I’m a map nerd. Always have been. Yes, I do have several GPS units, and yes, I have a subscription to OnX Hunt. And I tend to use those electronic navigation methods probably about 90 percent of the time I’m in the outdoors.
But I always carry a map and compass with me when I’m out. In fact, I carry three compasses. I learned long ago that you should always carry two compasses, because if you get lost and start to doubt the accuracy of your compass, you can check the other compass to renew your faith in the instrument. But what if one of the compasses is in fact wrong? That’s why I carry three – if two of them don’t agree, chances are the third will agree with one of them.
And I’ve been in situations where my electronics have let me down. One was during a massive snowstorm in the Savage Run Wilderness. My dad and I had hiked through hip-deep snow deep into the wilderness, but when it was time to go home, we had no idea which way to go. Our track through the snow had been filled in within minutes of our passing, and when we looked at the GPS, it just kept bouncing around and telling us a new direction to travel every two seconds. It turns out the wet, heavy snow was messing with the signal, and the GPS couldn’t give us an accurate heading.
Another time I was using OnX Hunt to get to where I wanted to hunt, in an area I’d never been before. Even though I’d charged my phone before I left camp, and I had the map downloaded to the phone so I didn’t have to worry about a signal, my phone died on me halfway through the day. In both cases, I ended up having to use my map and compass to get home.
So yes, technology has made things easier, but it’s always a good idea to have a backup that doesn’t require batteries or electronic signals.
