Trail Tape/Signs?

[Cappy]

I know of several paddle trails in the Atchafalaya swamp marked with survey ribon and reflective tape. These trails are through thick swamp and if ya stray off of them you could get hopelessly stuck between cypress knees and stumps and not find a way to pass. So in some instances they are handy, even necessary. In the old days I usta mark traps with ribon. Now adays gps has greatly reduced the ribons hanging in the swamps. A unconsidered advantage I think. Now comercial fishermen and trappers use gps waypoints to mark locations stead of survey ribbon. I still cary a roll in the boat, camper, jeep, day pack. I guess old habbits die hard.

[Barney]

It is an old way of marking the trail but sometimes it can be proven good. For example, if you're in a open area and it all looks pretty much the same, I put a visual mark of an important location. I always remove it afterwards.

[ChadTower]

Originally Posted by IndianaHiker

Have always assumed that who every put that there was long gone and just didn't clean up after themselves.

That sounds just as irresponsible as the person who put the markings there to begin with. How do you know you aren't causing someone to be lost? Yeah, they used a foolish method to mark their trail, but they did mark it, and now you may be unmarking it on them before they return. That's dangerous.

[oldsarge]

Originally Posted by ChadTower

That sounds just as irresponsible as the person who put the markings there to begin with. How do you know you aren't causing someone to be lost? Yeah, they used a foolish method to mark their trail, but they did mark it, and now you may be unmarking it on them before they return. That's dangerous.

I agree, it could be dangerous. If that marking tape is bright and new, I'd leave it be. If it's rag tag and worn, looking like it's been out there for months, maybe then I'd remove it. But still, who knows why it was put there in the first place. I chose not to use the stuff myself.

[Gondor]

Originally Posted by ChadTower

That sounds just as irresponsible as the person who put the markings there to begin with. How do you know you aren't causing someone to be lost? Yeah, they used a foolish method to mark their trail, but they did mark it, and now you may be unmarking it on them before they return. That's dangerous.

I try to clean up after other people in the woods as much as I can but sometimes I don't have the will to do it. But I will never take down what appears to be a mark of some kind.

[wvbreamfisherman]

Never used it, but in a pinch I suppose you could use the orange side of an emergency space blanket to make markers. Like everyone else here - I'd call it pretty lazy and sloppy navigation. If I had to go off-trail a short distance (say for water) and wasn't confident of finding my way back, I might try something. Otherwise it's not likely I'd need to.

[IndianaHiker]

Originally Posted by oldsarge

I agree, it could be dangerous. If that marking tape is bright and new, I'd leave it be. If it's rag tag and worn, looking like it's been out there for months, maybe then I'd remove it. But still, who knows why it was put there in the first place. I chose not to use the stuff myself.

Same thing if it is faded and has been there for some time that is when I remove it. Typically first time I see it I will leave it. If I return in days, week, months and it is still there I remove it. Mainly making a point in the post that this is not a good or safe form of navigation. If you doing this then you must be off trail. If on trail no need for it. If going off trail you really need to learn a better method of navigation to even think about bushwhacking.

[Grandpa]

Leaving markers is just a poor way to learn navigation. It's kind of building the roof before the foundation is poured. If you can't go 200 feet or so off the trail for a potty break wilthout getting lost, then maybe badmitten would be a better sport to play. And any longer bushwhacking is dangerous if you do not have navigation skills.

I should know, the birds ate my breadcrumbs and I have been lost ever since.

[ppine]

I have used flagging a lot working in the field, but of course remove it when we are finished. On some remote mine sites, I have used a degradable version that lasts a couple of weeks. I carry flagging in my hunting pack. It is very useful for marking kill sites or trails back to the truck which often have to be negotiated in the dark. It can be removed in the daylight.