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

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.

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.

^ 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