vaslugger

Going to purchase a Garmin GPSfor hunting only
and need to know how importantit is having an
electronic compass for navigation to go back
to your destination.Also very interested in the
automatic trackback feature and how well this
works in hunting situations.I live in Virginia in
the mountain region and going back to my Bronco
at dark is very important and want it to be as
simple as possible!Looking at the Etrex Venture HC
and Etrex Summit HC! Thanks so much. Mike

y2khog

I too am very interested in the Etrex Summit HC.I hate having to use markers to a stand location. We have many low lifes that will follow those into the woods at night and stealyour stand etc.

Belushi

I use a Garmin GPSmap60CSx. Can not help with the electronic compass issue as I have not really played with it, but the track back feature is awesome. Depending on how close you have the view zoomed in to it can actually put you into your own foot prints. It shows the path as a purple line and as long as the cursor points straight up the line you are on the original path.

TexasBowHunter

I have the etrexh (older version of the HC I think)and I too like the track back feature, however I don't think it is as complex as Belushi's. One thing I like about the H that I have is that it is sinmple to operate.I think you will be happy with the HC for the purposes you mentioned.

Belushi

Sorry. Didn't mean to make it sound complicated. It's really not. I was actully trying to say how precise it is. And easy too.

vaslugger

Thanks so much to all who responded back to my questions.
I do have another question and that is once I have marked
where I park my Bronco at do I have to leave it on all
the time when I walk to my stand so that it can track my path
and record it.Also if you do leave it on as you walk can you put it
in your side pocket of hunting jacket or do you carry it more
exposed so it can record the path as you walk.Just wondering
where you guys carry yours when you walk.I am definitely
ordering one this week from Cabelas and just want to understand
all I can as I am willing to learn to use this to help me come back
to my vehicle.Also does anyone know any where that might be
cheaper than Cabelas but I do like ordering from them and now I
can get free shipping thru July.Thanks so much! Mike

TexasBowHunter

Once you mark (save) a spot you can turn it off, I put mine in my pocket (on)when I go venturing around the woods to use the walk back feature (I never have tried it turned off) I like the fact that mine has the compass I use it to know which way to expect the wind when I am looking at a new stand site. Once you mark your vehicle or camp you can turn it off and then when you get ready to head back turn it back on and head that way. I don't know about Virginia but I found mine for the same price that cabellas had at a local sporting goods store (I saved shipping).

pirogue

I have the 60csx. The advantage of the electronic compass is magnified in heavy canopy in hills, because you don't have to be walking the wrong way before lock in. That being said, the 60 csx is good in heavy canopy, and mine works inside my house, where my old one would not. The only time I use my track on is if I have found a track that avoids thickets,bogs, etc.

Hurricanespg

I have the Garmin Venture HC, and it seems to work well enough in all of the canyons and heavy cover I have taken it through. I like that it is fairly intuitive to use, because I am not a technology freak by any means.
If you do an internet search you can find them quite a bit cheaper than Cabelas, just use one of the shopping search engines and it will pull up a couple of different places. I believe I got mine for $126 including shipping, my dad got his plus a topo map and some accessories for $180.

Belushi

Alright, trying not to make this too complicated. With my CSx I have 2 ways to get back to where I came from. If when I start I mark the Bronco as a waypoint, then all I have to do is key in find waypoint "Bronco" then hit go to and it will give me compass directions back to the Bronco. If I want to follow an exact path back I must fist turn on the track feature and turn track log on. The difference is
1. In returning to a waypoint the gps gives you a compass direction to travel to get back to your Bronco but does not take into account terrain.
2. The track log gives you the exact path you came by, instead of showing a direction to travel it shows the exact path to follow that you came in on. Here's the catch. If you choose to use the track log, as it is more precise, you should turn the track log on when you start and turn it off when you get where you are going. Why you may ask? You have already laid in the track log. All you have to do now is go to the menu and ask the Garmin to follow the path back. The reason you turn off the track log is that it makes the path by storing a string of waypoints every so many(secs, mins, etc.) if you don't turn it off when you stop it will kepp stroing that point every x secs and since these things are only good to +/- ft that 1 point turns into a huge blob of waypoints. Blah, blah, blah I bore myself.

Alright I can see by the lenght of my answer I've gone too far and it probably is sounding soooo complicated. It really is that these things can do so much it's awesome, especially when you lay your waypoints and track logs on top of a topo map or Google Earth and get a real time view of what you are doing.