Electronic Communication on the Moutain

[fwagner]

Anyone have any suggestions for how to stay in contact with a hunting partner when separated on the mountain. For this thread lets assume that cellphones wont work. I don't have a lot of experience with walkie talkies but i'm assuming line of sight issues would make them hard to use, right? I will be no more then 1-3 miles as the crow flies away from my hunting partner this fall during Colorado muzzleloader and am researching options. With technology changing as fast as it does am I missing anything that is a great option? Thanks for the help!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Anyone have any suggestions for how to stay in contact with a hunting partner when separated on the mountain. For this thread lets assume that cellphones wont work. I don't have a lot of experience with walkie talkies but i'm assuming line of sight issues would make them hard to use, right? I will be no more then 1-3 miles as the crow flies away from my hunting partner this fall during Colorado muzzleloader and am researching options. With technology changing as fast as it does am I missing anything that is a great option? Thanks for the help!

I've had good results with walkie talkies in those kinda situation. I was getting good reception at 6 miles with a $100 set.

 

[Coop]

Not sure about CO, but in MT I'm not sure I would risk using walkie talkies on a hunting trip. If you have a way to charge them though, they would work just fine at those distances. I am sure some people will recommend an InReach if that is in the budget for you both.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I assume you mean because it's illegal to use them to pursue or aid in the pursuit of game?

I've had them in MT and CO and talked to wardens about it, was never an issue... but we were backpacking and I think the wardens in both instances understood why you would wanted them in that context for safety.

 

[Coop]

Yep it is illegal. If you weren't hunting they are definitely justified, but I personally wouldn't want to risk it in camo or orange.

 

[Ben Long]

I've spoken to wardens about this and the law is clear in Montana. You may use walkie-talkies, but NOT in pursuit of game. I carry them and use them to periodically check in with friends, particularly if I hear shots or after dark. I have $100 Midlands. They work IF you have direct line of sight between radios. When conditions are good, you can talk miles away. When conditions are wrong, even a small ridge will block the signal at a very short distance. I don't know how to get around that. They are not perfect but worth the weight, I guess. Many small things can go wrong, for example the batteries die in the cold. Also some models tweet and beep, which you don't need in the woods.

 

[Dan O]

I understand the Garmin Rhino's give your position via GPS with your partner "if" they have radio contact with each other. I've never used them but the GPS location on your screen would be helpful. Has anyone used these????

Dan

 

[Don K]

Inreach

Garmin Rhinos are great from what I hear but I have a Inreach

 

[buckhunterhart]

My friends and I all bought Garmin Rino GPS with two way radio for elk hunting in the Uinta mountains and they work great to communicate via the radio function, but also show 'friends' GPS position in relation to your own, and allow sending short text notices to one another. The scan mode also comes in really handy to monitor other hunters communication and use their movements to your advantage at times.

 

[MooseCaboose]

I've spoken to wardens about this and the law is clear in Montana. You may use walkie-talkies, but NOT in pursuit of game. I carry them and use them to periodically check in with friends, particularly if I hear shots or after dark.

Two-way electronic communication (radios, cell phones, text messages, etc.) may not be used to:
- hunt game animals or upland game birds, migratory birds or furbearers as defined in Montana law (“Hunt” means to “pursue, shoot, wound, kill, chase, lure, possess or capture”), or
- avoid game checking stations or FWP enforcement personnel, or to facilitate illegal activity.

The rule does not prohibit the possession or use of two-way communication for safety or other legitimate purposes.

 

[Michigangunner]

I wouldn't go with out them, we have Garmin AlPHA that can track the other handhelds also. We don't use them to pursue game but to make sure everyone is ok and don't need help getting an animal off the mountain. We turn them on at 9,12,3 and after dark check in. Sometimes the midday you may not make contact with your partner. But if I had a bull down and it was 70 degrees out, I would be high on a mountain top for the noon check in to get help.

 

[el unit]

Anyone have any suggestions for how to stay in contact with a hunting partner when separated on the mountain. For this thread lets assume that cellphones wont work. I don't have a lot of experience with walkie talkies but i'm assuming line of sight issues would make them hard to use, right? I will be no more then 1-3 miles as the crow flies away from my hunting partner this fall during Colorado muzzleloader and am researching options. With technology changing as fast as it does am I missing anything that is a great option? Thanks for the help!

The small hand held radios work great in the mountains around us. My wife and I use them everyday for work in the mountains at ranges of 1-3 miles. I also use the radio during hunting season to notify my game packing service when I get an elk down.

 

[ScottP]

A pair of delorme Inreach if you've already got them, or want to make the investment. Pretty handy. You can 2-way text between the Inreach devices. You can also keep in touch with home, which is huge bonus for me.

 

[Poke 'Em]

Two-way electronic communication (radios, cell phones, text messages, etc.) may not be used to:
- hunt game animals or upland game birds, migratory birds or furbearers as defined in Montana law (“Hunt” means to “pursue, shoot, wound, kill, chase, lure, possess or capture”), or
- avoid game checking stations or FWP enforcement personnel, or to facilitate illegal activity.

The rule does not prohibit the possession or use of two-way communication for safety or other legitimate purposes.

Right. So you can ask, "what's for supper?" You can't ask, "seen any elk?"

 

[Yellowstoner]

I'm glad to hear you can use these for communication in MT, just not for hunting purposes. I wonder where the line is drawn in that context - is "seen any elk?" a different question than "how did your morning go?" if you're hunting? Can you talk about seeing elk earlier that day? Can you talk about positioning? I swear, MT needs a 'dial-a-warden' program to ask all of your random technical questions to.

 

[AtenJones]

My understanding (based on our laws here in Ohio, which are similar) is that you can use it to check in, but you can't coordinate between hunters to kill an animal. One guy can't sit on a ridge, with glass, and direct the other guy with a radio.