Over the years, the use of GPS for searching and navigating locations when connected to the main satellite has been a sacred procedure often associated with the military for security purposes. However, it is a great companion for hunters, especially when in the wild. A GPS system is one of the new innovations recorded in the world of technology. It allows lovers of hunting activities to remain safe when lost in the wild by accessing the nearest location information when connected to a nearby satellite using a GPS.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the Best Hunting GPS in 2022
Garmin Oregon 650ft 3-inch Handheld GPS with 8MP Digital Camera (US Topographic Maps)
Talking of Garmin Oregon 650ft 3-inch handheld GPS system, this is one of the newly designed Garmin products which is most preferred by hunters in cold regions because it can be operated with gloves on. Inside the neatly packed box includes Oregon 650t, Preloaded U.S. TOPO 100K, NiMH battery pack, USB/charging cable, AC adapter, Carabiner clip, and manual guide.
With Garmin Oregon 650ft 3-inch handheld hunting GPS you don’t have to take an additional camera for quality photos with you for your outdoor hunting adventure. Oregon 650t’s has a built-in 8-megapixel autofocus digital camera. Shot photos are also geotagged with the location of where it was taken. Oregon 650t has a built-in 3-axis compass (electronic) with accelerometer tilt compensation, which shows where you’re heading even when you are not moving. Its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to determine the atmospheric conditions changes. Oregon 650t gives an exact information position quickly and precisely with the use of its high-sensitivity, WAAS- and GLONASS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction,
Garmin Oregon 650ft offers you a reflective display technology that boosts touchscreen brightness such that maps and location information are as vivid in full bright sunlight as they are in dark environments.
This product also features an 8-megapixel auto focus camera with digital zoom and automatic flash/torch, and customizable buttons for 1-touch picture capture and waypoint marking. It has a strength for impact resistance but with multi-touch and dual orientation views that still accommodate the hand-gloved operation.
Make use of the free hunting trip-planning software that allows you to create Garmin Adventures that you can share with friends, family, or fellow explorers. Don’t forget to try out the BaseCamp feature that exhibits topographic map data such as contour lines and elevation profiles in 2-D or 3-D on your readable screen. It also can send an unlimited number of satellite images to your device when paired with the BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, but the feature will cost you a little subscription fee.
What we like:
- Ideal for hunters in cold regions.
- Uses a dual battery system
- Easy to understand manual guide
Our Concerns:
- Maps are not easily routable
Garmin GPSMAP 64s Worldwide with High-Sensitive GPS and GLONASS Receiver
Talking about the Garmin gpsmap product which features a 2.6″ sunlight-readable color display and a high-sensitivity GPS and GLONASS satellite receiver. It provides you with a quad-helix antenna for a higher reception which locates your exact position speedily and accurately. It has an embedded built-in 3-axis compass tilt-compensated electronic, which displays the direction you are heading even when you are still standing at a point.
Garmin gpsmap 64s features a barometric altimeter that records slight changes in pressure to provide an accurate altitude you are and also monitor the atmospheric condition over time. Make use of the BaseCamp feature, a software that provides you with the option of taking charge of future outdoor pursuits, and get to view and organize maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks. It also allows the unlimited transfer of satellite images to your device when connected to the BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription.
Garmin gpsmap 64s has been living up to its popularity over the years. It offers you a Smart Notification button with which you can wirelessly receive email, messages, and any other form of notifications from your compatible mobile, be rest assured you are connected without having to dig into your backpack searching for your mobile to view incoming emails.
In addition to all these is another fascinating feature on this product that allows you to share tracks, routes, and geocaches with friends wirelessly without connecting to a computer, you can also share to other compatible devices such as VIRB™, foot pod, heart rate monitor and other accessory sensors.
Garmin gpsmap 64s is the perfect pick for an outdoor hunting adventure. It is slim, lightweight and it offers paperless geocaching with 250,000 preloaded caches with hints and descriptions directly sourced from Geocaching.com
What we like:
- Easy to locate bearings with the quad helix antenna
- 4 GB memory card slot
- It has 16-hour battery life.
- It is slim and lightweight and eco-friendly.
Our concerns:
- Quite complex to operate
Garmin Foretrex 401 Waterproof Hiking GPS System
Garmin Foretrex 401 waterproof hiking GPS is one of the amazing products for hunting in the Garmin GPS catalog. It is renowned for being highly durable as it can withstand varying atmospheric conditions. It usually comes in a specially designed box which includes the Foretrex 401, a wrist expansion strap, a USB cable, and manual guides.
It is a slim wrist-mounted GPS navigator which features a high-sensitive GPS receiver with a HotFix for enhanced performance in a thick shade cover or deep canyons region. It functions by combining a high-sensitivity waterproof GPS receiver with an electronic compass and barometric altimeter to gather location information and tell you your exact location on the map.
Garmin Forterex 401 GPS system is a lightweight device that keeps track of routes, waypoints, and heart rate. The heart rate accessory is an additional feature that must be purchased separately.
All these enthralling features render this Garmin product the most appropriate for hikers, skiers, and campers during an outdoor pursuit. It supports a dual position readout so that you can view the current location in different formats. In addition to these is the trackback feature which retraces your path on the easy-to-read LCD screen display.
Garmin Foretrex 401 GPS uses standard AAA batteries. These batteries have a working service of up to 17 hours in GPS mode. Its screen displays at a resolution of 100 x 64 pixels and a display size of 1.42 x 0.91 inches
One of the unique and distinguishing features of Garmin Foretrex 401 is the one that allows you to create and store routes to all of your favorite places, learn how to share your favorite waypoints, routes, and tracks wirelessly with other Foretrex 401 compatible devices. Use the Garmin Connect feature to explore other routes uploaded from more than 12 million users. Don’t forget you can also share your experiences on social media.
What we like:
- Highly durable and can withstand any atmospheric condition
- Allows for sharing of routes and waypoints
- Spare batteries when getting low
- It is portable and can be mounted on wrists
Our concerns:
- Complex manual guide
- May at times provide inaccurate information.
Garmin GPSMAP 64st, TOPO U.S 100k with High-Sensitivity GPS and GLONASS Receiver
This Garmin GPS is widely renowned as the favorite pick for all lovers of hunting. This hunting GPS unit produced by Garmin is often called a powerhouse because of the built-in GPS and GLONASS satellite systems which provide you with very accurate results. Its efficiency cannot be disjointed from the fact that it uses a high-sensitive technology that cannot be found on any regular navigation system.
This Garmin product also uses a 2.6″ sunlight-readable color screen and a high-sensitivity GPS and GLONASS receiver. It has a quad-helix antenna as a superior receptor. With the quad helix antenna and high-sensitivity, GPS, and GLONASS satellite receiver your safety in the wild is highly guaranteed because Garmin gpsmap 64st will locate your exact bearing speedily and precisely.
It also uses the common feature which is common to most GPS on the market. The in-built electronic 3-axis compass combined with barometric altimeter measures variations in height and atmospheric conditions of a particular region.
In terms of build quality, this is undoubtedly the hunting GPS to refer to. It features wireless connectivity, high-quality preloaded TOPO US 100K maps, and Birds-Eye (3d) Images. Garmin gpsmap 64st comes with a universal base map which provides you with a 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription. All these tools are made available to make your outdoor adventures exciting and worthwhile. The base map gives comprehensive details on national, state, and local parks and forests, terrain contours, elevation, trails, rivers, lakes, and any of your places of interest
Get to share your tracks, routes, and geocaches wirelessly with your family and any other compatible devices. Your friends can enjoy your favorite hike or cache experience without waiting for you to connect to your personal computer all you need do is to click on the send button and transfer your information to other Garmin-compatible devices. You can also enjoy instant updates from your mobile with the smart notification feature. You can wirelessly receive emails, alerts, and messages from your mobile devices.
What we like:
- Lightweight, durable and affordable
- Superior navigating system
- High-quality and detailed topographical maps data
- Easy to understand interface
- Ideal for beginners
Our concerns:
- It offers features only appropriate for hunting
- No fancy touchscreen
Garmin Approach G6 Handheld Touchscreen Golf Course GPS
This Garmin product is one of the latest technological innovations in a series of golf GPS devices. The Approach G6 wears an entirely different look with its sleek, slim design for top-notch functionality.
It offers a glove-friendly, colorful touchscreen, than its G3 and G5 predecessors. Garmin Approach G6 comes in a specially designed box which includes; the Approach G6, a USB cable, an AC adapter, a belt clip, and user guidelines.
It retains the same size and touchscreen color as the previous generation of Garmin golf handhelds. The G6 which is the smallest GPS device with a color display on market a few years ago is rugged, water-resistant, and can withstand varying atmospheric conditions.
It has a 2.6-inch transflective color TFT touchscreen, embedded software and design innovations fully packed into the Approach G6 to take your outdoor pursuit experience to the next level. It offers you up to 25,000 preloaded worldwide courses for free. Garmin Approach G6 provides an internal rechargeable battery that has 15 hours of battery life, you can play the whole of your weekend on a single charge.
Apart from using your Approach G6 for instant access to Green View, Shot Measure, and Digital Scorecard you can also use the work of the enhanced stat tracking highlight which keeps track of fairways hit, greens in regulation, and putts per round.
What we like:
- It comes with an easy-to-understand touchscreen interface
- Provides you with a readable 2.6-inch transflective color display with a TFT touchscreen
- Water-resistant and can survive varying atmospheric conditions
- It charges no fee to access the course database
- It is a small-sized and lightweight
- It is the lightest device tested that can provide full hole views
Our concerns:
- Difficult target point reading
- Minor bugs and crashes when trying to view scorecards on the device.
Magellan eXplorist 350H Handheld GPS
The Magellan eXplorist GPS is a fascinating portable GPS that features a color LCD, and local physical buttons for stress-free navigation. The eXplorist 350H is an efficient, strong waterproof (IPX-7) handheld GPS with high impact resistance designed most appropriately for the lovers of hunting activities.
It provides you with advanced maps that include land use, parks, waterways, and even airports and contour elevation overlays for easy navigating.
It has an easy-to-understand colored LCD interface and is fully equipped with high–sensitive SiRFstarIII GPS with 3-5 meter accuracy and numerous attributed hunting options.
With this GPS unit, you can get to pick from over 30 different hunt-specific waypoints that are divided into landmarks and the tracking of animals. The eXplorist 350H offers you a comprehensive pre-loaded base map with a detailed road network, land use, water bodies, and trails. You can also get to view routes where you can start your journey with one click and keep tabs on useful data. It uses 2 double AA batteries which give hunters 18+ hours of battery life during and after the hunt.
This Garmin product offers you a free 1-year subscription to DigitalGlobe where you can download detailed imagery to your screens and start hunting.
This GPS offers you a feature that allows you to select specific hunting zones based on GMU & WMU given data for each region. Once a specific region is selected the GMU and WMU borders will be available on the 350H map display. In addition to all these is the pre-loaded hunt calendar offered by this product. It allows hunters to stay within legal hunting hours by knowing sunrise and sunset times. Another key feature is the customized boundary alert that allows Hunters to be signaled if they are approaching or leaving a hunting zone.
What we like:
- Comes hunt specific waypoint icons
- Provides detailed hunting boundary information for specific regions
- Intensive topographic map data.
- Fast and accurate bearing
- Very durable
Our concerns:
- Difficult to operate
- Poor battery life
Garmin eTrex 30x 010-01508 Handheld GPS Navigator
eTrex 30x is an advanced version of the famous eTrex 30 which has an upgraded screen resolution for a more readable display and a 3.7 GB of internal memory and microSD card slot. This amazing navigator allows you to load a variety of maps, including TOPO 24K, HuntView, BlueChart, BirdsEye Satellite Imagery which requires a subscription, and so on
eTrex 30x has an enhanced 2.2-inch, 65K color, sunlight-readable display with an increased resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, it has a physical dimension of 2.1″ x 4.0″ x 1.3″ by (5.4 x 10.3 x 3.3 cm)
Known to be highly durable and waterproof, eTrex 30x is built to withstand varying atmospheric conditions. It has a superb interface that makes it rugged to withstand dust, dirt, humidity, or water.
eTrex supports geocaching GPX files for downloading geocaches directly from Geocoaching.com. It records and displays essential information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints, and other location descriptions, which means it doesn’t need a manually coordinates entering or paper printouts.
The eTrex series is the first-ever consumer-grade receiver that can track both GPS and GLONASS satellites at the same time. With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, and HotFix satellite prediction, eTrex gets your position quickly and precisely.
It has a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass and a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to display your precise height
You can get to share your waypoints, tracks, routes, and geocaches with other compatible devices wirelessly. You can also enjoy a wireless connection to compatible Garmin devices, including VIRB and accessory sensors.
With this GPS navigator, you can learn to take charge of your future exploration with the embedded BaseCamp software that allows you to view and organize maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks. This cheap adventure organizing software even allows you to create Garmin Adventures that you can share with friends and family.
Do you know BaseCamp also displays topographic map data in 2-D or 3-D on your screen, including contour lines and elevation profiles? Lay your hand on the software and maximize its numerous usages.
What we like:
- It is easy to use, highly durable, and affordable
- It gives a concise and accurate bearing
- Topographic map data in 2-Dand 3-D
Our concerns:
- It needs to be thoroughly maintained
Garmin Montana 680t GPS
Garmin Montana 680t GPS is not just famous by name, its popularity cannot be disjointed from the fascinating features it offers. This Garmin product keeps you abreast of your location with the use of its high-sensitive, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver coupled with a Hotfix prediction and GLONASS support which gather information as quickly as possible to locate your position accurately at all times.
It records and exhibits important information such as location, terrain, and other descriptions on a vast 4-inch dual-orientation, sunlight-readable touchscreen display, providing legible vivid colors and high-resolution images. Its easy-to-use touchscreen ensures you have a worthwhile viewing experience during your hunting activities.
In addition to the 3-axis tilt-compensated compass which displays precise location position, the barometric altimeter also provides additional navigational support which helps to monitor altitude and slight variations in atmospheric conditions.
Garmin Montana 680t GPS comes uploaded with TOPO U. S. 100K maps. You can also add more maps, it is easy to do and it comes with no barriers. Another important feature peculiar to this Garmin GPS is the one-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription which allows you to explore information posted by other teeming numbers of users.
Garmin Montana supports paperless geocaching GPX documents directly sourced from Geocaching.com which thus makes it more eco-friendly. Lay hands on the track manager button and it will help you to organize and navigate through locations easily. You can even share waypoints, tracks, and geocaches wirelessly with your friends.
Garmin Montana has an integrated BaseCamp software that allows you to view and organize maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks. This cheap adventure organizing software displays topographic map data in 2-D or 3-D on your readable screen, this data includes contour lines and elevation profiles, and many more features.
What we like:
- Small-sized and moderate in weight
- Fast and accurate bearing location
- Readable touchscreen display for smooth reading even under the sun
- Topographic map data are displayed in 2-D or 3-D on your screens and compatible devices
- Eco-friendly
Our concerns:
- No manual guide
Garmin Oregon 600 3-inch Worldwide Handheld GPS
Garmin Oregon 600 is no different from other Garmin products, it provides you with the basic essentials fully packed together. These features include Oregon 600, a Worldwide base map, USB/charging cable, Carabiner clip, and manual guide.
Garmin Oregon has an inbuilt 3-axis electronic compass with accelerometer tilt compensation to indicate the direction you are heading even while you are static. It uses a barometric altimeter that tracks little changes in pressure to know the precise measure of altitude, this same feature also helps to monitor changing weather conditions.
With the high-sensitivity, WAAS- and GLONASS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction button, Oregon 600 locates your actual position speedily and precisely. Oregon 600 also allows you to share waypoints, tracks, routes, and geocaches wirelessly even up to 50 times faster with other wireless compatible Garmin handheld GPS devices.
Oregon 600 has a unique reflective display technology for the best, sunlight-readable touchscreen ever produced in the market of GPS. The screen is durable for high impact resistance and it allows multi-touch with dual-orientation views that allow gloved operation.
Another fascinating feature of this Garmin product is the dual battery system which provides you with the option of recharging sometimes. You can use the optional rechargeable NiMH pack or traditional AA batteries when it’s getting low on power.
Oregon 600 has a vast memory card slot that can accommodate up to 4 million files. This Garmin product has a spectacular feature that gives you the ability to have control over subsequent adventures with the fascinating software that allow you to view and organize maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks.
Basecamp’s free trip-planning software allows you to create Garmin Adventures which you can share with friends, family or other campers. It displays topographic map data in 2-D or 3-D on your computer screen, including contour lines and elevation profiles.
What we like:
- Easy to understand
- Uses a Bluetooth technology
- Gives location information speedily and accurately
Cons
- Maps are not easily routable
- Users often complain of software freezing
- Battery life could be upgraded
Bushnell BackTrack Original G2 GPS Personal Locator and Digital Compass
Bushnell has been the leader in the market of GPS producers, it’s high-performance can also be seen in sports optics over the years. The company’s sole aim has been to provide the best quality, most reliable, and most affordable products to enhance the enjoyment of every outdoor pursuit, including nature study, hunting, birding, and stargazing
This is the ergonomic shaped Bushnell backtrack original G2 GPS personal locator and a digital compass which has a simple interface with a blue backlight that displays sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times as well as barometric pressure.
It is lightweight and small-sized with a dimension of 3.54 in. (H) x 2.95 in. (W) x .75 in. (D). It is a Self-calibrated digital compass Compact GPS personal locator with an intuitive 2-button design. Its High sensitive GPS receiver and self-calibrating digital compass tap location information speedily to give an accurate result of your location. It stores up to 3 locations and it offers you a readable touchscreen greyscale LCD screen type
Bushnell GPS unit has a distinguishing feature that many hunting GPS lacks, which is the accurate prediction it makes during the time of peak animal activity based on a vast collection of data. This is an incomparable feature for a hunter. In addition to that, it logs up to two days of trip data and stores up to 25 locations.
Its compact size added to its lightweight makes it one of the best to take around to fulfill your hunting quests. It can be stored in a pocket or purse. Its weather-resistant ability allows it to survive ranging extremely difficult atmospheric conditions and it operates on 2 AAA batteries.
What we like:
- Small-sized and can be carried around in pockets.
- Full calibration
- It is weather resistant and can work perfectly in any weather
- It gives accurate bearing
Our concerns:
- The screw holding the battery place is screwed with plastics
A GUIDE TO CHOOSING BEST HUNTING GPS IN 2022
These sudden rapid changes and development that hit the world of technology of recent have enabled hunting lovers and outdoor activity addicts to enjoy today’s easy-to-operate GPS systems. These GPS units offer you the ability to remain on track during hunting activities and avoid the tendency of getting lost while hunting.
Are you a lover of hunting? Have you been lingering to acquire a versatile and durable GPS for hunting? With numerous fantastic products in the market of hunting GPS, how to select the GPS that is best for hunting is a frequently faced problem by hunters, especially for starters.
Undoubtedly, each product has something spectacular to offer. They all come with intriguing highlights that make them top-notch in the market. But what are these highlights? And what are the most important characteristics you desire? As a starter, here are the top three qualities to have in mind when choosing the best hunting GPS unit.
- Speed
The number of satellites a GPS can use to access location information acts as an important factor in determining the speed and accuracy of the hunting GPS units. The United States Department of Defense currently has 24 satellites that GPS devices can access to tap location information. One can, therefore, assume that the best hunting GPS on the market can be considered fast and accurate when it can easily connect to a minimum of 12 different satellites with the ideal scenario and best option for a device being 24 satellites. Using a device that takes decades to access location information is obviously a disadvantage compared to those that can connect to numerous satellites in a few seconds In addition to all the these, there are other three important factors that must be considered when choosing a fast and accurate GPS, even though only two of these factors can be easily manipulated. This includes the size of the antenna, the efficiency of the software., and the number of satellites present in an area.
A bigger antenna often looks inevitable as it can easily affect the speed of positioning. If you want to access information as quickly as possible, it is important to create a space for a bigger-sized antenna. The efficiency of the software is another factor that must not be overlooked. The efficiency of many products comes from companies that prioritize quality in their products. Different companies place different levels of priority on quality and efficiency, thus you must be careful to choose from suppliers who are trusted and reliable for providing quality products over time.
- Functionality
Functionality is an important factor that must be carefully considered when selecting the best hunting GPS. Every GPS unit exhibits different features which make buyers see some GPS features as important while others may feel it’s not needful. It can also be attributed to the ease of use of GPS and all functions the device can offer.
Arguably, the best hunting GPS are those that can perform many functions with a facile operating module. For instance, consider a hunting GPS that allows you to trail a location and also mark locations as a point of interest whereas another device will only allow you to mark a route or a place of interest only. If you are only interested in marking trails, the need to identify many locations as points of interest will be considered not necessarily essential.
As far as ease of use is concerned, a device can only be considered the best in the market if it’s not complex to operate and set up. It is important to make a little research on devices that are easy to operate. The best hunting GPS will definitely have numerous choices of functioning but will not be too difficult to operate.
- Long-lasting and service life
The durability of hunting GPS simply implies strength and service life. The acknowledged sophisticated and advanced GPS in the world can only remain desirable when it is consistently living up to its popularity. For instance, what is the benefit? of an advanced hunting GPS that shattered into pieces the first time it mistakenly falls from the support, it is placed on. A highly durable hunting GPS unit must be rugged and can withstand pressure, moisture, or any unfavorable atmospheric conditions.
Talking about the battery life of a fantastic hunting GPS is an important factor that must be carefully considered. The battery life of your desired hunting GPS must be a one that can stay alive for a long duration of time especially when you’re on a long adventure in the wild, otherwise, they need to acquire spare batteries will set in which is equivalent to incurring an additional cost to your small budget.
Hunting GPS in terms of battery life is available in various unique forms on market, with some devices that can be recharged when low and some using standard batteries that can be purchased at the store. Undoubtedly each has something spectacular to offer, the best hunting GPS will be the one that can be recharged when low and can as well use a battery.
Additional GPS Features To Consider
The quest to acquire a versatile and long-lasting hunting GPS is one of the challenges widely faced by all lovers of hunting, especially amateurs that are just developing their hunting skills.
There are other numerous factors to consider when looking for the best hunting GPS. It includes;
- The size and weight of the device: The best hunting GPS must be one that is lightweight and portable to carry about.
- The quality of the screen: It must be a type that is not blurry, and a clear and clean touchscreen to read location information.
- The details of the topography: Some fantastic hunting GPS has embedded software that gives comprehensive details of the topography of your present location.
- The number of card slots available and other accessories available are also things to take note of.
Conclusion
These hunting GPS units are arguably the best in the market and have been carefully selected due to their high functionality and versatility. They are such a feasible and long-lasting solution to incessant cases of lovers of outdoor activities losing track in the wild during their adventures. The recent technological innovation of numerous GPS with varying enthralling features has been of unending benefit. All you need do is to take a time off and check through which exactly can cater to your taste while knowing fully well it fits into your budget too. It is therefore important to say that the Garmin Oregon 650ft 3-inch Handheld GPS is our top pick on this list which is due to its high functionality and ease of use.