Compass?

[fallhnt]

I still have and use the same compass I had when I was a Boy Scout.

[Bill Cooksey]

Thanks for all the feedback. How do you normally use your compass while hunting? For instance, if you want to circle around a bird, how would you use it then? I'm fairly new to compass reading

There's all kinds of information on the net on learning to use one properly. That said, when moving on a bird, I get a fix with the compass on the bird's location and choose the bearing that would take me as wide as I wish. Then I pick out a landmark in that direction and walk to it. Continue until I'm as far around as I want. Not really needed if a bird is gobbling frequently on his own, but it's priceless when moving on a bird that isn't saying much. Gives you confidence to finish your move without calling to make him gobble.

Some of the military folks, and scouts too, can give you a lot better answer than me. It's truly amazing what a person really versed in navigating with a compass can do. My father was one of those people, and I regret not having him teach me when he was younger and able.

[silvestris]

Thanks for all the feedback. How do you normally use your compass while hunting? For instance, if you want to circle around a bird, how would you use it then? I'm fairly new to compass reading

If you have a quad map, or a copy of one, this.  First know where you are.  Take a heading to the gobbling turkey.  Determine from the map where you wish to call from and go there.  You know where the turkey is unless he has moved and you can re-determine that with your map and compass.  I generally use the "Topo Maps" app on my iPhone for my maps (I also carry a battery stick in case I use up the battery in my phone); the app has given me all I could want with the exception that it does not allow me to draw property lines.  If I need to know property lines, I just place named waypoints at the corners.

As for someone new to the use of a compass, there are probably many websites that describe the use of a compass.  Tom Kelly has a chapter in his book, "A Fork in the Road" that gives the best tutorial of the use of quadrangle maps and the compass that I have seen anywhere.  I bought a copy of the book for one of my grandsons and read his copy.  I was really impressed with Tom's explanations.  I didn't learn anything new, but I sure wish I had had that book when I first started; it would have saved a lot of on the job training.

[silvestris]

I still have and use the same compass I had when I was a Boy Scout.

I still have my trusty metal Boy Scout mirror that I can take out and see who is lost.

[paboxcall]

I carry two in the turkey woods.  I carry a flat Silva and I always have a backup ball compass pinned inside my pack. 

[tha bugman]

+1

Thanks for all the feedback. How do you normally use your compass while hunting? For instance, if you want to circle around a bird, how would you use it then? I'm fairly new to compass reading

There's all kinds of information on the net on learning to use one properly. That said, when moving on a bird, I get a fix with the compass on the bird's location and choose the bearing that would take me as wide as I wish. Then I pick out a landmark in that direction and walk to it. Continue until I'm as far around as I want. Not really needed if a bird is gobbling frequently on his own, but it's priceless when moving on a bird that isn't saying much. Gives you confidence to finish your move without calling to make him gobble.

Some of the military folks, and scouts too, can give you a lot better answer than me. It's truly amazing what a person really versed in navigating with a compass can do. My father was one of those people, and I regret not having him teach me when he was younger and able.

[trkehunr93]

I carry one just in case.  Got turned around in national forest about 20 years ago and didn't have one and it skeered me a bit so I make sure one is with me now.  iPhones are nice but like others have said batteries die!


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[renegade19]

Smart phone, hand held gps with extra batteries for me.  Learning to use a compass is a skill I wish I had learned.  If I'm going where I'm familiar, just the phone.

[knifeshark]

I carry an old Silva huntsman from the 1960's , still works great and has a sun dial also. It has saved me a couple of times.

[g8rvet]

My iPhone gets no signal where I hunt.  I do use a GPS as well there.  It has predownloaded satellite images and it has saved me several miles of walking when I am down in a swamp. 

I have never been lost, but I got turned around for a week one time. 

[Hankyorke]

Always have it with me.


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[Farmboy27]

I've never owned one. Never learned to use one. I don't even own a gps. But I don't hunt very many places that I don't know as well as I know my own house.

[maytom]

Funny this topic came up. My compass finally died? Ordered a new one from Bass Pro today.

[bmhern]

Left the boat landing early one morning going trout fishing here on the bay in NW FL. Now I was raised on the water here so I know my way around pretty well. It was a little foggy, but no worries. Well, to make a long story short we rode around in circles for 2 hrs ( the spot we wanted to fish was only 15 minutes away)  within 300 yds of our fishing ho!e. Since then,(that was 40 yrs ago) whether I go to the woods or on the water I have a compass on me!!

[troutfisher13111]

Even if a guy knew nothing about using a compass, it's pretty easy to just come out the opposite way you went in. All you have to do is hit the road and your safe. Learning how to get back directly to your truck is nice, but not necessary. Not knowing how to use a compass is a poor excuse to not carry at least one IMHO.