Anyone Use the KDWP Garmin WIHA GPS Maps?

[Powderhorn Jim]

I've gotten so used to loading WIHA (or other state's equivalent) mapping on my Garmin automotive GPS that I'm spoiled. It saves driving around with a map in my lap and even then missing a turn and getting lost (or at least "mis-directed"). I normally load North Dakota, South Dakota and Kansas maps, all made available by their respective wildlife agency. This year, despite the doom and gloom of Kansas, that is all we are going to be able to hunt. Last year KDWP didn't have a GIS person so someone, after being urged a bit, finally loaded the 2021-22 Garmin map file on their website. This year I was excited to find that the 2022-23 Garmin map file was already on their website. Unfortunately when I downloaded it to my GPS, it is geo-referenced to someplace in the South Pacific near the equator. Maybe Kansas relocated?

Anyway, I called their HQ office and was directed to a Regional Supervisor in Topeka where their GIS folk(s) are. Nice guy but he told me that Garmin GPS was "old technology" and everyone used their phones. That is true to some degree, but a lot of the areas I hunt have no cell signal, which is required for Google Earth, which they do support. I also have "HuntStand" on my phone but they are always a year out of date with WIHA information. Not sure about OnX. I'm just wondering, am I really that old fashioned? Does anyone else out there use Garmin automotive GPS units (Nuvi or newer equivalents) for WIHA location information?

 

[Kansan]

Probably not much help, but I always use OnX these days. It seems to be pretty up to date.

Best of luck to you, friend.

 

[cheesy]

I use OnX as well.

 

[matto]

I'm more old fashioned than you. I use the printed atlas when I'm driving around, although I use OnX and the states' GIS for scouting and waypointing the private stuff I can access.

 

[Jet]

Up until this year I’ve used the ArcGis app. It has worked really well for me in Kansas and it has a lot of other maps available, not just hunting areas.
This year I bought an onX membership to use on my Montana trip. It worked well there but the problem I see is that now that I have all these waypoints saved I’ll have to keep paying or lose them.

 

[cheesy]

but the problem I see is that now that I have all these waypoints saved I’ll have to keep paying or lose them.

Pretty sure there is a way to export them, or if nothing else, you can write down the longitude/latitude coordinates and enter them into whatever program you're going to use long term.

 

[Woollybob]

Up until this year I’ve used the ArcGis app. It has worked really well for me in Kansas and it has a lot of other maps available, not just hunting areas.
This year I bought an onX membership to use on my Montana trip. It worked well there but the problem I see is that now that I have all these waypoints saved I’ll have to keep paying or lose them.

You do not lose your waypoints, tracks, notes etc., and you do not need to export them. I only subscribe to OnX for 4 months each year then cancel for the off season. All of your waypoints stay there and you can continue to log in and change things, you just lose all the layers like public hunting areas, private landowners, etc., that come with the paid subscription.

But if you want, you can save them offline and transfer them to any other mapping program.

 

[Powderhorn Jim]

I have "HuntStand", not OnX and can use that on my phone, but I still find an automotive GPS, along with the printed atlas, to be the least distracting and easiest to use. Also, Huntstand doesn't update there WIHA mapping until after the season it appears, so it is one year out of date. Not sure what OnX does. The KDWP GIS person called me this week and sent me the Garmin .img file directly from his computer. That verson worked on 2 of my 3 Garmin GPS units. For some reason the Garmin 2797 won't recognize the file. Garmin can't figure out why. I had this problem a couple of years ago with the unit, then last year, miraculously it recognized the file. Not going to worry about it. I can live with what I have. Did appreciate KDWP helping me.