Sell me on hunting GPS

[hughjorgan]

Yes it would.

But already own a spot locator. It takes two buttons to send for help on the spot. If you are able when something happens.
Keying for the Rhino as I move along is extra insurance.

The OP asked about gps.

The OP did ask about GPS, which the garmin inreach is. No need to carry a gps and a spot. 

[ctwiggs1]

It's an absolutely essential piece of gear for hunters in my opinion.

I would call GPS a luxury item...but never essential.

It's nice to have as it does all the thinking and calculations for you to get your position.  The problem is if you can't navigate by map with a compass or altimeter then you have no business thinking you know what you are doing.  It is simply a liability to be dependent on electronic devices.

I think you're aiming for the argument that you cannot replace basic land navigation skills with a GPS.  While I agree with you, I can assure you that I've seen even the best woodsman get disoriented after an allergy they never experienced prior, a little dehydration from working a tough trail, etc.  I've got a GPS in my pack, and it's on from the moment I leave the truck until the time I return (except during sleep hours).  You just never know.

[Seahawk12]

I use a GPS while out hunting and scouting.
While I also keep a compass with me there are some benefits to having a gps as part of your hunting kit and not just a map or cell phone.
Where I tend to do my hardest hunting there is no cell reception. My GPS has never failed me in picking up satellite connection.
While out in the wilderness if I find a really good area or spot that I love then it is a very brief and  easy process to put a marker on the spot. Doing that with a paper map in wet and/or low light conditions can be a pain.
 When back at camp I can then start to read the marked spots on the gps and cross reference them with a map. Generally gps units have small screens and it makes it hard to pick up on patterns to the saved/marked spots. Transferring them on to a larger paper map can help bring those patterns out.
While a GPS may or may not be essential, it is a very useful tool to have in the arsenal.

[Bob33]

This image shows an area in Wyoming where I occasionally hunt. The blue area is state land that is publicly accessible; the white road is a public highway. There is a very small section of public road that touches the state land, so it's legal to access at that point only. Without a GPS, I would not be able to hunt that land without a high risk of trespass. The GPS has opened up a lot of areas to me that I wouldn't hunt otherwise.

I too have been challenged by individuals claiming I am on their land. The GPS proves otherwise, and allows me to avoid legal problems while hunting close to borders.

[Duckslayer89]

If you have ONYX maps on your iPhone does the iPhone use GPS with onyx like it would a handheld gps unit or do you have to have cell service? I have onyx on my phone but have ever tried to use it out of cell range

[Bob33]

If you have ONYX maps on your iPhone does the iPhone use GPS with onyx like it would a handheld gps unit or do you have to have cell service? I have onyx on my phone but have ever tried to use it out of cell range

You can download the onX maps to your phone when you have cell service.

[Duckslayer89]

If you have ONYX maps on your iPhone does the iPhone use GPS with onyx like it would a handheld gps unit or do you have to have cell service? I have onyx on my phone but have ever tried to use it out of cell range

You can download the onX maps to your phone when you have cell service.

Ya but how do you know where your at when you don't have service

[KFhunter]

If you have ONYX maps on your iPhone does the iPhone use GPS with onyx like it would a handheld gps unit or do you have to have cell service? I have onyx on my phone but have ever tried to use it out of cell range

Yes the cell phone uses GPS,  you have to pre-down load the maps before you get out of service, but if you've downloaded the maps ahead of time the phone will use it's crappy GPS.  You should download the maps while on wifi prior to your trip. 

You can get a bluetooth GPS and that will be far more accurate, I think Iphone uses Elf GPS but I might be mistaken,  I use android. 
edit:  I was close it's bad elf
https://bad-elf.com/pages/be-gps-2200-detail

The bad elf will talk to your phone and give you a lot more accurate GPS locations (and won't chew up your phone battery life by using it's own GPS) and it'll be a lot faster than your phone. 

I did not like ONXMAPS app on the phone, took way too long and was very glitchy.  It's been a few years though, perhaps it's better now.

[Larry S.]

Which Model  GPS   @Larry S.

An older Garmin Model: Oregon 450t.

Still works just fine!

[follow maggie]

I use both. I use a gps to find where I am, but I navigate with a compass.  This year I've been OnXMaps on my phone & love it. It's very accurate, and I can mark my camp, sign,mwateer, whatever, and it's on the computer website when I get home.

[Skyvalhunter]

Garmin 62sc