Land Navigation Vs. Electronics

Each year that goes by, I find myself trying to figure out ways to get farther and farther from the truck come hunting season.

- Josh Kirchner

This is both strategic and therapeutic, really. Strategic because getting farther from the truck, roads and trails flat out means fewer hunters. That’s something that has remained a constant and I think it always will. It’s therapeutic, though, because it pushes my mental threshold. Leaving the truck and living in the dirt comes with its own mental hurdles. As a kid, I remember my dad not wanting to venture too far from our rig. While we never got lost, it was something that he always made me aware of. This is one of those mental hurdles and having a solid grasp on different navigation techniques, I think will only leave you feeling more confident when you do leave the vehicle in the dust. Having a map and compass was something that I was taught to do from a young age. Today, though, we live in a different world. More and more folks are solely bringing their phones or GPS into the hills with them. I don’t think this is necessarily wrong, but it does arise the question of which one is better. Traditional land navigation or our new electronics of today?

LAND NAVIGATION

Let’s start at the beginning here. Before we had the luxury of fancy electronic devices, there was a map and a compass. These tools of the trade could guide us through the country and give us the lay of the land. The big picture. This is what I always have appreciated about looking at an actual map. There is no scrolling around on a screen. Everything is right there in front of you, begging to be seen. This is my preferred method for doing “homework” before a hunt.