Downshift's swamp navigation and sneaking aorund thread (TL;DR)

Boat's thread made me think about this. I live in the swamp and this is how I get around without getting lost. Feel free to add whatever you do. GPS's are not welcomed here.

Slipping around in the swamp is a GREAT way to kill deer in the swamp if you take the time to become proficient at it.

Alright sit down for downshift's swamp navigation 101 class...

Things you MUST have:
A good compass
A bottle of water
Hip boots (not waders unless you like busting your arse)
As much orange as you can fit on your body if public land
A cell phone
A watch
A flashlight
A roll of flaggin ribbon
Toilet paper
5 or 6 feet of small rope

Things you DON'T need:
Very heavyweight clothing (I don't care how cold it is. You will sweat.)
Extra bottle to piss in or whatever you weirdos do
Anything extra


Of course, before you go you need to review a map well to become familiar with where you will be. Plan your route on paper first, take note of any landmarks you may encounter, and establish bounderies for yourself. Remember that section lines are usually marked by blue paint on the trees. Notice what direction things like pipelines and powerlines run so that when you hit one, you can use your compass to confirm which right of way or waterway you have hit. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS pay attention to which way is the quickest way out from where you plan on walking. Look at a satillite image to take note of how the woods change.

When you leave whatever mode of transportation you used to hit your starting point, immediantly take your compass out and see which way you need to go. Tie a few pieces of flagging ribbon high around where your rig is. Pick something straight that way (an obvious tree or something) about as far as you can see. Make your way to it. When you get to it, take your compass out again and repeat. Of course, you can use the sun as a reference when it's clear, but you have to re-check it's position about every hour or so. Never rely on the sun completely. Your compass is your life. Keep it tied or pinned to you. If you loose it, head out way before dark.

Keep a mental track line in your head of where you are on the map, and where your transportation is relative to you. Notice how the woods are changing around you as you walk to keep track of where you are. Always remember that however far you go in, that's how far you have to go to get back out. If you kill something, it's got to come out with you. I hope you're capable of field dressing a deer.

Remember to travel as light as possible. The heavier you are, the more you sink (some of you sasquatch frickers don't have to worry about this part) and the quicker you'll wear out. When you get tired you get sloppy and start making tons of noise.

If you jump a deer, don't panic and shoot at the flag. It isn't going to go far. Stay where you jumped it for a little while and pay attention. Put a tree between you and whatever direction the wind is going and look mostly that way, not which way the deer went. Lots of times the deer will circle upwind of you and sneak back to try and get a look at you, especially if it's a stupid doe or young buck. If you're looking that way, you may get to see what it was. It may have been something you want to shoot. You probably won't be able to tell when you jump it.

Once you shoot a deer, DO NOT MOVE unless you can SEE the deer laying there close. This is where people always frick up. Tie flagging ribbon where you shot from, and take your compass out and see which direction the deer was when you shot it, and where it was when you last saw it. If you don't see it dead, go to where you shot it. Look for blood, bubbles, whatever. If you don't see anything, go back to where you shot from (can't do that if you don't mark where you were) and go to where you last saw it. If you walk out of sight of where you shot from, mark a place where you can see the spot from. Always be able to get back to where you shot from. Nothing burns my arse like going to help somebody find a deer, and them not being able to say where they were when they shot. The chances of finding it are close to zero.

Once you kill it, field dress it if the water is low. If the water is high, DO NOT field dress it. The deer will half-arse float with his guts in if there's enough water. If you're going to be dragging it on the ground, you want the extra weight gone. Also, you want to tie the rope around the horns (or head if, heaven forbid, it's a doe), tie the other end around a stick, and drag the deer out that way. You do not want to be holding the head up and dragging at the same time. Your back will go out very quickly unless you are the baddest SOB on earth.

It all seems simple as hell, but yall would be amazed at how many people have been hunting forever and still manage to get lost, loose deer, loose their boat, and shite like that.

Follow downshift's guide and never frick up