Orienteering old fassioned style map and compass

[Timnterra]

I have purchased and returned three garmin gps units this year and Ive decided I'm done. I'm done with trying to see tiny poorly drawn ill proportioned junk maps on plastic battery powered toys. IVe purchased a few tritium lensatic compases and some good uses maps of my area. I have basic orienteering skills and can generally find my way around. But... I'm trying to teach my hunting buddy who has never used a map and compass in his life. It is hard to teach something I don't completely understand. Can any of you guys recommend a good book, video or course that would help me learn and teach orientering?
Thanks

 

[jbmabrey]

Boy scout compass course-you tube


also scout merit badge book

also look up military compass training online-army, marines whatever. map training in Germany was where I began with compass and map in 1965. Get him to practice and duplicate what you do.

I too find those small screens unfriendly. Have been to Colorado, Utah, Pa., Maryland forests and BLM lands with no problems using old fashion skills-that was before google earth. Google Earth is a great place to check the lay of the land. Now I print out pics of hunting areas and carry map/compass when hunting new areas. good luck

 

[bill123]

Boy scout compass course-you tube
Boy Scouts' Compass Course - YouTube

also scout merit badge book

also look up military compass training online-army, marines whatever. map training in Germany was where I began with compass and map in 1965. Get him to practice and duplicate what you do.

I too find those small screens unfriendly. Have been to Colorado, Utah, Pa., Maryland forests and BLM lands with no problems using old fashion skills-that was before google earth. Google Earth is a great place to check the lay of the land. Now I print out pics of hunting areas and carry map/compass when hunting new areas. good luck

Agree w small screens. I'd suggest getting a clear based compass like a silva. I prefer their system over the military style because you use the base plate as the protractor, directly on the map. The instructions that come withe a Silva compass will get you pretty far along wo having to buy a book.

 

[Timnterra]

Thanks for the advice fellas! I have several "map" compases with the clear base that I use to orient myself and pick routs through terrain. I bought the military compases to keep my bearings while moving and to see when it gets dark. I'll check out the Internet for those courses you spoke of and see what I can come up with.

 

[Packrat 6]

Timnterra
You can usually pick up a copy of either TM (Training Manual) or FM (Field Manual) Don't remember which, 6-26, US Army Map Reading and Land Navigation, online for a few bucks. Teaches not only map reading, but contours, Elevation, Triangulation, Intersection and Resection, etc. Easy to read, easy to understand. All the basics.

Was one of our training Manuals for Surveyors School when I first went into the Army. Also gets into the more complicated Compasses like the M-2 that can offset the declination constant right into the compass, and can also be used for vertical measurements. Hard to find one in Degrees, minutes and seconds, as opposed to Mils, but every so often run across one.

The illustrations for map reading are in Meters and Mils since the Army uses all metric because of the simplicity of calculating Artillery fire. But the principles are exactly the same. Just Remember that instead of 360 Degrees in a circle, there are 6400 Mils and 1 Mil is 1 Meter wide at 1000 Meters (1 Kilometer). For example, if shooting at 1000 meters (1100 Yards rough) and your round hits 2 Mils to the right, Aim 6.5Feet +/- to the left of your previous aiming point. (or 2 mils left, if your scope is set up that way)

Anyway for what it is worth.

 

[Packrat 6]

I went into one of the used book sellers last night and found that the info I gave you was incorrect. I dug out my old Army manual and it was right, but if you go into ebay or Amazon, I found 3 different TM or FM manual numbers listed so don't know which is correct. Just enter "Map reading and land navigation" though and hundreds of books pop up, including the Army training manual.


Again, for what it's worth.

Packrat

 

[JoeOU1]

Agree w small screens. I'd suggest getting a clear based compass like a silva. I prefer their system over the military style because you use the base plate as the protractor, directly on the map. The instructions that come withe a Silva compass will get you pretty far along wo having to buy a book.

I agree. I much prefer the clear Silva. Works great.

 

[WildRose]

Boy scout compass course-you tube
Boy Scouts' Compass Course - YouTube

also scout merit badge book

also look up military compass training online-army, marines whatever. map training in Germany was where I began with compass and map in 1965. Get him to practice and duplicate what you do.

I too find those small screens unfriendly. Have been to Colorado, Utah, Pa., Maryland forests and BLM lands with no problems using old fashion skills-that was before google earth. Google Earth is a great place to check the lay of the land. Now I print out pics of hunting areas and carry map/compass when hunting new areas. good luck

Exactly what I was going to suggest along with this.

Ranger Handbook.