What do you mean your phone can help your hunting?
Those who argue against a phone in the woods say it's a distraction, and that you should be enjoying that time spent outdoors as "screen-free" as possible.
But they'd be wrong.
Not in the sense that a phone can't be distracting, because it certainly can. But there are actual ways a phone can help you while hunting, some obvious and some not so much.
Here are three big reasons, and I'm sure you can come up with more. If our phones are permanently found in our pockets anyway, we might as well put them to work.
1. Maps you've never dreamed of
The beauty of a cell phone in the wilderness is its ability to serve as a living map. Seriously, does anyone use a folding, paper map anymore? Certainly not if you're hunting or scouting land prior to the season.
A mobile map is exactly the sort of thing that can give us confidence and insight that we can then apply to the hunt.
The onX Hunt app, for example, offers up public and private hunting land boundary lines for all 50 states.
Not only does onX display property boundaries, but it also displays exactly who owns every piece of land around you. Tapping each property will also bring up more information, like addresses and other specifics.
Beyond that, the amount of map layering inside the app is impressive. You can sort land by roadless areas, timber cuts, current and historical wildfire layers, forest service maps, recreation sites, trail mileage and trail slope, plus a growing list that is always added to and enhanced.
OnX Hunt has given us the info we've always wanted, proving how valuable a phone can be to a hunter.
2. Peace of mind
What happens if something goes awry while hunting?
We'd never want to be caught off-guard, and practicing good common sense while venturing into the wilderness is always a necessity. But if a cell phone can somehow lead you back to civilization should something happen, how is that a bad thing?
Even without a cellular network, onX Hunt can decipher, through your phone's GPS, where you are and how to get you out if needed. One of the newest onX Hunt features is waypoint sharing, which can remind you the location of your camp, your parked truck, and any honey holes you find. That info can easily be shared with loved ones, who will have an exact idea of where you are.
It's worth mentioning that these saved maps are available even while you're offline, but you have to save them beforehand. Think ahead a bit, and onX Hunt will do the rest for you.
3. Access beyond your imagination
Moving to a new state or losing out on a hunting lease can cause people to panic (or give up) when searching for new places to hunt. Even if you do hear of a place, how can you expect to see success without scouting and planning? That's where onX Hunt will flip the page, and help hunters enter a new era of knowledge.
Names and addresses of landowner information, plus the exact boundaries of their properties, are infinitely easier to find with onX Hunt.
How many times have you thought, "There's got to be some farmer out there, with huge bucks on his land, who'd be more than happy to let me hunt them!"
In actuality, these people do exist, and connecting to them through your phone can and will improve your hunting opportunities, and open you up to places and potential you never thought possible.
Too many beginning hunters claim ignorance when it comes to knowing where to hunt, and where to do it with the best chances of success. If you use your phone and the onX Hunt app, you're instantly unlocking the keys to this hunter padlock that's been in place for generations.
