Basic Guide Lines for the Hunting GPS Unit
Not only will a hunting GPS unit help you find your way out of the woods if you get lost but it has other functions as well. A good hunting GPS unit should be standard equipment for any hunter.
Waypoints are places you mark on your GPS unit so you will be able to find your way back to this same spot. A hunter will need to use these to mark where they shot the big buck so they can return with help to get it out of the woods. He or she will also need to mark the location of camp before going off into the woods. Other areas a hunter should mark are the location of deer stands, good hunting spots, or anything else they desire to find later. Knowing where you are at in the woods is not enough, you also need to know how to find your way out.
Sometimes you will not be able to travel in a straight line due to rugged terrain or other reasons. In this case, you will want to make a route creating waypoints along the way. This will enable you to backtrack from waypoint to waypoint and reach your final destination while avoiding rugged terrain.
A track log is created when the GPS records the path you take. It stores every turn you make, leaving a trail you can refer back to see where you have been. You can activate a reverse route to get you out of the woods with this feature. It will automatically set enough waypoints to guide you back from where you came. You can also save it as a route for future use.
Hunting GPS Unit
Dense forest or other obstacles can block the satellite signal and affect the accuracy of a GPS unit. Some more expensive models are equipped with WAAS or wide area augmentation system, which increases accuracy when objects are blocking the signal.
Some units come with a hunting calculator to tell when the best time is to be in the woods hunting. This information is based on what phase the moon is in. A hunter may find it helpful to be in the woods when there is a better likelihood for game to be moving.
Many hunters like to have a compass built in to the GPS unit. These are very accurate in pointing you in the right direction. It also eliminates the need to pack an extra compass along.
Learn how to use your GPS before going out in the woods. Read the instruction manual. Familiarize yourself with the buttons and what functions they perform. Practice at home or in a familiar area. Make some routes and waypoints and follow your track logs to see how the unit works in actual practice. No hunter should be without a good hunting GPS unit. It will help you find your way from one place to another, get you out of the woods if darkness sets in and tell you when the best times are to be in the woods.
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