Land Navigation
Wilderness Navigation
Knowing where you are and where you are going in the woods is very important. You must be able to direct help to your location and to navigate back to the Command Post. There are two ways of finding your location. With terrain association, compare the mapÕs features to the terrain directly and move according to the features. Or one may use a distance and a direction. Distance can be found by using the mapÕs scale, or with a pace count. On the average, about 50 paces equal 100 yards. Two steps equal one pace. To determine one's specific stride, mark of 100 yards, walk the distance and count the number of paces. One's count will vary according to the type of terrain; on the average a pace is about a yard. A mile is about 1800 paces. The squares on the topo maps are usually one square mile. Using a compass, one can easily orient the map by matching the direction the red arrow points with the north pointing arrow on the map and travel like above or according to given azimuths.
Compass
On most compasses the red end of the needle points North, the orientating arrow is on the rotating plate and has parallel lines beside it, and the direction of travel arrow always points the way you wish to go. To move from Location Ann to Bob given an azimuth or bearing: 1) turn the dial till the given number is aligned with the direction of travel arrow, 2) align the red end of the needle with the orientating arrow (or the parallel lines) by rotating your body (assure the red end is over the orienting arrow), and 3) the direction of travel arrow now points to the given azimuth so travel in that direction to get to Location Bob. To determine a direction (azimuth) using a map from Location Ann to Bob: 1) place the center of the compass needle (the pivot) on Location Ann, 2) rotate the baseplate till the direction of travel arrow points to Location Bob, 3) rotate the dial till North (360¡) on the dial matches the mapÕs North, and 4) read the azimuth at the direction of travel arrow.
Maps
Several different maps may be used in a search. A plat or a township and range map divides the land into squares of townships (6 mile sides) and Sections (1 mile sides), thus each township has 36 sections. Next each section is divided into quarters (NE, SE, SW, and NW). Topo maps also have these divisions, give elevation and greater detail. Search areas are usually defined by section. Specific directions and distances can be given in relation to terrain features, azimuths from features or the Command Post, or from the corners of the sections. For the corners method, remember RIGHT and UP. Give the section, measure the horizontal distance from the bottom left corner of the section then measure the distance up from that point. Communicate this by stating the section, distance right, and the distance up. For example, ÒSection 21, bottom corner, 500 feet right, 1200 feet up.Ó
TRP
Target Reference Points: designated locations on the map to help assist in communicating a specific location in the field. TRP's are often road junctions, buildings, creek deltas, or such obvious features.