More Than a Smartphone Mapping App, HuntWise is a Digital Toolbox for Hunters

While a handful of gun seasons occur pre-rut and even during peak-rut, most rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader forays happen when the mercury dips. Gun hunters in whitetail-rich areas pray for frigid temps, snow and a biting north wind. Why? Simple. Post-rut bucks need to feed. They are worn down from a solid month of chasing and tending does, and they know packing on the pounds is a must.

Knowing when and where to strike is key, and a digital mapping tool, especially one boasting advanced features, is a must-have for those seeking whitetail nirvana on close-to home dirt or a far-flung locale.

HuntWise is that advanced digital mapping app. Those that visit the site will see a free seven-day trial for Pro and Elite memberships. At the end of the trial, you’ll be given the option to cancel or shell out some greenbacks and keep this must-have tool in your whitetail arsenal.

Of course, both Pro and Elite members get access to topo, satellite and hybrid-style maps that lay topo lines over a satellite image for all 50 states. Over 250 map layers allow instant visualization of public and private tracts that include BLM, State Owned Land, National Forest, Walk-In Access and the list goes on. Plus, private land tracts show land ownership, and many provide land owner contact info. This is super valuable.

A few years back I shot a public-land buck and his will to live carried him a few hundred yards onto a neighboring tract of private land. It took me six hours of research to find the land owner’s address and phone number. So frustrating. Plus, I’m not afraid to knock on a door or a make phone call to try and gain private-land permission. This app makes connecting with land owners easier than ever.

Worried about not having service when in the woods? Not an issue. HuntWise allows the user to create and save offline maps. Once saved, hunters can retrieve and utilize maps while hunting off-the-grid areas.

HuntWise also takes the guesswork out of deer hunting, and this feature makes the app a true gem. An advanced algorithm, based on 30 years of gathered scientific data, takes things like temperature, fronts, wind direction, barometric pressure, rut phase, moon phase and position, and the list goes on, into account, and tells you the best times and days to hunt. HuntCast 2.0 provides 7-day (Pro membership) and 15-day (Elite membership) weather forecasting, and the app allows you the ability to create multiple Hunt Areas. The process is simple. Create your hunt area, mark your stands, blinds and shooting houses on the map, then set your ideal wind for each spot. This is easily done by selecting a large square generated by the app and laying that square over your Hunt Area. You also have the ability to draw lines around a Hunt Area for increased customization. Once your Hunt Area is set, HuntCast uses the aforementioned algorithm and ranks your sites from best to worst based on current wind directions.

You can do your research, watch the weather and know exactly when and where to strike. This saves valuable time, allowing you to both plan ahead and maximize in-the-woods moments. When you know the when and where, you become a much more efficient hunter. Of course, the app’s hourly forecasts, maps and the like also work for planning a litany of other big-game species hunts, but the platform is geared toward white-tailed deer. Planning hunting trips and knowing those times you need to slip out of work a few hours early just got a lot easier.

One feature that jumped out at me from the get-go is Scent Drift Wind Mapping. With the tap of a finger, you get a virtual wind detector showing current wind conditions at any stand site, camera location or any other marked destination. Over 14 customized marker options are available when creating your map and being able to look at white lines marked with arrows showing exact wind direction is remarkable.

Imagine this: You’ve found the ideal food source and your trail cameras are showing solid buck movement, but you’re waiting on the perfect wind and the right weather to strike. The forecast model tells you a front is arriving in five days. Temperatures will drop and a fresh layer of snow is expected. You go to HuntCast and view your Hunt Area on the day of the predicted front. In seconds you know the exact location that will put you in the best position to make a harvest. You stay patient, get your work done, spend time with family and friends and then hit the woods knowing deer movement will be at its peak. Does it get any better? Yes, Elite members get HuntCast 2.0 Alerts. These alerts come to your smartphone and provide updated weather intel, so you’re never taken by surprise.

In addition to mapping tools and hunt forecasting, HuntWise allows you to connect with thousands of other HuntWise users. You can share your success and ask questions in a safe environment filled with hunters willing and able to help you out. Mentorship is a key factor to hunter recruitment and helping others achieve their hunt dreams. Whether you’re a newbie hunter or a sage veteran, the social side of this app will prove invaluable.

Meeting a few buddies from different parts of the country for a road-trip hunt and want to make sure everyone arrives at the same spot? Easy. HuntWise allows you to share pins, properties, and scouting-related intel.

Oh, and we can’t forget about the awesome gear discounts. Elite members can bank on savings up to 50 percent off of top hunt gear from quality manufacturers while Pro members can plan on up to 20 percent off top brands.

If you’re a serious whitetailer or big-game hunter, head over to huntwise.com and start playing. This is one hunting tool that will become a trusted ally you can depend on to help you fill the freezer and make trips to the taxidermist much more regular.