GPS: Finding Your Way Back to CampThe Global Positioning System, or GPS is a small hand-held device that enables the user to navigate and find their way, anywhere in the world. This tool will help hunters keep from getting “turned around” or lost as they navigate hunting grounds and is designed to capture signals from 24 satellites that orbit Earth. Each of the satellites has their own unique identification code that will send signals and allow the GPS to calculate the distance from the device to the satellites. The user will be able to determine his exact location or position on Earth. The information gathered from this device can be used to pinpoint your location on a map or used by itself to find your way, even in the dark, or in bad weather with limited visibility. 
The most common way hunters use this device is to mark their starting location; whether it is from a tent, the hunting camp, or the truck; the starting way-point is logged into the system before setting out to hunt.Remember, in a heavily wooded area with dark timber, there are no street signs telling you where you are; every tree looks the same. As you walk and hike your way through the woods, you are going to find deer and elk sign or points of interest in which you can log and mark as a “way-point”. This way you can electronically “bread-crumb” your way to and from points of interest with amazing accuracy. Common signs, points of interest, and method of use are... 1. Logging you starting point and the main road. 2. Marking a location where you saw trophy game. 3. Estimate travel time to and from your tree stand or hunting spot. 4. You can mark boundaries, ranger stations, water holes. 5. Lock in the location of game tracks, rubs, wallows, feeding areas, scrapes, beds, etc. 6. Recover (and field dress) your trophy animal, mark the position of the downed animal, then get back to camp for help. 7. Calculate the distance to the downed animal. Be able to tell how far your downed animal is from camp. 8. Some GPS have 2-way radio capability; to communicate your location to your fellow hunters, or Search and Rescue, if the need arises. 9. GPS devices have a back-light feature to help you read it in the dark, so as not to alert game animals by having to use a flash-light to and from your hunting area. 10. Most GPS units have “map capabilities”, and can give the user dimensional, real-time, location and navigation. So you are not just looking at a screen with an arrow pointing you in the right direction, you can see your position on Earth, as it relates to a map of the area you are in. Important waypoints already marked in a map-capable unit, such as ranger stations, rest stops, water, etc.
Rifle Accuracy Reports recommends the following top of the line GPS Units: Garmin, Magellan, and Lowrance.
To use your GPS in a remote or heavily wooded area, you must be in a clearing where you can see the sky. Turn the GPS on and point unit up towards the north sky to acquire satellite tracking. The unit will need at least four satellites to lock in your present position. You must have extra batteries with you to keep the unit operational. Batteries will last 12 to 20 hours. Effective use of GPS navigation can help keep you from getting lost, help create a game plan that will increase your odds of having a successful hunt.
HERE IS A VIDEO ON GPS USE!!
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