This is how I manage information when scouting or hunting:
Gps: Tracks I keep simple to the minimum character. I find a track of interest and I created T1, T2, and T3. I do not record every track on the mountain. I do not record tracks left by does and fawns, a mental note has to do or descriptive information in my pocket notebook.
But let me backup here. When on a scouting trip or a hunt I like to start with a clean Track on my gps. I might go to the setup page and create the new track in a different color. I created the first waypoint at the location I parked. It is P#. I may have a number of P# in my waypoint list that I want to keep so the new one might be P9.
If I find a feeding area I create a new waypoint F=feeding.
I normally hunt dry country so W=Water
I find locations for stands I create Waypoints S=stands.
You can use whatever letter code you want.
For me SC works for scrapes and R=rubs.
Be sure to save your Track on the gps at the end of the day.
Suggest you go into map setup in your gps and scale the map to fit your needs. Out on the ground you can zoom in and out. If you zoom in you gain separation between data.
Computer: You can use the map scale feature in 100K topo software. Save the Tracks and waypoint in a file in your computer using the Map Source software. Name it Scout 2 June 6 2010.
Let’s say you have saved ten scouting trips over a time period. On your computer you can open them at the same time and analyze the results.
I have some areas that I been returning to long before I ever had a gps. I have found that five years of waypoints for a certain location creates a cluster. It is time to manage my gps because I am suffering information over load. I have fished a lake for years, created waypoints when I see fish on the fishfinder, when I get a strike or catch a fish and it has increased my take. I have found that it is best to save the information to a file. Display it on the computer and see what the patterns are, and then determined what are the key way points I want for my next trip.
I save the key waypoints on my unit and delete those I do not want. An easy way to do this is to have your map source product open on your computer desk top.
With your gps connected to the computer, select the Receive From Device Icon, select Waypoints, and Tracks, and Routes if you want them. Do not select the Map option because it will take a longer time to receive the maps and you do not need them. Once they are downloaded to your desktop save as Pre edit Waypoints Tracks and Rotes April 1 2010.
Once they are loaded on your desktop and saved you can edit them. Let’s say you do not edit the Tracks and Routes, but you edit the waypoint. Before doing anything else save the file on your computer as Waypoints Tracks and Routes April 1 2010. (You cannot create a file with symbols or at least I cannot) You are happy with the Tracks and Routes on your gps but you want to save your new waypoint list. Select the Send to Device Icon, and check only Waypoints. When you send the new Waypoint list, they old Waypoints on your gps will be erased. This is why it is important to create the backup file increase you have regrets.
Your unit will store 1,000 waypoints and number of waypoints may not be an issue, the issue might be the concentration of data on the map. The number should not be an issue when zooming the map scale and setting up the map detail.
I have some areas I have a lot of information on, and have created numerous waypoints over the years. If I keep all that information on my gps it limits how I use the gps. Some of these locations I have visited repeatedly for over fifty years. I do not need ten years of information on that location cluttering up my gps screen. Two years ago the first morning I was hunting that area, I found the butt of an old log to lean against and establish my ground blind. It was not too long and I spotted a 2x3 buck in front of me. I shot the buck and he took off running.
How he took off in the heavy vegetation I thought I was going to have a lot of tracking to do. The buck was out of sight, so I created a waypoint form the spot I fired from, I created a second waypoint at the location the buck was standing. Tracking was going to be a problem because it was cloudy and there was a light rain. My gps was in track mode from the time I left my pickup that morning. I started in the direction the buck went but I was not finding any blood sign, and tracking by hoof prints was difficult because of numerous tracks in the area.
The good thing was that before the season I had cleaned the cluster of waypoints from the area off, and my gps screen was not cluttered with unneeded information. As I worked the area for sign the unit automatically created a track so I knew what ground I had covered. I found the buck and created a waypoint.
The next morning I drove my two hunting partners to a jump-off point in the country we hunted the day before. I gave them a few hours and then I hiked back into the area I shot my buck. I used my gps to find the waypoint I had shot from. Being a reloader I want to recover the once fired .270 Winchester case. I then visited the location the buck was standing; I had created a waypoint at the location. I then did a little looking around to see if I could find the bullet that exited the deer. No luck, it would have been a neat find.
Next I followed the Track out to the location I gutted the deer. We do not leave gut piles in the roadway. They attract hunters. The gut pile had been cleaned up by a bear.
At this point the information is clutter on the screen. I have saved it to my desktop, and deleted the Track and related waypoints from the gps. I can find my way back.
One day I was helping out a couple of acquaintances with a gps unit and Map Source. I had waypoints up from a few fishing trips out on the lake. I noticed one of the guys writing down the lat/long from a few waypoints. Rather rude I thought, and I became a little more private with my information.
Track Points: You can set the interval that map points are created. You might experiment with the different intervals in the off season and see what works best for you. If you want every minor turn select most often, if you want to avoid a lot of clutter selected least often. I am satisfied with the Normal setting. I think I will be experimenting with less often, because of the clutter I get when hunting. Normally I slowly move a short distance and then spend a lot of time looking, and listening. When I am looking and listening I might be changing my position to get a 360˚ look. On my gps screen it looks a mess. Track points are based on time and distant intervals.
You can save 20 tracks.
Check page 27 of your manual.
Hopefully this monologue is helpful.
