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How to Find Your Way Without a Compass

We’ve been focusing on survival skills here lately. When it comes to being a true survivalist you need to acquire the skills that are able to get you to safety when in a pinch. For instance, if you find yourself lost on a trail. Maybe your phone doesn’t have service and you don’t have a physical compass on hand. Fear not, G is here to equip you with a very important skill, How to Find Your Way without a Compass.

How to Find Your Way Without a Compass:

If you don’t have a compass available to you, here are some other options:

Plants

Plants will often indicate the direction of the sun as they reach for the light. Look for plants that are growing at odd angles or that are lopsided, with more vegetation on one side than the other. In the Northern hemisphere, the favored side will be directing north. In the Southern hemisphere, the favored side will be directing south.

Sunlight

Find an open area with full sunlight and secure the end of a 1-foot stick into the ground. Note where the tip of the shadow falls by marking the dirt clearly or using an object as a signpost. Wait about 5 minutes as the shadow moves and then mark where the tip of the shadow falls again. Draw a straight line between the two points: this is your direct east-to-west line. Put your feet on the markers, placing your left foot at the first marker and your right foot at the second marker. You are now facing north. This method will work whether you are in the Northern or Southern hemisphere.

A Magnetic Needle on the Water

Float a magnetized sewing needle in the water on a leaf; the needle will point north and south. You can temporarily magnetize a needle or anything else that contains iron by rubbing a straight bar or refrigerator magnet against it in one direction about 10 or more times. This will create a current that runs from one end of the needle to the other.

Have any tips to share? Leave them for us in the comments or share with us on social media using the hashtag #wildfood.

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