Gadget54

Thank you for the replies. I played with my GPS a bit last night and found the setting where I can set it to True North or Magnetic. I take the kids Geocaching but I mostly use it to traverse the woods without getting lost. Marking important places like truck, camp... I want to get more capable with a compass. The most I knew was if I went east into the woods I had to go west to get out. I got the Outward bound book from the library and have learned much about the compass and now understand things like triangulation and can now plot my waypoints on my topo of the same area. Thankyou again for the help. Gadget54

Do I have to adjust for declintation if I'm using the compass on my Summit HC? I am also in the market for a compass I can use to convert my gps co-ordinates to topo maps. I hear good things about the Brunton 15TDCL. Any opinions (or is that a loaded question). Gadget54

Did I mention I flunked out of College because of Math... The UTM setting is probably what I am needing. I'll give it the old College try. Thanks, Gadget54

I used my Etrex Summit HC and saved several waypoints. I also have a USGS topo map of the area I was in. Now I want to plot them on the map. The scale is 1:24 000. I am having trouble figuring this one out. At this time I am without any mapping software. Gadget54

Let's be carefull about generalizing. 'Ineberiated Hunters' is not really supported by any of the statictics. I have been hunting for 20 years and have never came across an 'inebriated hunter.' Activity Participants Injuries Deaths Swimming 59.5 million 83,772 1500 Bicylcing 45.1 million 49,000 700 Hunting 15.4 million 880 92 This was taken from the International Hunter Eductation Association A large number of the deaths are from self inflicted, Accidental discharges and the injuries are from everything from falling in the woods to accidental shootings. Still the number is so low that it would be iresponsible to make the generalization that you do. Do be carefull in the woods, do wear bright clothing, but don't fear hunters. They are the ones who have provided the funding for your state to keep those parks and Wildlife areas open.

I have a similar kit. Many forums have gone on for months over what can be included and that plain and simple depends on your climate and area. But the best idea I have heard, and I wish I could claim it, was to use a Nalgene water bottle for your kit. A carabiner on the loop that holds the lid on and it can be attached anywhere. Light and waterproof with a bottle to treat water in. If you are near a Gander Mountain they started selling these as, Hunter in a Bottle, Survival in a bottle and Fisherman in a bottle....each with a little variation fo items in it. I sent my GPS with a friend as he canoed the boundry waters and dropped the GPS in a wide mouth water bottle. I added a Carabiner to the loop that holds the lid. He used it the whole time. Waterproof, still could see the sky, room for lots of spare batteries, protected from bounces and enough air that it would float if it became unattached. Each of the kids were supposed to have made a Personal Survival Kit (PSK) to carry as they did 80+ miles in 6 days. Gadget54