Garmin

We’re not bragging when we say there’s nothing quite like the Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer. Garmin aims to make unique products that help its customers “beat yesterday,” and the first trapshooting trainer with near real-time, live-fire feedback is a prime example. However, there are drawbacks to such a large leap forward in innovation, and one of them is, well, doubt. Another is confusion. So, we took Xero S1 to the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s 2019 Grand American World Trapshooting Championship to let folks test it out; to get feedback and opinions from amateurs and professionals. And everyone had the same reaction — in the same order: Skepticism before shooting. Amazement when shooting. Follow-up questions after shooting. “This device tells you so much about your trapshooting game,” says David Miller, shotgun product manager and pro shooter for CZ-USA, “When I first was introduced to this unit, I was skeptical. I was like, What? This does what? “It tells you where you hit the target, it tells you how well you hit the target, it gives you a break factor, it tells you why you hit the target. “Seems to me that most people want to know why they missed, but no one ever asks why they hit. This tells you why you hit. This device is worth its weight in gold when it comes to learning how to shoot trap, training a new student as a coach, getting dialed in on a new shotgun … this is the item you need to buy.” So what is Xero S1 capable of? How durable is it? How many people can use it at one time? Well, we hear you. At the Grand American 2019, hundreds of shooters tried Xero S1, and here are the most common questions we received from coaches, and professional, novice and expert shooters. Chad VanCamp, a Garmin product manager and fellow trapshooter, provided some answers. Question: How many phones or devices with Bluetooth capability can be paired with my Xero S1 at the same time? Chad VanCamp: Your Xero S1 can only pair to one device (that has the Xero App) at a time. The paired mobile device is what retrieves data from the S1 and sends it to the cloud. Once the scorecards are in the cloud, the Xero app combines all that data to show you amazing statistics about your shooting. While it is designed to track your stats alone, it is possible to see statistics for multiple gun setups or multiple shooters using gun profiles. Q: How many gun profiles can be stored? CV: 10 profiles. Q: Is the data stored on the phone or tablet shareable in an easy-to-read format? CV: Absolutely. It wouldn’t be all that useful otherwise. You can share certain stats and scorecards directly from the app with friends and family and share posts on your social media accounts. Q: Will this unit work at the 27-yard line? CV: Yes. It can track clays out to approximately 45 yards from the shooters. Accuracy tolerances increase slightly the further out you shoot, but the data still provides invaluable insight into your shooting trends at those distances. Q: Does the color of the target matter? CV: No. Q: Will the Xero S1 function if it was sitting 10 feet behind an exposed clay machine in Upland mode (i.e., no trap house)? CV: In Upland mode, we recommend the Xero S1 is positioned beside the thrower, but it will still work at 10 feet — provided that the thrower is not in the field of view of the camera and the clay remains in the field of view of the camera. You can also set the S1 to Trap mode, but still launch clays from out in front. If that is the case, ensure that the metal stack of the thrower is completely under the top edge of the alignment box when you set up your S1 and be sure to accurately select the handicap yardage you are shooting. Q: In Upland Mode, can the unit calculate in lots of 100 rather than 25? CV: The device scorecards and the app are both built on the foundation of a 25-shot round. If you wanted to isolate 100 rounds for analysis, you would shoot four rounds of 25 shots each and give each of those rounds a specific gun profile or location (i.e., a way to identify that the four rounds are a specific test). Then within the app, under the statistics tab, you would hit the filter icon in the upper right and filter for just that gun profile or location to see just those 100 rounds. Q: Can multiple Xero S1 run independently on the same trap field without interference? CV: Yes, they do not interfere with each other. We run squads of five all the time. In some cases, your device may “detect” the shot from the station in front of you, but it will quickly reject because it didn’t “see” the shot happen directly over the S1. In those instances, you may see your status change from “Ready” to “Not Ready” while it rejects that shot, then it will go quickly back to “Ready.” Q: If my tripod is taller than 36 inches, would the Xero S1 work the same? CV: Yes. You just need to make sure you don’t have it mounted so high that it interferes with your shooting or shell management after the shot. Q: Can the unit read doubles? CV: No, this model only tracks one clay going away from the shooter and one report from the gun. Therefore, it can only be configured for American Trap Singles and Handicap. It could potentially work for Olympic Trap, but in some cases, a very hard left or right plus a long reaction time could cause the clay to leave the field of view of the S1 before the shot was taken. One way to practice doubles currently is to use a snap cap in your first barrel and only fire at the second bird. This helps with reaction time on the second bird, which is critical. One thing to note is that this method will not work on inertia-driven triggers. Q: Is Xero S1 shock-proof? What if it gets knocked over? CV: It’s rugged. While we don’t recommend dropping it, it is built to withstand some abuse. If you do drop it and you feel the internal alignment of the camera may be off, please contact product support for further instructions. Q: Is it water-resistant? CV: Yes, it’s water rated to IPX7, which means it could be submerged for 30 minutes at a 1-meter depth. Q: Is it heat-proof? CV: Yes. We’ve had them out in open daylight for hours in the middle of the afternoon. While it does get hot, it still performs. Q: Is there a discount for teams? CV: We are proud to offer a volume discount to coaches who want to help support their team’s continued improvement. Inquiries can be made on the Xero S1 product page. The post Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer: Questions From the Pros appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

In May 2019, Daniel Acton of Northwest Territories, Canada, set out for a fishing trip with friends on Kakisa Lake. None of them could have imagined what ensued that day. In his own words, Acton shared with Garmin the details of what became a very close call. “May long weekend is the first sign of summer in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Two friends and I decided to travel to Kakisa, a small northern town located on Kakisa Lake , known for its spectacular fishing holes. We drove the trip from Yellowknife with our small 14’ boat and loaded up for the hour trip across the lake. The weather was sunny and hot, and the ice had just melted off about a week prior. It was a beautiful day to be outside. “We arrived at about noon and spent the afternoon exploring the beach, fishing and having lunch. Later, the weather began to deteriorate, and the winds picked up. I pulled my inReach® Mini out and viewed the upcoming forecast. A windstorm had unexpectedly changed and was now headed for our area, blowing upwards of 20 to 25 mph. At that point, we decided to try and beat out the storm and headed back to the boat launch (an hour away) to avoid the coming winds. The trip back was fairly uneventful with the boat pointed into the waves, and we almost made it back to the community of Kakisa. “Two miles away from shore, the wind started gusting, and the waves became larger and larger by the minute. Waves were blowing over the bow of the boat, and we quickly started taking on water. After two large waves crashed over, our bailing efforts became futile. The boat began to lurch over and started sinking into the subarctic waters. Very quickly, we were bobbing in our life jackets amongst the 4’ waves. I took very deep breaths to help calm myself and triggered an SOS from the inReach satellite communicator device. “Within seconds I was in two-way communication with GEOS Internal Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) personnel, and that feeling was very satisfying. They told me that they had my location and help would be on the way shortly. I informed the group, and we decided to lock arms and stay together. Behind the scenes, the IERCC dispatcher contacted local police, and a rescue plan was deployed. They contacted both of my emergency contacts, from what I gathered later, and updated them as the situation unfolded. “After a while, things started to get rough. The group was shivering, and the cold water was biting us to the core. We stayed in contact with the IERCC, and they relayed messages to the police and search and rescue teams. Due to the remoteness in the Northwest Territories, help was 45 minutes away in Fort Providence. The police contacted locals who live in Kakisa, a town of about 60 people, who started the rescue knowing we couldn’t survive much longer in the cold waters of northern Canada. “After about an hour submerged in water, our bodies began shutting down, and we couldn’t feel our legs. Hope was fading. I tried to keep the group’s morale up by telling them the IERCC was working on getting help — keep kicking to stay alive. We were at the point where we accepted death when a rescue boat came crashing in the waves headed our way. I told the fellows to cheer up — we made it! “They pulled up and started plucking our soaked bodies out of the water. I remember getting in and trying to stand up but collapsing due to severe hypothermia. When we got to shore, we were quickly transported by police escort to the next town where a great medical team was standing by to bring us back up to normal temperatures. “I would like to thank everyone at Garmin and GEOS for helping to save our lives. Without this amazing technology, we would have never made it out alive. Thank you for getting in touch with local police and sharing our coordinates. When talking with our rescuers the next day, we asked, ‘When did you see us?’ They responded, ‘We went off the coordinates from the inReach. Maybe 20’ out is when we spotted you guys.’ “I would highly recommend anyone traveling in the backwoods or on lakes to pack a Garmin inReach device. It saved our lives, and it could save yours.” To access the Iridium satellite network for live tracking and messaging, including SOS capabilities, an active satellite subscription is required. NOTICE: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communications devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used. The post Life Jackets and inReach Save Capsized Canadian Boaters appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

By Rehan Nana Every now and again, a new product comes along that completely changes the landscape of the outdoor industry. Nearly seven years ago, I was sent a Garmin Alpha GPS tracking and training unit to test and evaluate. Within minutes of using it, I was utterly dumbstruck. It was such revolutionary technology for dog trainers that I remember thinking it was going to transform how we train, communicate and hunt with our dogs. And it did. Today, the Garmin Alpha is the ubiquitous GPS tracking and training dog collar in the market, and it has revolutionized how upland, hound and other dog enthusiasts relate to the outdoors. Now, Garmin has done it again by launching the Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer. It’s the first near real-time, live-fire device that provides immediate feedback and detailed analytics for every shot you take on the trap range or when practicing upland scenarios. Using radar technology and computer vision, Xero S1 gives shooting enthusiasts never-before-seen insight into shot dynamics, accuracy and performance. In short, Garmin has figured out how to “see” and record what happens to your shot once it leaves the end of your barrel and intersects with the clay target — and then provide almost-immediate detailed analytical information (per round and overtime) for hits and misses. What this means is simple but extraordinary. The days of standing at the trap range saying, “I think I was a little behind that shot …” are over. Now, using the Xero S1, you can say within seconds of your shot, “I was 12 inches below and to the right of that at 35 yards. I was shooting a little slow with a reaction time of .74 seconds, which could be why I missed.” As an avid upland hunter and casual trapshooter, I am astounded at the precision and information provided by the Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer. In the time that I’ve used it, I’ve found Xero S1 functions that have helped me learn about my own shooting, and, more importantly, the things that I now know I can improve on in my shooting performance to give me an advantage on the range and in the field. ‘Reaction Time’ The Xero S1, designed to sit on a tripod near you at the range, automatically detects your shot once you pull the trigger and within a few seconds displays your shooting reaction time. I always try to get on targets as quickly as I can for both upland and trap. In upland hunting, this helps minimize loss through more pellets on target and closes the distance for a dog to make a find, which is critical. For trap, a faster shot means a tighter pattern, so it is less likely for a clay to slip through. In my first round on a recent shoot, the cumulative reaction time was displayed after each shot, and I saw a surprising pattern develop. I found that my accuracy was a bell curve with drop off taking place when shooting too fast (under .40 seconds) or waiting too long (more than .70 seconds). Right there in front of me on the Xero S1 was a way to quantify the timing sweet spot for my shooting. If I stayed within that range, I would be a more accurate shooter. I’ve focused on this ever since, and my hit percentage has gone up. ‘Break Factor’ If two people consistently finish with the same score in a clay-shooting round (say 24 or 25 targets hit), who can say they are the better shot? Enter Xero S1’s “Break Factor” functionality to break the tie. After “Reaction Time,” hit or miss information is displayed, and because the trainer precisely sees your shot pattern and clay target, it assigns a point value for the quality of your break: zero for a miss, one for a chip, three for a clean break, and four for a perfect smash. So while two shooters may be perfect or near perfect on their targets hit, Shooter No. 1 may have a break factor of 80, while Shooter No. 2’s break factor is 63. Shooter No. 1 is the better shot. Aside from the fun, competitive side of it, working to improve your break factor means you’re working to put more pellets on target and increasing your accuracy performance over time. For both trap and upland, I try to get the maximum number of pellets on target. Xero S1’s “Break Factor” helps me quantify if I am achieving this goal — and if I’m not, it helps me work toward improving. Introducing the Xero app To improve we must learn what we are doing wrong. Historically, this has meant cases of shells, countless rounds and … best guesses. Thankfully, Garmin’s new, and free, Xero app improves on this. After adding the app to their mobile device and pairing it with their Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer, users can utilize comprehensive analytics and data to gain insight into improving their proficiency. This is information that either previously wasn’t available or took lengthy data collection. Some of the information includes total rounds, total shots, hit percentage per round, hit percentage per station, shot speed, clay speed, reaction time, accuracy performance at left/center/right, average score, longest streak, best and worst stations, and graphs of performance over time. The Xero app hosts historical shooting data, too, so users can reference performance based on event, location, station and more. In addition, after an outstanding round, users can share their data on a variety of social media platforms. Graphical placement The Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer, through the Xero app, also provides users a graphical look at the placement of their shots during either a single round or cumulative rounds. On my recent shoot, for example, this graph reinforced what I knew: My accuracy is best at left, crossing-away birds. What I found really interesting, though, was that on one particularly bad round I consistently missed the center bird. Once I saw the round statistics, I was able to see I was consistently missing just left of that center target. With this information in mind on the next round, I started pulling just to the right, and my accuracy on center birds improved. Xero S1 is for upland enthusiasts, too Every year, I tell myself I’m going to work on my upland shooting, really drill in on chokes and gun fit, and work on troublesome shots. Then, every year, I shoot a couple rounds in the preseason, get frustrated on my weak shots and just hope they don’t come up when I head out. The Garmin Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer’s “Upland Mode” holds me accountable by taking away the crutch of, “Well, how can I really tell if I’m improving?” or “I’m not sure how to improve, so being a good shot is good enough.” Simulating upland scenarios, Upland Mode helps users gauge their shooting accuracy by assigning values similar to S1’s Break Factor function. Using the different modes, the frustration of my weak shots isn’t an excuse anymore. Faster improvement with fewer rounds I’ve been trying to figure out during my life just how many shells I’ve shot and how many hours I’ve spent at the range trying to improve. Now, all the answers I’ve been looking for are at my fingertips through the Xero app. For those thinking about buying the Xero S1, ask yourself how much time and money you would save because of the detailed information the Xero S1 provides. Taking my Garmin “hat” off for a moment and writing as someone who’s spent a large part of his life freezing somewhere in the middle of a prairie in pursuit of birds, I feel confident saying this is the most incredible piece of outdoor technology I have seen since I started in this industry. For anyone who cares about accuracy and performance in trap or upland shooting, check out the Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer’s product page on Garmin.com to start shooting better. Rehan Nana is a marketing and sponsorship specialist at Garmin’s US headquarters. The post Improve Your Shooting with Garmin’s Xero S1 Trapshooting Trainer appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

Garmin Social Media Sweepstakes OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO ENTER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. SWEEPSTAKES DESCRIPTION: Garmin International, Inc. (“Garmin”) will sponsor a series of four sweepstakes (each a “Sweepstakes”). The Prize(s) for each of the Sweepstakes is described in Section 8 of these rules. Two winners will be chosen for each of the four Sweepstakes, resulting in eight winners. The Sweepstakes will be administered through Garmin’s Fish and Hunt Instagram account and through Garmin’s Marine Instagram account or via the alternate method described in Section 6 of these rules. No purchase is necessary to enter the Sweepstakes. ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the 50 United States (excluding Puerto Rico residents) or the District of Columbia, are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees and their immediate families of Garmin International, Inc. (“Garmin”) and any of Garmin’s affiliated companies are not eligible. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: Entry in the Sweepstakes constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of Garmin, which are final and binding. Winning a prize (or prizes) is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein in a timely manner. SPONSOR: Garmin, located at 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, is the sole sponsor of this promotion. The Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 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If for any reason an entrant’s entry is confirmed to have been voided or corrupted by any grossly negligent act of Garmin, entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the Sweepstakes, subject to availability and provided that the Sweepstakes has not then expired DISPUTES: Except where prohibited by law, each entrant agrees that: (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Sweepstakes or any Prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the State of Kansas; and (b) entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages, including attorney’s fees. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Garmin in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Kansas. WINNERS LIST: A copy of these Official Rules will be posted on Garmin’s official blog. Interested persons can obtain a list of the Sweepstakes winner(s) and a copy of these Official Rules by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Garmin International, Inc., Attn: Social Media Department, 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062. The post LiveScope Content Contest Rules appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

I own a pro shop, and I like to help customers get aligned. How do I do that? Every archer is different, and different face or grip pressure can make the reticle appear differently to different people. To get them most of the way there, look through their peep and get the sight “rough” dialed until the pin is floating around the reticle circle. Then, help the customer fine-tune the reticle/ranging pin alignment from there. What’s the easiest way to align the pin to the reticle? When you move the sight on the curved rails, you are actually rotating the sight around the ranging pin, so the green reticle is actually what is moving. My advice is to move the sight on the rail in the same direction you want the pin to go. So, if the ranging pin is down and left of the green circle (insert graphic here), you want the pin to move right and up … so move the pin slight slightly up and slightly right. My reticle and ranging pin alignment keeps changing. Why? The reticle is not moving. Your form or grip pressure is changing. This occurred with your previous archery sight, but you never knew it. This product will make you a better archer because of that feature. My indoor range only goes out to 20 yards. How do I complete a setup and then add pins later? Your first pin needs to be at least 15 yards, but the next two pins needed to complete the setup must be a longer distance. So, you could set up 15, 16, and 19 to complete the setup. Then you can add pins later. Please note the sight will not give you a pin beyond your max calibrated range. Why should I set up fixed pins? You should set up fixed pins to ensure your pin gaps look correct because in a split-second shooting situation you may not have time to range the target. A quick tap of the trigger button will toggle between your fixed pins or your last ranged pins. When the pins time out, you can turn them back to where they last were with a quick tap of the trigger. You can also alternate between single pin and fixed pins with a tap of the “back” key. The brush is too thick to get a range, but I know the target is 46 yards. What do I do? Press and hold left or right, and it will take you into manual mode. In this mode you can dial up whatever ranged pin you want. Press “OK” when done. (If hunting at steep angles, you’ll want to dial up the horizontal distance, NOT the line of sight distance.) When I carry my bow, I hold it by the trigger. How can I disable the trigger while stalking? Power down the sight and select “Yes” when it asks you to go into stalk mode. This will deactivate the trigger key until you quickly press ANY key on the sight housing. Battery life on the Xero … what do I need to know? Ranging is what draws the majority of power. The LED pins require very little power, and the display draws very little power as well. You will get more than a season of shooting and hunting on 2 AAA lithium batteries. If the batteries get too low to range, the sight will let you know. In that case replace the batteries immediately. But if you can’t change batteries right away, you will still have plenty of power to use fixed pins or manual single pins. The post Xero Questions: Q&A with Garmin Product Manager Chad VanCamp appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

By: Dennis Dorr For most dog people, cleaning the loose hairs off of your clothing and furniture is a nonstop battle. For Mike Botts, it’s a badge of honor. It comes with the territory of owning a training kennel for upland bird retrievers. As an experienced trainer and Garmin field product speciallist, Mike uses Garmin PRO 550, Sport PRO and Alpha 100 to train dogs not only for water fowl and upland bird hunting, but also in obedience. He does this all on top of his job at a financial planning firm. To juggle a dog training and kennel business on top of a full-time career might seem like a burden to some, but it’s a privilege for Mike. “Dogs have always played a big part in my life,” says Mike. Mike Botts’ dog-training expertise is highly sought after across the Midwest. The family-owned and operated Ringneck Kennel sits just north of McCausland, Iowa, on 500 acres of wetlands and upland habitat. The kennel houses anywhere from 10 to 14 dogs at a time in the heated, enclosed kennel. Mike’s grown children have played significant roles in his kennel. His daughter Amy has raised every puppy they’ve ever housed. His son Cory has been his right-hand man since he could work. “Cory knows more about Garmin products than some of the guys who work at Garmin.” For more than 10 years, Mike has kept the same intensive schedule. Each day of the week, he’ll tend to the kennel and dogs hours before going to work and hours afterwards. By 5 a.m., Mike is rolling up to his kennel in his truck with the 14-hole dog trailer in tow. He lets the dogs loose and begins their daily training regimen. The younger dogs work on obedience, force fetching and collar conditioning. The veteran dogs get to enjoy a morning walk before their well-established training is reaffirmed. “After they train, I like to let them be dogs for 15 minutes or so, letting them wrestle, chase and play pick up stick. That’s important,” says Mike. Mike returns to the kennel in the afternoon for more of the same, along with setting blinds and throwing birds out for wingers. Sometimes, if a younger dog had a bad training session in the morning, Mike will set aside some extra time to focus on that dog. According to Mike, however, an inability to adapt to training does not constitute a bad dog. “I don’t like the phrase ‘bad dog.’ Maybe a dog just isn’t cut out for [hunting]. You and I can’t compete in the NFL. That doesn’t mean we’re bad people.” Mike’s expertise is highly sought after across the Midwest. He has trained hundreds of dogs at his kennel. His experience with man’s best friend stems from when he started hunting at age 12. He soon found his passion in training black and tan coonhounds. “We didn’t have a lot of money growing up. I used coonhounds to hunt.” Mike finds working with man’s best friend to be rewarding in many ways. His work has taught him the importance of patience and has given him a much better understanding of dogs. He’s also developed lasting friendships with other trainers, hunters and dog lovers in general. Mike regularly visits cattle driving derbies, field trials and dog shows. Because of the work he’s accomplished and the people he’s met, Mike deems himself the luckiest man in the world. The post For Mike Botts, it’s always been ‘A Dogs Life’ appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

Steve Foell and his twin brother Ryan Foell are avid hunters. A glance at their Instagram® feed shows them fly fishing in Idaho, deer hunting in Pennsylvania and duck hunting in Colorado. Following a serious injury during a recent elk hunting trip in the Eagles Nest Wilderness outside Vail, Ryan needed to assist his brother, and having an inReach® Mini device on hand was essential in communicating the need for a rescue. Photo Credit: Ryan Foell It was a Saturday morning in late September. The brothers spotted an elk and were approaching a shot. “Since I was the caller, I was trying to keep my distance from Ry,” Steve later wrote. “I had to crawl to not be seen.” As he crawled, a brush or branch pulled an arrow from Steve’s quiver, and the arrow went through his inner thigh, just centimeters from hitting an artery. “It was scary to be 6 miles from my truck and not knowing what was going to happen,” Steve wrote. At 10:28 a.m. local time, Ryan triggered an SOS on his inReach Mini. Staff at the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) responded 2 minutes later that they had received the SOS and confirmed the emergency. Within minutes, the IERCC contacted local agencies to initiate a response. Ryan asked if they should stay put and wait for help, and the IERCC advised that they should not move and relayed critical advice from emergency services to not touch the arrow and leave it in place. Ryan elevated his brother’s wounded leg, and they wrapped a belt around the area to minimize bleeding. Meanwhile, the mission coordinator at the local agency that responded to the emergency requested an air ambulance from Denver. The air ambulance team flew to the coordinates provided by GEOS from Ryan’s inReach device, but the crew was unable to land due to the rugged terrain. An alternative plan was then put into action. The air ambulance flew a ground team and 2 search and rescue paramedics to the area to hike in equipment to potentially carry Steve out by land or hoist him out via helicopter. “While I was waiting there for 5 hours or so, I truly didn’t know what was going to happen. When the team arrived, they were very professional, and I knew I was going to get off the mountain alive and safe,” Steve said. After the paramedics stabilized Steve, the rescue teams determined that a ground evacuation wasn’t possible. The Colorado National Guard responded, and Steve was evacuated by a UH-60 helicopter and crew. Photo Credit: Ryan Foell “I’m very thankful for the teams that came out to save me on their days off,” Steve said. “It’s awesome that Colorado has these teams, and they have the utmost respect from myself and my family.” Steve has fully recovered despite the fact that he has a scar from the arrow wound. Since the incident, Steve and Ryan have had a number of opportunities to return hunting. Their next planned trip is to hunt Coues deer in Arizona. They plan to have inReach devices on hand to provide them with additional peace of mind. “The inReach was easily the best item I have ever purchased in my life,” Ryan said. “If we didn’t have it, Steve would have lived, but I would have had to hike out 6 miles, drive 30 minutes to get into cellphone service and call someone to get help. It would have been 3 hours until we even got someone to start working on a plan. Anyone that backcountry hunts or hikes should get one.” To access the Iridium satellite network for live tracking and messaging, including SOS capabilities, an active satellite subscription is required. NOTICE: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communications devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used. The post Getting Help From a Brother and inReach During a Hunt appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

Alaskan Joe Brewer set out for an extended hunting trip with his son and a friend in early September. Their plan was to hunt moose, caribou and bear in an area far off-road near the Canadian border, about 30 miles south of Eagle, Alaska. The early days of their trip did not meet their expectations. Despite changing locations and tactics, they saw few fresh tracks or signs of animals, with the exception of wolves. On the fifth day of their hunt, their persistence paid off, but bad weather and their remote location made returning home a challenge. Fortunately, Joe and his son both purchased inReach® satellite communicators before they left for the hunt. The devices proved to be indispensable to their safe return home. This is the story that Joe shared with Garmin about the final day of the hunt. Never Give Up We woke up on Wednesday with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Moose had been spotted — 2 bulls and some cows — far across a valley the day before, and we planned to head out to them. It took about 2.5 hours to get there, but we arrived about 7:30 in the morning. It felt good. The area was full of caribou sign. In the valley below us, my son had seen moose the day before. Finally, we were getting on some critters. We decided that I would stay up near the wheelers and call, while my son and friend went down a ridge to have a better vantage point of anything I called in. The day started out great. I called and glassed, and then glassed and called some more. I just knew something was about to show up. In between calling, I texted my wife from my inReach to let her know we were safe, and she again assured me she was praying for safety and success. Having these inReach devices was a new and comforting experience for us. At about 6 p.m., I received a text from my son via the inReach, “It’s over we are heading back.” I could feel the disappointment in his heart as I read those words. I called one last time, not sure why, but heard nothing and saw nothing. I simply sat and waited for their return so we could make our way back to the trucks or set up a spike camp for the night. As they approached, I heard a voice. I couldn’t tell what was said, but then, suddenly, BOOM, BOOM and after a short pause, BOOM, BOOM. I quickly texted to see if my son and friend were OK and what was going on. He responded, “Bull moose dead at my feet.” The shooting had started about 150 yards from me. They said I had called in a huge bull, and neither they nor I had seen it at first. It had never grunted. It had snuck in completely silent. We have no idea how long it was in the area. Fortunately, my friend had seen the moose and told my son, who quickly whipped his rifle into action and brought down the magnificent creature. After that, the real work began. By the time we unpacked our supplies, drove the 6-wheeler to the moose and quartered it up, loaded the meat, drove back up to the other wheeler and reloaded the supplies, it was about 12:30 a.m. It was raining, and my friend was wet to the bone. I could tell he was getting very cold. So, we decided to head back to the trucks and sleep in the cargo trailer again. We needed to get warm and dry as quickly as possible. Thankfully, our inReach devices accurately showed the day’s traveled route, which we used to navigate back to the trucks. This became very important as fog set in, and we couldn’t see more than 10’ in front of us. Following my son on the drive out, his tail lights were simply a red glow. I zoomed in the view on my inReach device map, so we were sure of our tracking and slowly followed our route back to the trucks. We arrived at the trucks at about 3:45 a.m. If it hadn’t been for the inReach devices, we would have spent the night on the mountain in the cold and rain. My friend was wet, shaking and close to hypothermia. The ability to navigate so accurately back to the trucks saved us from a cold, wet night in the mountains — and perhaps even worse. The next morning, we packed up and headed home with coolers full of meat and hearts full of memories. The inReach literally saved our bacon. To access the Iridium satellite network for live tracking and messaging, including SOS capabilities, an active satellite subscription is required. NOTICE: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communications devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used. The post Persistence and Preparation Make for a Successful Hunt appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

“Sons of Fishes 2” Sweepstakes OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO ENTER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the 50 United States (excluding Puerto Rico residents) or the District of Columbia, are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees and their immediate families of Garmin International, Inc. (“Garmin”) and any of Garmin’s affiliated companies are not eligible. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: Entry in the Sweepstakes constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of Garmin, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein in a timely manner. SPONSOR: Garmin, located at 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, is the sole sponsor of this promotion. The Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. SWEEPSTAKES TERM: The Sweepstakes begins at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (“CT”) on Monday, November 19, 2018 and will continue until 11:59 p.m. CT on Sunday, November 25, 2018 or such longer or shorter term as Garmin shall determine in its sole discretion (the “Sweepstakes Term”). Entries received prior to or after the Sweepstakes Term will be disqualified. Garmin is the official timekeeper for the Sweepstakes Term, and all timekeeping decisions of Garmin shall be final. ENTRY: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Eligible persons may enter the Sweepstakes by each of the following methods: (1) Entrants enter the Sweepstakes by following the directed Garmin Fish/Hunt account on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter; following the account(s) on Instagram and/or Twitter, liking the giveaway post(s) and tagging a friend(s) in the comment. (2) In addition to entering the Sweepstakes by the social media method, eligible persons may also enter the Sweepstakes by submitting an e-mail to fishhunt@garmin.com with “Sons of Fishes 2” in the subject line. Entrants using this alternate method of entry must provide their age, physical mailing address, and phone number in their email entries. Entries will not be acknowledged. Garmin and its affiliates assume no responsibility for any lost entries or any computer, internet, or technical malfunctions that might occur during the entry process. Normal Internet access and usage charges imposed by your online service will apply. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of any entrant, the authorized account holder of the email address used to set up the Instagram account from which the entry was received, or in the case of the alternate means of entry, the email address from which entry was received, will be deemed to be the entrant. Potential winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the email address/Instagram account associated with the entry. ENTRY LIMITATIONS: Eligible participants are limited to one entry in the Sweepstakes. Each eligible participant may enter under one Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter account only, or in the case of the alternate means of entry, one email account only. Entries using automated means to generate entries, or otherwise participate are not eligible. Use of any automated system to enter as determined by Garmin in its sole judgment is prohibited and will result in disqualification at Garmin’s sole discretion. Additionally, anyone found to use multiple email accounts or multiple Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter accounts to enter will be disqualified from all participation in the Sweepstakes. ALL ELIGIBLE ENTRIES WILL BE ENTERED INTO THE SWEEPSTAKES. Entries by any method other than set forth in Section 5 are void. Garmin is not responsible for entries that it does not receive for any reason, or for entries that it receives but are ineligible under these Official Rules. Garmin will automatically disqualify: (1) any incomplete or illegible entry; and (2) any entries received that are in excess of the entry limit described above. PRIZE: Multiple prizes (the “Prizes”) and one grand prize (the “Prize”) will be awarded for the Sweepstakes Term, dependent upon social platform. The Prize will consist of 1 personalized “Sons of Fishes” leather cut, 1 Garmin Quatix 5 Stainless Steel with Blue Band, 4 Sons of Fishes adjustable caps, 4 Sons of Fishes hoorags and 4 Garmin stickers. The Prize has an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $1,010.55. 10 Facebook Prizes will be awarded, and they consist of 4 Sons of Fishes adjustable caps, 4 Garmin stickers and 4 Sons of Fishes hoorags. The Facebook Prizes have an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $60.56. 10 Twitter Prizes will be awarded, and they consist of 2 Sons of Fishes adjustable caps, 2 Garmin stickers and 2 Hoorags. The Twitter Prizes have an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $30.28. The ARV of prizes is subject to price fluctuations in the consumer marketplace based on, among other things, any gap in time between the date the ARV is estimated for purposes of these Official Rules and the date the prize is awarded. The Prize and Prizes are nontransferable and non-refundable and must be accepted as awarded. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by Garmin, who reserves the right to substitute the Prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the Prize is not available for any reason as determined by Garmin in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes associated with receipt of the Prize. DRAWING: The potential winners of the Prize and Prizes will be chosen in a random drawing from the pool of valid entries at 11:00 AM CT, Monday, November 26, 2018. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Sweepstakes Term. The random drawings will be conducted by one or more employees of Garmin or an independent fulfillment entity. NOTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL WINNER: Garmin will attempt to notify the potential winners by Instagram message, Facebook message or Twitter message (or in the event of an alternate means of entry potential winner, by email) immediately after the drawing. If a winner of the Prize or Prizes cannot be located or does not respond by 11:00 AM CT, Thursday, November 29, 2018, the Prize or Prizes may be forfeited and an alternate potential winner will be drawn from the pool of remaining valid entries. Alternate potential winners will be notified by Instagram message, Facebook message or Twitter message (or in the event of a alternate means of entry potential winner, by email). Garmin and its affiliates, or their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, will not be liable for unsuccessful efforts to notify a winner. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNER: Except where prohibited by law, any potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility (the “Affidavit”) within 2 days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit postmarked within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in such potential winner’s place from all of the remaining valid entries received for the Sweepstakes Term. If a potential winner declines the Prize or Prizes, does not respond to the Prize or Prizes notification, fails to claim the Prize or Prizes, is unavailable for Prize or Prizes fulfillment, fails to abide by the Official Rules, or is ineligible, Garmin may select an alternate winner from all remaining valid entries received for the Sweepstakes Term. PRIVACY: Garmin will be collecting personal data from the entrants and potential winners in order to confirm Sweepstakes eligibility. Garmin will treat this data in accordance with its privacy policy, located at http://www.garmin.com/privacy/. In addition, Garmin may use and share an entrant’s personal data with third parties solely to the extent necessary to fulfill its obligation to administer and sponsor this Sweepstakes. All information provided is being provided solely to Garmin, and not to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Garmin reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Sweepstakes if any fraud, virus, or other technical problem corrupts the administration, security, or proper play of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Garmin in its sole discretion. The use of robotic, automatic, macro, programmed or like methods (including without limitation the use of any promotion/sweepstakes subscription, notification, entry or like sites or services that offer sweepstakes entry services “on behalf of” entrant) is strictly prohibited. In such event, Garmin reserves the right to award the Prize or Prizes at random from among the valid entries received up to the time of the impairment. Garmin reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any false information provided by any entrant concerning such entrant’s identify or mailing address or any non-compliance by an entrant with these Official Rules may result in the immediate disqualification of the entrant from this Sweepstakes. ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, GARMIN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Garmin’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. PUBLICITY: Notwithstanding any other term herein, except where prohibited by law, submission of any entry constitutes the entrant’s consent to use of entrant’s name, likeness, voice, state of residence, biographical and prize information, statements about the promotion, anything submitted to enter the Sweepstakes and/or the entrant’s photo for advertising and promotional purposes in any media now known or hereafter devised without review, notification, approval or compensation. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: By participating in the Sweepstakes, each entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Garmin and its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents, and Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (the “Released Parties”), from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize, including but not limited to: (a) any inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants or printer errors; (b) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the Sweepstakes; (c) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to electronic malfunctioning of any website, network, hardware or software; (d) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries or winners; or (e) any injury or damage to persons or property including, but not limited to, death, which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in party, from the entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt of any prize. Without limiting the foregoing, everything in these Rules and in this promotion, including, with the exception of Garmin’s standard limited product warranty, the prizes awarded, is provided “as is’ without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. Some jurisdictions may not allow the limitations or exclusion of implied warranties, so some of the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to all entrants. Each entrant should check such entrant’s local laws for any restrictions or limitations regarding these limitations or exclusions. DISPUTES: Except where prohibited by law, each entrant agrees that: (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Sweepstakes or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the State of Kansas; and (b) entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages, including attorney’s fees. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Garmin in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Kansas. WINNERS LIST: A copy of these Official Rules will be posted on garmin.com/en-US/blog/marine/garmin-stay-on-the-water-sweeps/. Interested persons can obtain a list of the Sweepstakes winner(s) and a copy of these Official Rules by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Garmin International, Inc., Attn: Social Media Department, 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062. The post Garmin ‘Sons of Fishes 2’ Giveaway appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

Garmin’s Xero Bow Sight is already an innovative piece of technology. Now, a software upgrade can add exciting new capabilities. Here’s what you’ll get with a simple download: PIN STACK CALIBRATION Move your range pin stack up or down, so you don’t have to recalibrate the entire stack. KEEP YOUR SHOTS LEVEL Optional electronic level indicator pins have been added away from your aiming pins to make sure you always know your canting, so you can correct it as needed. PROFILE PIN SETTINGS This feature is helpful when using arrows with lighted nocks or when trying a different release. You can start with a known profile and make changes to it without affecting your original profile. TRACK YOUR PERFORMANCE Record practice sessions, and review stats for various ranges over time. During tournaments where range finders are prohibited, the competition file setting records shot dynamics for later review. Notice: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of electronic bow sights for hunting. Always know and obey all state hunting regulations before using this device. The post Software Update Available for Xero Bow Sight appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

One of the more aggravating things about going to competition events is driving to the hunt to compete with your dogs and at draw-out time realizing you left your stopwatch at home. Yes, you have a drawer full of them at home and, yes, the vendors have many new ones to sell you, but you don’t really want to spend another $20 to keep track of the multiple things that occur while on a cast, when judging, or helping judge a cast. That $20 was part of your gas budget and “Momma” is already upset that you aren’t home with her and the kids!! If you have an Alpha 100, it does have a stopwatch on the “Dashboard,” or the drop-down page when you first turn on your handheld. It also has an alarm clock, calendar, waypoint manager and a bunch of other useful “tools,” but it is not easy to navigate through this page to find one, like the stopwatch, in the competitive heat of a cast battle. Perhaps the handiest feature on an Alpha for folks competing in events is “putting” the stopwatch on the front of the Map page. It is something that is very useful, very simple to do, but I never hear of folks taking advantage of this useful feature. To get a useful, convenient stopwatch on the Map page of your Alpha 100: Go to your “Map” page. On the bottom of the screen, press “Menu” (the three small lines in the middle) Press “Setup Map.” Press “Dashboard.” Press “Stopwatch.” When the hunt is over, and you are back home pleasure hunting, it is easy to remove the stopwatch from your Map page. Placing the stopwatch on the front of the map while out hunting takes away some of your view, so I don’t know if you’ll want to keep it there while pleasure hunting. But it is a good way to practice timing and get to know your dog better throughout the week if you keep it there. The good news is that it takes seconds to remove it, and you can easily put it back to the front page anytime you want with a few taps on the screen. To remove the stopwatch from the front of your Map page: Go to your “Map” page. On the bottom of the screen, press “Menu” (the three small lines in the middle) Press “Setup Map.” Press “Dashboard.” Press “Training.” The post Garmin’s Alpha 100 is full of handy features appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

Using the 900 Mhz radio frequency, Garmin’s Astro 900 is a GPS and GLONASS dog-tracking handheld that can track up to 20 dogs at a range of up to five miles — and can update their location every 2.5 seconds. “Canadian hunters no longer have to settle for second best,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Now they can have a robust, reliable, and easy-to-use dog tracking system, which is approved for use in their country. And since it also can be used in the U.S., it’s an option at large hound events where many systems may be in use near each other.” The Astro 900 is pre-loaded with topographical U.S. and southern Canada maps and turn-by-turn road maps for North America. In addition, the bundle comes with a one-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription. The new handheld also includes enhanced Hunt Metrics dog performance data. like distance traveled, time afield, and an automatic accounting of how many times a dog has treed or pointed game – valuable statistics in evaluating a dog’s performance. Built to take the rigors of hard-charging dogs and the outdoors, the handheld is IPX7 water rated and the T 9 collar is water rated to 1 ATM1. Battery life on the Astro 900 is up to 20 hours, and battery life on the T 9 dog device is 24 to 40 hours (depending on use). The Astro 900 must be used in conjunction with the T 9 dog device, as other Garmin tracking collars are not compatible. The Astro 900 works with Garmin’s new DriveTrack 71 in-vehicle dog tracker and GPS navigator. When paired with an Astro handheld, the large, nearly seven-inch pinch-to-zoom touchscreen display on the DriveTrack 71 makes it easy to locate a pack of up to 20 dogs and updates their location every 2.5 seconds. The DriveTrack 71 also comes preloaded with topographical maps for U.S. and southern Canada and 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription for enhanced in-vehicle dog tracking solutions. When afield, data from the Astro 900 can be viewed on any Garmin fēnix 3, fēnix 5, tactix Charlie or tactix Bravo series smartwatch, providing a hands-free glance at a dog’s distance and direction and immediate notification via vibration alerts when a dog trees or points game. The Astro 900 is the latest solution from Garmin’s expanding outdoor segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ outdoor experiences. Whether hiking, hunting, trail running, mountain biking, golfing, diving or using satellite communication, Garmin outdoor devices are becoming essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. For more information about Garmin’s other outdoor products and services, go to Garmin Outdoors. The post Garmin’s Astro 900 has it all — and it’s approved for use in Canada appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

By Mark Zepp, Garmin Regional Sales Manager When I look at questions or concerns relating to Garmin Astro and Alpha dog tracking and training products on the hound forum message boards or listen to issues or problems people are having with their gear when Iâm behind the Garmin table at the many events I attend, I would guess that at least 90 percent of the time simply downloading the latest software would quickly take care of any problems the user is experiencing. Garmin Express is a computer application for easily setting up, registering and managing your Garmin device. Garmin Express is free software that allows you to âupdateâ your Alpha and Astro handhelds as well as the collars that come with them, your DriveTrack 70LMT, and for that matter, any Garmin product you may have purchased. While youâre updating, you also can register any Garmin product for warranty purposes. I recommend updating your Astro 320, 430 or Alpha 100 and DriveTrack unit every six months. (Note: There have not been any updates for the Astro 220 since it went out of production.) Sometimes there will not be a new update to download for several months, and Garmin Express will tell you that you have the latest and most up-to-date software, but I also have seen two or three new updates occur within a month or two. When you download updates into your tracking equipment, you can count on your product running smoother and the update will take care of any âglitchesâ you may have out there in the middle of the night while running your dogs. Most of you have access to a computer to download the Garmin Express app by simply typing in âGarmin Express Downloadâ and clicking on the small blue box that says âGo to download.â Once you do that, another window pops up that says download âDownload for Windows.â Click on that box and the free Garmin Express software will download. From that point on, Garmin Express will open every time you plug your products into the computer for an update. Downloading Garmin Express is simple and easy and is quicker than the time it has taken you to read the last few sentences. One last note: Remember to update both your handheld and your collar. I have talked to a lot of folks who update the Alpha 100 or Astro handheld but donât realize they need to update their collars at the same time for their system to work as well as it can. I think it is really important to note that most of Garminâs dog products do not or will not up date with a Mac, or Macintosh, computer. Using a Mac to update any dog products other than our current mini collars, such as the T5 mini or TT15 mini, will cause your handhelds or other collars to âlock upâ until they are plugged into a PC, or Windows computer, for an update. So my advice is to be safe and not use a Mac computer to update any of your dog devices. Good luck and good hunting, friends! The post Keep Your Gear Up To Date With Garmin Express appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article

<p>Garminâs <a href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/fishandhunt/garmin-quickdraw-community-icast-2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quickdraw Community</a> just surpassed the two-years-going mark, and it continues to see incredible growth â both in usage and reach.</p> <p>In its first 365 days, data from nearly 700,000 acresâ worth of worldwide water travel had been <a href="https://connect.garmin.com/en-US/start/quickdraw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uploaded to the Community</a>, coming via nearly 5,000 users and in an average of 400 uploads per month.</p> <p>Those numbers mushroomed in Year 2, with nearly 20,000 users uploading around 1,700 times per month, resulting in an additional 1.3 million acres added to the database, including 800,000 acres in the past four months alone.</p> <p>And with Garminâs fall 2017 unveiling of <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/573254" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ActiveCaptain</a>, an all-in-one marine mobile app, and its <a href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/fishandhunt/garmin-acquires-navionics-marine-charts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquisition of digital navigational-chart producer Navionics</a>, this Quickdraw Community data surge is likely just beginning.</p> <p>At the outset, the Communityâs upload process required a few steps and a desktop application. Now, with the Community included in ActiveCaptain, users can easily upload to and download from the Community the latest Garmin Quickdraw Contours â with zero button presses.</p> <p>Itâs become a totally user-friendly and streamlined process, which has given way to a global usage wave in the past year.</p> <p>In the first 12 months, for example, there was little Community data coming from outside of the eastern half of the United States and western Europe, but that has changed since. A quick glance at <a href="https://connect.garmin.com/en-US/start/quickdraw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garmin Connect</a> reveals users now uploading water routes in all corners of the globe, from Russia and Asia to South America and Australia.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27877" src="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-31-at-1.29.13-PM.png" alt="" width="2808" height="1400" srcset="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-31-at-1.29.13-PM.png 2808w, https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-31-at-1.29.13-PM-300x150.png 300w, https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-31-at-1.29.13-PM-1024x511.png 1024w, https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-31-at-1.29.13-PM-164x82.png 164w" sizes="(max-width: 2808px) 100vw, 2808px" />Significant use cases have been documented, too, with users seemingly taking it upon themselves to survey bodies of water big and small. Data points along myriad ponds and rivers now dot the Connect world map, and routes through much of the United Statesâ Intracoastal Waterway are prevalent, as is data coverage through much of southern Florida and the Caribbean after the area sustained heavy damage in 2017âs Hurricane Irma.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">â¦</p> <p>The Garmin Quickdraw Community on Garmin Connect is available now at <a href="https://connect.garmin.com/en-US/start/quickdraw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">garminconnect.com/quickdraw</a>. Quickdraw Contours comes standard on all current STRIKER Plus, ECHOMAP Plus and GPSMAP products and is available as a free software update for all other echoMAP and many GPSMAP series products. It can be used with any depth transducer, including Garminâs Panoptix line of transducers.</p> <p>For videos, tips from pros and articles to help you become a better angler, follow Garmin Fish & Hunt on social media on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/garminfishhunt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/garminfishhunt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/garminfishhunt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/fishandhunt/quickdraw-surpasses-2-million-acres/">Quickdraw Community surpasses 2 million-acres plateau</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog">Garmin Blog</a>.</p> View the full article

Garmin has earned the coveted âBest of Showâ award for its new Panoptix LiveScope at the worldâs largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), held last week in Orlando, Fla. Prior to being selected as the Best of Show, Panoptix LiveScope was first voted by media and buyers in attendance as the âBest Electronicsâ in the ICAST New Product Showcase where 974 products were entered by 331 companies, all vying for the ICAST 2018 Best of Show award. âTo not only win the ICAST Best Electronics award, but the Best of Show award, too â itâs an honor weâre incredibly proud of,â said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. âPanoptix LiveScope delivers the best of both scanning and live sonar technologies and thereâs nothing out there even close to it. These awards solidify our commitment to giving anglers and mariners the most innovative technology on the water, and they further strengthen our desire to be the top marine electronics brand in the world.â Panoptix LiveScope is a live scanning sonar that gives anglers higher resolution and easier-to-interpret images of structure, bait and fish swimming below and around the boat than ever before. Garminâs revolutionary Panoptix all-seeing sonar technology was the first to deliver live sonar images in real-time â forwards, backwards, sideways and below the boat â even while stationary. Now, thanks to the active scanning capabilities of Panoptix LiveScope, anglers can see images and movement so clear and precise that itâs even possible to distinguish between species of fish. âPanoptix changed the electronics game a couple of years ago,â said Jason Christie, Bassmaster Elite Series and Garmin pro. âNow, LiveScope is even taking it to the next level. The cool thing about it is the simplicity of it. What you see is what is there. The only picture that could be better is if you dive into the water with goggles, and Iâm not sure thatâs really even better.â Another Bassmaster Elite Series and Garmin pro, Fred Roumbanis, agrees. âNever before have you been able to tell what species of fish you are looking at like this,â he said. âYou can see the movement, you can see the profile. I was snapping a jig on the bottom and I saw a walleye and I could see the fins of the walleye! Thereâs no way I could have seen that before.â Like other Garmin Panoptix transducers, LiveScope features two modes in one transducer âLiveScope Down and LiveScope Forward â and can be installed on a trolling motor or the transom (recommended only for LiveScope Forward). Depending on the anglerâs fishing preferences and techniques, LiveScope can easily be adjusted to change views. Simply point the LiveScope transducer down to see directly below the boat, or forward to see around the boat. Either view provides incredibly sharp, real-time scanning sonar images up to 200 feet down or away from the boat, even when the boat is stationary. See Panoptix LiveScope in action here with Garmin pro Scott Martin. The Panoptix LiveScope scanning sonar system includes a compact GLS 10 sonar black box with an LVS32 transducer and a simple plug-and-play Garmin Marine Network connector for easy installation and integration with a compatible Garmin chartplotter. A trolling motor barrel and shaft mounting kit and a transom mounting kit are also included. Panoptix LiveScope is compatible with Garminâs ECHOMAP Plus 7Xcv/7Xsv/9Xsv chartplotter/sonar combo series, as well as the GPSMAP® 8400/8600 multifunction displays, GPSMAP 7400/7600, GPSMAP 10X2/12X2, GPSMAP 12X2xsv Touch and GPSMAP 7X2/9X2 series chartplotters. Available now, the Panoptix LiveScope system has a suggested retail price of $1,499.99. For more information, videos and images, visit www.garmin.com/panoptix. For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest Garmin Marine announcements, news and stories. The post Garmin Panoptix LiveScope wins Best of Show at ICAST 2018 appeared first on Garmin Blog. View the full article