Keith's back pack sounds like mine except mine has no radio and does have a pretty complete first aid kit and a Grayman 7" Maxipounder survival knife (in case getting lost is so embarrassing that I have to fall on my sword....),
The only other place besides the big woods that I have ever gotten lost is the Centro Storico (old town) of Florence, Italy late at night, somewhat drink taken. Sobered up fast but took about an hour to get oriented and back to my hotel. A LOUSY feeling. Looked into my tourist backpack back at the hotel and found....a compass!
Ever since then I have always just pretended I was in the Big Woods when in a Big City. Map and compass all the way. So people stare when you pull out a compass on a street corner in Mexico DF or Paris to be sure you are on course; so what? (They all assume we are crazy anyway. The young ones assume it's some kinda electronic gadget--"look, Grampa's checking out the Internet!" I actually heard that in Guadalajara....) It took me a couple of times to figure out that a compass DOESN'T work in a cab----DUUUUHHHHH!).
I TRY not to hunt alone any more (I'm near 67). But I'd rather die hunting alone than almost any other way.
