New to hunting, not the outdoors

[SocalAL]

Hello all,
The name is AL, I've grown up in socal my hole life. Spent large amounts of time camping and fishing in places like Yosemite and Yellowstone. I do a lot of hiking up in Azusa/ Angeles National Forest/ la Canada flintridge area , and I plan on doing a good amount of turkey/ waterfowling in the near future so... My biggest question are the following:

1) when it comes to gear, would you rather have a lighter more running style shoe, or a more traditional hiking boot?
2)I'm a bigger guy, 5 foot 11 about 215 lbs. are certain turkey packs more comfortable for a guy built like a bowling ball or all pretty much the same?
3) GPS systems, best bang for your buck?
4) BIGGEST QUESTION..
If you could read 3 books on hunting/ hunting techniques when you first began hunting, what would they be?

Ok thanks for any advice you guys, I'm the only one in my family on this side of the states so I'm self teaching an have a late start being 25. Super eager to learn all I can so once again thanks for any suggestions and help.

-AL

 

[ilovesprig]

Hi Al,

Welcome to SCH......Let's take your questions one at a time......Mind you, there are many on the site that are much better answering your questions.

1.....I use traditional hiking/hunting boots.....Waterproof (Gore-Tex).....Low 8" style.....Also, socks are almost as important as the boots themselves (Merino wool).

2.....Most turkey vest will fit anyone (I'm 6-2, 235).....The Tactical Tat'r is a great vest from Cabela's.....Personally, unless I'm going long distances where I'll need more stuff, I use a Run & Gun belt type with cushion.

3.....I think your smart phone will do most everything you need.....Invest in Onx Maps.

4.....3 books....Wild Turkey Country by Lovett E. Williams Jr......The North American Waterfowler by Paul Bernsen.....Ducks, Geese, & Swans of North America.....I'll a couple of other reads.....California Hunting Regulations & join NWTF & CWA.....6 magazines worth reading per year.

Good luck & ask lots of questions.....Steve

 

[SocalAL]

Hi Al,

Welcome to SCH......Let's take your questions one at a time......Mind you, there are many on the site that are much better answering your questions.

1.....I use traditional hiking/hunting boots.....Waterproof (Gore-Tex).....Low 8" style.....Also, socks are almost as important as the boots themselves (Merino wool).

2.....Most turkey vest will fit anyone (I'm 6-2, 235).....The Tactical Tat'r is a great vest from Cabela's.....Personally, unless I'm going long distances where I'll need more stuff, I use a Run & Gun belt type with cushion.

3.....I think your smart phone will do most everything you need.....Invest in Onx Maps.

4.....3 books....Wild Turkey Country by Lovett E. Williams Jr......The North American Waterfowler by Paul Bernsen.....Ducks, Geese, & Swans of North America.....I'll a couple of other reads.....California Hunting Regulations & join NWTF & CWA.....6 magazines worth reading per year.

Good luck & ask lots of questions.....Steve

Thanks Steve great info, in regards to the Onx maps on phone do you carry a wifi router or solar charging panel with you on longer hunts? I have read a lot of hunters like to use google maps while on the hunt, as well as normal ground maps.

 

[ilovesprig]

Well Al.......I wish one of these younger guys would chime in.......They know the answer to all that kind of stuff......

I know when I'm in New Mexico, the phone doesn't work......That's when a GPS would be handy......I have a small Garmin......Works ok.

 

[Prime]

I have Onx maps and I carry a GPS. I use the GPS for navigating and use Onx to verify that I am indeed on public land if I am in doubt. Onx lets you save maps for offline use, so I just turn the phone on airplane mode and turn the location function on and it works like a charm. You could use Onx for everything, but I am always worried my phone battery will die. Onx is a great tool, you won't regret it.

 

[Aeon]

any modern smart phone has A Real GPS receiver as well as AGPS. To load maps you simply view them before you stray out of cell range. Your phone stores them and keeps them in the cache or memory. Your maps will work just like you were in town.

So if sprig had loaded the maps up before hand his would have worked just fine in NM.

if i was doing a true back country must have working gps i would not trust my phone to do that, they are just to easy to smash. get a hand held and have fun.

 

[SocalAL]

I have Onx maps and I carry a GPS. I use the GPS for navigating and use Onx to verify that I am indeed on public land if I am in doubt. Onx lets you save maps for offline use, so I just turn the phone on airplane mode and turn the location function on and it works like a charm. You could use Onx for everything, but I am always worried my phone battery will die. Onx is a great tool, you won't regret it.

Cool thanks man

 

[ilovesprig]

any modern smart phone has A Real GPS receiver as well as AGPS. To load maps you simply view them before you stray out of cell range. Your phone stores them and keeps them in the cache or memory. Your maps will work just like you were in town.

So if sprig had loaded the maps up before hand his would have worked just fine in NM.

if i was doing a true back country must have working gps i would not trust my phone to do that, they are just to easy to smash. get a hand held and have fun.

Bill,

I can barely take pictures.....Much less loads maps.....lol