Location Marker

[doc holiday13]

Does anyone carry something like a reflective safety vest for navigation purposes?? I know a lot of times when getting off trail it can be easy to get turned around, especially if you're going down hill. Does anyone bring a hi-vis flag to mark their "start" location so they can have a reference point to look for if their stalk didn't work out or they're coming back for their gear they dropped in place? Or maybe bring biodegradable flagging tape?

Maybe I'm overthinking??

 

[RADunfee]

I guess I'm lazy. I just mark it on my OnX app. Also I usually wear an orange hat on public land and if I'm only walking 30 yards or so to check something out I will stab my trekking pole in the ground and put my orange hat on top of it.

 

[Randle]

Cheaper $2 orange bandana works for that, laying my knives and game processing stuff on, waving on a stick for signaling, prefilter water , etc.

 

[jolemons]

I always carry and then use orange surveyor tape. I fold about 20' into a tight little roll that rides in the bino harness. I find it to be useful in many situations, including an SOS or med evac type event.

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[taskswap]

I carry flagging tape but only use it occasionally while tracking. I don't know, it's not a boast or anything, but I've never felt like "that ridge looks the same as this other one". Maybe it's just because I hunt CO where even in the woods you'll often catch mile-long sightlines to very recognizable peaks or other features. In the Smokies? Totally different story!

I do keep a GPS tracker on at all times. One thing that definitely happens here is you can be standing 30' away from a trail and not be able to see it. There've been plenty of late-night-exhausted treks back to camp when I've been happy to know the slog will be easier if I just head that-way a little longer...

 

[RWT]

TP. A single sheet stuck on a branch. I also use it when blood trailing. Just drop a sheet on the ground next to the blood spot. Literally a bread crumb trail. If you do not wish to go back and pick it up that is fine as it desolves with a heavy rain. Of course there is also its intended purpose so I carry a large roll smashed down in a ziplock.

 

[Beendare]

Yep, TP or a wipe works.