GPS for hunting

ORoutdoorsman · 01-05-2004, 10:12 PM

I was wondering how many people use those hand held GPS' for hunting.

Chromaflage · 01-05-2004, 10:19 PM

GPS with compass for hunting, fishing, driving, geocaching.

ORS

Rauly · 01-05-2004, 10:19 PM

I did in Alaska, but have not down here. I probably will some day. They are a good idea, especialy trying to navigate at night or in new terrain.

Rauly

MasterCaster · 01-05-2004, 10:47 PM

I used mine some this season and it was a wonderful thing. Instead of backtracking my way out of the areas I didnt know all that well I just used the GPS and made a big loop. One thing you want to be sure of though is knowing your way out if the GPS goes dead. I had mine stop working for a short period of time when the battery connection messed up. If it had went dead in a place I didnt know my way out of it could have been a bad situation. Dont go into a new area with only your one hand held GPS to help you find your way. Make sure you have a compass or some other way of finding your way out.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

ORoutdoorsman · 01-06-2004, 06:45 AM

I know knowing how to navigate your way back is the most important thing,I justthink that would be a handy tool for marking area of interest. Perhaps a good draw or filed where you might want to check later, or next year. I just wondered what people experiences have been thus far.

Bait O' Eggs · 01-06-2004, 07:31 AM

A GPS has completely changed the way I hunt.

I dont like to spend time hunting thru and area I have already covered. For those that get off the road

they usually park, walk a direction, then walk back the same direction they went meaning they covered the same ground twice. Nothing is perfect but we attempt to do the following. We have gone to parking a truck at one place, setting a way point, driving around to another spot twice as far as we would have done from a single parking spot, effectively covering twice as much ground as we hunt from one truck to another.

Where we hunt in the Ochoccos, we camp in a central area, drive a distance away and we can come off of several ridges and hunt to camp. Never going thru the same area twice as we try to cut a herd of elk.

After being in an area several times I find the GPS just extra weight because I know where I am because I have been there before, but when you have never been in an area before I find great confidence in knowing I am headed in the right direction.

Several times I would have had no idea how far it was from where I am to where I am trying to get to, and it is nice to know when you have 2 miles yet to go, and then look at how much daylight you have left and set an appropriate pace, ... or check the batteries in the flashlight

I usually have a good sense of direction but have been turned around a couple times, especially when I get in timber and it is overcast. Cant see far enough to get any land marks, and have walked circles a few times and once came out the wrong end of the canyon about 6 miles from the truck :blush: I have known a couple people who have gotten turned around in this canyon because it is open at each end the terrain and creek looks the same going out each end. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] Of course a simple compass would remedy that problem

A GPS doesnt do you much good without a compass. When you hit goto and it tells you to go 2.56 miles at 77 degrees, if you dont know which way 77 degrees, ... you have a problem. Of course you can just keep checking your distance and if the angle isnt changing and the distance is getting smaller you are headed the right direction.

The first time I used a GPS was on a hunt in Idaho that we had no idea where we were. We were on a high ridge and were looking down a canyon that looked like something off the east side of the Steens, :shocked: we wanted to go down this canyon but didnt want to come back up it. We set a waypoint and took a compass reading towards the bottom of the canyon where a road was about 8 miles away. We did the 30 mile loop and keep parking in each creek and taking a reading to the way point we set while at the top of the canyon. When we finally got the reading we were looking for we were pretty confident we were parked in the bottom of the canyon we wanted to come out of. (it was our first GPS experience and didnt have a lot of confidence) We drove back to the top of the hill and dove into the canyon, when I stepped on the road in the bottom of the canyon I could see the truck. Been packing one every since.

Everytime I find an elk wallo I mark it so I can get back to it. I use to have so many points marked I couldnt tell them apart when I could only use 8 letters to label them. The new Garmin 76smap lets me use like 15 letters so I dont have to abbreviate so much. Some of those old names like BCQDWALO meant Black Canyon Quad Wallo, it was an elk wallo near an area we could get a quad to when we wanted to check for fresh elk sign.

[ 01-06-2004, 08:35 AM: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]

Hanapa'a Time · 01-06-2004, 08:59 AM

Have used one for several years, beats miles of flagging tape to pack out elk. :whazzup: We also used them ,this year, to find a shorter pack out by driving around to a lower road and cutting the pack in half (twice, two different bulls). :grin:
Am looking at the Sportrak Topo for my next unit

Kurt

[ 01-06-2004, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: KGS ]

35WLN · 01-06-2004, 04:05 PM

I hunt an area of about 8 square miles and am familiar with it. Currently I use my gps for marking wallos, hidden meadows and where I find elk or deer. I mark these on my topo maps and you would be surprised at the things you can learn.

Snapset · 01-06-2004, 08:38 PM

KGS, I own, use and enjoy the Sportrak Pro with the Topo. Fire me a PM if you want the cheapest place I found to buy it.

TAILOUT · 01-07-2004, 07:42 AM

My brother and I used one this year in the Snake R unit and it saved us a whole lot of hiking. I am pretty good with directions but sometimes I go a little out of my way to get back to where I want to be, when the country is as big as it is up there it saves you alot of energy thus allowing you to go further and in to spots you wouldnt otherwise. I also like the fact that having it allows me not to worry when I am in really far, which in turn keeps my head were it belongs which is hunting, not, how am I going to get out of here.

StinkyFish · 01-07-2004, 09:37 AM

I also use the Magellan Sport trak pro with the topo program downloaded into it. This is an excellent tool and I have been very happy with it not only in the woods but also on the boat

Don Becker · 01-07-2004, 12:34 PM

Bait O' Eggs, I also use the GPS map76S . . . it replaced my old Magellan Trailblazer XL. This was the first year that I really got pretty serious about trying to use and learn all of the features of the 76S over the old unit.

I, like you, also do not like backtracking over ground I've already covered. We also plan a lot of hunts where we position a vehicle and hunt through to it or back to camp.

One thing and I was REALLY HAPPY about, with the 76S is its ability to either hold satellite reception in the timber or, if left on, quickly re-locate itself. The XL was useless for this. After first obtaining 3D reception, I was able to place the 76S into the chest pocket of my bibs (upright - - pointed upwards, or course) and I was pretty impressed with how often it would actually hold reception. And, when it had lost reception, I was very pleased with how quickly (once I found a bit of a break in the canopy) it "found itself again." Now, if I had shut it off, getting reception again took a little more patience than I generally have. 'Course, if the timing was right, I could let it do its thing while I took care of other important business (e.g., take a dump . . . ).

Don

[ 01-07-2004, 01:37 PM: Message edited by: Don Becker ]

salmurai · 01-07-2004, 08:20 PM

I use one too, but don't leave home without your compass. Sure beats flagging tape for marking spots and getting back to where you want to be, like maybe a kill site, or camp, or your rig, or..... the list goes on and on......

Bait O' Eggs · 01-07-2004, 08:35 PM

Don - this was my first year with the map76S and really like it.

How accurate is your built in compass?? I have calibrated it several times by turning 2 circles but it is still off about 5 degrees +/-. I kept comparing it to my compass and it was close but not quite a perfect match. I set a waypoint on top of a mountain and drove about 5 miles away so I could still see where I set the waypoint and hit goto and let the arrow point to the waypoint and it was pointing off to the left about 5 degrees??

As I get close to my waypoint that 5 degrees is negligable and it just keeps getting to be a smaller and smaller error as I get closer, but dang it should point to where I want to go.

Maybe it was where I was hunting, I only tested it in Central Oregon where we were hunting. :whazzup:

eokid · 01-07-2004, 08:45 PM

My GPS is my best friend while hunting. Once you use it for a while you will find all kinds of reasons to take it along. I use a very basic Magellan 315...I bought it because it is easy to use and was affordable.

A GPS comes in handy for so many things. Finding that game crossing again; finding your stand in the dark; or, all those times you came out to the road you drove down (maybe??) - now which way is that darned pickup? With a GPS, you can find your way back to the deer/elk you killed; you know where you are while tracking a wounded animal; you can link up with your partner(s) without having to walk all the way back to camp; or find your way when snow/fog/dark sets in; etc., etc.

A GPS makes all of these way easier with less walking (and much less second guessing). A good map, a compass and extra batteries are a must - just in case. While I personally like my Magellan and find it very user-friendly, find a GPS that is easy for you to understand and use. Use it before you go hunting: While driving down the road, or taking a hike around the home place, etc. This way you are confident with it before you have to depend on it. Hope this helps.

Good luck, and many happy returns!! :smile:

Don Becker · 01-08-2004, 07:00 AM

Bait O' Eggs, the digital compass is one of the features that made my decision to get the 76S. But, I am, basically, reserving that for back-up and using my regular compass as primary. So, I really have no input re it's accuracy at this point. I assume that you've properly set your declination/varience. Another big feature, for me, with the 76S is the barometric altimeter . . . I'm SOOO happy with that! The altimeter on my old Magellan Trailblazer XL . . . well, I never noted it to be anywhere near correct, based on satellites. It was always way off.

Now, if I could just get my hunting partners to carry and use the GPS's they have! 'Course, theirs are "cheapie" models and nowhere as good as the 76S. Anyway . . . .

Don

chummer · 01-08-2004, 09:45 AM

If you're thinking about getting one and have a boat or are intending to get a boat, seriously consider the magellan meridian marine GPS unit. Already has your navigation markers installed and you can download topographic software onto it for hunting, kind of a dual purpose unit. My boat does not leave the trailor w/o it, esecially at the coast in fog.

tailchaser · 01-08-2004, 12:11 PM

The one thing I can't stress enough is the use of the compass coordinated with the GPS. When I'm in timber wanting to find my way back to a truck or camp I'll find an opening in the canopy and get a reading with an accurate degree on where I want to go. I'll set the dial on my compass and go for it. Anytime you want to double check your path just lift up the compass for a quick check. Every hour or so I'll find a spot to get satellites again and change any angles if needed. It's very simple and you never have to worry about loosing satellites and direction this way.

One common mistake with hunters who don't trust them is they don't realize that it needs 3-4 sats (minimum) to give you an accurate reading. I was talking with an old timer who wanted to throw his away because it was telling him to go in one direction and he knew camp was in the other. I looked at the sat. readings and he only had 2, thus there was no lock on his position and as soon as he hit the timber it would go wacky. I showed him the compass trick and waited for the proper signals and he was on his way.

tc

mcknerkneykak · 01-08-2004, 06:20 PM

Can you get by without a GPS?--Sure. The old map and compass trick will do the trick every time.---Can you get by without a computer?-- Sure. We did it all our lives . Can you get by without a 4x4 pickup?---Sure. In the 50's and early sixty's few people had them. You put some weight in the back , chained up, shoveled your way to wherever you wanted to get.-----GPS's are a convenience.---Personally, I wouldn't leave home without it.

kodiakfisher · 01-08-2004, 11:30 PM

I would highly recommend any of the Magellan units. All GPS's do pretty much the same basic things. It is the customer service that sets them apart from on another.

I have had two experiences with the customer service at Magellan. One my fault and another a firmware problem. both times problem has been resolved withing a week, along with some "extras" thrown in the box when I got it back.

They are invaluable tools to have in the woods or on the water. They are no substitute for being prepared with a map and compass. I lost mine while chasing elk and taking a dive over a log. When I finally gave up the chase and stopped to figure out where I was, I was minus one GPS. Had to use map and compass to find my way out. Made it back right at dark only a little unsettling because of the severe temp drop expected that night normally I would just bivy out for the night and hunt back to camp in the A.M but not with temps in the teens.