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I agree, the method of drawing lines on maps is egregiously flawed. Having said this, Fleming presents the material in an easy to understand format. For one, you must keep drawing lines on your map every year to change with declination. For every degree of error in calculating declination you can expext to miss your target by 1/60 of your distance travelled. She will help you to become a more confident backcountry traveller. Better to know what you are doing instead of drawing lines.
Fleming's objective is to provide a way of using a map & compass that is easy to remember as well as being not intimidating, and she achieves these results remarkably well in her book Staying Found. I have been out in the woods backpacking off-trail and have been able to use these techniques successfully, not only "staying found" but also navigating to small hidden lakes. Carol in California is lucky - in MY area, the declination is currently 19 degrees. Considering this value drifts back & forth, and that being even one degree off when you're taking your compass bearing can get you seriously lost, I think I'll stick with June's method rather than draw lines on my map that change from year to year.
I know why Fleming's readers stay found: after they set up their maps to take a bearing they are reluctant to move again.Friends of mine use Fleming's method of laying their maps on the ground and orienting everything just so before they transfer bearings to the map. I think Fleming is in love with her "main" method even though it's not very practical for the kinds of people she's addressing. This method only takes a few seconds to accomplish (as long as you don't stand on your head).
(Fleming suggests putting rocks on the map edges). In my area, there's about 1/2 degree difference so big woo. It's time-consuming and they often goof up because the darned map moves around.
To be fair, Fleming includes this method in an appendix for people who can't find a flat place (and people who maybe don't have all day to take bearings).Fleming's objection to the faster, easier method is that grid north is not the same as true north. My objection is that there is a much quicker, easier and foolproof method and other map and compass books (and compass manufacturers' handbooks) that I've seen use it: Use a compass with settable declination and when you transfer your bearing to the map, align your compass's meridian lines with the map's grid lines. You don't need to orient your map; you could be standing on your head and it wouldn't matter.
If it matters, draw lines of longitude on your map before you start. Give it up, June, and you'll have a better book.
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