E:
I'm not as strict with rules as you are. I call them guidelines and I don't want to apply my guidelines too strictly because that may prevent me from adapting to the current situation. I stick to the old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared". But if your rules work for you, then that's great.
I rarely return along the same route that I started on. I've never had a problem finding my way and if I return via a different route, I can cover more ground. I've never admitted that I was lost. Some times I didn't know exactly where I was, but in the end it didn't seem to matter much. I always carry a compass and USGS maps, and I recently bought a small lightweight GPS, just in case.
Knowing my own limitations is something that I am trying to learn, not always successfully. At 62 I find that I can't go as far or as fast or carry as much as I use to. It hurts my pride to admit it, but I guess it happens to all of us eventually.
I agree that knowing the hazards which we might be confronted with is important. There are many things that could fall into a category of what we should know to be good hunters and many of them are far from unique to hunting. Such as being a proficient camper, route finding, reading a map and using a compass, fire starting, field dressing an animal, wilderness survival, packing a backpack so it will ride comfortably, footcare, layering clothing, etc.
KC
