# Hunting GPS App Review OnXMaps



## Indiana Jones (Aug 28, 2014)

Hope this is in the right spot!

Ive had OnXMaps for a few weeks now and I ABSOLUTELY love it. It helps me tremendously to know where I am, and be able to screenshot my approx coordinates and send to whoever I will be checking in with after my hunt. An obvious drawback is using your phone as the batteries on smartphones typically suck. But as long as you put the app in "Field Mode" it will save battery.

OnXMaps is a hunting (more like any purpose) GPS app for smartphones that is subscription based. I got it because I couldn't afford a GPS this year and I needed something for the season. I couldn't be more satisfied. While connected to wifi or on your data you can cache selected maps with specific settings for use when you have have no signal other than your GPS. It will save all the presets you decided to load into that particular cache file. It will tell you all hunt-able land including State, Federal (BLM, National Forests, etc.). It will also tell you private land and who owns it.

Let's take a look!

Here is my current Library of cached maps. Lets start with the one called "BuckhornRanger" which is a trailhead that starts out at a Ranger Station in a place called Buckhorn Canyon. 









After I click on it it will open up the area I previously cached which is HUGE. You select how much you want to cache by selecting blocks of land.

Here is the area I chose with the aerial imagery map, and some presets I decided I wanted to have on the map. This shows a small portion of my cache, you can scroll and zoom in and out.










My presets










I also decided that I wanted a Topo map separately instead of combined with the aerial imagery. Here is that:










You can see how much land each different area is by holding your finger over it. Let's see how big Roosevelt National Forest is (all is available for hunting)










You can zoom out and use it as a general GPS if you like as well, as seen here:










Overall I am extremely satisfied with this app. It has never crashed and it is very useful for quickly identifying where I am and where I can and cannot venture. I recommend this for anyone who spends time in the field hunting, fishing or camping. Sometimes those private property parcels can come up on you without you know and this can help you avoid trespassing. It has also helped me realize areas I previously thought were private, are actually public. I still want a real hunting GPS, but for the time being this is fantastic! My subscription for the "Colorado Premium" package was $34.99 for the year. They offer free trials of this app which is what I did first.

MAKE SURE YOU CACHE MAPS before you go into the field. If you have no data connection, it will show you your position on an empty map. I learned this the hard way!

Hope this helps you guys who spend as much time as I do traipsing around the woods!

-Chris

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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

That's pretty nice Indiana Jones... The price is reasonable to. My best friend who I grew up with lives in Thornton...lol.


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## Indiana Jones (Aug 28, 2014)

azpredatorhunter said:


> That's pretty nice Indiana Jones... The price is reasonable to. My best friend who I grew up with lives in Thornton...lol.


Im about 45 mins North of Cabela's. Oops I mean Thornton! 

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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I got it for free with a subscription to RMEF, but I dont use it at all. After living in Az for almost 60 yrs I know just about everywhere here. I do have topo maps, forest service maps of all the national forest here in Az also. But it would work good for someone traveling to another state or if you had to worry about private land. Here in Az it is the responsibility of the land owner to post land if he doesnt want you on it. Signs must be at all gates, corners and not more than 1/4 mile apart


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## Indiana Jones (Aug 28, 2014)

prairiewolf said:


> I got it for free with a subscription to RMEF, but I dont use it at all. After living in Az for almost 60 yrs I know just about everywhere here. I do have topo maps, forest service maps of all the national forest here in Az also. But it would work good for someone traveling to another state or if you had to worry about private land. Here in Az it is the responsibility of the land owner to post land if he doesnt want you on it. Signs must be at all gates, corners and not more than 1/4 mile apart


Crap, I wonder if I got it too with my membership to RMEF...I never thought to look.

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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I use it and like it. I bought the premium membership for 3 states that I hunt in.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Pretty fancy.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Indiana, as far as I know it is included, lol

Even though here in Az I dont think it is needed but in states that the hunter is responsible to know where the private grounds are, it would sure be a good thing. I use a gps and I have a book that gives gps waypoints for, cities, towns airports. mines , farms and ranches. ponds, streams, rivers and lakes, hospitals, dams, cliffs and campgrounds. Bays , coves and harbors and more. If it has a name it is in the book and its only 8-1/2' x 5-1/2" and 3/4" thick. forgot some important ones, wells, water tanks and springs. So if I see a water hole or spring on a forest service otr topo map, I just look it up in the book and put its cordinates in my gps and it will take you there. No more taking a ruler and plotting the cordinates yourself, which I do know how to do but really a pain.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

If anyone is interested in the waypoint book for Arizona, I have a link for a free e-book. I paid $30 for my book years ago.


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## Boxerboxer (Aug 6, 2015)

I ultimately decided I didn't want to shell out the cash at this point but I ran a trial version of it and I have to say it's pretty sweet.

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## Indiana Jones (Aug 28, 2014)

Boxerboxer said:


> I ultimately decided I didn't want to shell out the cash at this point but I ran a trial version of it and I have to say it's pretty sweet.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's what I did as well. Eventually I sprung for Colorado and Wyoming subscriptions. The extra features on the paid app are fantastic.

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