Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Help decifering the advances in GPS, mapping and Smartware

10 years ago, I was pretty savvy with a GPS. I was blowing my (few) hunting partners away pulling coords and plotting them on 24K and stating "We are right here". It was comforting, but things in New Mexico were pretty basic and simple to begin with.

Now, age 40, I still use a "flip phone" which I guess makes me old and gayy according to my 14yo, and technology has really advanced.

Other than asking my 20-something co-workers about their SmartPhones and such, I am really in the dark when it comes to technology. I would like to become more educated, but the true desire and passion is not there. I don't know where to begin, and it's overwelming and I shut down pretty quick.

But there are a few situations that have come about that have left me wanting for more technology.

This spring in Idaho I found a bomber black bear. Would have been a cross canyon shot and ALMOST impossible to recover him. The range was 575 linear. Whether you think it's ethical or do-able is not the issue. I refrained as I didn't think it would be very easy to re-locate the bear, let alone recover the animal.

In speaking with a former SF co-worker, he said I could have projected a point in a smaller scale(units) the lazered distance from my known in a compass heading/bearing and "dropped a point" to where the bear was.

I grasp the concept, however, I have NO faith in the electronic compass on my current unit (Rhino 120) in being placed flat and having it track quickly like a simple liquid compass. It takes about 20 yards for it to even update a direction.

So, is the concept do-able with a different unit?

Secondly, since moving here to WA, the majority of the lands where game is are deeded/private. In attending a sportsman's show, a company sells micro-SD cards to be installed in your unit which display all land status and I think ownership?

Would be a nice feature to have, since many of the private landowner holdings are accessible re: timber lands, which would state Boise, Plum Creek, Stimpson, etc.

And lastly what about PLB type stuff? I gather that DeLorme is coming out with some type of bundle, and I've looked at it. But I just don't know what I am looking at or for. Would kill two birds with one stone, since I hunt/backpack solo about 90% of the time. A way to be tracked or send a nightly OK text would ease the mind(and purchase fee) of my wife.

Can I get any help in telling me what to shop for, or if it's available? And with so many logging roads or FR trails a map would be quite nice. Don't know how many times I have bushwacked cross country without knowing there was a road within 100 yards.

Check-out www.kifaru.net essays. Compass with basic gps and map is the reader's digest version. Works for me and I'm no techy expert.

One big difference between the Delorme In Reach and some of the other PLB/SPOT type devices is that it allows for two way text communications. Also, uses a more reputable satellite system for the communication.

Depending on what your willing to give up, new smartphones nowadays have a great ability to do what you need. For instance, i have a newer android phone and it provides me with a wide variety of apps for what i need. This paired with the gps feature helps me tremendously. Google maps gets me to where i need to go and has roads on it that i dont think are even roads anymore. Since i hunt in montana i use montana parcel app. This is a satellite view of an area. Kinda similar to google maps, but when i click on a certain area on the screen it shows me who owns the parcel and its boundaries. I also have a navionics app for lakes. it ties in with my GPS and shows me all my info of where i am on a lake my speed, and the lake contour. I found that i can change the map overlay to terrain and look at the terrain anywhere in the US. I also use this for planning my hunts in montana as i can find elevation/angles among other things. I have not yet taken my phone into the field as a carry along GPS/smartware system, but this year i might. I'll probably get a mostly water resistant case/ bag and carry it along. With the apps above i can track routes avg speed, set waypoints. Anything a traditional GPS can do plus a whole lot more. I have an extra battery for it in case mine dies, so i tihnk i am ready. My only concern for this item would be durability. Do i really want to drop my phone off a cliff or in water.... But i think the pros outweigh the chance/probability that this might happen. Also i have an app that calculates ballistics for alot, Shooter. Its ties in with GPs/weather for this also. I'm sure theres more great apps out there. If i were you i'd definetly look into this.

That would have been my next question...a Do All device. I know many can load/use ballistic apps to some phones/PDAs. That would really make a Do-All unit. I have read more on the DeLorme inReach. Still don't understand it. But the inReach coupled with an Android may be the Do-All for my purposes.

I understand you thoughts on reliability, but I think your examples would toast the standard GPS anyway.

I would really like a hands on tutor who is smarted than me and see if the unit would really work for me. I was just asking one of the new co-workers of mine about his phone and apps tonight while shooting. He is pretty impressed with his stuff, but he is not interested in using it in situations and having his life possibly depend on it.

Have a bunch of meetings today at work so when i get some free time later i'll research some apps and comapre them to the delorme. But from my experience there isnt anything a hand held gps can do that a new cellphone cant. except have easily replaceable batteries.

magtech- I'll be looking forward to any more info you can share. My wife just got a new Droid and the GPS function does appear, at face value, to be as good as most any other handheld I've used. I also like the ability to load arial photos, but does that function work when out of cell coverage? Can they be preloaded and saved? Also, do you know if it is possible to download and import shapefiles on to the phone or of an app that allows that?

I just checked out the Delorme Inreach. I thought it was just a gps but i see its an android attachemnt to send messages where cell phone coverage does not exist. I guess its a good idea but for me personally time where people cant get a hold of me is a great time.

As i try to figure out the best apps for scouting/hunting i chose to look at the best hiking apps. There are so many but i'll throw up a few. Since i'm just starting elk hunting i dont know everything but i have been hunting other things my whole life.

Like i said already i use
Montana parcel app (free) - Shows parcel size/boundaries and who owns the property

Navionics (9.99) - Its actually a fishing app that ties with gps to show you track/speed on a lake comapred to the water depth. Since it covers the whole usa i like it. You can download all maps in the area size you choose and u have them on your phone. No need to have cell service after you choose what u want to download in the app. Plus it has terrain maps that stay with the phone after D/L. Its a pretty good all around app, but beware if you choose in the setting you can save your waypoints for everyone to see online. Yes it shows roads also. I think it saves satellites views of you current screen if you close out of the app, but i think if you zoom out it doesnt save satellite view. Regualr map view and terrain view is permanent once you save it. Another meeting has been pushed up i will have to finish this later. Just search android hunting/hiking apps there are a ton out there. Let me know what you find.

Another app i use to verify general GPS information:

GPS TEST (Free) - This doesnt show gps information on a map but GPS statistics such as accuracy(in ft)/GPS Satellites/Sat strength, Cordinates/sun phase/compass/speed heading altitude/ time( local, utc, sunrise, sunset). Its pretty handy for general GPS information... and free.

I'm still looking for more but i know the general area i plan on hunting and if i plan my routes properly i can use my current apps for this. I Can see there being a big issue with battery life on a multiday trip. Most smartphones cannot go over 24 hours on a chage. Depending on apps installed it might be 12 hours. I'll carry 2 batteries and use the second one to find my way out. I am very good with locations in my head and mapping so gps really isnt a big issue for me.

Being this will be my first elk hunt in MT i'll probably learn alot about what i have/need and what could be useful in the future. If you can think about what might work for you there is probably an app for that. If not, i'm sure there can be one created for it. If you find something i'm missing let me know.

OK I am gettin old. I just cannot believe I killed my first elk just using a map and compass. I am just real glad you guys know what you are doing. I am reading and learning as fast as I can.

My fiance bought me a new Delorme / Spot combo and it is pretty cool. I've got maps that work with my old Garmin unit though, so I may sell the new one and just pick up a seperate spot unit.