How to run a course
- 1Orient the map and locate the start (the triangle); read the course — controls in order to the finish (double circle).
- 2For each leg, plan a route — not always a straight line; pick handrails (trails, streams, fences) and an attack point near the control.
- 3Take a bearing for the parts where you must navigate across open terrain.
- 4Aim off when heading for a control on a linear feature: deliberately aim to one side so that when you hit the trail or stream you know which way to turn.
- 5Navigate to your attack point first, then make the short, careful final approach to the control.
- 6Punch or record the control, confirm it's the right number, and move to the next.
- 7Keep track of where you are continuously — count off features as you pass them; if confused, stop and relocate before pressing on.
When to use it
- The Orienteering merit badge and orienteering meets and clubs.
- Practicing real navigation under time pressure — the best way to get good at map and compass.
- Skills that transfer directly to backcountry route-finding.
Common mistakes & safety
- Stay found — don't run yourself lost. Speed without knowing where you are is how orienteers (and hikers) get badly off course; navigate first, run second.
- Aiming off prevents the worst mistake. Hitting a trail and not knowing whether the control is left or right wastes huge time — aim to one side on purpose.
- Attack points keep small errors small. Navigate to a big obvious feature near the control, then do a short final leg — better than hitting a tiny control from far away.
- Know the course boundaries and safety bearing. Most events give a "safety bearing" (a direction that leads to a road or boundary) for anyone who gets lost — know it before you start.
- Check in at the finish. Events track who's still out — always report in so no one is searched for needlessly.
- Add time for every compass check and don't rush decisions — a few careful seconds beats minutes of backtracking.
Going deeper
- The control description. A little symbol card tells you exactly what feature each control is on — the boulder, the stream bend, the reentrant — so you're looking for the right thing, not just the right circle.
- Handrails and catching features. Navigate along an obvious linear feature (a "handrail") when you can, and use a "catching feature" beyond the control (a road, a lake) that tells you if you've gone too far.
- Score-O and other formats. Orienteering is a game the whole troop can play at different levels — from a beginner "string course" to advanced cross-country.
Official source
How to use a map and compass — Scout Life →Orienteering is its own merit badge — see the Orienteering merit badge pamphlet and Orienteering USA for course details.