Locating your buddy in the backcountry
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Z Barebow
15-May-18
Z Barebow's Link
I ran across this. Looks like it might have some merit when hunting with a partner and you split up. (And your buddy is overdue)
From: APauls
15-May-18
I thought that’s what a locator bugle was for?
From: TagSoup2.0
15-May-18
Looks interesting. Definitely has some potential.
From: Beendare
15-May-18
Thats cool.
Or you could just use a Rino. When my buddy went to go get the mules for a bull I shot on a very steep hillside. He pinged me on the way back so I could see where he was on my topo. I guided him past me down a long finger then once he hit my contour line I had him find a game trail back to me.
^This on a slope so steep I never thought a guy could get a pack animal in there.
From: LINK
15-May-18
Would have liked to have that or a rhino last September. Me, a buddy and my buddies friend were elk hunting. The buddies friend who for the previous 5 days had followed us giving no attention to where he was at, decided he would go sit at a water hole a mere 600 yards away and meet at a trail to go down the mountain at dark. 30 minutes before dark he managed to get a call through that he was lost. We told him to sit tight and listen for locator bugles. Well it was too windy for that to do any good past 300 yards and he kept walking the wrong direction. At one point he managed to send us coordinates off his phone but when we got there he had kept walking in the wrong direction. We searched until 3 am and my buddy fearing the worst activated search and rescue and at 3:30 am we ate supper and went to sleep. At 5:30 a pickup brought him to our camp. He had walked 4 miles the wrong direction before he hit a road, lit a fire and slept in the road. He won’t be back without a garmin rhino, that is if he’s ever invited. ;)
From: Z Barebow
15-May-18
Adam- I had an instance where me and me buddy agreed to a rally point after an evening hunt. I tried humping it to make our appointed time. The terrain and deadfall made a point to point track awful. Needless to say, I was drenched, tired and he was pissed. Not at me personally, but the unknown that creeps into your head. The thought of searching for your buddy in the dark without knowing where to look isn't a great feeling.
Something like this my buddy could see I was trying to meet up!
From: jdee
15-May-18
I lost a horse in the wilderness for 9 days a few years ago it would have been nice to have one of those hooked to his tack .
From: APauls
15-May-18
Sorry Z, terrible joke. Definitely useful tech.
From: AndyJ
15-May-18
jdee-That's a really good idea.
From: Glunt@work
15-May-18
I know a few guys with great elk spots. Need to tuck one of these under their truck bumper.
From: splitlimb13
15-May-18
How much are they. I put my gps dog collars on my horses when I leave camp haha , came back to a few missing one to many times!
From: cnelk
15-May-18
Be cool to hang one off a string across an elk trail, let it get hooked up on some antlers :)
From: Jethro
15-May-18
We just relied on our Inreach for this last year. Send a message and the recipient automatically gets your coordinates. We used the feature when buddy got a bull. Coordinates took me right to him.
From: Z Barebow
15-May-18
APauls- I wasn't offended in the least. Carry on!
From: Brotsky
15-May-18
Be handy especially if I knew he ate chili mac the night before, then I could always insure I was upwind of him!
From: Z Barebow
15-May-18
splitlimb13- It looks like they are $154 per pair (Current into pricing). Looks like they will retail for ~$300 per pair once intro is over.
This is a preorder (Crowdfunding) offering. I pulled the trigger and taking the risk that they will deliver, as I figure I have bought plenty of stupid things that didn't pan out. They anticipate delivering in November, so I won't have them for hunting season. Maybe I will hide it in my daughters vehicle!
From: splitlimb13
15-May-18
I think they look awesome for that price. Let me know how you like them
From: Griz
15-May-18
I suppose you could leave one at your vehicle and in the case of an emergency it could work backwards to help rescuers find you, or your body. As I get older I worry more about injuries or sickness than I do about being lost. At least my wife would have closure.
From: elk yinzer
15-May-18
We do a lot of driving thick cover here during our rifle seasons. Always thought something similar would be great for that.
From: Rut Nut
15-May-18
Guys- you realize these things only have a range of 3 miles???
Don't think I would trust it! Especially for that price. I'd go Rino or inreach!
From: splitlimb13
15-May-18
Rut nut brought up my only concern I don't know how well it will function in deep canyons. Things like that.
From: eddie c
15-May-18
I have a friend that uses HuntStand mapping app on his phone. the app has a 'friend locator' feature that supposedly if I have the app on my phone and it's running, he can see on the map where I am as long as he has me listed as a friend and i have him listed. I haven't tried it. the app doesn't need a cell signal, just GPS coverage. do any of the other map apps have this feature and would possibly work?
From: Z Barebow
15-May-18
Rut Nut- I am aware of the range limitation. I suspect it will not work canyon to canyon. But if I really want to find someone/something, I would work ridgelines to get a signal any then work from there.
eddie c- I have an InReach (Not exactly what you are referencing) and I can set InReach up to send lat/long with my messages. (But I restrict that feature if I text "acquaintances") The allure of these devices is they are so simple. I could be disabled/incapacitated and I could still be found.
From: PECO
15-May-18
$154 worth a try
From: SBH
16-May-18
Looks pretty cool if it works as advertised.
From: Rut Nut
16-May-18
Z- hopefully they find you in LESS than 3 days! (before the battery dies ;-)
From: Z Barebow
16-May-18
Rut Nut- Buzzards will offer aid after 3 days.
From: Vonfoust
16-May-18
Once I get one of these secured to cnelk's pack everyone can PM me for a cost sheet for honey holes.
From: elkmtngear
16-May-18
I just keep my nose in the wind, I usually walk right to him ;^)
Back when we used to use RINOs , every time your buddy would thumb the call switch on the radio, his icon/location would pop up on your map.
From: Rut Nut
16-May-18
LMBO Z! : )
From: IdyllwildArcher
16-May-18
Id' think the battery and range would be a limiting factor. For the wt, I cant see it as useful enough except for certain applications like on drives as mentioned above. When you can just have an Inreach and text someone...
From: Z Barebow
24-May-18
Z Barebow's Link
Here is something else that could help track your buddy in the backcountry!
