# GPS user



## Fred Bear

I got a Garmin Etrex legend GPS this past summer. I tell you the thing has been invaluable this bow season. I use it to mark stand locations. Trees for my climber. Routes to my stands. Mark rubs and scrapes. It has been a real help. Ecspesially finding trees for my climber in the dark. Anyone else have tips on using a GPS for hunting?


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## schaaed1

I have the reg e-trex ... the one without the mapping and memory 'bells and whistles'. I bought it last winter ... it is GREAT for ice fishing. However, last spring and this fall I have found it to be almost useless in the woods. With the slightest (anad I mean slightest) amount of overhead foliage I can not keep a signal. Many times, even while walking down a two-track, with open sky above, I have an intermittent (sp?) signal. I'm kinda frustrated!

Ed


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## bvanzalen

Never go in the woods with just your GPS. Always carry a compass. I got lost in the UP for about four hours when my GPS couldn't receive a signal through the canapy. Very scary!


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## TrailFndr

I just got the E-trex legend. I tryed it out the next day and was surprised at the loss of signal in the woods. 

While doing some research that afternoon,I read on-line that since there are only 2 WAAS satillites up so far, and one is in in the west, just above the horizon, on in hte east just above the horizon, those of us in the middle of the USA would have the most problems getting thier signals. 

Went back the following day after changing the settings so that WASS was Disabled, and WOW...what a difference. While I still has small areas of no signal, I had good signal most of the time, in the same area as the previous days hike. You may want to try turning off the WAAS and see if that helps hold the signal. Seems to have worked for me.


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## Dawg

I've found them to be very helpful in tracking. By looking at my footsteps from an aerial perspective I was once able to pick up blood over 1/4 mile from where I lost it. It was an area I would have searched anyway but it saved me lots of time.


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## Kevin

Last year my Magellen was a huge help. During bow season, we tracked a deer in the dark that my brother-in-law had shot, and with heads down, we trailed a very faint blood trail for a while - a speck on a blade of grass here then not again for several feet. We decided to give her time to expire, to not push her. 

When we looked up after crouching over for almost an hour, we were a little disoriented. I had left my GPS on though, and we easily found our way back.
We left, and my brother in law came back in the morning, and used backtrack on the GPS to pick up the trail again, and found the doe within about 30 yards from where we had stopped.
He got his own GPS for Christmas, a Garmin.


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## Fred Bear

my legend dosnt do too bad in the woods as far as signal goes. But I think that I may disable the WAAS and try it. Thanks for the tip.


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## romayer

I just ordered the ETrex Legend today, after about 1 week of reading reviews on various websites. From what I hear, it's a lot of bang for the buck. 

If you want to find out more details about using a gps, type "gps tips and tricks" in the search engine on this site. Lots of good info.

Good luck


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## lawnboy

Take it on vacation and mark your hotel and such they also work great in the car.


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## William H Bonney

Mine is basically useless in the woods also. From what I understand,, I thought with the WAAS enabled, you should be able to get a "stronger" signal???? Mine has always been enabled,, maybe I'll disengage it and see what happens.


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## wecker20

I bought a Magellan Sport map for way cheap on E-Bay and it worked great for my tournament fishing. Have played with it around the field and around town but haven't had a need to take it in the woods. I use it more to check my speed on my boat. 66mph is fun on the water!


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## Dawg

I've also got an e-trex Legend. The first season it seemed I had lots of problems with losing signal in wooded areas with a thick canopy. For some reason it has worked great ever since, although I do always carry a compass with me as well.

With an intermittent signal I still leave it on and it at least leaves a spotted trail. I can always mark a tree by climbing it.


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## ArrowFlinger

I bought a Garmin GPS Map 12 a few years ago after getting lost in the Western U.P.

Occasionally it will loose the signal, but I just press continue and it picks it back up.

I really like the map feature because it can reorient you when you can identify a road or a highway if you get in deep. Always mark your trailhead, but just in case you forget you have a backup landmark to head towards.


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## ArrowFlinger

Also, do not forget extra batteries. I carry 4 flashlights, 3 that use the same batteries as my GPS and my mega-spotlight. I always buy a 12 pack of fresh batteries and put it in my pack.


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## ih772

In the spring I took my garmin gps out and followed the runways in a new area I was scouting. When I got home I downloaded the "tracks" to some software I have that overlays the tracks on a topomap or arieal photo. It made it easy to pick out funnels and good places to set up and hunt. Best of all the software is free and updated regularly.

If anyone is interested here is a link to the software page.

http://www.jdmcox.com/


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## ArrowFlinger

How much did the data cable cost to connect the GPS to your PC.

I am thinking about getting one.

Where did you get yours


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## ih772

AF if your asking me I think it was around $20. After using one I wouldn't go back.


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## ArrowFlinger

$20 did that include the Garmin Sofware too?

when I bought my GPS the downloadable map software etc. was about $150


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## GWPguy

I have an old Garmin 12 xl. The signal works great in the fall in the woods. 
I like to download all my waypoints to Street atlas By delorme .

I It is a great reference tool. 

I normally get "lost" at least once a year in the woods. The GPS really has helped bail me out over the years.


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## TrailFndr

ArrowFlinger said:


> How much did the data cable cost to connect the GPS to your PC.
> 
> I am thinking about getting one.
> 
> Where did you get yours


Garmin sells them for around 38.00 depends on your particular unit.


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## WALLEYEvision

ArrowFlinger said:


> How much did the data cable cost to connect the GPS to your PC.
> 
> I am thinking about getting one.
> 
> Where did you get yours


When I bought my eTrex Legend it came with the PC interface cable. This was years ago so maybe Garmin is not including them anymore? 

I visit the same site that "ih772" mentioned. You can plug your GPS into your computer and transfer your waypoints & tracks onto the site and see both a aerial photo or a TOPO map of the area your hunting...it's an awesome site!


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## ih772

AF I just use the software from the site I mentioned.


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## romayer

I just my Legend today. Didn't get to play with it at all, but it came with the serial cable. Just an FYI...


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## romayer

ih772-

Which software did you find most useful? Also, did you have any bad experiences with any of those programs (worms, viruses, spyware etc.)? I just got my first GPS and I need all the hints I can get. Thanks.


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## Dawg

I found the Metroguide was everything I needed. The street maps are very detailed including many 2-tracks and even some footpaths.

The car adapter was also a great pickup. With it I save on batteries and Metroguide tells me at which exits I can get diesel fuel, and what restaurant options are available at those exits.

I did a demo of the topography disk (2001) I found the small single color LCD didn't provide a suitable display for that kind of detail. It's fine for studying on your computer at home but not for mobile use. Might be better now, especially with the color model?


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## salmonslammer

Has anyone used the Delorme software for the Legend?? I really need to upgrade to some mapping software. I use mine for about everything from river and lake fishing, hunting, snowmobileing, road trips. I don't know why I waited so long to get one!!


For those that have the legend and are losing signal in the woods....Disableing the WAAS will help, but you may want to go and change the settings to "North UP".... Often this will cause it to lock onto more Sats. It changes the directions that the GPS looks for them.


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## Markfaz

Salmonslammer,

I use the MapSource software with my Legend and it has been great. You get free software updates off their website so that you are always updated. When you download a quadrant to your GPS, it enhances your mapping incredibly...well worth the software investment. I mark all my stand sites, rubs, scrapes, trails, etc. and then when I upload it to the computer, it really gives you a much better feel for what is happening on the property.

Another thing...invest in the lithium batteries. I have gotten unbelievable lifespan out of those batteries verses the regular ones. They are worth the extra $$ without question.

Another thing I figured out one day while I was trying to locate one of my stands in the dark. Once you get within about 50 feet, stop looking at the GPS and continue in the direction you are currently heading. If you don't, and you try to get the GPS to "walk you to the stand," you may end up walking in circles for a bit because of the margin of error on the GPS signal.


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## bigair

Here is some free gps software that is decent.
http://www.easygps.com


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## TomW

ih772 said:


> In the spring I took my garmin gps out and followed the runways in a new area I was scouting. When I got home I downloaded the "tracks" to some software I have that overlays the tracks on a topomap or arieal photo. It made it easy to pick out funnels and good places to set up and hunt. Best of all the software is free and updated regularly.
> 
> If anyone is interested here is a link to the software page.
> 
> http://www.jdmcox.com/


I have used USAPhotomaps as well. Its very nice but I found another application that I think is a little better. Topofusion allows you to download the same maps as USAPhotomaps but blend them together sort of like transparences. You can pull up the Sat pictures from the Terra server, as well as the USGS maps and overly them. You can then read in your track, waypoints and routes and place them on the map as well. The software is shareware but quite inexpensive. Check out:

http://www.topofusion.com/index.php

Additionally for anyone looking for GPS information a very good web link exists at:

http://gpsinformation.net/

Good luck.

Tom W

Tom W


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## lawnboy

If you really want to get good at your GPS do Geocaching


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