Anyone hunt with walkie talkies?

[heronblu]

Thinking about purchasing some walkie talkies to help with communication this hunting season. Anyone have any recommendations for ones that work well in the timber of western WA?

[grundy53]

I've always been happy with Midlands.

[lostbackpacker]

not sure, but I think its illegal to use them to hunt with....... i.e. don't think you can tell your buddy there is a elk headed his way.... someone correct me if I am incorrect

[adamR]

Not illegal in Washington!

Go with rhinos then you have the gps and radio in one and can see where your partners are

[heronblu]

It isn't illegal in WA and I'd be using it to make sure my pops is ok while I hike way ahead of him. 

[Hunterman]

We've used radios for years. We've not only used them in Washington, but also in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Hunterman(Tony)

[stevemiller]

I dont go without them 

[7mag.]

Not illegal in Washington!

Go with rhinos then you have the gps and radio in one and can see where your partners are

This

[JimmyHoffa]

Not illegal in Washington!

Go with rhinos then you have the gps and radio in one and can see where your partners are

This

You can see where people that aren't your partners, too. (if they have rhino)  They have a camera in them too.

[sled]

Use the rhinos to keep track of where dad is at.

[Naches Sportsman]

I like having a garmin to listen to hunters giving their spots away while I am working:chuckle:. 

[RadSav]

We hunt with a bow or gun.  But we do usually have a Talkie in the pack or in a pocket.


Last five years the wife and I have carried the Garmin Rhino.  I think they are model 520   One night when we had Motorola I had to talk a lost wife in using stars and overhead aircraft.  She nearly died of fright and panic.  So right after that I purchased the Rhino so I could keep track of her even if she had the volume turned off.  It has been a very nice little unit!

If hunting by myself I never carry GPS or Walkie.  I'd rather replace the extra weight with water and/or snacks.

[Firedogg]

Always carry one with me. When out by myself it's still there and I leave the second one in the truck all set up for the channel/group I am on. The wife at home also has the info written down so if I don't check in she can pass that info along for someone to try and find me.

[police women of America]

not sure, but I think its illegal to use them to hunt with....... i.e. don't think you can tell your buddy there is a elk headed his way.... someone correct me if I am incorrect

its legal
 "Can I use two-way radios while hunting?
Yes. There is currently no prohibition on using two-way radios to hunt in Washington. However, if radios are used for location of or herding of game there may be a question of ethics involved. It is illegal to use radio-telemetry equipment to locate and hunt wildlife with transmitters attached ... " - WDFW

[RadSav]

not sure, but I think its illegal to use them to hunt with....... i.e. don't think you can tell your buddy there is a elk headed his way.... someone correct me if I am incorrect

its legal
 "Can I use two-way radios while hunting?
Yes. There is currently no prohibition on using two-way radios to hunt in Washington. However, if radios are used for location of or herding of game there may be a question of ethics involved. It is illegal to use radio-telemetry equipment to locate and hunt wildlife with transmitters attached ... " - WDFW

However, I do believe it is illegal to bludgeon the animal to death with one.

I also believe the person giving direction can not be in flight.  Not sure if they have defined a rule yet if using a drone with real time video feed.

[police women of America]

not sure, but I think its illegal to use them to hunt with....... i.e. don't think you can tell your buddy there is a elk headed his way.... someone correct me if I am incorrect

its legal
 "Can I use two-way radios while hunting?
Yes. There is currently no prohibition on using two-way radios to hunt in Washington. However, if radios are used for location of or herding of game there may be a question of ethics involved. It is illegal to use radio-telemetry equipment to locate and hunt wildlife with transmitters attached ... " - WDFW

However, I do believe it is illegal to bludgeon the animal to death with one.

I also believe the person giving direction can not be in flight.  Not sure if they have defined a rule yet if using a drone with real time video feed.

yeah no one can have flown on a plane in that day. My dad thought that you might be able to use a drone or small plane with a camera to hunt but I looked in the hunting pamphlet and found this
 "4.   Using aircraft (WAC 232-12-057):
It is illegal to:
• Use an aircraft to spot, locate, or report
the location of wildlife for the purpose of
hunting.
• Hunt big game on the same day you were
airborne for any purpose, except for a
regularly scheduled commercial flight" -WDFW pamphlet 

[birddogdad]

Use the rhinos to keep track of where dad is at.

 

[pianoman9701]

Not illegal in Washington!

Go with rhinos then you have the gps and radio in one and can see where your partners are

This

  x2

[turbo]

Rhinos - period..

[NRA4LIFE]

We use handheld CBs.  BTW, they are illegal in MT.

[cbond3318]

not sure, but I think its illegal to use them to hunt with....... i.e. don't think you can tell your buddy there is a elk headed his way.... someone correct me if I am incorrect

its legal
 "Can I use two-way radios while hunting?
Yes. There is currently no prohibition on using two-way radios to hunt in Washington. However, if radios are used for location of or herding of game there may be a question of ethics involved. It is illegal to use radio-telemetry equipment to locate and hunt wildlife with transmitters attached ... " - WDFW

However, I do believe it is illegal to bludgeon the animal to death with one.

I also believe the person giving direction can not be in flight.  Not sure if they have defined a rule yet if using a drone with real time video feed.

Really? Crap, that was the whole reason I got the Multi Season Permit this year. Talk about an upsell in the brochure!

[Bean Counter]

anyone have a list of which states they are legal in, and which ones not?

[willapawapiti]

If I remember correctly, your trophy animal will not "officially" qualify for Boone & Crockett, P&Y etc. if radios were used at all in the harvest.  That's the only limitation I remember reading, not that I'll ever have to worry about a B&C book score

[Bean Counter]

Wow, didn't know that 

[heronblu]

Thanks for the info folks! The rhinos look nice for sure. How well do they work in the thick timber btw?

[JimmyHoffa]

Thanks for the info folks! The rhinos look nice for sure. How well do they work in the thick timber btw?

Surprisingly well.  (I don't own one---but some guys I hunt with have a few)  They get pretty good reception and really fast GPS lock ups.  Battery lasts them all day.  The price keeps them out of my range.

[PAW66]

We use the Rhino 530 and have had no problems, even in thick timber. Attach an earpiece to keep it quite.

[CAMPMEAT]

You don't need $600 Rhinos each. I use Cobra's with a 5 mile range and they work perfectly. I've had them for years and now mainly use them riding our ATV's.

[RadSav]

Thanks for the info folks! The rhinos look nice for sure. How well do they work in the thick timber btw?

Surprisingly well.  (I don't own one---but some guys I hunt with have a few)  They get pretty good reception and really fast GPS lock ups.  Battery lasts them all day.  The price keeps them out of my range.

Ours will keep a charge for three days.  Though we almost never talk or send messages unless at a designated time.  I've also got the AA backup which lasts longer but is heavier.

[ghosthunter]

Yeah rhinos.
Had 110, 130, and now a 650. They all still work great . Had the 110 for over 10 years.
Have one in my pack always. I too leave one in the truck turned on when out alone.
Key my mike once in awhile and the one in the truck records my location.

There is 8 or 9 in our hunting camp.

[Russ McDonald]

I will chime in..  I use Midlands.  On the radio packages don't believe what is written on them.  Some say 35 mile range.  That is not true unless your sitting on a 4000 mountain top talking to your buddy at 1500 feet in a open field.  The best your going to get in heavy timber with another person is 3 miles.  Best performance you well get out of the radios that are available to you will be 5 to 7 miles line of site.  Meaning nothing in between you and your partner that is line of site.  Like I stated earlier elevation is you friend.  The higher one person gets the better your distance is going to be.  I would also say that Garmin Rino are probably the best bang for your buck.  Good luck in your search.

[adamR]

You don't need $600 Rhinos each. I use Cobra's with a 5 mile range and they work perfectly. I've had them for years and now mainly use them riding our ATV's.

 Your right you don't need to spend $600 each. I bought the rhino 610 at bimart for $230 on sale last year... I think it's only $280 regular price

[elk247]

Another vote for the rhino's. One nice feature is to be able to pull your partners location. On a September Elk hunt my brother was in a hurry to get back to camp after dark and took a shortcut through thick jackfurs. His radio was torn from him somewhere along the way. We were able to pull his location to within 2-3' and recover the radio in the dark within the hour. I had a bull down and the radio search party reunited with the bull recovery party in time to partake in the first round of beers back at camp with the bull and radio successfully recovered.    My brothers good fortune and hard work paid off two days later notching his elk tag with a nice bull also.

[fish vacuum]

Wouldn't hunt without them. We currently use Midlands but have used Motorolas in the past. With heavy timber and steep terrain we get a couple of miles at best, but that's enough. Any time we start a new trail or head to a new area, we let the other guy know. If they outlaw them in WA, we'll still use them. It's a safety issue.

[ndcasla]

My hunting group has used radios for years, wouldn't go into the wood without them.
We have been using the Garmin Rinos for quite some time . I am going to get a 650 series this season.

[grundy53]

I will chime in..  I use Midlands.  On the radio packages don't believe what is written on them.  Some say 35 mile range.  That is not true unless your sitting on a 4000 mountain top talking to your buddy at 1500 feet in a open field.  The best your going to get in heavy timber with another person is 3 miles.  Best performance you well get out of the radios that are available to you will be 5 to 7 miles line of site.  Meaning nothing in between you and your partner that is line of site.  Like I stated earlier elevation is you friend.  The higher one person gets the better your distance is going to be.  I would also say that Garmin Rino are probably the best bang for your buck.  Good luck in your search.

I agree. I also use Midlands.