Map and compass skills

**drt4lfe** · 04-10-2012, 09:22 PM

What is everyone's Map and compass skill level and do you actually work with them ? how do they figure into your planning ?

**myakka** · 04-10-2012, 09:28 PM

Funnny timing. We train on this at work, and I just spoke to someone last week about a refresher. I value the skill, but it doesnt impact our bugout or bug in plans. Btw- in Florida topo lines don't help a whole lot ;-)

**Buggyout** · 04-10-2012, 09:48 PM

I carry both compass/map and GPS. I use an older style Garmin GPS. Contrary to popular belief, most satellites will stay active during a major earth changing event...at least initially.

I do a lot of off trail hiking too.

**JLBIII** · 04-11-2012, 02:04 AM

I always carry a USGS topo quadrangle map of the area I'm in and the USGI compass I bought years ago along with my GPS. I've had a couple of times when the batteries died on me and had to rely on the map and compass to get back to my vehicle. The GPS is convenient but nothing beats a good compass and map they never run out of batteries or loose satellite reception. When I go hunting I'm usually hiking to my area in the pitch black so using land marks is pretty much useless. It's never been a problem in the areas I know well and have hunted for years, but I do like to try new areas frequently and would never venture in without a map and compass at the least.

It's a skill anyone can master and one that could save your life, plus save you the embarrassment of having a bunch of people out searching for you. In NH if you have to be rescued by first responders and the fish and game determine that you were negligent in your actions ie: not enough experience, not having proper equipment and the knowledge to use them etc. they will charge you for the cost of your rescue. One individual had to be rescued after he went hiking and strayed off the trial, when they found him 2 days later all he had with him were the clothes on his back and a cell phone which is useless in most places in the White mountains and was hiking on an expert level trial.

He was shocked when a few weeks later he got a bill for $50,000 for his rescue as it was determined he was negligent in his actions. He tried to fight it in court and lost. He learned a very expensive lesson about attempting something he had no business trying in the first place. It may sound harsh but the Fish and game spends a great deal of their budget on rescues like this and their budget is almost totally reliant on hunting and fishing license sales and boat registrations. Hikers pay no fees what so ever, and the F&G was tired of using these funds for these type of rescues of which 90% were novice hikers without proper training and or experience.

Joe

**survivalguy** · 04-11-2012, 10:03 PM

I also always carry a 7.5 minute topo map of the area I plan to be in along with a Silva map compass (not a lensatic compass)

I also carry a GPS but I don't rely on it due to be battery operated, use of satellites (tree cover blocks satellites) and because it is much easier to break. The only time I use my GPS is to tell someone exactly where I am LAT and LON or UTM coordinates if I have the time I'll triangulate where I am.

Map and compass is a very easy skill to master but you also must practice it often I find if I don't use it for awhile I have to sit down and run it thru my head a few times then the lightbulb goes off so once you learn it .. practice it!