I use gps as a reference and use map and compass. I find the gps is a great tool and i can use it very well but it is still a computer that can fail very easy and you cant beat the ole map and compass. Google earth is a great reference to.
compass is something I never go with out. I have on hanging on my call lanyard and on my snow mobile key chain.Out west I used it every morning for setting decoys. Id get forecast the use compass to align the decoys
snowmobiling is where I use mine a lot. I save all my routes that way I can go back to areas I have been before. Also I can draw out a route before I go. I have routes for all over the island.
Two weeks ago I was out west and on Friday I found a field holding geese. The field was 3600 acres..!!! I used my compass and gps. I took a reading to the birds then estimated the distance. Next morning I went in in dark and drove to where birds had been feeding. All I had for reference was a tuff of wheat the combine missed. And some S^&T on the ground.
I say today you use what ever you have at your disposal. Heres a picture of the results.A two man limit.
I faithfully use my Garmin 60CX. Its a great user friendly unit. colour screen, easy to read maps, waterproof. Its the second gps i owned. first was a megallan, and it was awful. the maps were innacurate, it wasnt user friendly, and i kept losing the info o was trying to save.
i have used my garmin to plot snares, as i dont like leaving trail tape in the woods. i use it when i go to a new spot hunting and i always mark where i leave the bike, vehical, or main trail, and i have track logs turned on in case i go astray, i can simply retrace my steps...and yes, only for this gps i would have stayed a night in the woods last year.
i have the 12 volt charger for the bike, as well as the mount. i also charge my batteries when they are half dead, and i keep 6 new fully charged batteries with me all the time.
i highly reccomend this gps, and to use it whenever you can to get used to it, and become more of a careful hunter/explorer.
I carry my Garmin Oregon 300 and use the built in compass and the topo maps. Its great to get back home and upload the tracks to a computer and overlay it on a map. Many times while out cod fishing I mark the spot on the gounds where the fish were caught. The nice thing about the GPS is you can make notes regarding your finds like trail washed out, etc. I carry extra batteries and my old reliable Silvo compass in my shirt pocket. with the cell phone. I think using the GPS saves time by allowing you to find your trails a lot faster especially if it has been a few years since you used a familar trail. One nice thing is if you use your GPS while hunting and loose something on the trail or in the woods, the GPS is the perfect guide to help you back track..