If you think your smartphone won’t be of much use in the wilderness, think again! Smartphones can go beyond serving as a communication device. It can be your best hunting partner ever, especially with more and more developers creating various hunting applications.
Many hunters, though, aren’t convinced that hunting apps could improve their hunting trips, at least not yet. If you’re like most of them who have hunted their whole life without using a mobile application, the skepticism will be there, and it’s understandable. But whether you’re pro using technology in the outdoors or against it, you can’t deny the fact that smartphones continue to revolutionize how people see the woods and water. Here’s what hunting apps can do for you on your next hunting trip:
Play Animal Calls
You can pair your smartphone with a Bluetooth speaker to play deer calls. Download the DecoyPro.com app and make use of 13 realistic deer hunting calls. The app allows you to play these calls in the background while sending messages or surfing the Internet. You don’t need to bring separate devices to play animal calls like MP3 players. Because you always have your phone, you’ll always have it with you.
Animal calls help draw your prey closer to you. As an app, it’s an inexpensive alternative to other instruments that mimic animal sounds. It also comes in both iOS and Android operating systems.
As Living Maps
Now that the government plans to expand access to wildlife refuges, hunters and non-hunter alike can enjoy the outdoors more than ever. It is a part of the wildlife conservation efforts and encourages more people to enjoy and participate in nature. You’ll need an app to guide you through territories where you can hunt and fish.
Gone were the days that you have to bring a folding map with you all the time while hunting or scouting the land. Some map apps will display boundaries and other information about the property. They may also include forest service maps, trail slopes, recreation sites, milage, and more. They can also show boundary lines for all 50 states.
Other mapping apps also acts as a GPS and helps find you top trophy counties. Enjoy high-resolution satellite imagery maps that display ridgelines and geographical features useful to hunters. Some developers also made these apps to work without the need for a cellular network. In case an emergency happens, it will work with your phone’s GPS to help you track your camp or vehicle.
Permit Purchases And Notching
Environmental agencies in the United States are releasing apps to aid hunters and anglers regarding state licenses and permits. Missouri’s Department of Conservation developed the MO Hunting app so that users can purchase, view, and save permits for hunting, fishing, and trapping. It allows hunters to virtually notch permits even without an Internet connection. Tele checking their harvest using the permit in the app requires a connection. The in-app permits are legal copies that hunters, anglers, and trappers can safely carry around.
Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources app allows hunters access to the rules and regulations if they need some reminding on hunting do’s and don’ts. It features geo-locating tools and identifies the times of sunrises and sunsets. Just like with the MO Hunting App, hunters can check for deer and turkey without network signals.
Informational Tools
Vermont’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has a free downloadable app that contains information on which land and water offers the opportunities to hunt, fish, and trap. First time hunters need to check the local laws and identify stocked locations to hunt. Anglers can get data on where to find bait dealers as well. Users can read about the latest updates on COVID-19 and how it affects outdoor activities. If you’re a witness to any form of environmental violations, you can use the app to report the wrongdoing. It’s also available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
In Conclusion
Hunting apps are not only developed to make hunting an enjoyable experience. They make it easier for hunters to follow regulations. Even environmental agencies are offering free apps to help hunters stay in the loop with regard to state permits. They’re encouraging hunters to observe ethical hunting and to keep them informed about the laws. The visibility of hunters is also in check the more they use these apps.
