What would you really do and how would you feel if you are lost?

[wilderness medic]

How would I feel? Pretty normal. Well ok, physically lost? Very situational dependent. Season, location, etc.

I practice, but never truly enough. + Murphy's law.

If good season, good location. Probably pretty relaxed. I know I can generally relocate myself to something rather quickly. This country minus Alaska is far too populated to get truly "lost" in unless you're injured or ill in someway.

That being said, if the conditions aren't favorable. I'd probably be down knowing the severity of the "suck" that i'm about to endure with no sleep, cold, wet, and hungry.

[hunter63]

One of the first thoughts at "That moment of Oh ship"....is the knowledge in the back of your head that you will be given a bad time by peers for being a Dumas.

We actually had a hunting party member "lost" on a Thanksgiving Day hunt.
He didn't show up at the required time, and over a couple of hours of looking and calling for him...he decided to go the other way so as to not put up with the hazing....and walked back, so he could really play the victim.

Is sorta funny today, many years after the fact...but does show that stigma of the event........No one likes being lost,...at the time.
That's where the statement come in that helps......"Someday, you are gonna laugh"

[MrFixIt]

I have never been lost.
There have been times where my actual location didn't coincide with the map, but never been lost.
I've also been off track in ATL, but that's because every other street is named Martin Luther King ***, or Peach ***.

[hunter63]

Of y'all that have been turned around a tad.....doesn't take much to get a lifetime membership in the old guide group.....
The FugRwee's....as in "Where the fugRwee".....and you will never hear the end of it for the rest of your life, once inducted.

It will be brought up ant every fire, camp, and gathering ....FOREVER.

[Tokwan]

Hahaha..we are getting philosophic now......!!!

[shackwater]

Let me ask this....how many of you continuously go through the "what if" scenarios in your head as you are walking through the woods? I do it constantly. I also turn around and look back at the way I came in from every couple minutes and mentally make "landmark notes" in my head as I walk. Am I the exception or the rule?

[wilderness medic]

Let me ask this....how many of you continuously go through the "what if" scenarios in your head as you are walking through the woods? I do it constantly. I also turn around and look back at the way I came in from every couple minutes and mentally make "landmark notes" in my head as I walk. Am I the exception or the rule?

All the time. That's what it's all about right? Being prepared a head of time and ready for as much as you can be. Easier to keep from getting lost, than getting yourself "unlost"

I don't have a map or compass, but most of the backwoods I hike are off a HWY that runs east-west. Knowing that i'm on the North or South side, and keeping approximate bearings with the sun X how long I hike is enough to know about how far I am from the road, and how long of hiking in one direction to make it to the road. As well as the many creeks, and knowing which way they run. Simple stuff.

[MrFixIt]

Let me ask this....how many of you continuously go through the "what if" scenarios in your head as you are walking through the woods? I do it constantly. I also turn around and look back at the way I came in from every couple minutes and mentally make "landmark notes" in my head as I walk. Am I the exception or the rule?

I do, to an extent. I trust in my skills and gear, but that mental sharpness is what will carry me through. (I hope!)
As far as looking back at the way you travel, that is a navigation skill I learned as a kid, and still do it today.

[3leggedcoyote]

FWIW, if lost, meaning I have given up on figuring out which way to go...

I'm gonna hug a tree, do what I can to increase visibility, get comfy, probably take a nap, let others get tired and sweaty trying to find me. I'm really good at loafin'.

[7whitewolf7]

In truth, I would be worried about my skill level. I've been lost in the woods in Louisiana, but a few hours walk got me back on a street. If I were truly lost, as in days away from civilization I would probably be happy, but insecure in my knowledge as of this moment. Later in life when I'm actually prepared and the necessary experience, it would probably just be fun....
However I think being lost in the ocean is a recipe for mental breakdown. If I were lost at sea, I'd probably just sit for awhile (in shock) then do my best to stay alive and sane. (I would probably sing a lot).

[hunter63]

............................. Later in life when I'm actually prepared and the necessary experience, it would probably just be fun....

No it isn't....there are things to do, places to be, friends looking for you.....No....only fun when you are enjoying the hike.....

This is NOT BEING LOST.....which is mental as well as physical.

[7whitewolf7]

No it isn't....there are things to do, places to be, friends looking for you.....No....only fun when you are enjoying the hike...

Point taken.... I think I would rather be disappointed in myself and as phaerus said, worried about my friends and family disrupting their lives. It sounds nice now, but in actuality it won't be then.

[Rick]

Being lost is the pits, not that I've ever actually been lost you understand. Once you figure out where you are you'll always find you walked in the direction opposite of the truck no matter where you parked it.

[hunter63]

Being lost is the pits, not that I've ever actually been lost you understand. Once you figure out where you are you'll always find you walked in the direction opposite of the truck no matter where you parked it.

I have had some one move my truck a few times........

[DSJohnson]

Hunter, you just have to quit leaving the keys in your truck!

Second week of February, 1984, another lad and I were going to our first real Rocky Mountain Rondyvoo. West of Deer Lodge, MT. Driving from Oklahoma in a 1975 FJ55 Land Cruiser Wagon. Loaded to the gills with gear, 4 sets of chains, high lift jack, 5 ton chain fall (no winch on my truck), a canvas A Frame tent,lots of wool blankets. We had left Oklahoma city at around 1500 hours after Ronnie got off work. Drove all night. Listening to the weather on the radio (supposed to clear and cold. DUH February in Montana) Pumped about going to our first "real" By God Rondyvoo. I had worked an 8 hour night shift Wednesday night for Thursday, come home loaded everything up, and driven up to OKC to pick up Ron. When he got in the truck I had been up just about a smooth 24 hours. So he got under the wheel and I went to sleep. Except for stopping for gas, our plan was to drive straight through to the site. if we had no problems we expected to be on the road for around 25 or 26 hours. (By the way I was 28 and Ron was 29) We were really hoping to get close before it got too dark. Ron drove until around midnight then I took over.

We got to Billings around 1200 hours Friday morning. Been on the road for 20 or so hours. Stopped, ate a real meal, talked to a couple of guys in the restaurant about the road and the weather. Lots of snow on the ground, but they acted pretty nonchalant about the road and said the weather was supposed to be good for the next 4 or 5 days so we should have a good time. We got back on the road around 1300 and drove into Deer Lodge, in the dark, at 1800 hours. The roads had been clear and pretty empty. Ron had been driving since Billings and he was pretty sleepy. I had slept some off and on as we drove. From Deer Lodge we had hand written directions to the site. Go south out of Deer Lodge on I-90 turn lest (West) on Race track road and go another 20 or so miles on forestry roads to the site. Then we get to hike to the rondyvoo camp(We had been told it might be more than a mile from where the cars were parked.).

I was driving, Ron was sleeping. Lots of snow, snow covered curvy narrow forestry roads, and I went to sleep. Drove down into a creek. Fortunately it was not full of water and neither of us were hurt. For the last little bit, the last 3 or 4 miles, before I fell asleep, I had felt like I was on the wrong road. We were supposed to turn on like 1998 or some such number like that and all the signs that I could see had names like Antelope Gulch and Perkins Road. No numbered road sat all. I hated to wake Ron up and tell him that I had got us lost. I was fighting being tired and being lost and I just went to sleep. We were a good 40 or more yards off the road and about 50 feet or more lower than the road. It was only about 1900 hours when we hit the ditch. Ron was awake and now I was wide awake. The snow had really slowed our trip down the bank and cushioned our landing. The truck seemed to be in okay condition as far as we could tell. We walked around it for a little bit. It was COLD. Maybe 15 or so degrees. The snow off the road was about a foot or so deep with drifts of two foot in places. We had fueled up in Deer Lodge and gotten some hot chocolate before we left town. For about the first 2 or 3 minutes I was pretty shook. I was scared that the truck was hurt, I was scared that no one really had any idea where we were. I had called my wife at home to tell her that we had made Deer Lodge fine and that she would not be hearing from us again for 4 or 5 days anyway. I had told the gentleman who had invited me all the way up here that we would see him late Friday or some time Saturday.

After Ron and I had walked/climbed back to the road and then back down to the truck, we got back inside and started the truck up to run the heater and get warm. We dug out our sleeping bags and our blankets and put more clothes on. We were in pretty good spirits. Ron was giving me lots of good natured grief about what I had done. he kept asking me why I had not woke him up and why I had decided to park in the dam* creek. But in truth we both knew it was pretty serious. There had only been a couple of wheel tracks on this road and it did not look like had been traveled much at all. I could not point to a spot on our topo and say "This is where we are." I knew we had been on Perkins Road at the last intersection, which I told was like a mile behind us. Killed the truck and ate some chocolate and tried to go to sleep. Hoping daylight would make things look better. That was just about the coldest most unfun night I have ever had in the woods. It was clear as a bell and the sky was full of stars. Because we seemed to be way out in the woods there was no light pollution at all. Also it was so dang quiet, party because of the snow I am sure, but also because we were 25 miles off any kind of a traveled road. I did finally go to sleep. At about 0500 hours Oklahoma time (0400 local) I woke up and had to pee. Man was it cold. When I checked the little zipper pull thermometer on my rear view mirror it looked like it was right at 0 Degrees. I used a water bottle for a urinal and went back to sleep. Around 0600 local I heard Ron stirring. We used my little Seva 123 to make us something hot. I had never used it in this kind of cold and I was about to give up on it when it finally started. We made some Chicken Noodle soup and hot chocolate. Our plan was pretty simple. Climb back up on the road and use some flagging to let folks know we were down in the creek. Even in the daylight you could not see my truck from the road unless you were really looking. We talked abut walking out for help but instead decided to try and self rescue the truck. We worked pretty steady, tying on to a big tree with that chain fall, tromping down the snow up the slope to the road. Cutting some limbs and placing them under the wheels for traction. Putting chains on all four tires. Dropping the tire pressure down to around 15 pounds to help with the traction (I did have a little air compressor with us). In all that time, about three or four hours Ron never once lost his temper or got frustrated while we were doing all that. Also no one drove by that us that entire time. We had built a fire in the creek bed but it was more psychological comfort than physical. We would stop and warm after we had accomplished each little task. The fire was warm but the second you stepped away it was cold again. Getting those tire chains on was a bit@h. Fortunately because it was so cold we were never really wet except for sweating. And we did have several changes of clothes in the truck. We had stopped to eat and then we were going to make our first attempt at driving/winching. We were cooking some hamburgers in skillet when we heard a motor up on the road. We pulled the meat off the fire and started up the hill to the road. A forestry snow plow truck. He sucked us right back up the slope in no time, smooth as silk!! He was very surprised to see us also. He never said it but it was pretty obvious that he thought we were idiots. He had got on his radio to check in and told the ranger about finding us. We gathered up all the gear, kicked the fire out and said thank you to Terry (the snow plow driver) Turns out we were very off course. By like 40 miles.

We finally found the car parking area later that day (Saturday.) There were several folks at the vehicles when we pulled in. It seems that we were not the only ones who were late showing up. Originally the hosts were expecting around 40 or so campers for 4 or 5 nights. By the time we had showed up there were about 10 or so at the camp, which was about a half mile across country from where the cars were parked. One of the Booshways had decided to drive the road and see if he could find any stragglers. In the mean time the weather forecast had changed and they were predicting it to warm up and start snowing that night. (Saturday night) by then we had just about had all the adventure we could stand. As we were standing there talking to the Booshway Ron walked up close to me and asked me if my feeling would be hurt if we went back to town and got a motel room with a warm, dry bed and a hot shower. Man I was so glad he asked me instead of me having to suggest that. It had already been on my mind anyway. We loaded up and started back. We found a room in a little place called Garrison that night. The next morning it had snowed about 6 inches and everything looked so neat. It had warmed up to about 20 degrees. We had a great road trip back. We stopped and looked at the Great Falls. We took it nice and slow and made it back to Oklahoma late Thursday evening. We had stopped in Cody and spent a day at the Museum there.

Looking back, the first couple of moments when I woke up were pure chaos in my head. Then we were so far off the dang road I could not believe it. I had not been going over 25 at the most. When we started talking about if we could expect any help, or even if anyone would be looking for us and when, it seemed pretty bleak. But once we made a plan it got a lot better very quickly. Of course we had tons of gear and food and some water so we were sure not going to starve and even if it had snowed on us I think we would have been okay until someone found us. I really did not even realize how lost we were until we started talking to the snowplow operator. Also we were more like 30 miles form town instead of the 10 or 15 that I had thought. Making the decision to just stay with the truck and the gear, get some sleep and wait for the daylight were all very good decisions.

[hunter63]

DS, That's a heck of a great story,.... and a possible likely scenario many people may deal with.

Even knowing you had the gear, and knowledge....and it still a touch and go situation.....you read about people getting stranded and actually die waiting for help.

Got "lost" in a hunting area in a blizzard, driving the truck all two rut roads looked the same, no signs, had a map but no names....was almost out of gas.....no tire tracks.

Finally passed a house....another mile to the black top and a sign to town....rolled into a station on fumes......after that carried a 2-1/2 gas can filled for back country 4 wheeling.

Calm head helps.....for sure.

[Lamewolf]

I feel like I want to be lost right now !

[hunter63]

Oh, Yeah....just for the record....I always leave my keys in the truck when hunting....LOL
Everyone knows it's mine......and always seems to know my business......I you know what I mean.

Who in their right mind would approach a parked vehicle knowing a high powered rifle may....and I do mean....may be close by.

Actually had a friend "borrow the truck" to go get gas for his and brought it back....left me a note and a $5 dollar bill.

[Duece]

Ive gotten turned around a few times while out or hunting....thankfully im in the canadian prairies,walk far enough in same direction will eventually come to a road and or farm.still kinda scary,i try and sit down have a drink and try and mentally retrace my steps.im not sure how i would respond if i got really really lost,im usually pretty good under pressure so i would like to think i would do ok,but ya never know i guess
D

[Batch]

Oh, Yeah....just for the record....I always leave my keys in the truck when hunting....LOL
Everyone knows it's mine......and always seems to know my business......I you know what I mean.

Who in their right mind would approach a parked vehicle knowing a high powered rifle may....and I do mean....may be close by.

Actually had a friend "borrow the truck" to go get gas for his and brought it back....left me a note and a $5 dollar bill.

A lot of Gladesmen will leave their trucks unlocked. So that thieves won't break out the windows. And trucks get stolen at airboat ramps all the time.

Here is an excerpt from "Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, And Skiffers" by Glenn Simmons

"When in the woods you always had to worry about what condition your car would be in when you returned. Now that old Ingraham Highway wasn't traveled much-maybe a dozen cars a week and most of them were on the weekends. Most times, we parked the car down in the mangroves, about twenty-five miles from Homestead. Once after a few-week glade skiff trip, Buck and I came back to the road, and the hood was up on the Model A. "Now what the hell?" There sitting on the motor, was a brand new fan belt. Somebody had needed a fan belt, taken ours, and then bought a brand one-but had neglected to put it on. We pretty much figured out who that was, and later he owned up to it and had a good excuse. This fella had a Model A ton truck, a fish truck, which he used since he worked out of Flamingo. I met him at The Last Chance Saloon and casually asked, "Why didn't you put that fan belt back on?" He talked with a lisp and replied, "The skeeters just 'bout eat me up that night, I just laid it on top and got out of there."

When on these two-week trips, often some common man would siphon off your gasoline when you left your rattle-trap vehicle on the road to fend for itself. I learned early to hide enough gasoline in the bushes to get home. 'Twas said that a gator hunters service station was a siphon hose and a five-gallon can."

I have never had anyone touch my stuff out there. I just put my gas can under the trailer to keep it out of the sun.