Tips for beginners on not to get lost in the woods?

Firstly I would like to apoligise if this has already been covered.

I am keen to start hunting goats and pigs and would probably start with single day trips near Auckland. I have read a good amount of information regarding advise for beginners but still have some questions I am concerned with.

The biggest worry I have is getting lost, I assume Phone GPS won't be any good so how would I know which way to go back after 4-5 hours of walking/hiking in random directions and with multiple random turns?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks
Alex

It's folley to rely solely on electronic means for navigation.

I'd strongly suggest learning how to read a map and use a compass. That's the bread and butter of finding where things are.

Get hold of and read the Mountain Safety Council Bushcraft Manual. It has a wealth of information on navigation amongst other essential skills.

I just bought this for my Android phone. Has the DOC hunting areas and huts. I've found the GPS in the phone to be very good. It does not require cellular coverage to operate and to prolong battery life switch to aircraft mode so the phone is not constantly searching for a distant tower. You can always grab a power bank to recharge the phone or spare batteries for many phones. https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ztopo50s&hl=en

General rules:

Have a printed map and compass and know how to read and use them together. Printed map should be in a sealed plastic bag as mush as possible.

I like to set the magnetic offset on an orienteering compass and place it on the map with the base plate parallel with the true north lines on the map. Then rotate the map with the compass on top till the needle lines up with the north offset. This then orients the map with the lay of the land.

Stop often and look behind you to see where you have come from. This can make it much easier for the return journey or if you have to backtrack.

Walking streets the rule is 6km/hr, in the bush 3km/hr when travelling. Much, much less if stalking of course. This allows you to plan the timing of your trip.

Of course this version of the software is probably better for you. https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ztopo50n&hl=en

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Originally Posted by Ryan

It's folley to rely solely on electronic means for navigation.

I'd strongly suggest learning how to read a map and use a compass. That's the bread and butter of finding where things are.

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It,s 2018 He,d probably have to pop into the rsa & shout a few beers to learn that stuff now ! crazy I no but how many young fellas even carry a compass let alone no how to use one , I always found studying maps the best way mostly in mountainous country its pretty easy not to get lost , pic a water catchment & stick to it , its been repeated before but cell phone gps app,s seem popular I took a young fella out last year he showed me his , luckily I only took him to a shit spot :thumbsup: iv now got the same (more of a plan b) but stuffed if I can work them properly , iv got 2.. Topo GPS & NZ Topo Map & neither of them are very good not sure if its where the satellites are during the day or what but they seem to have pretty limited use down here , iv got a garmin 64 it works fine but sucks to use doesn't take long to flatten the battery's either if I where to pick another gps it would be the alpha100 the one you use for tracking dogs its awesome touch screen no silly buttons & basic , mark your truck , drop pins & be guided to it wish I only sold the collars now & kept the unit.

To use a map and compass you need to know where you are. If you know where you are you’re not lost

Study and take a map
Start on a track and peel off a short distance then back to the track. Do this and your confidence will grow
Many great explorers traveled great distances and never had a map

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Originally Posted by sako75

To use a map and compass you need to know where you are. If you know where you are you’re not lost

Study and take a map
Start on a track and peel off a short distance then back to the track. Do this and your confidence will grow
Many great explorers traveled great distances and never had a map

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Hansel and Gretel used a trail of breadcrumbs to mark their way, so you can have a snack on the return trip unless the birds get them first.

Also when you're absolutely hopelessly lost remember water runs downhill, keep following water and you will eventually sort yourself out

try the local orienteering club.

Be constantly aware of your surroundings land marks ridges streams rock formations etc dunno what it is but some young guys I've been with are totally oblivious the whole walk to anything around them also just go as far as your comfortable going as part of the exercise is getting back out again if I'm in a new area for the first time I'll pick a long ridge or creek and just walk up and back not really expecting to shoot anything more to get a feel for the area a ridge is good as you can check both sides of it and stay off your phone and concentrate

The cell phone map apps are very good these days, if not better than a garmin gps. The trick is to cache the information prior to going by doing a virtual tiki tour on your phone of the area you'll hunt. Zoom in/out and scroll around on the screen...your phone will cache this information in its memory and will remember it even without reception. However if you don't pre cache...you'll only see the map on a ridiculous scale, unusable in the Bush.

Start small, use nature's handrails like streams, ridgelines, farm boundaries...then cut between them. All of this is done firstly on the map, then put it into place by giving it a go in small blocks to see if you can put in into practice. Once again, set a goal, start small...work up to bigger as you gain confidence.

30 years ago I was terrified of getting lost, but now you could blindfold me, drop me into the middle of anywhere and I'd have the time of my life without a care in the world about getting lost. But I only got to this point by starting small and working up.

Once you realise the Bush is just lots and lots of triangles then navigation becomes very easy.

Also some people seem to have a good natural sense of direction

Check out this post
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....hniques-22505/

I think this link will work otherwise use advanced search and search on using compass.

Always take a map and compass, learn to orientate the map and take compass bearings. Start small in a small area of bush with open features on most sides (farmland, lake, road) then if you get lost just take a compass bearing to the (hopefully) nearest open area and head out of the bush. There is probably a area near you where you can go after work (no gun) just to get the feel of being in the bush and meet some unfriendly bush. Bush Lawyer, supplejack, blackberry. A patch of bush with footpath / nature walks through it is ideal, just go off the tracks. Most of all enjoy.

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Originally Posted by kimjon

The cell phone map apps are very good these days, if not better than a garmin gps. The trick is to cache the information prior to going by doing a virtual tiki tour on your phone of the area you'll hunt. Zoom in/out and scroll around on the screen...your phone will cache this information in its memory and will remember it even without reception. However if you don't pre cache...you'll only see the map on a ridiculous scale, unusable in the Bush.

Start small, use nature's handrails like streams, ridgelines, farm boundaries...then cut between them. All of this is done firstly on the map, then put it into place by giving it a go in small blocks to see if you can put in into practice. Once again, set a goal, start small...work up to bigger as you gain confidence.

30 years ago I was terrified of getting lost, but now you could blindfold me, drop me into the middle of anywhere and I'd have the time of my life without a care in the world about getting lost. But I only got to this point by starting small and working up.

Once you realise the Bush is just lots and lots of triangles then navigation becomes very easy.

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My Mrs on the other hand still drives the wrong way out the driveway to go to town which is five minutes away, in the opposite direction...

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Originally Posted by kimjon

The cell phone map apps are very good these days, if not better than a garmin gps. The trick is to cache the information prior to going by doing a virtual tiki tour on your phone of the area you'll hunt. Zoom in/out and scroll around on the screen...your phone will cache this information in its memory and will remember it even without reception. However if you don't pre cache...you'll only see the map on a ridiculous scale, unusable in the Bush.

Start small, use nature's handrails like streams, ridgelines, farm boundaries...then cut between them. All of this is done firstly on the map, then put it into place by giving it a go in small blocks to see if you can put in into practice. Once again, set a goal, start small...work up to bigger as you gain confidence.

30 years ago I was terrified of getting lost, but now you could blindfold me, drop me into the middle of anywhere and I'd have the time of my life without a care in the world about getting lost. But I only got to this point by starting small and working up.

Once you realise the Bush is just lots and lots of triangles then navigation becomes very easy.

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The app I linked to above installs the entire island at installation. There is nothing more to download and it includes the hunting areas.

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

Get hold of and read the Mountain Safety Council Bushcraft Manual. It has a wealth of information on navigation amongst other essential skills.

General rules:

Have a printed map and compass and know how to read and use them together. Printed map should be in a sealed plastic bag as mush as possible.

Stop often and look behind you to see where you have come from. This can make it much easier for the return journey or if you have to backtrack.

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^ Probably the best bits of advice of the lot IMHO.

I carry and use a GPS but if I want to walk a particular heading I find it much easier to use a compass (with the heading set from the GPS)

Having a map handy also gives you a big picture view of the area that you can't really get from a small screen. If you are above the bush line or can see out of a clearing you can reference far off points and get a good idea of where you are and where you want to go to.

Always, always take a map and compass. The Mountain Safety Council Bushcraft Manual will tell you how to use them and all sorts of things like true north, compass north etc

Cheers

Send him down to me eh @Rushy :D

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I wouldn't stray too far from Mums Apron strings lol

I'm a middle aged bloke who was taught maps and compass as a kid. I started with GPS when they first came out in the early 90s and have been through a few. Now I use Memory Map on my Android phone and iPad and PC, eyes wide open to the risks attached with relying on a phone. As per earlier comments with Memory Map you do need to cache the area first for when there's no signal, which is most of the time in productive areas. I use the 1:25k and 1:50k maps with the public land hunting boundaries. I switch phone onto airplane mode and turn the brightness down. I use the phone for photos, video, navigation and of course calls so it compresses 5 devices into 1. Camera, GPS, compass, phone, docs (like your DOC hunting permit).

I carry an Anker power bank and this will keep the phone going for 5 days min which is the longest I've used it and it wasn't flat when I came out. Phone is in a LifeProof case.

When all is said and done though... there's always a 1:50k paper map and my trusty Suunto compass in the backpack, along with an A3 printout of Google Earth with the tracks and roads marked on it. Usually I can convince the wife to laminate it for me at work.

A key part of not getting lost is studying the topo maps of the area before you go in. Cross reference with Google Earth. It makes a massive difference to have a mental picture of the geography. I spend hours marking out my intended routes in Memory Map and looking at Google Earth, looking for clearings, slips, checking gradients, position of huts relative to hunting areas. Spending time on this before you go always translates to improved confidence.

Lastly I also have the sun up and sun down times written down, and a sun position by hour. This is really helpful in the forest if GPS signal is slow or just not enough, even if its cloudy the rough position of the sun gives you a good idea of your bearing. This site had been invaluable to me in different places around the world, really helps keeps you switched on.

https://www.suncalc.org

And I carry a GME personal locator beacon!

Always carry a compass. A map is good, but if you have a compass and know which general direction is out you are okay. Study the map of the area, taking note of the ridges and streams as these are often what you will be folowing, or crossing.
For starting out, hunting the area inside a loop track, or between a track and the bush edge, is a good way to learn. Keep checking the map and trying to keep track of where you are, taking note of what different terrain you are travelling through looks like on the map. Once you get the hang of it, you can look at a map of an area you haven't been to and have a good idea of what the going will be like.

Most of the "tricks" I use have already been stated. Look behind you often and remember landmarks (looking behind can pay dividends if a deer has watched you walk past), carry a map and compass, always know where you are (this sounds stupid, but if you are always keeping track of where you are you are not lost), memorize the main valleys/rivers before you set off (you can always walk downstream to somewhere), plan where you are hunting for the day (maybe with alternatives depending on which way the wind is blowing, maybe up one valley and down the next one), use caution in cloud or whiteout (it can be very disorientating, as a lot of pilots have found out), carry a PLB (I came late onto this one, but I would never go out without one now. Maybe equipped to spend a night out safely (which is a bit more weight in your pack in winter).

Like most people I built up confidence over time by getting out a lot and building up, but I still have a lot of respect for how quickly things can go bad.

GPS and Goggle earth are good but always have a compass to back you up,it can be very easy to go round in circles as the bush looks familiar, at least the compass will have you heading and staying on the same direction. Hunting in pine forests for instance is a lot easier as generally you will strike a road somewhere, native blocks are trickier but as mentioned earlier creeks will eventually lead you to somewhere public. ( might take a while though)

Wow! I am over whelmed by the amount of replies and information offered. Thanks everyone, you guys have been very helpful and boosted my confidence now knowing what experienced hunter do out there.

Awesome post on how to utilise compass and map, gonna print it off and read it thoroughly!
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....hniques-22505/

Time to do some homework I guess lol

Thanks
Alex

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Originally Posted by 40mm

try the local orienteering club.

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can you show me where it is?

I think any person who is new to go into the woods should do it with an experienced person who can also teach them the things required to be able to come out of the wood safely. Do not go in alone thinking its a stroll in the park.

if you carry a map and compass you should be able to find it for yourself

So with the advice above ...pack a good head light - torch ..if you hunt in the evening you will very likely be walking out in the dark ..if you do get off direction it gives you great comfort to have a light ..

Most important of all is if you are disorientated which can be very easy in fog or misty rain Do Not Panic ...stop think relax ...your ok eat something and take some time ...if you are really unsure ..stop ...your alive your ok ...people know where you went ( you let people know your plans ) ..listen for water use your compass and trust it .

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Originally Posted by stingray

So with the advice above ...pack a good head light - torch ..if you hunt in the evening you will very likely be walking out in the dark ..if you do get off direction it gives you great comfort to have a light ..

Most important of all is if you are disorientated which can be very easy in fog or misty rain Do Not Panic ...stop think relax ...your ok eat something and take some time ...if you are really unsure ..stop ...your alive your ok ...people know where you went ( you let people know your plans ) ..listen for water use your compass and trust it .

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Yip, I had an argument with my compass once, guess who was right :D Idiot!

Fog can seriously fuk you up I got lost once in a place I don't use a map in as I thought I knew it quite well its a whole new game when low fog comes in

Attachment 83524

Watch out for these they can be scary too

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Also when you're absolutely hopelessly lost remember water runs downhill, keep following water and you will eventually sort yourself out

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Unless you are on Stewart Island where some creeks run 'inland' :wtfsmilie:

I always carry my phone in its life proof case, if you use a mapping app, make sure it works on flight mode. My iphone will last 4-5 days on flight mode.

Big trips I'll take my garmin 62 as well, and always have a map printed of the areas I'm likely to hunt. Also print off google earth imagery, it can help identify clearings or landmarks otherwise not seen on topo-maps.

If you do get geographically challenged, sit down and have a brew and a think about where you may have gone wrong. Easy to say don't panic, but even the most experienced people, myself included, will have some form of panicked state if we feel lost - especially if tired/hungry/dehydrated.

Always be prepared to spend a night on the hill unexpectedly. Carry appropriate gear.

And always leave your intentions with someone reliable and trustworthy - written down. My wife won't let me leave the house with out writing down where I am going. Be sure to destroy said notes on hunting locations as soon as you get home and before you tell your mates how awesome the trip was...in case they get their hands on it :D

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Originally Posted by JoshC

My wife won't let me leave the house with out writing down where I am going. Be sure to destroy said notes on hunting locations as soon as you get home and before you tell your mates how awesome the trip was...in case they get their hands on it :D

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I have that same problem with my wife always wanting to know where I'm going

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Originally Posted by marky123

can you show me where it is?

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Nope, thats just my plan...... Last time I used a compass was in scouts, Iv been given a gps but cant work it. So Ill stick to hunting paper until I figure that stuff out! (except when I get a lucky break)

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Originally Posted by marky123

can you show me where it is?

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Actually I saw an orienteering club/competition at woodhill once.