If I got lost in the woods, would anyone care?

Probably not.  I am usually the one finding those lost people, not the findee.  Well, actually my dog is the finder; I just tag along for the ride.

But I have a young dog coming up, Darcy, that is due to start her wilderness certification this fall and winter.  And the main thing I am terrified of failing is my land navigation.  I’ve been doing this search stuff for close to 15 years and the last time I was tested on my navigation was eight years ago when Finn got his certification.  Since then, I’ve been the one who’s been teaching and testing people on their ability to navigate.  Nothing like the evaluator being evaluated.  I think it’s going to be more stressful testing Darcy than when I tested Finn the first time. Yep, you read that right, the first time.  I failed my first 160 acre test with Finn and had to make it up 3 months later.

This past weekend, my search team hosted a seminar taught by Rob Speiden of Natural Awareness Tracking School .  So there I was, Saturday morning, sitting and listening with rapt attention to Rob going over the basics of land navigation, like I’d never been shown a map or compass or spent the past 15 years navigating safely in the woods.  I like to say I’ve never been lost, just momentarily disoriented.  Then I bought a GPS, and whoosh, there went my ability to rely on my own sense of direction.   We reviewed Mr. Mercator, how to shoot a bearing and, in our first outdoor class of the weekend, we determined what our pace count is (mine’s 62).  That means it takes me 62 paces to cover 100 yards.  But that’s on flat ground with no obstacles.  I am going to find out how accurate that is in the afternoon when we are out in the woods.  I've never navigated using a pace count, always used terrain features.  Here's how I do it:  hmm, that looks like the mountain I am looking for on the map, there's the drainage I've been looking for, wait a minute, how many drainages was I supposed to pass before I got to the one I need to search, crap, I think I need to turn around and count them again, but I really don't want to climb all the way back down the mountain, I think I can make the terrain features I was looking for fit what's supposed to be on the map....Search to the top of the drainage, wait I was one drainage too far, head back to base by searching down the drainage I was supposed to go up. As you can see, I need to fine tune my navigation a little.

I am confident in my abilities, especially since I’ve been doing this for 15 years.  And you know what, confidence means jack, when you are learning something new and trying it for the first time.  Which I was with pace counting.  I was 50 yards south of the first point I was supposed to find.  At least my pace count was right on.  The next few points I did well with, but then again, following the whole group makes it much easier too. 

We did night nav as well… again I was glad the group was there.  Oh lordy, do I need to practice before I get evaluated this winter!  At least when I am on a real search I can use my GPS.

The fun part of the whole night was having a short search after everyone, well almost everyone, got back to the parking area.  Yep, one of the team got lost on her way back to her car.  However, it was a status one and we all went home to rest up for Sunday’s training.

Sunday’s training was about clue awareness and tracking.  I did pretty good with the tracking.  My team and I were able to follow two tracks to the end of them. 

Not so good with clue awareness.  Before we got to class, Rob had set up a clue awareness scenerio.  A missing 10 year old boy that liked to play cards and pick up golf balls when his dad was out on the golf course.  He had set out 10 clues.  I found exactly:  zero clues.

But this is all that I found:

And I tracked them for a short distance, although Rob said it was too easy because their foot prints where too distinctive.

It’s a good thing I have my dog along to help me, or I’d be totally useless out there.