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

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.