Unread postby basspro05 » Mon Oct 13, 2014 3:03 am
Funny I find this thread.
I was leaving my setup in the dark last night, I walked about 15 yards to far before I needed to turn and cross a creek to head north to the truck the creek runs east to west at the point I need to cross. The creek makes a hard bend and then runs southwest. Well I crossed at the bend, and I thought I was still heading North after crossing the creek.
I was actually heading WNW, which put me into a very large field full of cedars...I knew there were no cedars on this public ground, so I knew I had accidentally crossed into private ground at this point.
Rookie mistake I just figured if I followed the field edge it would bring me back to the public ground, but the field edge was way too thick...I kept getting into really thick groups of cedars that I couldn't walk through. Plus it was very foggy and I couldn't see more than 5 feet in front of me even with my LED light.
My phone had no service, and it kept showing me in different spots on google maps which kept throwing me for a loop.
My boots and pants were soaked from crossing the creek, I had no lighter, no water, no food, and no compass...I was close to panicking but I kept taking deep breaths and trying to regain composure.
I was frustrated, because everytime I thought I could turn and head back NE I would hit a huge group of cedars I couldn't maneuver through. I would be walking on flat CRP one second and fall into a hole with CRP up to my neck other spots.
I finally walked long enough NW that I ran into a fenceline...right before I was about to hop the fence I saw the hotwire on it, so I followed it knowing it had to take me somewhere. It led me back to a house and driveway which put me on the road I needed to be on more than a mile NW of where my truck was parked...
Rookie mistakes, I will now always mark my creek crossings if I cross a creek, always carry a lighter, a bottle of water, and a compass...