Navigation Skills: Using Maps and GPS in the Wild

Finding Your Way: The Hunter’s Lifeline

You can have the best rifle, perfect camo, and all the tags in the world—but none of it matters if you can’t find your way. In the wilderness, navigation isn’t just a convenience—it’s survival.

Whether you’re chasing elk in the Rockies, stalking hogs through southern swamps, or hiking back to camp after a long sit, knowing where you are (and how to get home) is one of the most valuable skills a hunter can have.

Let’s break down the tools and techniques every outdoorsman should master—from paper maps to modern GPS apps—so you can hunt with confidence anywhere.

1. The Foundation: Reading Topographic Maps

Before GPS, there were maps—and every serious hunter should still know how to read one.

Topographic maps (or “topo maps”) show the shape of the land—hills, valleys, ridges, and creeks—using contour lines. Once you understand how to read those lines, you can visualize the terrain and plan smarter hunts.

Key Map Features

Contour Lines: Lines that connect points of equal elevation. Close together = steep terrain; far apart = flat ground.
Water Features: Streams, ponds, and marshes help orient your position—and attract game.
Manmade Landmarks: Roads, trails, powerlines, and property boundaries can help you navigate safely.
Legend and Scale: Use them to estimate distances and terrain difficulty.

Pro Tip:
Look for saddles, funnels, and bench flats—these natural features often become travel corridors for deer, elk, and other game.

2. Compass Basics: The Original GPS

A good compass never runs out of batteries, loses signal, or freezes in cold weather. It’s your best backup tool when electronics fail.

Compass Essentials

Baseplate Compass: Ideal for map use—clear, lightweight, and easy to align.
Magnetic North vs. True North: Always check your map’s declination (the angle difference between the two). Adjust your compass accordingly.
Taking a Bearing:
1. Line up your direction-of-travel arrow with your target.
2. Rotate the housing until the north arrow aligns with the magnetic needle.
3. Follow that bearing by keeping the needle centered.

Pro Tip:
Combine compass and map reading: use triangulation (taking bearings from two or three landmarks) to pinpoint your location on a topo map.

3. GPS: The Modern Hunter’s Map

Today’s GPS units and smartphone apps make navigation easier than ever—but knowing how to use them effectively is what separates a safe, smart hunter from a lost one.

Dedicated GPS Units vs. Apps

GPS Units (Garmin, Magellan): Reliable in remote areas, long battery life, waterproof.
Smartphone Apps (OnX Hunt, HuntStand, BaseMap): Offer topo overlays, property boundaries, waypoints, and offline maps.

Pro Tip:
Download offline maps before heading into areas with poor cell service. No signal? No problem.

4. Essential GPS Skills for Hunters

Marking Waypoints: Drop pins for trailheads, stands, bedding areas, wallows, or blood trails.
Tracking Routes: Let your GPS record your hike in—then follow the same line out.
Adding Notes: Save details like wind direction, animal sign, or access gates for future hunts.
Using Coordinates: Learn to read both latitude/longitude and UTM formats.

Battery Tip:
Keep devices close to your body in cold weather to prevent battery drain. Bring a power bank or solar charger for multi-day hunts.

5. Natural Navigation: When Tech Fails

Even without a map or GPS, nature gives you clues.

Directional Signs

Sun & Shadows: The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Shadows move clockwise through the day.
Moss Growth: Moss tends to grow thicker on the north side of trees (though not always reliable).
Wind Patterns: Prevailing winds can help orient you—especially in open country.
Stars: The North Star (Polaris) sits almost directly above true north in the Northern Hemisphere.

Trail Awareness

Mark your path with flagging tape, broken twigs, or GPS breadcrumbs—but remember to remove or clean up markers when you leave.

Pro Tip:
Always stop and reorient before you’re lost. If things look unfamiliar, pull out your compass, map, or GPS early.

6. Putting It All Together: Navigation in Action

Scenario 1: Backcountry Elk Hunt

You’re three miles deep in Colorado wilderness, following bugles at dawn. You mark your camp, bugle locations, and your pack-out route on your GPS. When fog rolls in, you pull up your map and compass to recheck elevation and direction back to camp.

Scenario 2: Swamp Turkey Hunt

Dense cover and flat terrain can confuse even seasoned hunters. Use landmarks—cypress knees, waterways, and sunlight angles—to maintain direction, and keep your GPS track running to guide you out when the shadows start to stretch.

Scenario 3: Late-Season Whitetail

Snow covers your boot tracks. Your phone dies in the cold. But with a paper map, compass, and a steady bearing, you still walk straight back to your truck.

That’s the power of preparation.

7. Safety First: The Golden Rules of Navigation

Always tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Bring backups: compass, paper map, and spare batteries.
Stay oriented: check your position often—don’t wait until you’re unsure.
Pack emergency essentials: fire starter, whistle, flashlight, and thermal blanket.

Final Thought: Know the Land, Don’t Just Hunt It

Navigation is more than a skill—it’s a relationship with the land. When you learn to read maps, use GPS wisely, and trust your instincts, you don’t just move through the wilderness—you understand it.

That’s what separates a good hunter from a great one.

So before your next hunt, spend an evening studying maps, dropping pins, and brushing up on compass work. Because out there, confidence doesn’t come from luck—it comes from knowing where you stand.

Plan Your Next Adventure

Looking for hunts that take you deep into the backcountry? Check out Find A Hunt for guided trips and outfitters who specialize in rugged, GPS-worthy terrain. The only thing better than knowing where you are—is knowing exactly where you’re headed.