Wayfinding and Spatial Reorientation by Nova Scotia Deer Hunters

Abstract

How do backcountry travelers respond to losing their way? To address this question, deer hunters were surveyed in regard to their attitudes toward various methods of recovering one’s spatial orientation. Ratings of the likelihood of adopting each of nine reorientation strategies—or advice on what to do on becoming “lost” in the woods—revealed that “climbing a tree or hill for a better view” was rated highest among alternatives. One strategy, “try to travel a straight line out of the woods,” was positively correlated with respondents’ self-reports of having been lost while hunting. Principal components analysis of reorientation strategies yielded four components, labeled “skill based” (e.g., using environmental cues to travel a straight line), “downhill” (e.g., following a stream), “perception based” (improving visual access), and “wandering” (e.g., traveling the path of least resistance). The importance of spatial reorientation to general wayfinding skill was discussed.