You've probably already heard that a GPS - Global Positioning System - unit can help your deer and elk hunting. Developed by the U.S. Department of Defense for military purposes, the technology has become increasingly available, and more affordable, too. The way they work is both simple and amazingly complex - the unit bounces a signal off of multiple satellites orbiting the Earth, factors in the location of the unit and - bingo - the location is found. The way they report the information varies, but the most common identify latitude and longitude.

A GPS unit can easily become a vital part of your hunting gear, helping you to calculate walking distance, find your way to hunting grounds with absolute precision, estimate the time it will take for you to reach a destination, and record the position of fresh deer and elk tracks so that you can return to them later. Many hunters who buy GPS units use them to map the area where they're hunting deer and elk. When out hunting, you can store the coordinates of significant features in the landscape - memorable rock formations, creeks, bends in trials, etc. - and then later use those coordinates to create a map either on paper or on the computer. You can then mark the spots on your map where you've seen signs of elk or deer - by comparing those sightings with the surrounding landscape, you should be able to get an idea of where deer and elk are most likely to show up.

Of course, you can also use your GPS to help you figure out where you are - we've all gotten lost, if only for a short while, when out hunting, and a GPS is a real help when that happens. If you've marked a waypoint on your GPS and designated it as "truck" or "camp," you can use your GPS's "go to" function to lead you back home. The same function comes in handy if you shoot an elk or deer and you're unable to move it by yourself - log the location as a waypoint, head back to get a couple of buddies, and you can find your way straight back to your kill. GPS can be used for tracking, too, if you shoot a buck and it takes off - mark a waypoint on your GPS for every place that you find blood, allowing you to get a bird's-eye view of which way the buck is headed.

While hardly a necessity, a GPS can be a great gadget to bring along next time you hunt elk or deer - just make sure to pack fresh alkaline batteries, because you never know when your GPS will run out of juice.