Map, Compass & GPS

Map, Compass & GPS
Wild flowers along Fall Creek on the way to the Green Lakes - Oregon

Friday, May 13, 2011

Backcountry Navigation

Compass and Direction Finding Part 1 and 2 
by Dick Blust, Jr., photographs by Mark Furman


Before there was GPS, there was map and compass.
Map and compass are an integral part of a comprehensive approach to back country navigation and, at the same time, the right compass provides a means for position plotting, either as a stand-alone or as backup in the event of GPS failure or loss.
As the essay moves along, instructions will be provided that are specific for each of the three compasses recommended, first in direction finding, and later in position plotting.

Compass Selection
There are a lot of compasses out there on the market, and they range from the meticulously crafted to the downright useless. Fortunately, the best choices for the hunter can be boiled down considerably. The key factors are accuracy, durability, and night operation capability. I put special emphasis on night capability because for a serious hunter the ability to navigate before dawn and after dark are absolutes. The top choices in order of expense:



To read the rest of the post go here.


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