GPS question

[strum]

I have never used one so im in the dark here. anyone have some advice on which one to use?
what I want is something simple and can get me to the stand and back to the truck.

[trashedback]

I've used a few different kinds and if you hunt in remote areas it's hard to get enough satalights to lock in to mmake them work. A few years ago I tried the Bushnell Go Back and have been more than pleased with it!!!! It's really simple to use and very accurate at getting you right back to the spot you started at. Mine only has 3 lock ins but that is more than plenty for a days hunt. Check Ebay and you'll probable get a grewat bargain.....I did. hope this helps. Oh, asnd it has a light mode for walkinjg at at dark or going in the dark....just follow the little arrow!!!!!

[Bullzeye]

Interesting, I purchased the go back a while ago figuring its all I needed and really liked the simplicity of it but ended up bringing it back due to very poor accuracy. Maybe mine was a bum unit.

[Pydpiper]

We use a TrackBack when we can find it, that unit replaced our Garmin Rino.
Now I just use my phone, has a great GPS unit built in for the odd times when I am out of a cell zone, but when in a cell zone it will access Google earth, you can even see the deer trails through the woods.
My one and only paid app is "Back Country Navigator", it works on and off cell reception. layers topographic maps with many others, seperates WMU's, shows every log trail and beaver dam around, worth the few bucks I paid for it.

[BravoKilo]

What about a few topo maps and a compass?

Never have tried a stand alone unit, but have tried various apps on my phone, including a few paid apps. Of the bunch, my favorite is 'MyTracks'... definitely not the most feature-rich app out there, but quite simply it works. Even if you cannot get a data connection to pull map data (i.e. satellite photos), you can still get back simply using the bread crumb trail it generates for you -- just your trail on a blank background but it works. Some of the other feature-rich apps will allow you to download local maps ahead of time to help cut down on data transmission, but I've found most of them too cumbersome for what I need. Best part is it's free.

Another nice feature is the ability to share and upload your tracks to Google Maps and the like. Allows me and my hunting buddy to mark trails and stands to share with each other. Sure beats the "walk 100 paces down this trail until you see a moss-covered log, turn east and walk another 50 paces, etc.." method we were using before

Ultimately, the best option will depend on the types of areas that you hunt. In northern MI where I hunt, it is still relatively populated and I could probably hit a main road by walking a mile in any direction. Makes the consequence of getting lost a lot less than some of you who might be packing it in quite a ways.

[strum]

thanks guys. I have always used the bright eye method to find my stand in the morn and walk out..
most places I hunt I don't need them..i know the land so well I can get out blind folded.
this new property is very mountainous and some thick stuff to boot so you can get turned around pretty easy in the dark. I got my trail to my tree marked for in the morn so im good but I always wanted to try a GPS.

[Dash]

Hey strum, I've used many over the years for prospecting. Garmin and Magellan are still the 2 main brands as far as rugged hand held units go. The more you pay the more bells & whistles you get, but not necessarily more accurate. If you don't need maps, and only want to save and name waypoints, check distances,save your tracks, backtrack etc, you can get one on ebay pretty cheap.
Its when you get into the complicated mapping units that the price goes up a notch. Although I like mapping, at the end of the day its not usually necessary for most of what I do. Remember if someone trys to sell you a phone with GPS, the majority of them use the phone signal to triangulate position than true satelite GPS. So double check its stand alone GPS if your using it out of phone range.

[Kegbelly]

X2 on the Garmin handheld GPS units. I have a Vista HCX. Its about 3-4 years old now and I have been extremely well pleased with it. If it isn't standard by now on all Garmin units, try to look for one with the 'high sensitivity' GPS chip, it makes a difference. I turn mine on in the truck on the way to wherever I'm hunting, it takes less than a minute to acquire the satellites, and it rarely, rarely ever loses the signal. Under heavy cloud cover, pouring rain, under heavy canopy, down in the deep 'hollers' as we call them, in a metal shooting house, stuffed in my backpack on the trail, in my living room, it has signal. Battery life is fantastic, too, I can use it two consecutive days of daylight-to-dark hunting with the tracking feature on with fresh batteries. Granted I'm not constantly fiddling with it, that will run your batteries down faster just like anything else. I've though about moving up to the new larger screen touch-screen units, and if I were to buy one today that's probably what I would be looking at. Those were still fairly new when I bought the Vista and therefore still pretty pricey, and I just couldn't swing it, but like any technology the price has come down a lot since I bought mine.
One really cool feature is you can turn the tracking on, then save your tracks and waypoints you've marked and download them into google earth and look at where you've been. One day I rode the 4wheeler around all day and mapped out all our hunt club trails and fields and marked and labeled everything, then downloaded those tracks and waypoints into a google earth satellite image of our club, then had that image blown up into a 18x24 poster print at wally world. It's now our club map and sign-in board. Anyhow I love mine, I would buy it again.

KB

[Mo wannabe]

X3 on the garmin. 100 bucks or less and very dependable

[Onetimeonly x-->]

Bushnell BackTrack just bought one for $39.99 on sale for a friend. Used one last year could not be happier. 3 waypoints, will have 3 set ups on a up coming hunt in the MI UP. Each waypoint is set to the pick up point. Had the Garmin eTrex, glad I lost it!! A good $50.00 and under investment IMO.
Scott

[sipsey]

Used a Garmin for several years with good luck. Do you have one of them "smart phones?" I have been using an app for my IPhone called Trimble. It's great. Topo maps, satellite, and has a lot of nice features, around 9 bucks if I remember right. I've used it for 4 years now without a hitch. Also the tracks sync. to my IPad. You can add picts. etc. the Garmin has been in the drawer since I started using it.

[Species8472]

I have never used one so im in the dark here. anyone have some advice on which one to use?
what I want is something simple and can get me to the stand and back to the truck.

Silva Compass - no batteries required.

[miller1buc]

Bushnell Backtrack HuntTrack. It has 25 way points. Cant beat it for $90. Accurate and very easy to use. Doesnt have topos built in, just an arrow to tell you the direction to go and how far away you are. You can use the application with it which uses Google earth to preset waypoints from maps which is very cool.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... details&Q=

[strum]

If you only want to go back and forth from your blind to your vehicle....why not just put bright orange ribbons and forget about buying a GPS.

one reason I never do this is because I don't want other hunters to follow them..
real I have made it all my life with out one and I get around pretty good.
the new property I was concerned about is becoming more familier to me so the GPS would be more of a toy to me than a tool.
I agree about the trak back being a waste. I do like the Garmin Etrex.

[rayman]

The Garmin Etrex Legend was my first recreational type GPS and I loved it. A friend downloaded mapping software on my computer that I could use to copy files back and forth between the GPS and computer. I used it for work too and used it so much I wore out the little joystick. I bought two refurbished ones but they didn't last long. Upgraded to a Garmin Nuvi for the truck and don't use a handheld any more for recreational use. Oh, except for fishing!!