GPS recommend

[dkard]

Looking to get a handheld GPS unit for elk hunting

any recs, Looking at possibly a garmin etrex of some sort,

WOuld like the ability to add maps, not too sure on teh necessity of color screens

what to look for, specific units to avoid, units to look for.

Would rather spend less rather than more

thanks dave

[mike robin]

dave
i bought the $99 etrex to hunt in co last season and love it--now i want to say i know nothing about them -but could use it- and it was a huge help-saved many steps-the outfitter told us the wrong quadrangle and we were off the map we brought-but with a sense of direction and some common sense we navigated quite well--the one unit i saw w/maps was nice and aquired sattelites in half[only minutes] the time of my etrex was 4'xs the cost--and the map is only 2"x2"
-----------mike

[Sixby]

Dave my son has the Garmin Rhino and he loves it. I have heard that the Oregon model is good too and nothing wrong with Etrex for a lower price.

[petew]

We use the cheap Etrex and it does all we want. Gets us back to where we started, and is great for marking a downed animal and finding it again after dark.I have downloaded routes and places from my Fugawi Map program onto it and ended up 25 feet from where I was headed on a 300 mile trip.
The best use I had was with a moose I shot. It was a long walk back to the truck,well over a mile, so I drove up the old oil road untill the GPS said I was at 90 deg to the moose. It was only a hop skip and jump , less than a hundred yards,from the Oil Lease road. That saved a lot of work.
I want to mark camp, or the truck, and then I turn it off. When I am returning I can turn it on and check how far I am from base, and see if I want to take a cross country shortcut.
I also frequently mark "Hot Spots" that I can get back to.
It is a basic model and does all I want and need. I recomend always having spare "AA" bateries in your pack, and to use Rechargables with a 120/12V charger.

Pete

[dkard]

Have it down to a couple models

Amazing how many models there are

etrex Venture HC has mapping and 36 hour max battery life a plus
etrex Vista HCx

Garmin GPSMAP76

Anyone know anything about putting maps on these things?
The mapsource stuff is about $100, but a lot of maps are available online from the state government here.

dave

[Apex Predator]

I've got the Legend HCX. The high sensitivity receiver is really nice down here in the thick swamp canopy. It works much better and faster than the ones without the good receiver. I don't think it would be that big a deal out west where the canopy isn't thick. The color screen makes it much easier on the eyes. I bought a detailed map chip for around $85, and it is really nice as well.

[Hornseeker]

The Garmin Oregon whoops ass David... nice big screen...easy to use.... But the others are very good too...I use the $99 etrex..

[dkard]

The Oregon looks nice, but out of my price range.

dave

[Cutty]

Garmon 60CS (a few years old)...love it...literally a lifesaver.

[Hornseeker]

I just spent some time with a Colorado... it was friggen unreal...but it was also a $599 GPS....