Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game IPhone Compass

Have you relied upon &/or used one to get you back on course?

The compass is really nice on the I Phone. I haven't used it yet while navigating, but I know it's there and have played with it enough to feel good about using it. I carry my phone as it's my camera. I also have OnX, and Delorme Earthmate w/maps on my phone, as well as a lot of saved images from google earth of areas I frequent. (Screenshots). (I have a delorm sat texter I bluetooth to my phone) My primary GPS is a Garmin handheld as I don't mind it getting wet and it has all the topo maps on it, as well as a million waypoints of places I've killed animals, stream crossings, etc. A smartphone is a bit cumbersome in the rain, as you need to keep it in a ziplock and worry about it getting wet, so I lean pretty hard on my garmin. I also carry a regular old compass too. Might sound a bit excessive, but I hunt solo in the rainforest in southeast Alaska, with a wife a 3 kids relying on me to bring home the bacon, so I make sure I can make it out.

Sounds like you have about a 4 layer redundancy. I am with you. I hunt alone a lot & have to rely on over-emphasizing my safety layers. One of the reasons I hunt Squirrels with a pump shotgun vs a semi-auto. I carry it with a fired shell in the chamber until the moment of need.

Anyway, I like the toolbox advantage of the iPhone. I am wondering how reliable it really is. I too carry my Garmin for most work. The phone being backup is a nice addition since I always have it at all times.

I use my iPhone compass occasionally. Seems dependable to me.
I turn the phone to Airplane more ( tech turned off ) and the compass works.

I have checked it a few Xs in places where I knew what direction was what - so far it’s
accurate.

Jerry

^^^This^^^

That’s been my experience as well.

I have used it, but would never solely depend on an electronic device to get me home. Simple is better !

I’ve got on x and of course the iPhone compass. The one I use the most though is the compass on my g shock watch. It’s just handier. I also use the barometer all the time too

I don't even use an iPhone ( I use the Star Trek inspired 'flipper phone") I even have a brand new GPS in a box from years ago...somewhere. I just don't trust it in the mountains. I have always used 2 regular compasses....one is a simple small one I wear around my neck when I'm just staying on course/hunting, another is Military Grade to get me home. Why two? Because just one "can lie to you', ha.

I have my great grandfather's brass, timber cruiser's compass and it still works on original batteries.

I use my Iphone compass to settle arguments with the wife about which direction is which......

Does it orient to magnetic or true north? And it it affected by deflection? I've never checked it against my Brunton.

I have used it, but normally I use the Gaia GPS app. Been using that for the past 4 years in Colorado, Idaho, and here in Kentucky. That app has never let me down. I also carry a regular compass just in case.

On a side note, I did loose my iphone the other day while deer hunting. Logged into icloud on my son's phone and used the lost phone feature. My phone was on silent, but the icloud has a feature that made my phone ring allowing us to find it without a lot of drama.

On the iPhone, you can set it to use true north or not. Not sure if having true north turned off means your using magnetic or grid, but I would assume magnetic.

Thanks. I checked in Settings and, sure enough, there it is. I had the true north off, so I assume it's magnetic. I'll check to confirm.

Wow. Congrats. What is the cost of winning an argument with the wife?

I look at the North Star for True North, ha. Aren't we off by 8 degrees from Magnetic North? What year was it when all the tectonic plates of the earth moved and changes our direction a bit? am I saying that right?

Now, that could get costly!

Can be right and still bs “dead right”.

DF

Ok guys, this is your big chance to school me....

I need an app to have the compass feature, correct?
What app would you guys recommend?

The iPhone compass is basically crap. Changes constantly. Good enough for a general direction, but in no way an accurate compass.

Compass, plus map, plus latest declination.

fugger just won't hold still.....

Screw the iphone- wherever mine is..... this time.

Sucker is always lost...

My IPhone experience is diff from yours & Brad’s.
I have my 2nd one now and have no intention of changing.

I’ve played with the compass that CAME in the phone and so far I’ve had
no problems. I also keep a liquid filled ‘manual’ compass in my back pack.
Sometimes batteries die in the phone (any brand).

I also use 1-3 GPS , map inc in the phone. So I’m not limited to just 1 compass.


Jerry

Not so much the change due to continental drift over a relatively short period of time, but variations in the earths magnetic field causing the magnetic poles to wander affecting the magnetic declination.

We'll all be buggered when the poles flip!

mine works great

I use my phone

I use it.

My last iPhone the compass never worked. Works fine on my current phone. I still have a real compass tied to my pack on a paracord line. And another tiny one on my watch band. .