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Keeping others informed when hunting from height

S

swd

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
217
Location
Tennessee
I am pretty scared of heights. It doesn't stop me from climbing up or saddle/tree stand hunting, but the fear is there. When I started hunting off the ground last year, I started a system with my friends and family.

I always make sure that someone that knows the property I am hunting is aware that I am out there and where I plan to hunt. If I am on one of my places that has poor cell coverage, I do not deviate from the plan unless I am just staying on the ground. If I have cell service and change the plan, I send them a screen shot from Huntstand with the new location.
I make sure to communicate a time that they can expect to hear from me with an all clear. I then make sure to let them know I am safe. Don't want to be the boy that cried wolf and have folks headed out to look for me when I am on my way home.

I hate the idea of dangling from a tree while I slowly die or lying broken at the base of it being eaten by lesser predators.

What do you all do to keep your friends and families in the loop and stay safe in the woods?
 
we do similar with a verbal to a friend or to of where I am and then a "all clear" or "DSS" text by the way DSS stands for Didn't see SHhhhhhhhh.... you get it!!LOL
 
I send my gf my location once set up. Usually my hunting buddies have an idea of where I am or are hunting with me.
 
When alone, I have a small circle of people I trust with my life and my hunting spots. I typically drop a pin on my set for the day. I usually bring a two way radio with me as well and leave the other on my truck seat. I’ll send the all clear when I’m out the woods.

Really puts in perspective the value of a good hunting partner.
 
Ihaven't done this yet... But i plan on either somehow printing or buying aerial photos of the wma i hunt in. I was going to grid them out then i can leave a note to my wife saying what grid i will be in
 
I usually text my wife a pin. Sometimes I forget, I'm not as good about it as I should be. I bought an inreach but ended up not carrying it consistently enough to pay the subscription. I am just super careful most of all. My chief problem is my closest good friend that knows his ass from his elbow in the woods lives 2.5 hours away and my brother lives 7, so really I'll be hanging there quite awhile before search and rescue comes after me.
 
My uncle and I always tell each other where we will be. Sometimes we are hunting together and other times I or he is working. If I try to tell my wife where I am,, she gives me a puzzled look. He knows all the spots I hunt and vice-versa. We also check in with each other as well when either is on stand.
 
I hunt remote but check in with the wife every evening once I hit the ground. I have buddies who know the area and if she doesn't hear from me they know how to get into the camper where I leave a note stating where my planned hunting spot was for that night (or at least a general description of where I'm headed).

Last Thursday night I hiked way back in on some virgin ground for me. To make a long story short, it took me longer than expected to get back to the truck and it was WELL after dark when I called to check in. The wife said she was just about to try to call me (which may not have done any good since the cell phone service is terrible there) or call out the cavalry. In this instance I had verballly told my buddies my plans so they at least had an idea of where I was headed.
 
I have a phone app called "My GPS Coordinates". You just open it, click text, and it texts your GPS coordinates to whomever you want. I send it out to my wife once I settle on a parking spot and then again when I get settled on a tree. It'd be very easier for your loved one / friends to relay that info to first responders or other friends and with that info they should be able to make their way to you... the coordinates show up in the text in raw format and then if you click on them it opens google maps with a pin.
 
swd said:
I am pretty scared of heights. It doesn't stop me from climbing up or saddle/tree stand hunting, but the fear is there. When I started hunting off the ground last year, I started a system with my friends and family.

I always make sure that someone that knows the property I am hunting is aware that I am out there and where I plan to hunt. If I am on one of my places that has poor cell coverage, I do not deviate from the plan unless I am just staying on the ground. If I have cell service and change the plan, I send them a screen shot from Huntstand with the new location.
I make sure to communicate a time that they can expect to hear from me with an all clear. I then make sure to let them know I am safe. Don't want to be the boy that cried wolf and have folks headed out to look for me when I am on my way home.

I hate the idea of dangling from a tree while I slowly die or lying broken at the base of it being eaten by lesser predators.

What do you all do to keep your friends and families in the loop and stay safe in the woods?
Click to expand...

I just share my location on Google maps, you can set it for an hour all the way up till you cancel it. I just let it run for my wife, and it updates pretty well even in low service areas.
 
BCHunter said:
I just share my location on Google maps, you can set it for an hour all the way up till you cancel it. I just let it run for my wife, and it updates pretty well even in low service areas.
Click to expand...

If you do shady stuff I would only share when you go hunting :)
 
Lots of options to share.

help.gaiagps.com

Sharing Your Data in iOS

This article will show you how to share your data with others from Gaia GPS for iOS. You can also control whether or not your data is publicly available for other users to find on gaiagps.com. Thes...
help.gaiagps.com help.gaiagps.com
www.onxmaps.com

How to Share Waypoints | onX

onX takes away any uncertainty in giving directions with its Waypoints sharing feature. Learn how to share your locations on the map.
www.onxmaps.com www.onxmaps.com
 
I've shared my location with my wife on cell phone. However I feel the best way is a paper map with a pin, along with checking in. With the explosion of saddle hunting, it's just a matter of time until one of us gets stuck IMO. I pray that I am wrong.
 
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My hunting partner and I use huntstand so if we aren't hunting together he can easily find me. I also text him "set" when I'm set up and "Oscar Mike" when I'm leaving. I also text my wife when I'm on the way back. She knows the general time I'm leaving my site so if I don't report in she'll send up the flares.
 
I hunt alone most often. I printed map of where I hunt and put on the fridge for her. I also wear a whistle hopefully other hunters would hear it. Easier than screaming


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
swd said:
I am pretty scared of heights. It doesn't stop me from climbing up or saddle/tree stand hunting, but the fear is there. When I started hunting off the ground last year, I started a system with my friends and family.

I always make sure that someone that knows the property I am hunting is aware that I am out there and where I plan to hunt. If I am on one of my places that has poor cell coverage, I do not deviate from the plan unless I am just staying on the ground. If I have cell service and change the plan, I send them a screen shot from Huntstand with the new location.
I make sure to communicate a time that they can expect to hear from me with an all clear. I then make sure to let them know I am safe. Don't want to be the boy that cried wolf and have folks headed out to look for me when I am on my way home.

I hate the idea of dangling from a tree while I slowly die or lying broken at the base of it being eaten by lesser predators.

What do you all do to keep your friends and families in the loop and stay safe in the woods?
Click to expand...
I pretty much do the same exact stuff as you. From ground, I’m more liberal with my plans and fewer updates to my wife, but she’s always got a screenshot from OnX and the coordinates of every tree I climb on open land. If I’m hunting preset public, the DNR has my location on every single hunt, so I don’t bug my wife unless I feel sketchy about the tree.
 
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