Strategies for organizing hunting waypoints

Jump to: Waypoint Colors Bulk Edit Waypoint Naming Hunt Folders Pin Active Hunt Folder

When it comes to maps and e-scouting, part of the research and hunt process is keeping your data organized. That can be through waypoint colors, waypoint icons, hunt folders, and waypoint names.

This waypoint organization process is sort of like spring cleaning. You’ve been stuck inside all winter and you’re itching to do some offseason prep for the upcoming season. So... one of the best ways to prepare for your upcoming season is by doing some waypoint organization. I’ll even say that this step is even more essential to complete before you go on your next summer scouting trip. The best part... you can easily organize your waypoints directly on GOHUNT Maps mobile app or on the web version and all your efforts with automatically sync across devices.

Waypoint organization is very important for several reasons

One - The more organized you’ll be, the more prepared you are for future hunts. 

Two - If you start your personal system of organizing your waypoints, it will become a habit that will continue once you’re in the field during the scouting or hunting season. This will then save time after a scouting or hunting trip.

Three - This organization strategy I’ve been doing for years helps me plan out hunts a lot easier and I can easily see trends in my data for how I hunt, where the animals are located in what types of terrain, and I can also start to fine-tune pieces of the hunting puzzle.

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Organization — Color coding waypoints

I have a certain method I developed for color-coding the waypoints I drop when I’m in the field or during e-scouting that I feel really benefits my overall e-scouting/mapping research work.

You can 100% color code your waypoints/features however you want. This is just what works for me. All I suggest is that you find what works for you and stick to it. That way your color-coding process just becomes natural.

• Yellow = Glassing (use the correct symbol)
• Black = Shot, Killed Animal (use the correct animal symbol)
• Light blue = Animal sighting (use correct animal symbol)
  • would be the location on terrain where the animal was
• White = anything to do with navigation 
  • Access, trails, parked truck, ATV, turns (use the correct icon)
• Gray = camp
• Blue = water icon
• Red = blood

Below is an example of my most commonly used waypoints all color-coded with the correct icons. As you can see, when you use a color code system; you'll be able to tell what each waypoint means from a quick glance. This is way better in my opinion than a bunch of waypoints all with the same color and icon.

One way to keep track of this color coding theme is to drop it in the notes of one of your Hunt Folders on GOHUNT Maps or create a note on your phone, or an email draft to yourself. Just be sure to label your note so that you can search for it on your computer or phone.

Organization — Bulk icon color/waypoint icon trick

If you're on your computer e-scouting or organizing your waypoint library, you can quickly bulk edit your waypoints.

For this example, let's say you have a lot of waypoints that you know are all glassing waypoints.

Step 1

On the web version of GOHUNT Maps, simply select our bulk edit tool which is the arrow in the upper-left portion of your screen on a computer.

Step 2

Then click and draw a box around the waypoints you want to bulk edit.

Step 3

Next, under the bottom left navigation box, click on "Styles" in the "Bulk Actions" area.

Step 4

You can now select the correct waypoint icon using the dropdown and then select the color you want for all the waypoints selected.

Step 5

You'll see I made all my glassing waypoints yellow and I changed the icons to the glassing symbol. Once that is done, just click Save.

Organization — Waypoint naming

Waypoint naming is also very important. If you have a bunch of waypoints or features that just have a nondescriptive name... down the road when you go on your hunt, you won't remember what that waypoint means. You can use whatever naming format you like. I prefer to keep it fairly simple by just renaming the beginning part of the waypoint and keeping the timestamp at the end of the name.

Waypoint naming trick

As I already mentioned, I typically rename all my waypoints so I will remember what they are. If you want to save time when re-naming your waypoints in the field, you can just tap the waypoint icon and the default waypoint icon name will show up.

Example:

I find an awesome camp spot when I’m summer scouting and I want to mark it for later reference. 

Instead of the waypoint automatically generating the name of “Waypoint Jun 29, 2022 at 2:18 PM” if I tap on the camp icon, it will not only switch the default waypoint icon to the camp icon, but it will automatically change the waypoint name to “Camp Jun 29, 2022 at 2:18 PM”. What that does is save time when you're in the field. Sometimes when hiking I like to quickly drop a waypoint of something I see, and using this method really helps me save time and stay organized.

Organization - Hunt Folders

Another part of waypoint/feature organization is adding your content to Hunt Folders.

Step 1

If you've never added your waypoints, lines, polygons, tracks, etc to a Hunt Folder before. You can again use the Bulk Select tool. Then under the "Bulk Actions" section of the toolbar, select "Hunts".

Step 2

If you already have a Hunt Folder created, simply just select it and click add. If you haven't added a Hunt Folder yet, at the top where it says "Type here to search" start typing in the name for your new Hunt Folder.

You'll notice that when you start typing in a name, the orange "Create new" button shows up. Once you're finished naming your Hunt Folder. Click "Create New" and then click "Create" on the next screen that shows up.

Now you'll see your Hunt Folder is added. Simply click on the check box and click "Add" and all the waypoints you have selected will be added to this folder.

Organization — Pinning a Hunt Folder for faster research

Another part of the organization process is keeping your waypoints added to the correct Hunt Folder while you e-scout or even while you're actively hunting. 

This process is made easy by our "Pin to active Hunt Folder" feature. When you have this enabled, every waypoint, line, track, etc. will automatically go into that folder. 

Step 1

If you go to the Content section and then click on "Hunts" you'll see the following screen. Click into the Hunt Folder that you want to pin as active.

Step 2

At the top, there will be an Active button. Click on it to make it orange. Now every waypoint or feature you create will automatically go into this Hunt Folder.

Note: You can also create new Hunt Folders and pin an active Hunt Folder on the mobile app.

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Video on my organization process:

If you need a walk-through on importing your waypoints to GOHUNT Maps, learn more at the link below:

How to import waypoints to GOHUNT Maps

Keeping your data organized is a very easy process. The more you stay on top of it, the easier it will become.