This afternoon I got a chance to see how well a cellphone works as a signal mirror. It is something I've never tried before.

My son, a friend and I went deer hunting today on our farm. My son and the friend were on one side of a deep valley and I was on the other. I could see them but they could not see me even though they had a good idea of where I was and I was waving my hunter-orange cap and wearing a hunter-orange vest. They were sitting along a tree line about 800 feet away from my location n heavy woods and brush.

Using the cellphone (which is covered in a protective case that's got a layer of plastic that protects the glass) I went to work.

Once I found a patch of sun not filtered by branches, I lined up the reflection to go between two fingers on my outstretched left had. I quickly found that holding the corner of the phone just under my eye was considerably more accurate. I also noticed that I could see the flash on the tree I was sitting against, so I lined up so that I could see the flash on the tree right next to where they were across the valley.

"Wow" was my son's first text message. The friend asked my son "What did he do THAT with?" He was amazed it was a cellphone and said he never would have thought of that. So, not only did I find out it works, I shared the knowledge I've learned from this forum.

My son said it was amazingly bright and very obvious. He flashed me back and he was right: Even thought it was not a mirror it reflected enough light to draw attention if someone is looking for you.

We proceeded to hunt -- but I was sure to keep the oak between me and them.

It is nice to know that it works.