Anyone Use Handheld to Hunt/Scout??

[turkeyfuneral]

Thinking about getting a hand held GPS. Never been real excited about spending the money on one, but this season I'm gonna be scouting/hunting a lot of large pieces of land I never been on before and I was told a gps could come in handy. If you have one, let me know what you think and what kind you have. 

[lightsoutcalls]

I have a lower end Garmin.  You will want to spend some time getting used to the functions before you hit the woods.  I'd even suggest trying it out in the yard or the neighborhood before you get into woods you aren't familiar with. 
Be aware that the tree canopy above you will effect the GPS ability to track satellites and receive signal.  I can tell you from experience that it is no fun trying to read one in the woods when it is pitch dark and you don't have a clue which way it is back to the truck... it starts raining... and your cell phone battery is just about gone... and you are packing your treestand and your bow... (obviously that was deer season)

They can be great tools if you get a feel for them before you head into the woods and are relying on them to do all of the work.  I use mine as a digital compass as much as anything else.  There are a lot of features available on them.  Check out the features and get one that can do the things you want it to. 

[redarrow]

I got a Bushnell Backtrack for Christmas ,but haven't used it. If the snow ever stops I plan on playing with it a bit before I get into a situation where I really need it.

[Boomstick]

i have a lower end garmin as well, its not the shiny color watch movies and listen to music kind of gps, just the basic black and white tell me were i am and were i been kinda thing. i think i gave like 110 bucks for it at bass pro a few years back, and it works great. but make sure you check your batteries before you go out, and deffinately play with it before you need it so you know how everything works. im a little over cautious though, i put up a little piece of contractors tape every 30 or so feet on a limb so i know i wont get lost, and when scouting if i find a good spot ill just leave them up so that i know im goin to were i want to.

charlie

[deerhunt1988]

I have the Garmin etrex Legend Hcx..One of the most useful features is the ability to have topographical maps on it...The topographical maps are VERY valuable when turkey hunting, especially in unfamiliar areas and hilly areas.

[Jbird22]

Yep, I use a Lowrance i-Finder Hunt C. It plays a pretty big role in what I do and lets me go after birds without worrying about getting lost. I do carry spare batteries and a compass just in case it crashes on me.

[turkeyfuneral]

thanks for all the info, guess I'll start my search

[hookedspur]

I use the Garmin Rhino.

[LX_Trkyhntr]

I have a Garmin Etrex Vista, I think.  I got it before my trip to Colorado.  It was fairly easy to figure out and very handy to have.

[PANYHunter]

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend.  Its on the cheaper side and a few years old.  I usually carry it whenever I go out in the woods.  I mostly use it while scouting to mark locations I want to hunt.  Its nice for turkeys if you have some roosted so you can get back in the dark without bumping them.  I used some rinos on a elk hunting trip to Colorado.  They are nice because you can see where your hunting partners are as well as use them as a 2 way radio.