5 Things You Must Consider Before Picking A GPS For Hunting
INTRO
A good Global Positioning System (GPS) will help you feel safe no matter which terrain you have gone to. Another important feature a GPS has would be the capacity to identify legal hunting zones, where you can make sure that you are hunting in the area of your choice.
Furthermore, a GPS can allow you to fully enjoy the outdoors, relieving you of the need to keep track of the path you are taking.
Since this is one complex technology, where there is a huge variety of GPS in the market, your research in getting a good GPS must be more in-depth than any other hunting equipment.
Consideration 1: Suitability for your use
Most people miss out considering why they need a GPS in the first place. Therefore, you have to ensure that you can use the GPS for your hunting regime and that you are capable of using it. Some GPS are harder to navigate as compared to another GPS.
Concerning suitability, you may want to consider which screen size you prefer, whether you would want to navigate using buttons or through touch-screen, or whether it is waterproof and durable. If you like to hunt in rough terrains, you need to get a highly durable GPS. For example, you may need to move through a river, which would potentially cause you to wet your GPS. If you face such situations often, then you need to choose a waterproof GPS.
Other considerations include whether you want preloaded topo maps or the ability to connect to your other devices easily. Having a simple GPS would also have its advantage because they have longer battery life and may be as effective as any other fancy GPS.
Consideration 2: The functions that you need
Although this is almost the same as the first consideration, we would look concerning the software function per se in this section. This aspect is important to look at because the more features a GPS has, the pricier it gets.
Do note that some standard functions such as informing you about your speed, altitude and the direction in which you are traveling would still be present in most GPS. For hunters especially, you have to keep a look out for applications such as mapping capabilities, 2-way radio communication and weather radio band.
Some GPS are multifunctional, where it allows route tracking, geocaching or even allowing you to take notes in certain areas. However, these functions come with a price. Hence, it is important that you fully understand your needs before buying a GPS.
Consideration 3: Satellite Reception
The receptivity of a GPS’s satellite reception depends on the size of the antenna and the number of satellites present in your area. Why is this important? The receptivity of your GPS would determine the accuracy of the GPS in pinpointing where you are.
For hunters who likes to hunt deep in the woods, you should get a GPS with external antenna. GPS that utilizes satellites owned by the United States Department of Defense because it has more number of satellites as compared to other providers. Today, even some of the GPS manage to 3D lock your position in a short amount of time.
Make sure you read the GPS software review and see how common issues pop-up for certain providers. Some tips can also be used to get better reception, such as having a clear line-of-sight between your GPS and the satellites.
Consideration 4: Display Quality
Having a display which is easily readable in different weather conditions would be ideal. This is to ensure that you are able to read the screen in a variety of situations, be it sunshine or dark skies.
Contrary to popular belief, displays made out of plastic are more durable than those made out of glass. This is because glass is brittle, which is not able to tolerate different weather conditions. Another factor you can take note of is whether the display is waterproof. If you love to explore different terrains and would most probably pass through places which are wet, this is a necessary feature.
Another relevant factor is the size of the display screen, which affects the clarity of what is displayed. The display quality is an important part of the GPS because it is the display which would convey the information to you.
Consideration 5: Memory capacity
One important question to ask is whether the GPS receiver can support uploadable maps. The availability of SD cards would also be an important factor. If you would include many topographical maps in your GPS, be sure to have a bigger storage for your GPS. Also, this is important if you like to mark spots, which concerns the waypoint storage capacity.
Having an increased internal memory would allow your GPS to have detailed satellite imagery for most GPS. Having this feature can allow you to see exact locations in fields and woods. This would definitely help you familiarize yourself with your surroundings!
One tip is you can visit the manufacturer’s website to get an idea of how much memory the maps will take up before you purchase a GPS. This would give you a rough idea on how much memory you need depending on the functions you desire.
Conclusion
If you feel that constantly referring to a handheld GPS is uncomfortable and inconvenient, you can consider a GPS watch as well! Since GPS comes in a variety of forms and you have a myriad of options to choose from, it makes it more difficult for you to choose the ‘right’ GPS.
Do remember that it is not about having ‘more’ functions but having the ‘necessary’ functions that would improve your effectiveness in hunting! If there are any considerations which we have missed out, feel free to share in the comment box below.
Author Bio: I am John Lewis, a blogger, survivalist and outdoor enthusiast. You can follow me over at Epic Wilderness.