do you use a gps?

[pointandshoot]

hey guys/gals. gps use was touched on a bit in the scouting 101 forum, but i thought maybe it deserved its own thread. do you use a gps while hunting? if so then what do you use, and have you been happy with it? what sort of things does your gps not have that you wish it did? i've seen a few out there from the bare bones $125 canadian tire specials, to the topograph maps with downloadable maps...and just saw a bushnell unit that uses satilite images (not live images i assume, but kind of like a google map idea). also can anyone recommend a unit for a beginner hunter, that wont break the bank?

[Barracuda]

I use a simple garmin E-Trex and it does what is expected of it ,even in the truck it will pick up the sattelites, but i always bring a compass backup.

[hunter1947]

Yes ,i use a garmin ,but i will also take my directions with a compass ,you never can depend on just the GPS.

[Wildman]

Nope, I use a compass and map.......after I study the area on both google earth and MapView.

[Gnarly]

yes , an etrex but always have a compass and jot down my basic bearing in a notepad before heading out.

[BlacktailStalker]

Yeah, Garmin 60CS, especially in new areas. I've pretty much got the Island on mental lock :)

[Gun Dog]

A Garmin Legend, Garmin's TopoCanada, and a Backroads MapBook. Download the maps to the Legend and cross-reference with the MapBook. Works great plus I have a track log and waypoints of where I was for the post-hunt analysis. If I'm walking i use a compass just to keep track of my bearing.

The Legend is black&white and eventually I'll replace it with a better colour unit like Garmin's GPSMAP 60Cx.

Having downloadable maps is 100x better than a simple location plus heading.

[wsm]

i use a garmin geko 301. dont confuse it with the other modles of geko. the others dont do much. my only complaint is battery life, i get 8-10 hrs. depending what i have on. works excelent in timber

[horshur]

thought it was just a dyslexics german shorthair pointer.:mrgreen:

[Frango]

I use a Lowrance H20 colour. Last year we dropped a nice 6x6 elk way back in the bush.I always thought of myself as the never get lost type but I got lost trying to find my way back to the quads from that kill.Somehow I got really turned around.I had taken a GPS way pt at the quads just in case. good thing ,because after getting the gps out of my pack.I was going in the wrong direction.

[Walksalot]

I have been using a Garmin 12 for a few years now and I really like it. Having said that, my compass is my main means of navigation. Combine a compass, Azi Explorer mapping program and top it off with Google Earth and you have a heck of a good system.

[CanAm500]

I use a simple garmin E-Trex and it does what is expected of it ,even in the truck it will pick up the sattelites, but i always bring a compass backup.


I too use just the basic GPS. All I wanted in the system was a electric compass, display my lat and long, and my UTM co-ordanits incase of an emergancy.

[Nimrod]

compass and topo, makes it interesting.

[The Hermit]

My buddy and I both have a Garmin RHINO 120s. They are the cats meow cause not only do they have all the essential GPS features but include a niffty two-way radio feature that shows your location and the locations of all other RHINO users in the area! I consider these things pretty much essential gear now especially in areas that I don't know really well.

[pointandshoot]

some great info here, thanks for all the replies. so it sounds like there are a lot of different picks as far as brands and model numbers, but most still use a compass and map for their main points. could anyone point me in the right direction here. i'm looking for one that has a colour screen, good battery life plus a power port for a 12v hook up, topo map program compatible. not looking to break the bank, but around $300 would be nice. water proof would be a must because i'll be using it on the boat also. sounds like a bit of a list i know, but is there a cat a$$ one out there that everyones using? thanks again

[scoot]

Last hunting season, I swear I won't use any names, after shooting an elk, we started our 5 hour hike back to the camp. We all headed in the same direciton with confidence and no question what so ever. Turned out being 180 degrees the wrong way. looking at the unit ( Garmin Vista CX with the basemap) I could see where we had hiked, and how we were taking the wrong valley. This unit DID save us a night in the bush, with a boned out elk in our packs. But one of the gentlman that was with me, who was not a believer in them, now is a strong believer, IF the person knows their unit.

since getting it, I have grown to love it but not rely on it. a great tool to own.

[newhunterette]

we use lowrance ifinder hunt gps - it has downloading features with memory card so u can put your maps onto your computer and make hard copies - upgraded to it last year from lowrance eagle has way more features to it but will still carry a compass in safety pouch

[Dirty]

I have a Garmin Rino 530 and the Topocanada Mapsource Program. It has color screen, 56mb of memory, and 14mile range with radio under optimal conditions. I have upgraded the software via the Garmin website and it works great. It came in handy for waypointing the truck. When is snowing really hard (footprint getting filled) it can be confusing which way is back to the truck :wink:. I have also used the turn by turn feature for finding my way around town. In addition, I also have the gps antenna adapter for my laptop. I have the garmin mapsource on my laptop and a power adapter for the truck. I use it on roadtrips as the large screen is nice.

[Phil]

Garmin 76cs. It is water proof and floats, colour screan, compass and altimeter. It has many other great features that are not absolutely necessary but make bush wacking a lot easier.

[Mr. Dean]

Garmin 60c

I can play 'reality' asteroids w/ it.

[Gun Dog]

i'm looking for one that has a colour screen, good battery life plus a power port for a 12v hook up, topo map program compatible. not looking to break the bank, but around $300 would be nice. water proof would be a must because i'll be using it on the boat also. sounds like a bit of a list i know, but is there a cat a$$ one out there that everyones using? thanks againMost GPS units will only download their own maps -- Garmin maps with Garmin GPS, Lawrance maps with Lowrance GPS, etc. Third party maps won't work.

They use batteries pretty quick -- 10 - 20 hours out of a set of AAs. I use NiMh (rechargable) and bring a charger along for nightly recharging.

Most will take 12V but the special cord will cost $30 - $40. Plus a truck mount is nice (another $40+).

Most are mildly waterproof -- rain is no problem and you can drop them in a puddle but don't go diving with them.

The topo maps you need for downloading will cost $150 - $200 unless you have a friend with the software. (There's an advantage to everybody using the same GPS maker.)

The cheaper colour units (like a Garmin Legend C) have a smaller screen compared to more expensive units.

[johnes50]

I have a Garmin GPS V with a topo map of all Vancouver Island on it with all my hunting, fishing, camping, etc. waypoints on it. I use my GPS as a navigation aid to get me back to an old hunting spot that I might have forgotten otherwise. The waypoints are always there and remind me of a good spot I was at once.

I also carry a compass and a backroads map as a backup. If I find a point of interest or game sign, I'll store it on my Gps and later mark it on my backroads book cause it's easier to flip through the book then to start up my GPS to have a look at where I was on the small screen.

I also have Topo Canada on my computer and I upload all my waypoints to it and print out a map of the area I'm going to. John

[RiverOtter]

I bought the Garmin 76CSx and love it. It has a very sensitive antenna and 3 meters accuracy is quite common. The color models are the way to go and work well even in bright sunlight.

For anyone interested in a GPS, check out Prarie Geomatics at http://www.gpszone.ca/ , they have very competitive pricing and are great to deal with. Prarie is based in Manitoba, so there is no customs crap to deal with. They sell for way less than Walmart or Canadian Tire and you only pay GST and $14 shipping.

RO

[tuchodi]

I have used the Garmin 60CS and it has worked great. I haven't used a compass now for about 12 years since I got my first Garmin. The new ones with color screens are a lot better to view in all conditions and with the ability to download maps of the areas you are going to it basically makes the compass obsolete(but always keep a new set of batteries with you).

[Gun Dog]

Another Canadian place with excellent selection and prices is www.gpscentral.ca.

[youngbuck]

I've been using the Etrex for the last couple of years.
I got it because I wasn't so sure if I was going to use it.
Boy..I was wrong. I love the GPS option. I map everything in the filed and then go home and manually transpose it onto paper. One of the things about that particular model is that the antenna isn't that great. If I put it in my pocket, it tends to loose the signal but if I leave it in my side pouch of my pack, it works well. Colour would be nice as well as the ability to transfer data. It is a bit of a battery pig.

All in all it is a good entry level GPS. I'm planning on upgrading to a better version next year.

[Chuck]

Nope! I've never had a problem. That's not exactly true - I was lost twice in my life, once in down town Toronto and again in London England. Those tall buildings, they all look the same. No bs.

[Fisher-Dude]

Yep, I have a 10 year old Garmin XL12 plus. Mark the truck, shut it off and save the batteries. If I need to find my way back, I'll turn it on, get my bearing, and use my Silva compass to find my way back.

I'll also use it to mark downed game or to check MU boundaries on a map. I DON'T rely on it for trackbacks to the truck, as I find the compass is much easier to use and doesn't rely on a change in position to tell me which direction I'm heading.

[wetcoastwillie]

some great info here, thanks for all the replies. so it sounds like there are a lot of different picks as far as brands and model numbers, but most still use a compass and map for their main points. could anyone point me in the right direction here. i'm looking for one that has a colour screen, good battery life plus a power port for a 12v hook up, topo map program compatible. not looking to break the bank, but around $300 would be nice. water proof would be a must because i'll be using it on the boat also. sounds like a bit of a list i know, but is there a cat a$$ one out there that everyones using? thanks again

I have the Magellan Meridian Color, 12v car adapter, antenna, RS232 (serial) cable for PC hookup and a 250mb SD card. For software I have Topo (a must have) and direct route. when I bought it, it was around $500, I saw them in costco for just under $300 a while back. A quick google will show you the specs. I couldn't be happier with mine.... except a USB adapter would be nicer than the serial one.

[Wild Will]

It only takes a moment to mark your start point on the GPS. That can save a lot of anxiety later. Show me a hunter who has not been turned around in the bush, and I will show you a liar. As far as brands go, I have had some bad experiences with Magellan's customer service.

[pikey]

For those looking for the Garmin topo software there is a 2 gig torrent out there that's totally unlocked.

Out of the 4 disks, disk 1 has the executable and the image files for the West, so you only have to download 500 megs ;)

[Gun Dog]

For whatever reason my purchased copy of TopoCanada was never locked. Don't forget to update the software after installing to get the latest version.