Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game GPS recommendations

I’m making a list of all the possible [bleep] I want to get for hunting before I retire. Im damn near done and all I need to buy is a good pack and a GPS. I got the pack picked out for Santa but I’m needing input for a GPS. I’m looking for a simple,solid accurate and easy to use GPS. Just for hunting to get me in and out reliably and mark a few locations. I don’t need something to drive with,order pizza or call in an air strike. Solid, easy and dependable. Thanks.

Any of the low end Garmins should suffice. KISS and maybe look for battery longevity. Unlike a phone, they will not cost one several $$ a month when they're not needed.

Don't need maps etc as our group pretty much uses them to mark locations for mid-woods meetings, returning to downed game, sending others to prime locales, or finding camp/rig in inclement weather or dark. That being, I pack one in places like Alaska's flatlands, but don't often turn it on. Would also be handy in central Oregon's essentially level pine forests, but I don't hunt there.

Do thoroughly learn how to operate one, however, before there is a serious need. I've used 5 grand Trimbles for work, but the lowest end Garmin Etrex more than suffices for my recreational needs.

After reluctantly being forced to leave DeLorme products after Garmin bought them, I have a Garmin 64ST with their hunt maps installed (offered by state). $223 on Amazon today. Works fine.

Thanks fellas. Never delved into the GPS world but figured it was time. Been running by Sylvan compass,maps and good old fashioned familiarity for years. But,with retirement and hopefully more time coming with that I will hopefully hunting some new turf. So, having a GPS to back up my compass and maps will hopefully have me making it home for dinner. Also I found a decent site for tops maps if you are interested. Not sure if you’re aware of it but you can PDF or order them.
It’s. Anyplaceamerica.com. Easy peasy for decent maps in a pinch.

I've only owned and/ or used the Garmins- eTrex Vista, GPSMap 76csx, Oregon 550t (current), and one of the Montana series (used at work, don't remember the model # but i think it was the 680T). Out of all of them the Vista and Oregon are my favorites. They are compact and easy to use. I've been using the Oregon for hunting, fishing etc the past couple of years for hunting and fishing. I really like it because it is compact, fits in the side pocket of my bino bivvy, easy to use, intuitive, has a camera, and the batteries last a long time. With lithium batteries I can leave it on all day with tracks enabled for 3-4 trips on one set of batteries. I don't like the Montana because it eats up batteries and is not as easy to use/ intuitive as the others. Cabelas is having a big sale on Garmins according to a recent flyer I received in the mail.

PDF topos are free for download from a USGS site. Excellent maps with an aerial photo beneath if one turns off the topo layer.

Even have the USFS and BLM road numbers.

Coverage for the entire nation has been free and available for about 15+ years.

USGS map locator link

One can select and download older versions as well. Some of the older topos depict horse trails etc that have been abandoned or are no longer maintained by the agencies.

Many commercial entities across the nation have downloaded same, maybe change one line of code in the file header, and then market them to the public at probably a 99% profit.

Either a Garmin Oregon 600, or 64s. If you shop around and take your time either can be found for about $200 on sale. Some of the less expensive versions are lacking, the more expensive versions have other options like camera's and built in 2 way radio's. Some expensive versions have bigger screens, but don't do anything the Oregon 600 or 64s don't do as a GPS.

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-GPSMA...mp;sr=8-4&keywords=garmin+oregon+600

They are very similar in performance, but the Oregon is touch screen while the 64s uses buttons. The 64s also has an external antenna which is supposed to pick up satellites a little better in heavy cover. Supposedly more rugged too, but the Oregon has a slightly bigger screen and lots of people are used to touch screen. Touch screen doesn't work with gloves. You'll be more likely to find the 64s at a better price too.

My wife and I volunteer for a SAR team and I have one of each. In reality I can't tell any difference in performance. We use both on searches to document exactly where we've searched and I use one or the other when hunting or hiking. I don't really have a preference. On searches we often don't have access to maps. Get a call at 10PM and hit the woods in a place I've never been at midnight for an all night search. Probably because of the value for the dollar I see more 64s's being used by others on searches than everything else combined. Some state agencies have the use the Rino. But I don't know anyone paying for their own that goes that expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-3-Rin...&sr=8-5&keywords=garmin+rino+750

I've never needed mine to get home. Instead I use mine more often to lay down tracks of where I've walked each day and download them onto my computer at the end of the day. Combined with Google Earth they are a great scouting tool. And while I don't need it to get home, it does often show me a quicker easier route to get where I'm going.

The unit is basically useless until you download some maps for it. There are some free maps that work great for many states. In other places you'll have to pay. I have all of the Southeastern states for free and found a free one for a search we did in Indiana. I had to pay $80 to get one for Colorado though.

OnX/ SmartPhone

$30

Anybody use a Garmin rino? Which model?

Great information guys. Thanks a lot
Not sure I’d be big on touch screens. I used my iPhone a little this year just to look on the map app and as soon as a little water got on the screen it was useless. Wouldn’t read my finger at all. Maybe a gps is different but it was frustrating

I started carrying a GPS (Garmin Oregon) this year, but didn't really use it much. It did come in handy once when I took off down an unfamiliar drainage at dusk thinking it would come out at the road, but it veered off to the south instead. Once I got a ways down the drainage and realized something wasn't right I fired the GPS up and realized I was 1/2 mile from where I thought I was. No big deal and nothing I couldn't have figured out with my ever present compass but it was nice to just look at the screen. I still used my compass to hike directly north from there but the GPS could have helped there too.

Wet fingers isn't an issue on the Oregon, but battery life is. I am still undecided as to whether carrying one is needed or just nice. With the Onyx chips they are a huge help in checkerboarded land or when close to unmarked borders.

Does it work when you don't get cell service?

I believe the OnX map app works with the phone on airplane mode, so service is not needed.

I can barely figure out how to make a call, ket alone download and use an app, so I will stick with a compass and the occasional use of my Garmin oregon.

Correct. With downloaded maps, you don't need cell service. The GPS chip in the phone can work without cell service.

I have both OnX and a GPS. I use it and like it, BUT there's no possible way that I'll know what saved maps I'll need when "No Service" pops up. I was just with some guys that swore by OnX....until we ran out of service. Then, they swore at OnX. Not bad-mouthing OnX--it just has limitations like any technology.

I am not following you fremont.....it has been established that you don't need cell service for the OnX app to work.

What service are you referring to? Are you referring to when you need to load new maps?

My understanding is that OnX works with no cell service if you have saved maps. What happens if you haven't saved maps? With something like Garmin's HuntView (with no cell service), you see public vs. private boundaries but with nowhere near the detail that you get with OnX (assuming you have cell service or have saved the maps). I personally don't want to be screwed because a) I don't have cell service and b) forgot to save the maps I'll need (with the majority of the time I'm not exactly sure where I'll end up by the end of the day).

iPhone is your best bet. Second place isn't even close.

Gotcha.

Thanks!