gps or cell phone

[wisconsinteacher]

While planning and reading about hunting in WY, I realize that I need to have the onXmap to determine private from public land. My question is, would you just download it to your Iphone or buy a gps and then get the chip? I don't really have a need for a gps here in WI and don't know when I will be able to get out west again to hunt.

Would you go with a phone or gps and if gps, what one would you look into?

 

[wayno945]

I use a garmin 62s with the onxmaps. They are ruggedized so it doesn't really matter if you drop it. My phone uses the battery quicker than my gps. It also builds up condensation on the touchscreen which causes it to work poorly. Cabelas has the newer model on sale now, I would look into that. I have seen cabelas have the 62s on sale for 199 from time to time as well. Might be worth watching the sale ads.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product. ... 6Ntt%3Dgps

 

[lefty315]

Use the smartphone version. You can download maps ahead of time that will still work without cell service. The maps also have satellite views so it helps with landmarks. The app is free, if I remember correctly, then you just buy a one year subscription for Wyoming for $29-30. You can also have it on an iPad at the same time, which is a bit better when doing research then your phones screen.

 

[wildgene]

...cellphone reception is sketchy @ best anywhere beyond a pop. center around here, if you want to know where yer @ in relation to the map a GPS is a better option. You could probably resale it later & recoup some of your investment. Slightly related, OnStar shows you as an icon on a blank grey screen around Cody...

 

[Vince]

My cell phone won't hold a charge anymore, too many battery drainng apps, so I use a gps with the chip.

Easier to replace batteries than find a place to charge a phone.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[muleman]

I've run them both ways. I prefer the GPS. The phone app is handy but I wouldn't rely on coverage so save your maps if you go that route. My Iphone burns through the battery way to fast. If you stay close to your truck for charging it's not a problem. An extra set of batteries for the GPS is easy to carry. Another benefit for the GPS is that same chip that installs in the GPS can also be used in your computer. I have a Wi-Fi connection between my laptop and big screen TV and study it LARGE scale.

Scott

 

[SJB358]

GPS all the way. I wouldn't rely on a cell to work when you really need it to.

 

[joelkdouglas]

Agreed. Most parts of Wyoming in the mountains didn't have cell coverage 8 years ago. I'm sure it's improved some, but not much! GPS all the way!

 

[wisconsinteacher]

So, what one would you get? Stupid question, but is there a place to rent them for a month?

 

[bbearhntr]

WT I've got a Garmin Rino you could borrow. I don't know if the maps you want to use are compatible with it though.

 

[sask boy]

I have a Garmin Rhino we don't use them much anymore because we have IPhones. There is real good service in the areas we hunt :wink:.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[pre6422hornet]

You could also look at the Delorme Inreach. I have looked at bunches of GPS's and if you want to stay connected with family in areas of no cell, the Delorme will allow you to text and receive text, send SOS, and GPS all with satellite use. They also allow you to pay as you go for the satellite service for texting unlike the SPOT where you have to pay for the entire year. My plan is to grab one in September for my Oct Elk hunt in the wilderness, pay for two months of service, then shelve it until next season.

You can rent them on Ebay for 99 a week, or buy it for around 250 if I remember correctly.

And remember to take a good compass. A compass will never let you down, run out of batteries, etc...

And BLM maps are available for around 8 or 9 bucks. A good investment IMO. They will show private land as well.

 

[BretN]

Check out the Trimble GPS Hunt Pro app. for your phone. They do a good job of explaining it all. You do not need cell service to use the GPS app, as the smart phones all have GPS programs in them that work off the satellites, just like a hand held GPS. I think the big difference is the app will draw down your phone battery, which might not be a big deal if you are mostly driving around in the truck and just using to find boundaries. I don't have this app, but it looks like a good one and I will likely get it before deer season. For $30 year you get full subscription that includes all property boundaries and lake contour lines too.

When I went to Wyo to hunt doe pronghorns with my brothers a couple years ago, I didn't have any gps or app, just ordered a couple blm maps. They were cheap and accurate. You do need to know your boundaries there as the Wyoming ranchers take property lines pretty seriously. Even perfectly good looking roads are not open to the public unless you pay the rancher a trespass fee. That's a big difference for you and me, as we don't worry about just driving down any gravel road here in MN or WI.

Hell, we even got accosted by a rancher woman and her son and we were on a public road and camping on public land. Mostly, she was upset that her late father sold the rights to "their" road to the government and that the previous outfitters had over harvested game there. But as long as you have an accurate detailed map of some kind, you should be ok. Pretty much if the road is named or numbered, it's public. But many of the public areas aren't signed, so you absolutely need a map of some kind to find them. It's a great hunt and there's no place like the wide open prairie.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Most automotive Garmins have a battery in them (we forget that) that can last up to 5 hours. In addition, the screen is a LOT larger than any GPS or phone.

If I wanted to do it for the least money/most benefit I would buy a refurbished Garmin with lifetime map/traffic updates and the largest usable screen possible (check pixel count). These are often $100-125, and who cares if it is last year's model.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA7HN2M92393

Buy the OnX map for the computer to plan at home plus the version for your "new" Garmin, then use your own chip for the refurb Garmin you just bought. Load the OnX onto the chip and plug it into the Garmin.

You now have a Garmin with OnX to drive around it (REALLY useful) that you can also remove and use in the field. Use a free GPS program like MotionX-GPS or similar on your phone if you want something additional in your hand. I found that having accurate GPS while driving meant a lot more to me when hunting Wyoming last year than having the same info in my hand in the field.

YMMV, of course.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I just looked at my wife's car gps and it has an sd slot. It is a Garmin nuvi that is about 4 years old. I will do some more investigating on how to make this work.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I just looked at my wife's car gps and it has an sd slot. It is a Garmin nuvi that is about 4 years old. I will do some more investigating on how to make this work.

Let me know if you need assistance in setting it up and figuring it out. I have the computer program and the GPS add-on figured out quite well.

Just my $0.02, but if it doesn't have free map updates your wife's Nuvi may almost be a "throwaway" unit at 4 years old. Garmin's map updates cost as much as the unit I linked to above, and your 4 year old screen is likely 30% smaller. Something to think about, because each GPS unit assigned an OnX map costs ~$30. If you can, post the model number.

 

[lefty315]

One thing you can do is get the one week free trial for the Onyx maps version. Play around with it a little bit and see what you think of it. I do agree with using a handheld with replaceable batteries while in the back country. I'm usually far enough into public land that borders to private property are not an issue. But if I remember correctly, you drew an antelope tag? Given that and how the land can be a checkerboard I still think the iPhone version, maybe with some BLM maps, would serve you well. As stated before, you can download the area you're in and it will still work without any cell coverage at all. Plus you're only dropping $30.00 for a one year service

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I have the nuvi 255w. I think it is the "throwaway" model.

I will download the free trial next week and see what it is like on the iphone.

Thanks for all the help. I feel confident that I will have this under control in no time.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I have the nuvi 255w. I think it is the "throwaway" model.

I will download the free trial next week and see what it is like on the iphone.

Thanks for all the help. I feel confident that I will have this under control in no time.

The display is 480x272 which should work just fine. So, try this:

Download the Garmin BaseCamp software onto your computer.
https://support.garmin.com/support/...2f0-55c4-11de-f35c-000000000000}&locale=en_GB

Also be sure you download the Garmin updater, and update the software already on your GPS. Tip - do not update languages you don't speak as it just fills up the Garmin memory.
http://www8.garmin.com/support/collecti ... 9-99999-27

Now download the Western Land Ownership map onto your computer:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/247/

Install WLO onto the Garmin Base Camp. I think that all you have to do is double click on the WLO and it will automatically open up and install.

You can now use Base Camp to view the land ownership map of Wyoming. Take a look, and it's really quite nice. There are other maps you can download from GPSfiledepot too and open and use in the same manner. Use the Maps tab in Base Camp to toggle between them.

Also via the Maps tab you can install the WLO map onto your Garmin 255W directly if you wish and not even have to use a memory card. Be sure to choose the map on your 255W so it shows.

I hope that helps anyone interested.

 

[Whitesheep]

Dr. Vette thanks for providing great information. GPSfiledepot is a great site and while you have to have some computer skills to get their stuff to work, it would be awesome even if it wasn't free. My Rino 520cx is stuffed with their detailed AZ map and I have used it for years.

One thing to note with the "works off grid" iPhone software as this only goes so far. I don't know why, but I have been in places so far off grid that even the "off Grid" stuff didn't work. Wyoming is mostly off grid from my experience.

Do your self a favor and get a real GPS; even if a used one off e-bay. They are much much much more rugged than any phone and you can swap batteries in the field.

Myself I carry both a GPS (Rino) and iphone because I like the large screen of the iPhone with full 7.5 quads run under the Topo Maps app along with the dependability of a tough Garmin GPS. (Yes, I have about three compasses as well, but don't ask how many knives.)

For the cost of an out of state hunt the GPS is not a big deal.