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Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:27 am
by EdC
I used tacks before I bought my GPS, still not sure about the GPS thou, anyone know if you can calibrate them

when I overlay a topo map on etrex 10 there seems to be a mismatch
I guess I just have to practice more with it

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:23 am
by stash59
EdC wrote:I used tacks before I bought my GPS, still not sure about the GPS thou, anyone know if you can calibrate them

when I overlay a topo map on etrex 10 there seems to be a mismatch
I guess I just have to practice more with it


Should be calibration directions in the manual that came with it. Mine needs to be flipped in different ways and sequence to calibrate it. Only while outside. Though not perfect my GPS is usually good enough to get me close. Then if needed I use some of the following methods mentioned below.

I did use reflective ties in the past, but mainly in very remote areas I never saw other human sign. If I was in areas other humans were using I would mismark important landmarks used for travel. For example if I needed to mark a particular game trail to follow further in. I would place a reflective marker on a tree, bush, etc. A certain amount of yards/steps before the actual trail. Or I would place rocks, sticks, branches, etc. In an inconspicuous way that only made sense to me. I've also used a knife to blaze a mark on a tree here and there. May need to check if it's legal. Notes on all of these may be nessesary.

To find a particular spot or tree I often used a combination of these so there wasn't an obvious trail to follow. Some kind of reflector up in the tree at or above stand height will often be missed by others. But you'll find it cause your looking for it. So get close with the GPS then look for the reflector up in the tree.

Also marking these location then transferring to something like Google Earth will aid in knowing what landmarks/terrain features are available to use for travel.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:28 am
by Ghost Hunter
GPS for me. I also will take a picture with my phone.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:41 pm
by JAK
I'll log my spots on call topo or hunt stand. And once I know what spot I'm going to hunt memory gets me to my tree.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 12:30 am
by JoeRE
Hunting big woods made me buy a GPS. In the hills I am fine navigating by terrain but boy I get turned around up north in big timber :lol:

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:00 am
by mauser06
GPS and my phone.

I typically log stuff into both so I have a back up.

I try to save my tracks from the truck to the spot.

Specific spots that I intend to actually hunt from, I like to leave a ribbon and a couple glow tacks..as long as I'm well off the path and I know they won't be found. I don't usually mark the exact tree..but somewhere I know I will see and will jog my mind.


Works well for me. Last season I did it in a spot in Michigan. Half mile through the woods in the dark that I couldn't actually navigate during the day. Opening day last year and this year I was right in my spot. My ribbon was still hanging from the year prior.

Glow tacks or ribbon can be great..just gotta be mindful of their use.

I've had way too many blown mornings thinking I could get to my exact spot in the dark. After a few trips, I usually can if it's not far through the woods..but the first few times without having the marks, I do far more damage than good. Be better off waiting for gray light.

And I do that sometimes..I know an area but don't have a tree...I will get as close as I can and simply wait for gray light..or time it so I am walking in at gray light.


Heck, this rifle opener I was going to a spot I've hunted many times over the years. I've walked into there countless times in the dark. It's not but feet of a quad trail. I haven't been there in a year but I know the place really well. I ended up taking the wrong trail because another guy did some modifications...after a ways I knew I was on the wrong trail..it ultimately loops around to my spot. It was my worst opener there ever. Did my poor navigation cause that? I will never know. I would rather not have made that loop though.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:37 am
by elk yinzer
Another good tip I was taught at an early age by my pap...

Look for distinctive trees up in the canopy to guide you. Big dead trees, different species, weird leans and configuration, etc. Usually you can see those even in the pitch black without a flashlight.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:22 am
by OH nontypical
ScoutLook app memory and gps unit.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:31 am
by Bonehead
GPS with detailed notes. Tacs on private property only.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:50 am
by headgear
elk yinzer wrote:Another good tip I was taught at an early age by my pap...

Look for distinctive trees up in the canopy to guide you. Big dead trees, different species, weird leans and configuration, etc. Usually you can see those even in the pitch black without a flashlight.


This is a good tip and somethign I do in the dark on the way out, when you know the general direction you want to walk pick a tree and go there, then to the next and so on until you get out. When you stop looking around and just walk there is when you start to veer off course.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:31 am
by Tim H
I use HuntStand app. It’s great for breaking down your areas.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:04 am
by hunter_mike
My hunting would be very different without my handheld gps. Fairly confident i could do it all without a gps but i guarantee i would not be as efficient. Gps allows me to make the most out of precious time in the field

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:03 am
by perchsoup
EdC wrote:I used tacks before I bought my GPS, still not sure about the GPS thou, anyone know if you can calibrate them

when I overlay a topo map on etrex 10 there seems to be a mismatch
I guess I just have to practice more with it



Edc, mind sharing how you overlayed a topo on your etrex 10? I got some advice on it once but it didn’t seem to apply to the etrex 10.

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:51 am
by EdC
perchsoup wrote:Edc, mind sharing how you overlayed a topo on your etrex 10? I got some advice on it once but it didn’t seem to apply to the etrex 10.


sure found it on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex7fGF2sXqk

the guy is a little mono tone but lots of good info about doing this
basically it's about renaming a similar garmin file with a topo map
if you got any specific questions just let me know
but the youtube video is pretty good

the only thing I can't figure out yet was the map was a little off but it worked well for the low price garmin etrex
glad I did it

Re: Remembering Big Woods stand locations??

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 4:14 am
by perchsoup
EdC wrote:
perchsoup wrote:Edc, mind sharing how you overlayed a topo on your etrex 10? I got some advice on it once but it didn’t seem to apply to the etrex 10.


sure found it on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex7fGF2sXqk

the guy is a little mono tone but lots of good info about doing this
basically it's about renaming a similar garmin file with a topo map
if you got any specific questions just let me know
but the youtube video is pretty good

the only thing I can't figure out yet was the map was a little off but it worked well for the low price garmin etrex
glad I did it


Ive seen that and gotten that far but I cannot find or build a compatible map. Where do find the right file format topos?