A presentation on the use of map and compass for hiking will be hosted on Monday evening, July 16 by Sportsmen’s Campfire. The event will be held at Stillwater Coffee Company north of Elkhorn.
Many who hike or hunt use a GPS or even their cell phone for navigation. These are useful tools, but both are dependent on battery life and having signal. Knowing how to use a compass can help these sportsmen and women “stay found”. Especially when used with a topographical map, they can help plan the best route of travel or find your way back to the car.
The program will demonstrate the basics of using a compass and challenge participants with some simple exercises to try it themselves. They will learn how to take and follow a bearing, use bearings to determine their location on a map, and use offsets to arrive at a destination.
In addition, a representative from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be on hand to discuss trails in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine Forest.
Sportsmen’s Campfire is a program to help newcomers learn about hunting and fishing in an informal social setting. Not everyone grew up in a family where these skills were passed along. Yet there are many parents or other adults, young or old, who wish to get involved but don’t know how to begin. Sportsmen’s Campfire is for those adults or families who want to try these activities and seek some guidance in getting started.
For each meeting, a handful of sportsmen will be on hand to introduce you to skills and discuss what you need to know about equipment and technique to get started. Just as many current sportsmen learned “around the campfire” with family, this is an opportunity to learn from others who welcome new people to enjoy these outdoor activities.
Sportsmen’s Campfire plans to host other meetings relating to hunting and fishing activities. Their initial event in early June was an introduction to fishing. Other topics planned for the remainder of the year include where to hunt or fish, archery equipment, game species and firearms used for each, scouting for your hunt, conservation and the sportsman, and ice fishing.
The next Sportsmen’s Campfire will be Monday, July 16 at 6:30 PM at Stillwater Coffee Company, 1650 N. Country Club Parkway, Elkhorn, WI. Doors will open about 6:00. Come join us “around the campfire” and enjoy a beverage from Stillwater Coffee while learning outdoor skills! There is no charge for the meeting, but cost of beverage is left to the individual.
For questions, please contact either DNR Conservation Warden Mike Katzenberg at Michael.katzenberg@wi.gov or Bob Burton at reb@elknet.net or 262-215-4752.
