Personal locator beacons

[centaur]

A recent safety thread got me to thinking about my solo elk hunting trips. I'm not getting any younger, and the country is not real forgiving where elk live, so I just ordered a personal locator beacon as a safety factor, should I break my body somewhere deep in the backcountry. I hope to never use it, but it should be some peace of mind for my spouse and might just save my bacon. Anybody else have a PLB as part of your hunting pack?

[Froggy]

Think it's a great idea. Where and what brand, model did you order. Even not being on a hunt way off the beaten path, seems like it would be very useful. You got me thinking !!

Froggy

[onemoreshot]

Sounds like a good idea.

[jhg]

Do a google on "hiking personal locator beacon" and read up on the pros and cons of using them, whether they are necessary and how to use them. Very informative.

Joshua

[hunt it]

I prefer my sat phone but beacon would be my second option.

[houseman]

I carry a spot, I like it a lot. My little girl gets on the puter to see where i am and i can tag areas where i find good sign and print a topo map at home.

[centaur]

Froggy, I'm getting a McMurdo Fastfind 210 through REI. I didn't need the tracking offered by the Spot; just a device in the off chance that I need help. I'm on the local Search and Rescue, which also makes you think about what can go wrong.

[Canyon]

I use the SPOT since I am mostly hunting alone these days. Unlike a PLB it allows me to let my wife know where I am when I move camp etc. I still get the emergency situation notification if needed. I save the annual fee in gas not having to drive in to a phone to check in.

[ozy clint]

plb's are great peace of mind. i carry one one solo remote trips. mine is a GME mt410 with gps tracking.

[katie]

My hubby is a mountain climber so we are all for PLBs.  He climbs alone a lot.  I have never taken it hunting.  My cell works everywhere that I hunt.
I got a ticket for a free spot.  I just have never paid the $145 yearly fee to activate it!  Sounds like a great little device.  I like that he could send me messages from summit!

When I crashed out hunting last year, it crossed my mind that no one would find me and my cell phone would not pick up a signal where I was at the time.  The result, I took a one mile trek with a numb leg and shooting pain in my back that caused me to pass out and have a major panic attack, and one new Hill longbow that I left alongside my vehicle when I left.  When I returned a half hour later when realized I was not having a heart attack, it was gone.  All that for not seeing the work of a badger in the dark and the added panic of being stranded.  Peace of mind is important, I would even consider a satellite phone if I were to be in steep remote country, but then a cripple like me should not be in steep rocky country.  I was reminded of that when I was falling down a steep granite slope this summer with my favorite canoe in Canada last June.  One little junk of caribou moss caused that one, you just never know.