What does 'looks' mean here?

I decided i'd use the old pioneer way of marking time and distance; I'd go three or four 'looks', and if I still saw no sign of it, I'd turn around and go back.

Thanks in advance!

Question

What does 'looks' mean here?

I decided i'd use the old pioneer way of marking time and distance; I'd go three or four 'looks', and if I still saw no sign of it, I'd turn around and go back.

Thanks in advance!

Answer

I'm in central U.S. I have not heard this term, looks.  I have researched it for about five minutes and do not see an explanation.
From the context I'd guess it is representing a distance travelled.  A person could travel the distance to a landmark, like a tree or hill. Then travel another short distance to another landmark. Not finding what they want, they could safely return using the landmarks. 
There is a word used in some Native American cultures called, "Sleeps." It represents a unit of time meaning the hours a person sleeps. This seems similar and perhaps more research within the Native American cultures would help you.