Anyone carry a handheld GPS???

[wyoutdoors]

I've been thinking of snatching one up for the past year. I see there are electronic maps that can be downloaded into them too. How essential is one and would you go without it? Make/Model preferences?

~ G

[fdhunter]

one of the greatest tools an outdoorsman can have. I have an Etrex legend. I love it. The mapping software is awesome.

[LT]

one of the greatest tools an outdoorsman can have. I have an Etrex legend. I love it. The mapping software is awesome.

fdhunter, what is the ball-park price and who carries? I can see having one when you got 2 miles of ice and you're looking for the structure of an old river bed in a reservoir!  Is it user-friendly?

[fshnfool]

fdhunter, what is the ball-park price and who carries? I can see having one when you got 2 miles of ice and you're looking for the structure of an old river bed in a reservoir!  Is it user-friendly?

ex-lt, I've got a Garmin, which isn't top of the line, by any means and it was a couple hundred bucks......you can spend stupid money on them, but if you're in the woods, on the water or ice alot.....it's worth it.  Find a honey hole....mark it.  Get turned around in the woods after dark?.....no problem.  Alot of things make em worth it.

[LT]

Yeah buddy, been there done that, no fun, take for instance a whiteout during elk season, even in familiar country you're lost, sol, toast, yeppers, I gotta have one, that or spend a cold, lonely night in the lodgepole motel... tell me about your Garmin, please 

[littleoldlady]

I'm with Fsnfool...just a regular Garmin...and it has marked the spots that we repeatedly bring in the big ones.  We have also used it
for extensive wilderness canoe trips...those ones that last three weeks, thirty lakes, and as many portages.  It has been right on the
money.  It comes with us hunting as well...the bush here is pretty thick, and sometimes landmarks, mist, snow, or plain disorientation
can cause a person to wonder just where they are.  You don't have to go for the big bucks...ours was under $200, and worth every cent.

[LT]

Thankew much ma'am, by the way, I know how you appreciate a nice fish-picture, you might take a look at Matt's laker under "Fremont Derby" up top here, laters, LT   
    (ps what model Garmin?)

[littleoldlady]

OOOOPS  My mistake...the fish finder is a garmin...and the gps is the cheapest Magellan....the explorist 100.  It has taken us sooo many places!!  And I will check out those pix.  P.S.  todays laker was small    only 7 lbs!

[LT]

Thank you ma'am, I shall research and purchase...driving right by the well-known catalog outfitter in Sidney NE in couple of wks. I don't plan to be much longer without one 

[BottomDweller]

...take for instance a whiteout during elk season...

the (only) problem with gps is that whiteout conditions may hamper its ability to communicate with sattelites.  but really, i go nowhere without mine - it is probably my most invaluable piece of equipment behind my rods and tackle...  i can navigate out into the middle of jackson or jenny and find the tip of a submerged pinnacle 15 feet across.  used in conjunction with a fish-finder, you're deadly.  and yes, the garmins especially are user-friendly.  it takes a couplwe of trips and some focus on using the units instead of navigating by your old methods, but you learn them fast.  i've got a garmin GPS72, and it does the job, but i don't have preloaded maps on mine like the e-trex.  the e-trex is also smaller, but really, i'm just gonna stick to the gps 72.  it was like $180, but absolutely worth it.  i actually had an older one, and my hunting camp got ransacked and i lost a lot of shtuff, but the gps72 was the very first thing i replaced.

[littleoldlady]

Thank you ma'am, I shall research and purchase...driving right by the well-known catalog outfitter in Sidney NE in couple of wks. I don't plan to be much longer without one 

My pleasure, sir.  There are a number of good, low cost units...and I don't think any one with half a brain needs all the bells and whistles. (But
then, sometimes I still pull out my old Girl Scout compass). 

[LT]

I wouldn't stake my three-miles-in-the-timber elk kill on an electronics device alone, (I'd red-flag it too)...but mostly yes, it's a lot easier than picking your way back to the carcass!

[bladebait]

I have the Garmin e-trex legend. Very nice GPS for the money.  Comes with WASS which is what makes it accurate. I would not buy a GPS without WASS because they just are not accurate enough for ice fishing. Can download maps into system as well. Had a Lowrance GPS before the Garmin and was not impressed with it's accuracy. The Garmin is very accurate, usually within 10 feet(3yds)!

[JimP]

I use a Garmin Map76. I think I paid around $250. It is a great all around unit and it has maps you can put into it. I take mine everywhere and it has never failed me. The only time it was problematic was in very heavy tree canopy in the height of summer. It is also waterproof. (many are not)

Having said that when I head into the deep Maine woods miles from anything, I always bring a good map and a compass as a backup.

[Hellsangler]

I have the Magellan Sportrack pro and like it . I don't have the map software but they come with a map anyway just not the detail with the software . I hope to trade mine in on a Lowrance H2O this year . I use mine on the water all the time so I look for one that will float and is waterproof . GPS has come down in price now compared to the one I bought . Wiper fishing in a bath tub like Willard bay it is a must to keep on the fish and great for marking structure . I don't know what I would do without one now .

[LT]

Well, yesterday I ordered the Magellan Explorist, the well-known outfitter in Sidney Nebraska had it on sale for under 90 clams. Looks like a great basic, get-you-to-the-spot unit, won't have any trouble locating the cottonwoods at Boysen now 

[bohman77]

How do you think that I found those cats!!!!!!!!!!! And the way back to the truck and camper when there is no moon and its 12am. That thing saved a lot of four wheeler gas and anxiety.

Bill

[LT]

Bill, I think we oughta start calling Dogg a "caveman" if he doesn't buy one for next hardwater season... 

[Cargo]

I have a Lowrance "I finder pro" Hand held. They are very handy! I took a guy out in my boat last year and was telling him about the GPS,I was showing him it and told him when we get to the spot hang on! We arrived at the spot the alarm went off and I said we fish here! I dropped a jig over the side of the boat and set the hook on an eye about 8Lb eye I thought he was going to sh***T his pants. I believe he bought one soon after that trip!