Hunting has gotten a lot more tech savvy since the days you might have gone out with grandparents and done things the old fashioned way. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of a digital revolution, especially since it can save you hours of work and headaches but taking a lot of the guessing and a lot of the tracking work out of it. If that’s a big part of the fun to you, by all means, continue to follow through. However, if you can cut down on gear weight and price tags, hunting apps are a great solution to maximizing your hunting proficiency.

Though many out there may, understandably, want to remain as traditional as possible with a hunting outing, hunting apps can greatly increase your chances of having a successful hunt or hike. Apps like the ones below can help you find your way through the wilderness, ensure there are no surprises, and utilize technology to help bring the game to you.

Not all hunting apps are free, but most are incredibly low cost compared to the technology and gear they’re serving as a replacement for. And nearly all apps come in a variety of OS options that includes Apple and Android to make sure anyone can use them.

If you want some apps that will help you out with tracking and taking on game and get you trophies fast, these are some of the must have apps for you.

Google Earth

This one seems simple, and it’s so simple that you could easily completely miss it. But there is some real power in scouting for a lot of reasons. First, safety is a huge priority. You want to get a look at your terrain before you start trekking through it. You also can utilize some location finding features to make sure you don’t get lost while moving through areas you’re unfamiliar with. The second great thing here is an ensuring that you’re not trespassing. Sometimes it can be hard to spot where public land ends and private property begins, Google Earth will help you map that out with ease and show you where you can and can’t go without some legal consequences.

This has been a trusted app and widget on computers for years, with Google constantly updating the images and the information attached to them to ensure the most accurate view and information possible for any and all out there using Google Earth. There’s even the possibility of utilizing “street view” for some areas that gives you a view of the terrain from the ground at a 360 degree angle. It’s the best possible app you could ask for for any birds eye view look on the terrain and scouting. It’s even a good idea to use before your hunt from home or camp to map out your trail without having to stop.

Sunrise Sunset

 

This is another one that’s going to keep everything you’re doing 100% legal. You don’t want to be caught firing shots too early or going for game that hasn’t been deemed eligible. This app will provide you with all the data, maps, and charts you need to make sure everything you’re doing is well within the laws of the land to ensure you have a good, safe, and legal hunt when you bring home that impressive trophy.

This app is up to date and won’t require you to buy multiple charts and gear throughout the seasons or throughout the year to ensure you’re doing everything completely right. It does the research and retrieving work for you to make sure that you have the most up to date and efficient information available to keep your hunt safe from the possibility of ruin from legal entanglements and your license from being revoked. Half of the struggle with hunting is making sure you’re doing it legally and correct, no one wants to be caught bringing home game they didn’t earn. This app will make sure that doesn’t happen.

SAS Survival Guide

 

This is the app version of the best selling book and one of the most widely used survival guides on the planet when it comes to outdoorsing. It was written and creator by a professional soldier and first published in 1986. Since then it’s been updated and worked into this digital form that’s easier to take around and easier to jump to if you need specific guides or help. It’s got everything you could need from tracking advice to first aid, to hiking tips, and assistance when food is running low. If you’re out on your own or chasing your game off the beaten path, you’ll want something on your side to ensure you’re looked after if things go wrong.

This has been a proven and long lasting guide, and having an easy to access version right in your pocket is an invaluable resource. You can jump right to where you need to go without worrying about turnng page after page to make sure you get there. It holds everything the book did and more and consistently updates with any new editions or information you may need.

AccuWeather

 

You need to stay up to date on the weather situation. Even if you pull out all the tricks you’ve been taught as a child when it comes to reading the signs and smelling rain. Weather can change in an instant and an app there to give you alerts could end up literally saving your life when it comes down to it. Never underestimate the power of a snow storm or heavy rain or what it can do to the terrain and your ability to safely hunt.

You can even set up alerts to make sure you know when the weather is no longer on your side. The weather is the big factor you will never be able to control during your hunts, but you will be able to watch it, anticipate it, and react to it when the time comes. Much like Google Earth, you don’t want to be caught in a situation that could have been prevented with a little bit of research into the happenings of nature. AccuWeather will ensure you get your weather details while out in the wold.

Deer Calls and Tactic

 

This is an app that features the most all encompassing and complete libraries of deer calls and general mating sounds that you could need. There’s grunts, bleats, bellows, bawls, and plenty more across genders and deer types and sizes. This is an excellent app to keep you from having to use several different types of calling gear, it’s all held in one easy to use and easy to access place.

Instead of buying gear for several apps, genders, and species of game, keep them all in one place and make it easy and efficient on yourself. This will also keep you as stealthy as possible, without giving you away as you dig around for the right gear to get your call just right. At the push of a button you can draw in your game of choice and set up the perfect shot to take home your trophy.

Conclusion

There’s plenty more apps out there you could use for virtually any need. These above are some of the most well documented and widely used apps for some of the basics of hunting. Safety is the first priority and it can be hugely improved upon by using apps to make sure you cut down on how many surprises are waiting for you in the wilderness. So you’ll want to invest your money and space on your device to those first, before employing functional apps.

Safety and preparedness is key. And while books and manuals have been the staple for generations of hunters, they outdate themselves every second after they’ve been published. You’ll want something that constantly updates and will constantly let you know when new information is available. It’s about more than just bagging trophies, the safety of you and your hunting party can be at stake if you don’t put some real investment into ensuring you are as safe and prepared as possible.

Beyond these, for anything logistical, there’s also social apps where you can get some top notch advice from hunters who have traversed the same area as you. You can also organize hunting trips together and trade stories. There’s even one specifically designed to serve as your virtual campfire group, as you share stories and socialize through the app from your various campfires from around the area. There’s plenty of options out there to turn what was once a lonely and difficult trip into something efficient, fun, and safer than ever.
So what are you waiting for? Take your iPhone or Android device and get cracking on getting yourself as up to date and prepared as possible with these five apps above and any others you’ve done your own research on and decided on. Hunting is traditional, but ever evolving, don’t get caught without being prepared!