Big Game Technology: 3 Hunting Tools to Improve Your Harvests

Deer Hunting Binoculars
Deer Hunting Binoculars
AmmoLand Gun News
AmmoLand Gun News

Manasquan, NJ –-(Ammoland.com)- A significant segment of the hunting population is balking at how advances in technology are affecting the sport.

For example, Devin Peterson, writing for the Survival Camping Store, argued that the TrackingPoint 750 “smart rifle” takes the sport out of hunting. The built-in ballistic calculator, rangefinder, barometer and networked tracking scope enabled an amateur shooter to hit a small target from 1,000 yards away on his first shot. Granted, few people can afford the $10K-plus price tag for one of these video game-like rifles. But it’s this kind of technology that certain hunters with decades of experience do not want infiltrating “their sport”.

There is, however, plenty of mobile technology that can streamline your hunting expeditions without comprising the innate challenges that come with them.

Hunt Predictor

Solunar calendars used to be the best tools to determine prime hunting times and locations based on several variables, including sunrise times and weather conditions. The Hunt Predictor app for Android and iPhone can be best described as a solunar table on steroids.

This handy app uses an algorithm to crunch seven weather and season-related variables to predict wildlife movement. It generates location-based, five-day forecasts for turkey, water fowl and deer migration. Lunar phases and illumination levels of the moon on a given night are graphed out for easy analysis. Hunt Predictor also enables you to review the raw data its predictions were derived from, such as wind speeds and barometric pressure. This gives you the opportunity to act based on your own analysis if you disagree with the app’s recommendations.

Hunt Predictor is free to download.

Google Earth

Law enforcement agencies use Google Earth to locate large marijuana growing fields, while educators use it to make history and geography lessons more interesting for students. Hunters can use it to find their perfect hunting locations.

Offseason scouting is one of the most important parts of hunting, particularly for patterning deer. Aaron Milliken of Whitetail Properties told Outdoor Life magazine that Google Earth is one of the best tools he’s ever used for analyzing terrain before scouting on foot. The software enables you to view secluded properties with little human access via satellite images. Milliken suggests looking for properties contained by definitive borders, such as rivers and train tracks. There also needs to be food sources (such as farmland) along with water and grassy fields, to indicate regular buck movement in the area.

The free version of Google Earth can be downloaded to your iPad, iPhone or Android-compatible device.

ArcheryPal

Some people credit “The Hunger Games” movies for the huge uptick in global bow sales the past two years. A 2012 data analysis by the Archery Trade Association found that there are 1.9 million bowhunters in America.

ArcheryPal
ArcheryPal

Archery GB, the governing body for sports archery in Britain, saw its membership skyrocket from 16,000 in 2004 to 36,000 in 2012, according to the Guardian.

Philip Keth had all the aforementioned information in mind when he developed ArcheryPal.

The iOS app calculates both the speed of your arrows coming off the string and their kinetic energy to determine an accurate kill range.

You can also plot the spots you’ve hit using the touchscreen on your iOS device, log daily practice sessions and see the results graphically to determine any trends with arrow placement.

ArcheryPal is well worth the $4.99 for serious bow hunters.