Saturday, August 6, 2011

Review - Cabela's Recon Hunt IPhone App: Part 2

In my last post I started reviewing Cabela's excellent IPhone hunting app. The review is too big to fit into one post. Lets start where we left off.

Guide Trip
It took me a little while to understand what the Guide Trip section did. Basically, it is a way-point organization system. This is how it works:

Say you go scouting for deer. You find some nice rubs, a scrape, and a few promissing trails. You add these spots as waypoints to you map. The first time you add a waypoint Cabela's Recon Hunt prompts you to create a "trip". You can name this "trip" however you like, we'll say you name it DEER. All other waypoints are saved under this "trip".




A few months later you go to the same land and scout for preditors. You find some good stand sites and create waypoints for these sites. You name this "trip" FOX.

When it is time to go deer hunting you can load the DEER "trip". Only the waypoints you saved when scouting for deer will appear. Your map will not be cluttered with other waypoints.

The Guide Trip section is where you choose which "trip" to use. You can also view all pictures and video you took on this "trip".

There may be other functionality built into this, but it is a little confusing. I may have missed something. It gets big points for functionality, and big poopoo's for being confusing.

Gear List
The Gear list is just links to the Cabela's store. Everyone wants your money.

Remember, while you are browsing the items your GPS is on and draining your battery. Just open the browser and use that instead.

Computer
The computer section gives you the standard GPS data such as MPH, Pace, and Elevation. One thing it shows that my handheld GPS does not is the Net Elevation Change. Cool feature.



Compass
The compass gives you a very simple compass. You can choose between Magnetic and True. A red line points to your selected waypoint. I use this more that I thought I would.



Blood Trail
The number 2 reason why you should by this app. Blood Trail allows you to quickly add waypoints for  where you took a shot, where the animal was hit, every place you find blood, and finally your kill. Having a top down look at where your wounded quarry went and seeing a visual, birds eye blood trail. could be vital to finding your kill. I haven't needed to use this in the field, but can't wait to try it out.



Ballistics
This is a very simple ballistics calculator. It does not have many loads listed, but it has enough for you to get a ballpark idea of what type of bullet drop to expect in any given situation. It has quite a few conditions you can add such as wind speed, temperature, humidity, altitude, and pressure. You can also set exactly how your gun is sighted in so that it gives you exactly where your bullet will impact in relation to your sight picture.

It should only be used as an aid, but I can see how it could mean the difference between a hit and a miss at long ranges.



Active Trip
The Active Trip section shows you all the details for the "trip" you are currently using. You can view any media and choose to goto any waypoint. It is the information hub for your "trip".



Well, that does it for the main fetures of theis app. I am probably missing a few, it is very big. Lets go a quick Pro's and Con's list.

Pro's
Amazing GPS with great maps
Good waypoint system (once you figure it out)
Ability to use pictures and video as waypoints
Awsome blood trailing feature
Most info a hunter needs can be accessed within the app

Con's
Tricky main menu
Waypoint system can be confusing at first
Cannot turn off the GPS
GPS drains the IPhone battery quickly

All in all, it is a must buy for any IPhone user who hunts. For $4 it is a steal. After using Cabela's Recon Hunt I would probably pay $40 or more for it.

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