Trad Gang

What two way radios do you guys who go on big hunts with other trad hunters use. I am looking to get a pair but would like to get some opinions on them. Communication with others if going in separate directions afield would be an asset in my mind. So if you have experience with any brand or model please let me know. Thanks Tim

Unless the laws have changed, they were illegal
to use here in KS. I would check the state laws where your going to be using them.

Dale, Are you serious they are illegal in your state? I'm talken the ones in Cab/Bps catalogs.

From my experience of trying to use a set from Midland several years ago in the mountains they did not work well at all. They were suppose to have a 3 mile range and it was more like a 1/2 mile if that.

Also the last time I went on an elk hunt my Garmin GPS has the weather channels which worked good. The walkie talkie part had very little range though.

QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
Dale, Are you serious they are illegal in your state? I'm talken the ones in Cab/Bps catalogs.

They were unless the laws have changed, i asked a game warden once why it was illegal he told me because people use them to stalk deer to one another communicating with each other about deer comming their way, Stupid.
Any 2 way communication device except cell phone,
also lasers are illegal anything that throws out a light or laser  pointing to any game animal is illegal.

WOW!, Another vital resource abused for ones who have no hunting skills

Yep it's still illegal.Just checked the rules and regs. to the KDWP.

Of course, you shouldn't carry them if they are illegal.  It is also unethical and violates fair chase rules to use them in a stalk or to any other hunting advantage.   But, I do believe there are situations where it is ok and maybe even advisable to carry a radio in your pack.     Checking in from spike camp or an unexpected bivuac, at a predetermined time......that doesn't violate any ethical principle that I have.   Might actually prevent a death from exposure, or medical emergency.    
I see it like a few other things: we like to say "guns don't kill people, people kill people!"    Well, radios, in and of themselves, don't violate laws or ethical codes of conduct - it depends on how the carrier uses them.  
That said, it is true that they often don't work as well as claimed- even driving down the highway , but especially in rough country.    I have to have a pretty good reason to justify additional weight in my pack and a radio isn't usually high on the list.

This is a state by state issue and you need to be aware of the laws whenever you travel.  For those who like to push the limit, wardens often monitor the radios and record same.  

We carry them here in AK, but are very careful to not use them to assist in the hunt.  Mostly to call for a pickup when drifting or crossing the river we hunt.

As far as using radios in Ks: to my knowledge, it is illegal to use radios in the persuit of game (except coyotes) by locating or giving the location of animals, but you can carry and use them for safety purposes in case of injury or getting lost, etc.

WoodsyDave

I have a set of Midland's   (correction - Motorolas) and they work really well, but it's all about the terrain.  Line of sight and all that.

As for being ethical... I use them the same way I use text messaging.  "See anything?", "I'm heading out"... that type of thing.

Unless you're only 1/4 to 1/2 mile away from who you want to talk to don't even bother with GMRS type radios. They're ok for close but any distance is weak at best. The Motorolas tend to work best of all the ones we've tried. We now use marine radios on stand checking in each hour or so and get a good mile or so in thick foliage.

Of course most places now have enough cell reception so you can text message each other.

I use TriSquare® TSX300-2VP Deluxe 2-Way eXRS® digital radios with ear piece and boom mike that I got at Radio Shack. They have worked fine for us.

QuoteOriginally posted by LKH:
This is a state by state issue and you need to be aware of the laws whenever you travel.  For those who like to push the limit, wardens often monitor the radios and record same.  

We carry them here in AK, but are very careful to not use them to assist in the hunt.  Mostly to call for a pickup when drifting or crossing the river we hunt.

Yep well put

I get cell phone coverage where I hunt. However, one must take not to use the phone or walkie to alert another of deer headed their way. They can't be used to help take a deer in my state.

My cell is for emergency and to call for my son and the UTV when the broadhead has done its job. Or he calls me.

The indians used smoke signals!!!!!!!!

They are illeagl in wyoming if used to assist in the hunt as well. So are cell phone or any comunication devices.

Yep illegal in MT as well.  You can have them on you, just can't use them to pursue animals.  
Luminocks,trailcams, and any battery operated sites are also off limits.  I applaud our fwp guys for trying to keep archery season primitive.

I use them when I take my grandson hunting. I do not use them to try and get an unfair advantage of game. Only for safety in case he has a problem.

I got the illegal part. But do any of you use them for safety and general non game chasing use. And what experience have you had with reception and or any other + or - results.

I just can't fit in any of the electronic gadgets in my head when it comes to my hunting.  Walkie talkies, cell phones, UTV's just don't compute for me when I look at my longbow and back quiver.

I have on occasion carried them with the intent of letting a partner know if I am coming in for lunch or staying out, etc.  If we do carry them we usually have a plan to check in with each other at a predetermined time.  Seems like most of the time I forget to turn the thing on, so have ended up carrying them less and less.

Most of the time I hunt alone. I have a cell phone in case of emergency but alot of the area I hunt I cannot get any coverage. I only started carrying it the last couple of years. I know of people trying to use walkie talkies while rifle hunting, but they have had a lot of trouble because of terrain and tree cover. Who wants all that electronic crap with you when hunting anyway? I think it takes away from the hunt. Gary

Just my  thoughts. deleted.

Joshua

I think this has gotten away from what I intended it to be. I wanted to know if multiple guys out of a base camp use them to communicate with said base camp or others for emergency reasons if they are worth it or not.

Maybe it has, but why this great need to be electroincally tethered? If one is so worried about safety, or to know what one's buddies are doing back in camp or elsewhere, perhaps better to stay home on the couch and text them from there. I don't mean any disrespect, but it seems that folks are afraid to go out in the woods by themselves anymore.    :dunno:

Orion, I have a 10yo who will be hunting with me this year and would like for him to explore by himself a little.

Tim, sorry we digressed.  I have tried Motorola and Midlands and find them about equal.  We have used them over the years for fly in fishing trips in Canada and Alaska.  My Midland helped me locate a buddy that took a wrong turn in Alaska and got stranded in a side channel.  He was two miles away in flat country.  It was nice to find out they were generally OK but would be very late to camp.   I would buy the best ones you can afford.   Also, as noted by some above they are very limited in the mountains.  It is almost a line of site rule.  Any significant topography inbetween users and you will not get a connection.  Hope that helps.

Lpc: I understand wanting to remain in contact with your son.  My response seems a bit harsh.  Aimed not at you, but at the increasing electronic gadgetry I'm seeing in the woods.  As G.Fred Asbel pointed out in a recent article, there's always at least one valid reason for using any piece of equipment, but  I think we could do with a lot less.

Msybe some of this won't apply to where you live or hunt, but some will.
Like others said the FRS radios are only good for short open ranges. I have some but use them more in town than in the woods.
Where I live you are usually near the water, and most boats carry a VHF radio. I have a handheld VHF radio that is 5 watt, a 25 watt VHF on the boat, and a 25 watt base station at my house.
VHF's are line of sight, but the Coast Guard has a repeater system of remote antennae, and I can sometimes get them if I can't talk to anyone else. I have had them call someone on the phone to tell that I am OK but delayed, and then get back to me on the radio to let me know the message was relayed, which saved everyone a lot of stress.  
My bigger hammer for an emergency is a handheld EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon) that transmits to satellites and gives a gps fix on me, as well as a homing freq for the aircraft to come right to me. It also identifies me by registration so they know who they are looking for, a description of my boats, and have my address and contact info on file. It is not for casual use however, it is for pulling the plug. I do try to carry this if I am alone and in a remote spot; thankfully I have never had to use it.
Alternative to VHF, I have been with people who had handhelds that would use aircraft freqs, which let them hail a passing plane. Also some have satellite phones; they are spendy but work almost everywhere. These gadgets are the next step up in puchase cost/user fees.
If you do carry radios and want to check in, it is an idea to set up a call schedule, so you don't have to keep them on all the time and run down the battery, not to mention the noise problem if you are hunting. It is good to have more than one call time in case you are in a valley/ forget/ busy etc at the first time. Say each hour after if you miss the first time. Down side of call scheds is they start to worry when maybe you just have a dead battery or your watch is haywire. Good to discuss beforehand how you want them to react to no contact.
Sometimes when the battery is low, you can't talk but can still make a click of static each time you key the mike. I have arranged before that one click means yes, two means no, and answered questions that I could hear but not verbally reply.
Hope that is useful to you.

lpcjon2 my buddies and I use them in PA to tell each other our plans to move or head home. Once I used mine to call my buddies for help when my dad broke his ankle and needed help out of the woods. A good thing....Bobby

Think mine are 10 mile Motorolas. If they're 10 mile radios it must mean 10 wide open miles. In tall woods you;re lucky to get 1 mile. They beep & make noise when they shouldn't. Good for emergency I guess but my experience wouldn't depend on them. Maybe a cell phone is much better.

I always use them when we hunt.most of the time its only to see if my partners have something down or i do and need a hand.I have two sets.Motorola and Midland, both are very good.You can set the channel as needed.

I have Motorolas, that also monitor National Weather Service broadcasts.  They are very useful if someone is coming out late, or has a deer down. Uneven country really affects reception.  Sometimes our hunting party can talk up to 3 or 4 miles away, but sometimes they don't reach a mile.  They do offer a measure of safety in case of an emergency.

If I remember corrrectly, the set I bought also has a very loud emergency signal, which may be useful for your son.  Even if you can't get radio contact, he might still be able to get your attention with the emergency signal.

We use them around here while gun hunting, I don't want to talk to anyone while I'm bowhunting. I just have a set of Motorola's. They are iffy in thick cover or a hilly situation but they don't weigh much so they are worth carrying.

Radios are a real pain for me when I am trying to hunt. I used them for a few years but finally got rid of them. Often other hunters would get on the frequency, or the guys I was hunting with with talk a lot. I like the silence. I did carry them for a while but never turned them on, just had them for emergencies.

OK
I work with radios alot and have a HAM radio liscence..  :scared:  
Get good ones and you wont be sorry.. Get the GMRS ones with at least 20 plus channels..they are higher powered..
I would rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them...
I like useing them when I hunt close to the house so the wife can contact me if she NEEDS to..  :rolleyes:  
I like it when hunting with buddies because we can wisper sweet nothings and BS to each other when bored waiting around    
When I hunt by myself I still have one for emergencys..
Ken

Thanks guys I will check into the Motorola. I am a big safety nut. When I hunt I normally dont take anything but my cell, and that is normally off. but with the boy starting out I want him to have his own experiences (but monitored )He is very familiar with the hunting lands around our way bit I want to start going to other areas. He will be learning the land navigation and the compass in the next few months.Thanks for all the reply's.Tim

Hey buddy
You know what.. I got more radios than I need
Send me your address and Ill mail you two..
No charge..
Glad to do it.
Ken

Kenneth, I sent you a PM/email. Thank you

no problem,, glad to do it...
Thats why I love this site.. Ive had guys give me plenty on here before..just trying to pass something along..

I love the way this turned out!  :clapper:

Tim,
If you check some of the equipment stores that sell construction stuff, motorola makes "job radios" these work pretty good if you are on somewhat flat land. Up here in sussex county I have had problems talking with the kids during the season. One thing with most radios is the squelch settings, the radios are noisey even when you whisper. The family all has text messaging now so thats how we stay in touch from tree stand to tree stand.
Denis

Bowplinker, that's cool cajun bowbro! Well done!

As I have gotten older may Son has insisted that we have them when we hunt.  Much of our hunting is done out of cell phone range, so, it is only prudent to take safety precautions. We only communicate in emergencies (if you fall from your treestand and are dangling by your harness it could save your life). We have good communications before the hunt to ensure we are on the same page. An ounce of prevention.....

I have a set of 4 Motorolas 25mile range. They work very well on open terrain. In the hills, a couple of miles. We use them for emergency or scheduled check in only.