Best phone and apps for hunting

[Bullshot]

I am near to be needing a new phone and wanted to explore what is the best companion for hunting/back country use. I am not all that savvy on this topic. I typically carry a USFS map and a gps and that's about it. I currently have an Iphone 6 that is getting pretty old and I have never really utilized it to its potential and want to do more with this tech in the future. So if there are some phone geeks out there, please make some suggestions on the hardware and apps that you would consider indispensable, and comments regarding durability, water resistance, battery, GPS tech, mapping apps, waypoints / tracks, basemaps, and anything else you can think of that I should be using the phone for.

In addition are there any differences in antenna/reception between brands/models that would help in making the occasional calls home to the wife so that she doesn't report me as likely dead to the forest service like she did last year.......

Finally, if you know of any other sites / links to info that cover this topic well, please point me in that direction if you think it would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[Corax]

I use an Android (Samsung S7) with backcountry navigator for navigation and OnXmaps for land ownership.

 

[BrentD]

I think what you are asking is a real good question but I doubt that there is any unbiased and useful data to answer your question, though it should certainly be quantifieable.

FWIW, I found my Samsung S9 did a great job with OnX, both on and off line in Wyoming this year. And it seemed to have about the same cell coverage as my partner's iphone. But I can't say that I have objective quantitative data to prove that.

Cell coverage might be more regional and carrier specific than anything else. Verizon was surprisingly good in Wyoming. But in eastern Colorado, it sucks. That is the only place that I've had issues that didn't expect.

 

[Bullshot]

my fault for such a broad question. Maybe if I just asked for opinions / suggestions on new phone choice and a couple of go-to apps that are well known and helpful (incl. OnX of course). I often ask for “best” this or that and follow up with specific qualifiers but what I am really saying is “ HELP!”. I would hate to buy an obsolete or sub-par phone and then find out later it can’t run OnX well or some similar problem.

Even something as simple as Android vs IOS. I know each have loyalists but is one preferred over the other for “our” type of stuff?


Thanks!

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

I really don't think you're going to miss out on anything if you got an android vs. iphone. Honestly, as long as it's a fairly new-ish phone you'll get good reception and be able to run all the same apps. I would say that by far the biggest thing to consider is battery life. You'll want something that you can put in airplane mode that will last until you are done hunting if need be. The only navigation tools that I personally use are my apple maps and On X. I don't do much for extreme backcountry hunts, but I do try to get back as far away from people as I can. On X has been stellar in that regard.

Now, if you want to throw fishing in there, you can't get by without Navionics. That app is slick even if you have a GPS on your boat's sonar already. For ice fishing it's especially nice.

Another one that I'll throw in there is the Hornady Ballistics app. I don't have any experience using the drop formulas at this point but the app is easy to use and I would assume that the ballistics software behind it is at least relatively reliable.

 

[sbhooper]

Phone apps are really nice, as long as you have reception. There are places close to here that I hunt and it has no reception. If you are going into an area with questionable reception, you had better depend more on your gps.

As far as the phone, it is a toss up between Android and I-phone. I would have a hard time switching to Android, from my I-phone, but either one in a fairly new phone will serve you well. Battery life is the worst problem with either, if you are using the app on them. On X is probably the best app, overall, for the hunter, but I have not tried others. I have not needed to.

If you want a ballistics program at some point, either the Hornady, or Bullet Drop is very good. Bullet Drop is super basic and simple and on the money.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I made the switch from an Iphone 5 to a Pixel 2 specifically because of the capabilities with GPS apps like OnX. After using it for a season of hunting and tracking miles on trails during the summer, I'm sold. Battery life is good for about 1 full day of hunting on airplane mode, switching to cell service when needed. It's nice to have a decent camera for fun hunting shots, a gps and cell device in one package. I carry a small battery with me in case I need to recharge, but so far it's stayed in the pack for day hunts.

Get a phone with a lot of storage, 128 gig or more, download your maps that you want for the time you'll be hunting and you will love it. I do. The other Ben has good input as well.

 

[tjones]

Phone apps are really nice, as long as you have reception. There are places close to here that I hunt and it has no reception. If you are going into an area with questionable reception, you had better depend more on your gps.
.

You don't need cell service to run ON X on a cell phone. Just plan ahead and download your maps.

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

Get a phone with a lot of storage, 128 gig or more, download your maps that you want for the time you'll be hunting and you will love it. I do.

I forgot about storage. I think that's probably where an android would probably best a cheaper iphone. If you get one with the ability to use a micro-SD you pretty much never run out of storage. That's nice for checking trail cameras (if you do any of that) as well.

tjones is right, you don't need cell service for the better apps as long as you download the maps to your phone. Navionics works the same. GPS doesn't shut off in airplane mode.

 

[LopeHunter]

Ballistics calculator is helpful if you have extra time on your hunt before the shot and is a shot out beyond 300 yards or involves a steep angle. I rubber band a cheat sheet for my rifle and is helpful. A shooter with more training would appreciate a ballistics calculator with multi-variables.

Not an app but I always have a photo saved as Favorite in My Photos on my phone of the animal I am hunting that shows internal organs and major blood vessels along with height at top of back for adult male and length of animal nose to rear. Sometimes is useful as set up for the shot or figuring lead on a follow up shot on running animal.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Make sure your chosen phone is popular enough to have decent extended battery shell cases available. You can always use a little battery stick in a pinch, but really nice to have an all in one solution for long days on ONX

 

[Greyman]

I just recently bought this CAT Phones S60 and it's pretty cool. Besides being ruggedized and waterproof, it has an infared camera that I'm hoping to use to locate downed game in the bushes. I haven't used it for that yet, but I can see my dog behind our shrubs with it. Reception isn't bad either with ATT.

https://www.amazon.com/CAT-PHONES-W...gitren08-20&psc=1&ascsubtag=15481966095222wnn

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Really like my Iphone 10 + garmin mini + anker battery, running onxmaps. Did 2 weeks in AK, WY pronghorn, and CO elk hunts last year and never had an issue. The 10 is waterproof which is awesome, and the camera is an order of magnitude better than the 8.

 

[rideold]

If you are using OnX then get as much on board storage as you can afford. The app can't use the SD card to store maps. One of the biggest shortcomings of the app if you ask me.....still carry your paper map and compass.....

 

[psycho]

I have an iPhone 6s plus and it works fine for me so no plans to replace anytime soon. I recently paid for a $50 battery replacement now its back to a few days of hunting before dead with GPS on. however I always carry a solar external battery pack so I rarely let it get below 50%. I have an otter box cover which is acceptable. I use Istrelok for scope adjustments on one gun but the other guns I tape cheat sheets on them. Buy a phoneskope and you will love the photos you can get with it through your optics. Their customer service sucks and its scope / phone specific but really handy. Onx of course, several states have apps from fish and game which are handy, and therma cell app for heated boot inserts for hunting snow geese. For sure buy as much memory as you can afford. My 128 gig gets full when I download 3 or 4 areas on Onx. But I just drop stuff onto laptop for hunting and adjust after season. Not a big deal right now but would be nice to have more memory.

 

[NYyotekiller]

I use OnX, and Motion X for IOS. Works very well for me.