7 Tips to Avoid Getting Lost While Deer Hunting

By Marty Prokop

Every year there are stories of deer hunters lost in the woods. Some may even spend a night or two in the woods. In most cases the outcome is pleasant. The deer huntermakes it home safely.

There are many ways you can avoid being lost in the woods while deer hunting.

Marty Prokop 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Lost While Deer Hunting

1) Always take a good compass with you and know how to use it before you enter the woods deer hunting.

2) Tell your friends and or family where you will be deer hunting.

3) Order a topographic map from your local DNR office or extension service. On the map, circle the area where your deer hunting stand is located. Leave copies in your vehicle and on the kitchen table at home. If you do get lost while deer hunting, your friends and the search team will have an idea of where you can be found.

4) Another great piece of equipment to have in the deer hunting woods is a cell phone. Most cell phones today are small, lightweight and have a “vibrate only” mode. Turn your cell phone to “vibrate only” before going to your deer hunting stand. This will allow your family to contact you in the case of a home emergency and you being able to call should you need help in the deer hunting woods. Make sure you check your cell phone’s signal in your deer hunting area long before deer hunting season starts.

5) You can also use reflective tacks or bright color marking ribbons. These can be found at a sporting goods store.

6) Make sure everyone in your deer hunting party is carrying hand-held 2-way radios. Even if deer hunting alone you can carry a hand-held radio. Many hand-held radios can reach 5 miles and more. The radios I use have picked up and sent signals to my deer hunting partners in some very thick cover. If you choose hand-held radios, you’ll want to make sure they will work in your deer hunting woods. When out scouting or checking your deer hunting stands, long before the deer hunting season arrives, check that they work in your area.  In the summer months the forest canopy will be at its highest density. If the radios work in the summer they should work in the fall when the leaves have hit the ground. Also make sure to check your local hunting regulations as to the legality of using personal radios in the woods.

7) One more, nearly surefire, way to find your way back to deer hunting camp is a hand held GPS. GPS units will get you to within a few feet of where you want to go. They are small and fit into a hip pocket. As with any piece of technology, make sure you test its ability to work in your deer hunting area before you deer hunt.

Using these deer hunting safety tips could mean the difference between you sleeping in the woods or sleeping in a nice warm bed at the end of your deer hunt.

Personally I prefer a warm bed over cold, wet leaves.

Good luck and great deer hunting!

Marty Prokop

http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com

About Marty Prokop

Deer hunting expert Marty Prokop reveals closely guarded deer hunting secrets on how to get deer every time. Get his Free Deer Hunting Tips Newsletter, free deer videos and free online deer hunting game at Free Deer Hunting Tips.com

Marty Prokop has 24-years experience deer hunting, processing deer for deer hunters and venison sausage making .  Marty Prokop teaches deer hunting, hunter safety, deer processing and deer sausage making classes. Marty Prokop has processed 7,805 deer, field dressed 422 deer and made over 991,990 pounds of sausage, smoked meats and jerky. Marty Prokop worked with Minnesota DNR programs. His deer hunting videos are used in statewide advanced hunter education classes. Marty Prokop is a successful speaker, outdoor writer and published author.

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