That's right, there is no single perfect handheld GPS unit on the planet for deer hunters. You might have one in mind that you consider perfect, but obviously, not everyone out there share the same needs as you..
However, overall there are highly recommended GPS fordeer hunting out there, and you will find a few choices listed below. These GPS units are considered some of the best for deer hunting. As rated by the hunting community, these are the most popular devices being used.
However, there are a lot factors to consider when choosing a good GPS. A lot depends on how you intend on using it. I can't tell you the one single GPS that has been proven the best for hunting, though I have put together a list of the most qualified and top rated GPS for hunting. I encourage you to take the list that I provided and begin researching for yourself. GPS is growing quickly, it's getting cheaper and models are getting smaller. I encourage you to check back for updates to this article.
Critical GPS Features needed for Deer Hunting:
- Extended battery (at least 15 to 20 hours)
- Memory for way points. The greater your memory storage the more waypoints you can store (Get at least a 14 meg unit)
-Light weight and portable, as if you didn't already know this.
- Make sure it has an easy to read screen (especially if you hunt at night)
- WAAS capability is important, this gives you GPS accuracy up to 3 meters
- Unit should be water resistant
Here is my deer hunting community top rated units.
- Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx
- Garmin Etrex Camo
- Magellan Explorist 200
- Garmin GPS 60
The Handheld GPS and its long battery life
One of the best features a handheld GPS can have is a long battery life. Hunting Deer is no short event. Heck, most deer hunting can last days on end. A good battery with a long life can save the hunter a lot of frustration. Having a solid battery keeps you out of trouble and allows you the freedom of extending the hunt to locations you would not go otherwise. So be sure you add this feature to your list when deciding the best GPS for deer hunting.
Having enough memory to get back to camp
Its not uncommon for the technical hunter (the guy who owns a GPS) to have waypoints stored in his unit so he can return to his favorite hotspots. There is nothing worse that racking up a bunch of hotspot waypoints in your unit only to find your maxxed out on memory and you need to start deleting old spots. So when shopping for a GPS be sure you save yourself the hassle of having to decide which waypoints are more important and get plenty of memory for yourdeer hunting GPS.
Deer Hunting GPS Should be Light Weight and Portable
A heavy GPS unit is a huge burden to deer hunting. It's almost 2010 for crying outloud. There is no excuse for a clunker in the forest. I know of some handheld units that weight as much as four pounds That would be flat out ridiculous to go hunting with I would have to say that anything over a couple pounds is too heavy for deer hunting. And of course, this means your criteria should include a unit that must be at or below two pounds.
So you don't get lost, have WAAS
Hopefully you are not one of the many GPS owners out there who is oblivious to WAAS and what it is. WAAS is one of those capabilities that gives your GPS device incredible accuracy. Accuracy of up to 3 meters. Knowing where you are with minute detail is something you cannot afford to pass up when shopping for a unit that will be responsible for getting you our of a dark forest or while up in the mountains. You need this!!
GPS Water resistance = Good Idea
As most of you who hunt already know, hunting requires you to be outside most of the time, which of course means the weather is an important consideration. When it comes to a $100 piece of equipment thats primary use is outdoors you don't want a little water to ruin it. You might not find a unit that blatently mentions that it is water resistant, but you'll be able to find units that can be retofitted with a case. This would make it somewhat resistant to water.
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http://www.getgoodreviews.com/gps-navigation/free-gps-software/
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