This may sound stupid, but trying my best to get lost on purpose is how I used to train with map and compass. But not WAY stupid because I could not really get dangerously lost, all I would have to do is follow a known setting back to where I would at least hit a road in the general vicinity of where I parked.

But, I would hike in - maybe on a compass course to start with, but then just following the contours of the land- for a mile or two until I really had no idea where I was on the topo map. Then I would just take my time, orient the map, and see what landmarks I could come up with. Very hard to do in the middle of the MS woods, much easier out west. Much better land marks usually. But around here? Get the map oriented, then maybe find some streams or at least drainages and/or ridge lines, take a compass reading on them, and see if I could find some drainages/ridgelines on the map which would line up well with the ones where I was at.

Then once I felt I might have a good idea where I was, I'd mark the bearing on my map back to the truck and take off through the woods. Hopefully (usually) I'd pop out of the woods close to my truck.

This is what I call fun. And superb training. If you can find your location on the map in the middle of these woods and flat land, the mountains or out west are going to be a snap. And in the mountains with map, topo plus altimeter, things gets REAL easy. At least if you have plenty of practice when it is not dangerous. Kind of like testing your insulation and windy weather tarp pitching skills in the back yard or at a campground where you can bail if it all goes awry!

Of course, a GPS - especially loaded with maps, negates any need for all of this. Then again, I have had GPS die on me. So I still want that map and compass as back up.