how do you navigate

[MOBIGBUCKS]

GPS and a compass backup. I've gotten lost in cornfields without one or the other...

[Swampbuck]

phone GPS, backup handheld gps and a compass.... I never use the compass, I usually am travelling old logging runs in my pirogue and if I get lost im screwed.... compass is for total desperation that I have to abandon the pirogue and just head west or east to the river or road which would take a day or two lol

[magicman54494]

gps and 2 compasses. I'm gaining confidence in my phone and hope it will replace my gps.

[hunter_mike]

if im going into unfamiliar territory I usually have my phone, garmin gps and I always carry a compass. If im hunting someting that I am familiar with, I leave the gps behind. Pretty much always have the phone and compass, but my phone is unreliable and I usually just leave it shut off and use the compass.

[superblackhawk]

I was going to mention if you know your GPS coordinates and want to pinpoint that spot on a paper topo this is the tool for the job. $7

http://www.benmeadows.com/c-thru-utm-grid-reader-clear-5h-x-6l_s_126575/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwr-KeBRCMh92Ax9rNgJ8BEiQA1OVm-CU7HbYDfVjlJWIQfnkZL3TNO4wE-VX_qpJHKdU-axcaAn0Y8P8HAQ&CID=BMPL10&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=126575&ef_id=U6G@nwAABQtFWoAG:20140730183113:s

If you haven't used one, it looks crazy. But that's only because it has markings for maps of different scales. It is not hard to learn.

I will have to get one of these as I have a hard time going from topo to gps back and forth.

[Terry]

I carry three compasses and a GPS. I am old school in that I don't rely on the GPS. I do use it for backup and mark my truck twice, turn it off, and don't turn it back on again until I need it. In ten years of owning it I have yet to turn it back on, I have always been able to get back out with the compass.

For compasses I always wear a Brunton pin-on. I also carry a Suunto in my pocket and another in my pack. Why three? I figure if one craps the bed and I am not sure which one, I have a tie breaker.

[bigwoodsmn]

I was going to mention if you know your GPS coordinates and want to pinpoint that spot on a paper topo this is the tool for the job. $7

http://www.benmeadows.com/c-thru-utm-grid-reader-clear-5h-x-6l_s_126575/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwr-KeBRCMh92Ax9rNgJ8BEiQA1OVm-CU7HbYDfVjlJWIQfnkZL3TNO4wE-VX_qpJHKdU-axcaAn0Y8P8HAQ&CID=BMPL10&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=126575&ef_id=U6G@nwAABQtFWoAG:20140730183113:s

If you haven't used one, it looks crazy. But that's only because it has markings for maps of different scales. It is not hard to learn.

I will have to get one of these as I have a hard time going from topo to gps back and forth.

superblackhawk - this tool is the ticket. To try it out, display your waypoints as UTM coordinates. I don't know if you've used UTM coordinates. The various software and websites make it easy. You can freely switch your waypoints back and forth between the various coordinate systems.

Once you're looking at a waypoint displayed as UTM, you can start thinking in 10 kilometers, 1000 meters, 100 meters, and 10 meter squares on your topo. The grid tool can put you within 10 meters of a UTM coordinate which is pretty good for transferring to and from a physical map.

[chasemukluk]

I navigate with my iphone & compass as a backup. I rarely if ever have cell service, but the phone's gps always gets a signal. The compass is always a sure thing & great for general navigation, but at least for me I have zero chance of returning to within 20 yds of a desired location.

This reminds me of a time I had a tag-along that wanted to gun hunt with me... It took an hour and a half to reach our stands on remote islands in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. When we scouted the islands earlier in the year we were satisfied with our setups, and began the trip back to my truck through some hellish cover and water where you could rarely see more than 30 feet in any direction. Here and there I would whip out my compass and take a look before continuing on (he was following me and scared to death). This was before hunters had gps units available, for the most part. As it turned out we stepped out of the swamp with the tailgate of my truck 30 yards in front of us... I acted like that was what I expected (we had never made the trip back there before). We loaded our gear into my truck and took off, and that's how legends are born.

We had two (2) good bucks back there and one of them was a Beast... He showed on my buddy's island but a shot was never fired as the buck picked him off. I ended up taking a 9 pt that dressed right at the desired 200# mark... we spent the next day and a half getting my buck out. My buddy was built like a brick # house, wonder how that happened?

Love this story! Lol...