_whisper]

yes but gotta start somewhere yes?

Yeah that’s what I meant sorry. You can train at home with a compass, protractor, and map all day and for essentially free (once you buy compass, map markers, protractor, maps). You can also practice your pace count at home.

Once you get those fundamentals down, then start slow out in a known area to test your skills. Like get to a terrain feature or practice your pace count in varied terrain.

And then after that nothing beats the oh **** I’m lost training.

 

[ricksconnected]

Yeah that’s what I meant sorry. You can train at home with a compass, protractor, and map all day and for essentially free (once you buy compass, map markers, protractor, maps). You can also practice your pace count at home.

Once you get those fundamentals down, then start slow out in a known area to test your skills. Like get to a terrain feature or practice your pace count in varied terrain.

And then after that nothing beats the oh **** I’m lost training.

roflmao.
i do have a compuss but it seems the air bubble inside is slightly larger than it should be.
i think that might effect is needle.

 

[Rolling_trip]

roflmao.
i do have a compuss but it seems the air bubble inside is slightly larger than it should be.
i think that might effect is needle.

I’ve got a couple of these in bags. They seem to be reliable.

Sun Company ProSight Sighting Map Compass with Adjustable Declination - Lightweight Orienteering Baseplate Compass for Hiking, Backpacking, and Survival Navigation | Professional Grade Compass https://a.co/d/a7wYTsX

 

[ricksconnected]

I’ve got a couple of these in bags. They seem to be reliable.

Sun Company ProSight Sighting Map Compass with Adjustable Declination - Lightweight Orienteering Baseplate Compass for Hiking, Backpacking, and Survival Navigation | Professional Grade Compass https://a.co/d/a7wYTsX

thats the company that makes mine.

 

[Timber Cruiser]

My buddy and I did the same thing when we were 16. He just got his drivers license and we went squirrel hunting in piedmont. We got lost and were gone for 15 hours. We just followed a creek bed until we hit a dirt road and made the right guess in which direction to walk. We eventually made it back to our truck...I think about that day often. Its a crazy butterfly effect from that day that still has an impact on my buddy.

Its an insanely important skill to have. Good on the OP!

Deer hunting with my Dad when I was early teens. We parked at the end of a dirt road on NF. Walked right past the dead end on the way back that evening and kept on going. I begged him to call it a night and find our way out in the AM but he wouldn't stop. Finally stepped onto a dirt road at 2 AM and like you said, made the right decision on direction. Made me realize that I was not afraid of the woods at all and perfectly comfortable spending the night in them with no shelter or fire. Also made me decide on Forestry school. To say the least, I'm fairly handy with a compass.

 

[Timber Cruiser]

You have to go out and practice, once you get the tools and map reading figured out. Nothing quite like being in the middle of the woods stopping and going “I am on the right hill top? Crap, was my pace count 150 or 250??”

Lol

Even though I haven't cruised timber in years, I still find myelf counting my paces when in the woods. Hard habit to break. Still pace in "chains" too.