The onX Hunt review & question thread, by Rokstaff & Members

[bsnedeker]

Not sure if this is the right place for it, but I have some suggestions for the Onx folks that I think would GREATLY improve their product:

1. Downloading Offline Maps - Should be able to select by hunting unit, or by selecting any size area to download in whatever quality I want. My biggest issue with this app is that when I want to download an offline map in high quality I can only do it in 5 square mile chunks. I don't know about any of you, but I've never looked at a map and said "Oh boy, that is the 5 square mile chunk of land I want to hunt!". I want to download a mountain range, or a series of drainages, or an entire hunting unit so that I can be mobile when I hit the ground without worrying about finding an internet connection. I've got a big boy phone with lots of storage so I'm not worried about saving space when I'm heading out to hunt.

1. A - Be able to save offline maps on the SD card. It's kind of crazy that you can't in my opinion.

2. Project a bearing line from your current position. This happens to me a lot: I'm up at a glassing spot looking at some spots on a hillside. I see a specific clearing with elk heading uphill in the morning...I want to be at that clearing that evening in case they come back down. The problem is that there are a bunch of clearings on the hillside and trying to figure out the exact clearing is a challenge "Oh, this one looks about the same shape and there is rock in the middle, must be it!". What I would like to do is pull out my compass to determine the bearing to the specific clearing I'm looking at...say 282 degrees, then I go into onx, enter that bearing number and it projects a line at that bearing from my current position. The clearing that my bearing line hits is the one I drop a waypoint on...and I'm on my way!

I think these would be great improvements to the app! I really rely on OnX when I'm out in the woods so I would love to see these things happen in the near future.

Thanks!

 

[DerkPerk]

^^^^

You’re number 2 is spot on! This happened to us last week in Idaho. Glassed a bull across a couple ridges and made our move to what we thought was the clearing only to find we were way off and never did find it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jskaanland]

1. YES YES AND YES! I think it would be nice, even if you could make your own rectangle shape for the map and not be stuck on the preset verticle shape.
1.a - I think their concern is the data being moved from the sd card to other devices. It may also be something with the mapping imagery provider. (I don't think we'll see that change anytime soon)

 

[cwegga]

Not sure if this is the right place for it, but I have some suggestions for the Onx folks that I think would GREATLY improve their product:

1. Downloading Offline Maps - Should be able to select by hunting unit, or by selecting any size area to download in whatever quality I want. My biggest issue with this app is that when I want to download an offline map in high quality I can only do it in 5 square mile chunks. I don't know about any of you, but I've never looked at a map and said "Oh boy, that is the 5 square mile chunk of land I want to hunt!". I want to download a mountain range, or a series of drainages, or an entire hunting unit so that I can be mobile when I hit the ground without worrying about finding an internet connection. I've got a big boy phone with lots of storage so I'm not worried about saving space when I'm heading out to hunt.

1. A - Be able to save offline maps on the SD card. It's kind of crazy that you can't in my opinion.

2. Project a bearing line from your current position. This happens to me a lot: I'm up at a glassing spot looking at some spots on a hillside. I see a specific clearing with elk heading uphill in the morning...I want to be at that clearing that evening in case they come back down. The problem is that there are a bunch of clearings on the hillside and trying to figure out the exact clearing is a challenge "Oh, this one looks about the same shape and there is rock in the middle, must be it!". What I would like to do is pull out my compass to determine the bearing to the specific clearing I'm looking at...say 282 degrees, then I go into onx, enter that bearing number and it projects a line at that bearing from my current position. The clearing that my bearing line hits is the one I drop a waypoint on...and I'm on my way!

I think these would be great improvements to the app! I really rely on OnX when I'm out in the woods so I would love to see these things happen in the near future.

Thanks!

Yes #1 absolutely. I have my whole state downloaded in low quality And all my normal hunting areas in high quality and it took days to do all those tiny chunks. I just checked and I have 63 saved maps, I bought a phone with lots of storage specifically for mapping. I want to download large maps. Being able to select my own size area to download and select by hunting units would be great.

 

[doverpack12]

I've been using the App quite a bit and actually got comfortable enough I left my GPS behind. Well Saturday the App decided to glitch. I had the area saved for offline use with all layers I planned to use turned on when I saved the map and it was the highest resolution map option. Got in a situation where i had 4-5 bulls below me bugling and I knew private property wasn't that far away. I had the option to turn the layer on and off and it would turn green then grey when off but no amount of zooming in, letting it sit with the layer on or anything else would make the property line display. Turned my phone off then back on and reloaded the app and still nothing. I didn't have cell service in this area. Ended up having to sit for an hour and send out an inreach message to a friend I trust and thought could figure out where the private line was. Got a message back private was at least a half mile away. Was able to move in on the bulls and 5 epic hours later after I blew 8-10 encounters and missed a bull, I switched to calling and my father in law killed a 360 bull. If I had not been able to use the inreach to obtain the information I was depending on the OnX app to provide I would be pissed enough to once again ditch the app and go back to the GPS because for me the App absolutely has to be 100% dependable. I have since deleted that saved map and resaved a new map and plan to head back Friday morning. If this happens again I'm done with the app for good.

Two weekends ago on September 22 I was in a different area on a different saved high resolution map and almost had the same issue but eventually the private lines displayed when I zoomed in and let it sit for a few minutes. That should have been my clue but I got the information I needed and kept on going and didn't think about it again.

 

[robby denning]

doverpack. Complete bull crap performance. I had nearly a similar issue same day/same time as you so there might have been a satellite or system issue.

I was on off-grid mode as there was no service. The map would load and show all saved data but would not show my current location which is kinda important!

It kept showing me where I was the day before. This went on for 30 minutes.

I finally climbed high enough to get some very weak cell service and I started flipping between off-grid and cell service to make it finally show my location. Had I been on an animal close to private like you were, I’d have lost 30 minutes trying to get my location.

Losing trust in equipment is a deal breaker for any serious hunter.

I’m pinging onX to check this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jskaanland]

Robby, did you have your phone in airplane mode or just click the "offline" in the app? If you used your phone's airplane mode, you have to enable your GPS on your phone once you enter airplane mode. This is with android not sure how it works on iPhone.

 

[SLDMTN]

I will give a +1 to the onX app which is a little hard for me to admit honestly. I have never taken a GPS or any other navigation tool with me since I know the areas I hunt pretty well. This fall we glassed up a solid 60" bull, put together a stalk strategy and went for it. When we got to the spot he was supposed to be, we couldn't find him. My cousin pulled out his phone, used the saved map to check our location and we were about 600 yards off from where we were supposed to be. Using the app, we walked into 60 yards on him and my cousin took his first moose. I can't say we wouldn't have still gotten the same moose but it definitely wouldn't have been on that stalk. I now have the app on my phone and have wherever I'm hunting downloaded.

 

[onX Hunt]

@doverpack12
Sorry to hear you have had issues with your offline maps. When you save a map for offline use it saves those specific zoom levels, for example if you are zoomed out too far then it will not display the map information since it did not save every zoom level just the ones where the 5 or 10 mile resolution starts (depending on which one you saved). It sounds like you saved the map correctly, having all the layers turned on that you want while offline and again after it is saved, zooming in will display that information once you hit the correct level that the saved map starts. You will want to make sure you flip the 'Go Offline' switch or put your phone in airplane mode as this forces the app to only use those maps you have saved. If you do not, then the app may try and load off of that little or no service.

@robbydenning
You will want to make sure that you have the most up to date version of the app, we recently released an update that helps improve the apps connection to the location services of your phone. The app itself does not track your location but pulls that information from the device itself so it is dependent on the phone being able to pick up your GPS location. You can refresh the location services if the device is having trouble pinpointing your location by going into your phone's general settings, finding the location services, turning them off for a bit, then turning them back on.

Our customer support team is available to talk live on the phone as well to troubleshoot anything at 406-540-1600.

 

[robby denning]

sounds good SLDMTN, and I agree, when it's working, it's great!

Super picture!!!!!

 

[robby denning]

Robby, did you have your phone in airplane mode or just click the "offline" in the app? If you used your phone's airplane mode, you have to enable your GPS on your phone once you enter airplane mode. This is with android not sure how it works on iPhone.

Airplane mode John. On iPhone, that is all I've ever had to do to go off grid. Keep in mind, I've been in the same situation a half dozen other times and the app immediately showed my location, just not that day. I emailed onX this morning. Thanks man

 

[doverpack12]

OnX can you clarify the map saving process. My understanding is I turn on any layers I want to save for offline use, tap the off grid icon and select save map. This will bring up a screen with 3 sizes at the bottom I select the size which places a green rectangle on the map and I move the map to cover the area I want for offline use and hit save and let the map package and download.

To me your description makes it sound like I need to zoom in on the map within the green outline until the layers I want to display show up prior to saving?

When I had the problem I was in airplane mode with my saved map loaded and I could toggle the layer on (green) and off (grey) but there was no change on the screen. I was able to toggle my unit boundaries layer on and off and see the corresponding result on the map. Other layers that I did not have turned on when saving the map for offline use were not available to be toggled and were shaded gray over them.

 

[onX Hunt]

OnX can you clarify the map saving process. My understanding is I turn on any layers I want to save for offline use, tap the off grid icon and select save map. This will bring up a screen with 3 sizes at the bottom I select the size which places a green rectangle on the map and I move the map to cover the area I want for offline use and hit save and let the map package and download.

To me your description makes it sound like I need to zoom in on the map within the green outline until the layers I want to display show up prior to saving?

When I had the problem I was in airplane mode with my saved map loaded and I could toggle the layer on (green) and off (grey) but there was no change on the screen. I was able to toggle my unit boundaries layer on and off and see the corresponding result on the map. Other layers that I did not have turned on when saving the map for offline use were not available to be toggled and were shaded gray over them.

You have the saving map process correct. Any layers that are turned on when you save a map for offline use will be available to be adjusted while you are offline. If a layer was not turned on at the time of saving a map, then that is when it is grayed out and unable to be adjusted.
Depending on the size of the map that you save will affect what zoom level the information that is saved starts appearing, you do not zoom in or out during the saving process.
For example. If you saved a 10 mile wide map and are offline, at a zoom level of 2 miles and further away, the information will not display because those levels are not saved but once you zoom in to 2000 ft and closer, that is when the layer information will start appearing again since that is what the corresponding zoom level was saved. From your description, it sounds like you were zoomed out too far to see the adjustment of those layers you were trying to toggle on and off so try zooming in to a closer level and try again. You can always test the offline functionality while at home by turning your phone in airplane mode or flipping the Go-Offline switch forces the app to only use the maps you have saved

 

[wapitibob]

Robby, did you have your phone in airplane mode or just click the "offline" in the app? If you used your phone's airplane mode, you have to enable your GPS on your phone once you enter airplane mode. This is with android not sure how it works on iPhone.

I've used onX on an android for almost a year now and have never "enabled the gps", either before or after switching to airplane mode.

 

[Jskaanland]

I've used onX on an android for almost a year now and have never "enabled the gps", either before or after switching to airplane mode.

I went and just tried, you're right. I must have had location services turned off before I went into airplane mode. I just remembered trying to pin my location and it not pulling up until I hit the location services icon.

 

[wapitibob]

that would do it for sure
One anomaly I did see was the hunting partners maps would not switch when in offline mode. Couldn't switch from topo to sat etc. I believe his fix was to get service then switch them and once it did that he was good when back offline.

 

[robby denning]

...

@robbydenning
You will want to make sure that you have the most up to date version of the app, we recently released an update that helps improve the apps connection to the location services of your phone. The app itself does not track your location but pulls that information from the device itself so it is dependent on the phone being able to pick up your GPS location. You can refresh the location services if the device is having trouble pinpointing your location by going into your phone's general settings, finding the location services, turning them off for a bit, then turning them back on.

Our customer support team is available to talk live on the phone as well to troubleshoot anything at 406-540-1600.

thanks for chiming in. How do I know if I have the most current version of the app? Just FYI, I wouldn't ignore an update if I actually saw it. How do we know we need to update?

I've also turned off my location services and turned them back on. I'm in a big building right now, so no opp to test, but I will...please let me know on that update question.

thanks

 

[MIKEYB]

Not sure if this is the right place for it, but I have some suggestions for the Onx folks that I think would GREATLY improve their product:

1. Downloading Offline Maps - Should be able to select by hunting unit, or by selecting any size area to download in whatever quality I want. My biggest issue with this app is that when I want to download an offline map in high quality I can only do it in 5 square mile chunks. I don't know about any of you, but I've never looked at a map and said "Oh boy, that is the 5 square mile chunk of land I want to hunt!". I want to download a mountain range, or a series of drainages, or an entire hunting unit so that I can be mobile when I hit the ground without worrying about finding an internet connection. I've got a big boy phone with lots of storage so I'm not worried about saving space when I'm heading out to hunt.

1. A - Be able to save offline maps on the SD card. It's kind of crazy that you can't in my opinion.

2. Project a bearing line from your current position. This happens to me a lot: I'm up at a glassing spot looking at some spots on a hillside. I see a specific clearing with elk heading uphill in the morning...I want to be at that clearing that evening in case they come back down. The problem is that there are a bunch of clearings on the hillside and trying to figure out the exact clearing is a challenge "Oh, this one looks about the same shape and there is rock in the middle, must be it!". What I would like to do is pull out my compass to determine the bearing to the specific clearing I'm looking at...say 282 degrees, then I go into onx, enter that bearing number and it projects a line at that bearing from my current position. The clearing that my bearing line hits is the one I drop a waypoint on...and I'm on my way!

I think these would be great improvements to the app! I really rely on OnX when I'm out in the woods so I would love to see these things happen in the near future.

Thanks!

I Strongly agree with 1. downloading off line maps. If this could be refined would improve the user experience. coming from using gamin's earthmate, can't say I personally have enjoyed the experience from onX in this regard.

Would like the option to "customize" the area of high detailed offline map downloadable. maybe download by USGS quad or game unit like listed above.

Frustrating downloading a bunch of small maps to encompass a large area, only come back and have errors with the map downloading.

 

[wapitibob]

I have read that esri restricts downloads to 10,000 tiles per save which effects all the phone apps.
If you go to your phones App Store it will tell you what apps can be updated

 

[bsnedeker]

I have read that esri restricts downloads to 10,000 tiles per save which effects all the phone apps.
If you go to your phones App Store it will tell you what apps can be updated

Interesting...would be nice to hear from the OnX folks if that is the reason behind this. That said, if this is the case a good solution would be for the app to split the download up behind the scenes, rather than making me go in and do it manually. I select a game unit I want to download, the app tells me it is going to need to split this into 100 downloads and gives me an estimate on how long that is going to take, I click ok, and off it goes, I take a nap. Making the user do this part, and having to wait for each chunk to download completely before being able to select another area to download (i.e. no queuing feature for the download) is jut an exercise in frustration.