Our evening scouting run started just minutes after we got off the highway. We spotted a flock of snow geese on the horizon, and then another, and another and another. The flock extended for quite a distance, with every bird pointing west/southwest towards a damp cornfield that was just days away from drying out for the spring. At first glance, the field had a power line that I didn't like on the north side. I sat and wondered the radio forecast stating for a south wind the following day, possibly forcing the incoming morning birds over the lines. Rather than ponder the possibilities, I pulled out the laptop and got on the Internet. The
National Weather Service has an hourly graph which would show what time the wind would switch that morning, which looked to be around noon. With the geese coming at daybreak, there's no problem with this field, let's get permission...
Technology has made it's way into rural North Dakota, just like elsewhere in the nation. Through wireless and satellite Internet technology, answers to all your questions are just a keystroke away no matter where you are in the field or on the water.
For me, my world of technology got much brighter after I purchased a Treo 650 Smartphone by Handspring. Through Verizon Wireless, I have an unlimited wireless data plan which I take full advantage of. The Treo 650 is a PDA that is also your telephone. You can access your email, contact management, to-do's, MP3 player, games, etc. You can also access the Internet which is the basis of conversation. The web browsers built for cell phones such as mine can render most web pages as you would on your desktop at home. And if you have a laptop, you can purchase a program called PDANET which allows you to transfer the Internet connection on your phone directly to your laptop either through BlueTooth Wireless technology or through a cable.
I now am in the habit of carrying my laptop with me whenever I go hunting or fishing. I know what you're thinking, how the heck can you enjoy the day on the water with a computer on board? Well I'll tell you up front that work is the last thing on my mind out fishing, but being a keystroke away from weather, reports, contour lake maps, satellite imagery are just some things that can really increase your knowledge and awareness of your surroundings. And you can stay a step ahead of that approaching thunderstorm which will either save you time at the landing, or keep you on the lake when you know the front will miss your location.
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When a storm front is coming and you're in a boat, knowledge is everything.
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Being an avid waterfowler that I am, knowing the weather forecast at all times is an invaluable asset. Being able to track reports is important to understand the migration. When you're on the road for days on end and the weather is changing for the worse, there's nothing more frustrating then the feeling of driving blind. Pretty tough to also beat a hunting report that just took place minutes earlier in terms of relevance and accuracy. Sick of carrying a stack full of ripped up maps? If you've ever played with programs such as
Google Earth, you know how obsolete a road map is. Google Earth in front of the passenger along with a GPS and accurate directions to the honey hole almost takes the fun of getting lost out of hunting.
Yes, we live in a fast paced world and it's often times impossible to try to keep up. But every once in awhile technology just makes sense. The feeling of KNOWING instead of GUESSING can really increase your hunting, fishing, and safety. If nothing else, playing poker online while your buddy takes his second shift of driving ain't bad either.
