Anyone use a GPS?

[357MAGNOLE]

Anyone use a GPS while scouting new areas? I'm looking at hunting some new land this spring that covers a massive area and I'm thinking a GPS might not just be beneficial but also helpful in getting back out.

I have no clue where to start on them though.

[davisd9]

I use a Bushnell back track


Sent from the Strut Zone

[redmag]

I bought one a few years back thinking I could use it here in the NF.  Truth is, the dang thing is too smart for me.

[Fullfan]

When I first started hunting the Mark Twain in Missouri I always took a GPS. and several times I was glad I had it. When I get to chasing a gobbling bird I pay very little attention to where I am going. But after 25 years of hunting the same ground ( which is huge) I have learned how to get around. Every now and again I will find a old log road this I did not know was there.

I have also used Bing maps to look at satellite images, it helps hunting elk in Idaho

[wvmntnhick]

I've got two different units. One is a garmin eTrex H and the other is a garmin astro 220. The astro is used while hunting my dogs. It helps me keep track of their location as well as get me back to the truck if needed. When we first started hunting the public land, I'd get turned around quite often. The garmin was a life saver. Been in ther long enough that I don't need it now but still nice to have in case I venture into some other part of the property. I hunt with a couple friends that are much more in tune with geography than I am. One guy I turkey and deer hunt with quite often. The other I used to get to hunt and fish with quite often when I lived closer to that area. Still try to get to his camp once a year. Been going there since 1998. Until last year he'd ask if I knew what direction the camp was in. I'd always point to where I thought it was and he'd start laughing and say he'd race me back then start off in another direction. Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of a good handheld GPS unit. Just figure out what bells and whistles you need. If just looking to get back to the truck, get the bushnell backtrack. If you want to program waypoints, I'd look at a used eTrex. If you need a color screen, garmin has tons of other options.

[MK M GOBL]

I have used several GPS on my "Out of State" hunts, great for marking, locating and finding your way in & out when its dark and unfamiliar ground. I also been able to share these spots with buddies when they are heading out too. I will say Garmin is the easiest units I have used. I like the touch screen versions, runs like a smartphone. Look for a unit with the topo already installed, later you might want other maps but you will have a map for the whole U.S. I skipped the camera feature. I always have my cell and a camera along. New units will have a 3 axis compass option as well. Garmin's web site is a great source to help you narrow it down.

MK M GOBL

[turkey_slayer]

I use backcountry navigator on my phone. Works awesome and doesn't need a signal. Battery life is really good in airplane mode

[kyturkeyhunter4]

I got a bushnell that I use to scout deer and turkey on public ground pretty handy little tool to have if you hunt a alot of public ground.

[tha bugman]

Garmin 62S. = game changer


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[Tail Feathers]

I use an old Magellan GPS.  Probably 15 years old or so, but it still works.  Everyone says Garmin and I saw one in use last week that was the cat's arse.
A GPS is a handy thing to have in new territory, especially where a cell phone won't work.

[R AJ]

I am a recently retired  forester and I prefer the Garmin units as far as ease of operation, map coverage,and support . These things can mark any turkey sign that you find, get you back to your truck if you first mark your truck position, etc. and much more.Then if you have Google Earth or some equivalent on your phone you can download your position. A map, compass, good flash light, mirror, GPS , and cell phone are worthwhile items to have with you, especially if you hunt alone.

[USMC0331]

I use my phone

[silvestris]

I carried and extensively used a GPS in conjunction with a UTM outlined Topo map.  I was constantly going back and forth between the GPS co-ordinates and the map to determine where I was, where the gobbler was and the best way to get position on him.

I now only use the "Topo Maps" app by Phil Endecott ($7.95, I believe) on my iPhone.  You can download any USGS topographical map in the US.  It shows you where you are on the map.  You can mark waypoints and give them useful names.  You can measure distances and determine compass headings.  You can use either UTM or regular latitude/longitude co-ordinates.

My only complaint with the app is that you can't draw property boundaries (I get around that by placing waypoints at the corners; not perfect, but workable).  I carry a rechargeable battery in case my battery gets low.

There may be better apps, but for my hunting and the sole complaint, I wouldn't know how to improve Topo Maps.

[dirt road ninja]

I did get one this fall to help learn new leases quickier and plan on using it this spring.

[Kilchis]

We hunt some pretty rough country, sometimes in teams and sometimes separately.  The nearest ranch houses can be 8-10 miles away and it can be miles between cell chances.  As old guys, our GPS units can be pretty handy, like giving the user the shortest route back to the truck or camp.  Additionally, if one of us goes down and can raise a partner on a radio, we can give a precise location instead of having to resort to, "You know that ridge where we saw the wolf tracks 3 years ago?  Well, from there go two canyons west, and then..."

The able party can enter the injured guy's coordinates and go right to him, or go find a cell hit and vector in additional help.