7 Tips to Avoid Getting Lost While Deer
Hunting
By Marty Prokop
Every year there are stories of deer
hunters lost in the woods. Some may even spend a night or
two in the woods. In most cases the outcome is pleasant. The
deer hunter makes it home safely.
There are many ways you can avoid being lost in the woods
while deer hunting.
1) Always take a good compass with you and know how to use
it before you enter the woods deer hunting.
2) Tell your friends and or family where you will be deer
hunting.
3) Order a topographic map from your local DNR office or
extension service. On the map, circle the area where your
deer hunting stand is located. Leave copies in your vehicle
and on the kitchen table at home. If you do get lost while
deer hunting, your friends and the search team will have an
idea of where you can be found.
4) Another great piece of equipment to have in the deer
hunting woods is a cell phone. Most cell phones today are
small, lightweight and have a “vibrate only” mode. Turn your
cell phone to “vibrate only” before going to your deer
hunting stand. This will allow your family to contact you in
the case of a home emergency and you being able to call
should you need help in the deer hunting woods. Make sure
you check your cell phone’s signal in your deer hunting area
long before deer hunting season starts.
5) You can also use reflective tacks or bright color marking
ribbons. These can be found at a sporting goods store.
6) Make sure everyone in your deer hunting party is carrying
hand-held 2-way radios. Even if deer hunting alone you can
carry a hand-held radio. Many hand-held radios can reach 5
miles and more. The radios I use have picked up and sent
signals to my deer hunting partners in some very thick
cover. If you choose hand-held radios, you’ll want to make
sure they will work in your deer hunting woods. When out
scouting or checking your deer hunting stands, long before
the deer hunting season arrives, check that they work in
your area. In the summer months the forest canopy will be at
its highest density. If the radios work in the summer they
should work in the fall when the leaves have hit the ground.
Also make sure to check your local hunting regulations as to
the legality of using personal radios in the woods.
7) One more, nearly surefire, way to find your way back to
deer hunting camp is a hand held GPS. GPS units will get you
to within a few feet of where you want to go. They are small
and fit into a hip pocket. As with any piece of technology,
make sure you test its ability to work in your deer hunting
area before you deer hunt.
Using these deer hunting safety tips could mean the
difference between you sleeping in the woods or sleeping in
a nice warm bed at the end of your deer hunt.
Personally I prefer a warm bed over cold, wet leaves.
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