[Ingalls]

Like myself, I tend to overestimate my woodsman and hunting skills. I dont need no stinking gps, Im freakin grizzly adams. Or, ahh, just another fifteen minutes, it wont be too dark to find my way out of the woods. I put one of these on my Christmas list. Small and cheap enough where if I dont need it, its not in the way, but when I venture in too deep, like I have a habit of doing, it will get me out before I need the state police heliciptor. http://bushnell.com/gps/gps_backtrack.cfm

 

[randolphray]

Wuss Many times I headed out at 4 without lights geez[eek]

 

[GVS]

read the reviews, the ones I read said they suck.

 

[230grain hollowpoint]

I don't know about Bushnell GPS recievers, but I can tell you to stay away from Lowrence. I have a new Lowerence ang a 10 year old Magellan. The Magellan has way more features.

 

[gobblergetter]

Go Garmin [up]

 

[BestNJBirdDogs]

Go Garmin

[up][up]

 

[beaverman]

Good luck with that. From what I've heard the backtrack rarely gets a signal so it is pretty much worthless. Especially in heavy canopy. I don't ever rely on GPS but I do have a couple and the Garmin I've been using the last 2 years (a model csx 60) is great. I also have a cheap etrex that is decent. If I were looking to pick up a cheap gps I'd look at the etrex.

 

[rayneboo]

Its New Jersey just listen to the nearest highway

 

[aftermath]

Its New Jersey just listen to the nearest highway

Very true

Go Garmin

Ditto

 

[bwd172]

Its New Jersey just listen to the nearest highway

Doesn't work in the Water Gap. I've been there. Watching the planes fly over Eastern NJ and guessing that PA wouldn't have any helped me out of the woods a little quicker. Woodsman skills NJ style.[up]

 

[Ingalls]

Wuss Many times I headed out at 4 without lights geez

[lol]Heading out aint the problem, its getting back to camp at night thats the tricky part. Although there have been times where after 1/2 hour of walking in circles looking for my stand, I had to wait till daylight to find it. Thats the problem with only getting to the property a couple times a year, and it looks a lot different when the seasons change.

Thanks to those who mentioned they dont work well. I thought these have been around long enough where they were more reliable by now. I just liked the fact that it was simple. I have no need to know how fast Im going, or have to store 100s of waypoints. My concern is getting back to the truck if I get turned around by accident. My compass works fine for that, but this looked too good to be true.

 

[madeinuk]

I now always carry a good old fashioned compass if I go deep into the woods. In my experience GPS systems suck in the woods especially if the leaves are out.

I once got turned around while trying to walk around a beaver pond/swamp while fishing in Norvin Green State Forest. Once I realised that every freaking tree looked the same and wouldn't be able to retrace my steps it was quite alarming!

I literally had to fight (and I mean truly wrestle with) the urge to panic - it was getting dark and the ground underfoot alternated between leaf mould that was 2-3" deep and deep 2-3' holes filled with leaves - leg breaking and bear country. Not the best combination to spend the night unarmed and without a fire in. I had to sit down and focus on breathing for a good 5 minutes before I managed to 're-man' myself. Once I calmed myself down I just followed my inate sense of direction onwards not backwards and eventually made it back to a road. The good thing about NJ is that there is always a road not too far away unless you are in the Pine Barrens.

This experience taught me to always have compass going into the woods and to frequently check how my route looks backwards in case I do have to retrace my steps - things look very different backwards as I found to my cost.

 

[JERSEY BOB]

Everything that "Made in UK said" (Ollie, is that you?!)....

Worrying about getting lost in the woods in NJ means you don't have a lot of woodland experience; not an insult, just fact.

(Then again, we probably know a whoe lot MORE about taking a powerboat out for tuna, etc. than most folks from Mt. or Wy!)

Sit down, catch your breath. Bring a compass, learn to walk a straight line in the woods, know what to do if stuck out overnight. (fire if at all possible, bring some candy and other groceries!)

 

[Cleancut]

Worrying about getting lost in the woods in NJ means you don't have a lot of woodland experience; not an insult, just fact.

+1,If you can walk in a strait line for an hour or so, you can get out of most any woods in this state.

 

[BowMan45]

If you can walk in a strait line for an hour or so, you can get out of most any woods in this state.

Very true, one small advantage of living in such a densely populated state.

About 20 years ago I got turned around while hunting in Maine. We went out in the morning and I didn't get out till 2 am the next morning when the rangers found me. It's very easy to panic but it's the worst thing you can do. I realized at about 3 pm that I wasn't gonna find my way out so I built a lean-to and decided I was gonna be there a while (an unexpected camping trip). All my friends seemed to think it was quite funny, but the next day found everyone practicing how to use a compass correctly (GPS's weren't around yet). If I ever get back to Maine you can bet there will be a GPS (Garmin) in my backpack.

 

[keahunter]

Quote:
Worrying about getting lost in the woods in NJ means you don't have a lot of woodland experience; not an insult, just fact.

+1,If you can walk in a strait line for an hour or so, you can get out of most any woods in this state.

I disagree with the first point...even the most experienced woodsman can get..um...misplaced. As far as the walking in a straight line, not always so easy to do in the woods.

I received a gps as a gift and I've never received a signal in the woods...now it sits on a shelf. Just bring a good, old-fashioned compass...it will get out of a jam.

 

[230grain hollowpoint]

Its New Jersey just listen to the nearest highway

I don't use it to keep from getting lost. What I like about the Magellan is that I can set a waypoint for a specific tree I want to hunt from and find it in the dark with no difficulty.

 

[screaming eagle]

Its New Jersey just listen to the nearest highway

Its pretty hard to walk for a day and not hit a road in jersey.

 

[MTH]

Anyone know of a GPS reciever/radio combo?

My club does a few drives through thick nasty stuff where you can't see the man 10 feet from you. Looking for somthing to keep the drivers in line. I figured a GPS/walkie combo that would show the position of the drivers as they move through the drive on everyone's screen would help greatly. (i.e. each driver with the unit would be able to see his/her own position, and the position of every other driver with the same frequency setting)

 

[jkotys]

(i.e. each driver with the unit would be able to see his/her own position, and the position of every other driver with the same frequency setting)

That would be cool. That's like having those devices installed in trucks or your teenagers cars where you can follow them on the internet.