Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire GPS with Maps

I enjoy hiking and hunting the Sylamore National Forest, which is located about thirty miles from my home. The majority of the land is federally owned, but there are still some small privately-owned tracts located within the forest boundaries.

I'm thinking about buying a hand-held GPS unit that displays maps on the screen. I don't know much about these units, so I thought I would ask for advice. I have an older Garmin GPS unit that shows directions and way points, but it doesn't display maps.

- Can anyone recommend a good make and model for my use?

- Can I download maps of the Sylamore National Forest or other
sites from an online source to the GPS?

- What is the approximate cost for the downloaded maps?

I have a Garmin Oregon 450 and I love it. The 450T gives you a base topo map that isnt too detailed. You can download free topos at gpsfiledepotdotcom. I dont know that those will give you private ownership however. To do that, you can buy a HuntingGPSmapsdotcom for around a hunert bucks.

I bought the Oregon 450 and have a chip for WY from GPS HuntingMaps. Really easy to use....

What is the minimum model that will accept map downloads?

I have to agree with what the others have said. I really enjoy the Garmin Oregon 450 with the GPS hunting map. It tells me everything I need to know and then some.

I've got Garmin Rinos because I like having radios as well. If you have more than one it will allow you to send you location to the other. Very handy.

Anyway, if you need maps here is a source for free topos:

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/

i never have really relied on GPS, I have an older Garmin that I mark where my truck is at and I'll mark a kill, other than that it's turned off and in my pack. I don't venture in to the woods to play with gadgets. But I sure like it for the safety aspect

IMO a GPS with a Topo map dowloaded showing BLM, State and Federal (Forest Service) Lands is the best hunting gear one can get nowadays.

The ability to show exactly where a section of huntable ground has put me on animals I would have never been in the know to get to before.

I have a basic unit that accepts SD cards. Don't need to spend much at all.

Thanks! I'll start checking into the Garmin products and the map download sites.

I think a "digital map" is the stupidest thing on earth, but having a constant update on whether or not you've trespassed on someone's land is the first good reason I've heard to carry one. Can't you get BLM maps? I realize that would be a bit more work and not quite as convienient but seems like it would work.

that would be www.huntinggpsmaps.com

I have the Garmin 76CSx and recently purchased the Hunting maps of Id, Or and Wa. It marks all state, USFS, BLM, private land, and Game Management Unit boundaries.

Check Cabela's website. I think they offer a map of California which shows not only the boundaries as I have described, but also names the property owner.

The maps are of limited use on the small display of my GPS unit. But I often place the Sd card in the computer and refer to the maps via the computer monitor or TV screen.

If you intend to use the GPS for map reading, I would advise that you shop for the largest screen dimensions and resolution available.