Originally Posted by
Doremus Scudder
Well, in days past I regularly carried a roll of flagging tape (that's what we called it, not "ribbon") with me to mark my trail into the woods so I could easily find my way out after dark. I flagged tree branches in a "line-of-sight" pattern so that one flag was always visible from the position of another. That way, I could wander aimlessly with my camera looking for photos and not have to worry about where I was, what was the way out or getting lost. Getting back out after sunset was then simply a matter of finding a flag in my flashlight beam, walking over to it and then finding the next.
Of course, I collected my flags on the way out.
I don't know who's doing all the flagging that you're talking about, Heroique, but unless I was certain that the flags left behind were superfluous and not there for a good reason, I would leave them. I might remove one for a shot and then re-attach it afterward, but I don't think I'd want to un-mark a trail or conceal the boundary of a study area or un-mark a hazard tree, etc.
Most of those flags are there for good reasons, so unless I knew for certain that the flag had outlived its purpose (or was there for a purpose I wanted to protest - intentionally throwing a wrench into the works), I'd leave it be.
Best,
Doremus
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