With 17.8 huntable acres per licensed resident hunter, and some of the finest pheasant hunting in the country, South Dakota is a leader when it comes to developing unique partnerships between private and public entities with the goal of conservation and hunting access. PATH was created to help accelerate that model, and its immediate success is worthy of celebration. 

PATH provides first time enrollees a sign-up incentive of up to $25 per acre, paid in advance, in return for a minimum of 10 years of undisturbed habitat and access on private lands. This incentive for landowners is in addition to Game Fish and Park’s Walk-In Area program, and the inaugural year was made possible by a donation from onX Hunt. 

“PATH had all the ingredients to be a major success right out of the gate, and our enrollment during the first six months illustrates its immense value to landowners, wildlife, hunters, and rural communities in the pheasant capital,” said Matt Gottlob, Pheasant Forever state coordinator in South Dakota. 

This unique access model is timely, as small game hunting license sales in South Dakota are on the incline. And it isn’t just resident hunters taking advantage of the state’s impressive hunting access. Ryan Lewis of Lebanon, Missouri was drawn to South Dakota for its bird numbers and public access.

“I had heard about the PATH program from The Flush Podcast, and traveling to South Dakota was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Lewis. “I was able to hunt a PATH property and shoot my very first limit of wild pheasants. I had such a good time, and can’t wait to get back and do it again.”

To learn more about the PATH program, join Pheasants Forever and onX Hunt at Pheasant Fest, March 1-3, 2024 in Sioux Falls. Attendees can listen in on two Public Access to Habitat seminars, hosted by Ryan Callaghan on Friday at 5:30, and Saturday at 4:30. Panel members include Kevin Robling, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department Secretary; Ben Brettingen, onX Hunt Wingshooting Manager; Sam Soholt with Public Land Tees; and Jake Hanson, Pheasant Forever’s Director of Development in South Dakota. A PATH Happy Hour will directly follow each discussion.

Additionally, the event will be raising funds for the next 10,00 acres of access in the Public Lands Pavilion. Each $25 donation will result in a new acre of public access.

About Pheasants Forever

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 26.5 million acres.

About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry make up the company’s suite of apps which are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at www.onxmaps.com/about. 

The post South Dakota’s Public Access to Habitat Program Quickly Approaches 10,000 Acre Goal of New Hunting Opportunity appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Hunt, the industry’s leading GPS hunting app and navigation platform, today announced the launch of onX Hunt Research Tools. onX Hunt Research Tools is an immersive platform designed to help hunters intuitively research and understand draw odds, tag trends, harvest statistics and more so that they can create the best application strategy to reach their goals this season.

At the end of 2022, onX Hunt acquired TopRut, helping Elite Members navigate application season and draw odds across the West. Over the past year, onX has rebuilt that experience, adding more insights and interactive capabilities to better guide hunters at a time when tags are increasingly more difficult to understand and to draw.

“TopRut was built on the industry’s most powerful dataset. We’ve taken that underlying data and rebuilt the user experience, making it more intuitive, immersive, and informative,” said onX Hunt General Manager Cliff Cancelosi. “What was once a spreadsheet, is now like the Airbnb of application season. We’ve made it easier to parse the data and understand what it means for your hunt, directly on the map.”

A “before and after” look at TopRut and Hunt Research Tools

onX Hunt Elite users can search for hunts by species, sex, state, hunt type, method of take, and date range. Interactive sorting helps narrow down the possibilities by draw odds, harvest rate, hunting pressure, and amount of public land in a unit. By clicking into a hunt, users can easily see what that unit’s terrain looks like on the map in high-resolution satellite imagery, in 2D and 3D. They can also assess public and private land opportunities, access points, and roads. For more in-depth mapping, the tool links users directly into their onX Hunt Webmap, with the ability to apply all of the app’s layers and features to each unit for further analysis.

“We wanted to design an application tool that would empower all hunters to discover access and opportunity,” explains Cancelosi. “onX Hunt Research Tools will help out-of-state hunters planning a bucket-list trip and in-state outdoorsmen and women who need a new plan after winterkill affected a herd, a unit changed, or their go-to camp hasn’t produced the same experience as years past. We’ve taken what was once a pretty tedious, confusing, and complicated process and streamlined it, making it more informative and interactive.”  

onX Hunt Research Tools Guided Research Process

onX Hunt Elite members can log into Hunt Research Tools and successfully navigate draw odds, tag trends, and harvest statistics to build an application strategy, find overlooked opportunities, and save both time and frustration throughout the application process. For 2024 Hunt Research Tools covers 12 Western states: Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and Alaska. Plans are underway to expand into additional states in the near future.

Hunt Research Tools rounds out onX Hunt’s full suite of application services, including access to Huntin’ Fool and HuntReminder that aid users with boots-on-the-ground knowledge and application reminders.

onX Hunt Research Tools is part of the onX Hunt Elite Membership. The membership includes access to application tools, hunting tactics education, nation-wide mapping, and exclusive pricing on products and services handpicked by the onX Hunt team. To learn more about onX Hunt Elite Membership, visit: onxmaps.com/hunt/app/elite/benefits.

About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry make up the company’s suite of apps that are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land. Since 2017, onX has worked with various partners to secure and improve public land access through direct funding, and by supporting key legislation with data analysis and research. 

The post onX Launches Hunt Research Tools for Application Season appeared first on onX Maps.

Upon downloading onX Offroad, available in the App Store or Google Play store, users can search for “Johnson Valley OHV” to see the race courses, the vendor rows “streets” of Hammertown, pit locations for race teams, mileage markers, spectator zones, and start and finish lines. The ability to mark and customize the map lets attendees create waypoints for camp spots, meetup areas, and preferred viewing spots. The App’s Route Building feature makes finding a route from Hammertown to the far reaches of Chocolate Thunder and back to their campsite a breeze. onX Offroad suggests attendees download the area’s offline maps before heading out to Johnson Valley so they can find their way in the desert far away from cell service. 

“The onX Offroad team is stoked to be returning as the official mapping sponsor for one our favorite events, King of the Hammers,” said onX Offroad Marketing Director Haley Fetzer. “The lakebed is far from cell service, and the App’s reliable mapping and offline capabilities will be a crucial tool for spectators so they can get the most out of their time in the dirt across the Johnson Valley.”

In addition to the mapping elements mentioned above, the Nitto Race of Kings race course will be released today in onX Offroad and immediately available for offline download. All other race courses can be found using this link.

King of Hammers attendees receive 20% off an onX Offroad Premium or Elite subscription. To redeem use the link or use event the code koh24 at checkout at the onX Offroad website. 

Be sure to stop by the onX Offroad booth 104 in Hammertown to meet the team and pick up some exclusive King of the Hammers swag.

About onX Offroad

onX Offroad is the leader in off-road maps and GPS technology, empowering powersports and overlanding enthusiasts to explore 650,000 miles of motorized trails and 852 million acres of public land. Built for off-roaders, by off-roaders, the company strives to create the most complete, current, and accurate mapping app available on the market. Because off-the-beaten path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/app

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onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor enthusiasts, announces a new partnership with Natural Selection as the Tour’s official mapping app. onX’s immersive mapping technology will play a critical role in location scouting, course planning, conditions monitoring, and interactive course viewing for the Tour’s operations team, competitors, and viewers. 

The brainchild of professional snowboarder Travis Rice, the Natural Selection Tour is backcountry snowboarding’s ultimate proving ground. With an innovative format designed to reveal riders’ creative expression and knowledge of complex mountain venues, the Tour brings together top riders–from Olympians to big mountain icons–as they compete on some of the world’s most dynamic terrain.

“As today’s snowboarders push the sport’s boundaries, we are proud to provide a tool for the Natural Selection team to create safe, innovative, and world-class events both on and off-piste,” said onX Backcountry Marketing Director and lifelong snowboarder Andrew Burrington. “Our App will also enable this year’s roster of athletes to scout, visualize, and navigate their run and give viewers an insider’s look at the venues’ terrain from wherever they watch the event. We are stoked to help Natural Selection elevate their events and the next era of snowboarding.”

In addition to outfitting the Natural Selection team and riders with onX Backcountry Elite, all viewers will have access to an extended trial and a 30% discount on the App’s annual membership to get an up-close look at the Natural Selection 2024 venues and to inspire their outdoor pursuits whether on-piste or in the backcountry this winter.

“With the Natural Selection Tour’s focus on natural terrain and prime conditions, endless research is needed to find venues and plan productions that can exceed both Natural Selection riders’ and viewers’ expectations,” said COO of the Natural Selection Tour, Liam Griffin. “Our team uses onX Backcountry to plan routes, track locations, and ultimately layout the whole production. We then use additional layers in the App to check weather, avalanche conditions, slope angles, and aspects. That knowledge ensures that everyone knows exactly how to get into position on time and, most importantly, everyone makes it home safely at the end of the day.”

Natural Selection kicks off the season with DUELS from six unique mountain destinations around the world. DUELS will stream on Red Bull TV starting February 27. The Tour then coalesces in Canada for the YETI Natural Selection Revelstoke and YETI Natural Selection Selkirk Tangiers, broadcasted live exclusively on Red Bull TV during the March 10-17 competition window. 

About onX Backcountry 

onX Backcountry empowers trailblazers and powder seekers of all levels to find new outdoor experiences and relive old favorites. Unlike other apps, onX Backcountry combines industry-leading GPS tools with expert-curated adventure content. Members can enjoy access to 770K+ trails and 30,000+ guide-book adventures. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more and access an extended trial at https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/r/natural-selection

About Natural Selection 

The brainchild of Travis Rice, the Natural Selection Tour showcases the world’s top riders, from Olympians to big mountain film icons, all competing on the planet’s most exciting natural and naturally-enhanced terrain. The 2024 Tour features three stages, as riders move through Natural Selection DUELS, the YETI Natural Selection Selkirk Tangiers and YETI Natural Selection Revelstoke events. The best all-mountain freestyle riders in the world will come together for the crowning of a men’s and women’s champion after the final day of live competition in Revelstoke. The Natural Selection Tour’s mission is to inspire people to forge a deeper relationship with Mother Nature. NaturalSelectionTour.com

The post onX Backcountry Named the Official Mapping App for Natural Selection Tour appeared first on onX Maps.

onX’s mission is to awaken the adventurer in everyone. To protect and improve access to the diverse natural landscapes that fuel and inspire recreationists, the company created a Grant Program. To date, onX’s Grant Program has helped fund 53 projects in 20 states, partnering with organizations like land trusts, park foundations, trail associations, and recreation clubs to improve access to 154,688 acres of land and build or restore 255 miles of trails. These projects–from land purchases and easements to trail restorations and clean-ups–have directly impacted the recreational opportunities available to anglers, backcountry skiers, bikers, climbers, cross-country skiers, equestrians, hikers, hunters, motorsports enthusiasts, and paddlers alike.

To put these numbers into perspective, 183 Central Parks, three Acadia National Parks, or one Zion National Park could fit inside 154,688 acres. While those acres represent recreation potential, they also symbolize the collaboration of like-minded people coming together to make these projects a reality–from onX customers who support the company’s values to partners who bring each of these projects to fruition.    

“Outdoor recreation participation is at an all-time high right now, but our access to the landscapes that make these opportunities possible is threatened by industrial development, urban sprawl, land ownership changes, and more,” said onX CEO Laura Orvida. “Improving access to our natural landscapes is important to us and our community, and it’s part of onX’s DNA. I’m proud of our Grant Program and the direct impact it has on outdoor recreation.”

Over the past few years, onX has built a framework that gives back to the land that makes our recreation experiences possible. As the company looks ahead to 2024, onX’s Access and Stewardship Team wants to hear from the outdoor community about what’s important to them. The team encourages all outdoor enthusiasts to fill out a one-minute survey here: https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/grant-program-milestone-celebration

To learn more about onX’s Access and Stewardship Grant Program, head to: https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives 

About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry make up the company’s suite of apps and are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land. Since 2018, onX has worked with various partners to secure and improve public land access through direct funding and by supporting key legislation with data analysis and research. Learn more: https://www.onxmaps.com/about

The post onX Grant Program Celebrates 150 Miles of Trails and 150,000 Acres of Improved Public Access appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor enthusiasts, today launched a new mapping tool called the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES). ATES classifies terrain based on exposure to avalanches, helping snow enthusiasts–primarily backcountry skiers and snowboarders, as well as fat bikers, nordic skiers, and snowshoers–make more informed decisions regarding avalanche safety in the mountains. 

According to Snowsports Industries of America’s 2022-23 participation report, close to 5 million backcountry skiers and boarders are heading into the mountains–a two-fold increase compared to pre-pandemic years. Participation in fat biking, nordic skiing, and snowshoeing have also hit record levels. Access to snow safety information for new entrants and seasoned adventurers is crucial to help keep powder seekers safe. To access this information, they turn to daily avalanche forecasts issued by the professional avalanche community to understand the day’s avalanche hazard and how to minimize their risk. 

“The daily avalanche forecast considers numerous important variables, such as temperature, snowfall, slope aspect, and elevation,” said onX Backcountry Product Manager Charlie Avis. “Some of these variables change daily or even by the hour. But there is one variable that will likely remain the same throughout the season: terrain. That is where ATES comes in–helping a skier or snowboarder understand whether the terrain where they plan to ski or board could expose them to an avalanche, regardless if the daily avalanche forecast is low, moderate, considerable, or even extreme.”

Originally pioneered and developed by Parks Canada in 2003, ATES is a classification that assesses 11 different terrain inputs, including slope angle, starting zones, runout zones, forest density, and more. By working in tandem with Alaska-based researcher John Sykes, onX is bringing ATES in a digital format to the United States for the first time. Sykes’ algorithm (autoATES) analyzes terrain in popular winter regions in onX Backcountry. 

To refine that algorithm, onX works with local avalanche forecasters to localize and verify ATES ratings, leveraging their local knowledge, expertise, and historical avalanche data. This human input is critical to ensure the layer’s accuracy. Furthermore, onX has partnered with American Avalanche Association (A3), American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) to ensure that ATES is a useful and valuable tool for the backcountry ski and snowboard audience.

“ATES is an important tool for all winter enthusiasts,” said Utah Avalanche Center’s director of forecasting, Mark Staples. “Taken together with the daily avalanche forecast, ATES can help the public–whether they’re a beginner or a professional–better understand how to reduce their overall risk, have an incredible time in the mountains, and get home to their friends and family at the end of the day.” 

“onX Backcountry’s introduction of ATES, and its additional Avalanche Runout and Avalanche Potential Release Area layers, have the potential to greatly improve users’ risk management and backcountry navigation,” said American Avalanche Association executive director, Jayne Nolan. “It’s clear that onX is committed to providing innovation and improvement within the avalanche industry, cementing themselves as a leader within the digital mapping space.”

ATES is a layer in onX Backcountry’s robust Snow Mode that users can toggle on or off. It shows four different colors for four different ratings. Those ratings are: simple (green), challenging (blue), complex (black), and extreme (red). With this tool, users can connect the terrain to the daily avalanche forecast and confidently plan their adventure. 

Because ATES is the result of 11 different inputs, some enthusiasts may enjoy seeing a few of those individually. To aid this understanding, onX has added an Avalanche Run Out layer and Avalanche Potential Release Area layer to Snow Mode for further exploration. App users can also toggle on other layers like the Daily Avalanche Forecast, Slope Aspect, and Slope Angle and access the weather forecast and SNOTEL data to expand their understanding of snow safety. 

Current ATES coverage areas in the onX Backcountry app include zones in Colorado, Montana, and Utah. Coverage in additional regions will be added later this season, including Washington, California, Wyoming, and Alaska, as well as expanded regions in Colorado and Montana. 

“ATES doesn’t tell you where to go,” says Beacon Guidebook founder and onX Backcountry senior content manager, Andy Sovick. “Winter outdoor enthusiasts still need to do the work to connect the forecast with the terrain and take critical avalanche safety education courses. But we are giving users the tools to apply this education right on the map.”

To learn more about ATES, and to purchase an onX Backcountry subscription, visit https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/app/features/avalanche-terrain-exposure-scale 

About onX Backcountry

onX Backcountry empowers trailblazers and powder seekers of all levels to find new outdoor experiences and relive old favorites. Unlike other apps on the market, onX Backcountry combines industry-leading GPS tools with expert-curated adventure content. Members can enjoy access to 770K+ trails and 30,000+ guide-book adventures. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives 

The post onX Backcountry Launches Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) Classification and Mapping appeared first on onX Maps.

According to onX’s latest report, walk-in programs account for nearly 30% of South Dakota’s huntable acreage, adding over 1.4 million acres of habitat. With 17.8 huntable acres per licensed resident hunter, and some of the finest pheasant hunting in the country, South Dakota is a leader when it comes to developing unique partnerships between private and public entities with the goal of conservation and hunting access. PATH was created to help accelerate that model.

“Traditional state and federal funding aren’t always competitive enough to entice landowners to enroll in long-term conservation programs,” said Pheasants Forever Development Director, Jake Hanson. “PATH provides additional incentives via an up-front payment of $25 an acre, providing a compelling option for first-time enrolling landowners. This additional incentive was a direct result from the unique collaboration between onX Hunt, Pheasants Forever, and South Dakota Game Fish and Parks.”

South Dakota has a rich history of creating community-based conservation programs like PATH. It’s part of what makes the state one of the premier pheasant hunting destinations. Not only do producers and landowners receive financial support for their conservation initiatives, the resulting improvement to bird habitat attracts hunters, providing a boon to local economies. This multi-layered impact inspired onX Hunt to make PATH the largest-ever single project investment of its Access and Stewardship program.

“Pressure on public hunting land is increasing, and quality bird habitat is on the decline,” said onX Hunt General Manager Clifford Cancelosi. “We believe that the PATH program will create a profound impact to help reverse this trend. We’re proud to support Pheasants Forever and South Dakota Game Fish and Parks in preserving the sporting tradition and some of the most productive upland habitats in the country.”

About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry make up the company’s suite of apps which are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at www.onxmaps.com/about.

The post Pheasants Forever Creates New Hunting Opportunity with Support from onX Hunt appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor enthusiasts, is embracing the two-wheel community by adding a new mountain bike (MTB) Mode powered by MTB Project’s vast network of trail data.

onX Backcountry is a multi-season app that helps users find new adventures, navigate in remote places, and get home safely. Outdoor enthusiasts–like hikers, backpackers, backcountry skiers, and snowboarders–of all skill levels will find inspiration from tens of thousands of guidebook and expert-curated adventures, and 770,000+ miles of trails. App users can toggle between Trail Mode, Snow Mode, and now MTB Mode to access tools and content relevant to the adventure at hand.

At launch, onX Backcountry’s new MTB Mode features:

• 167,752 miles of mountain bike trails across North America
• The ability to sort trails by difficulty, length, elevation gain, low/high point, dog and e-bike accessibility
• Robust planning tools including immersive and customizable 3D maps, recent satellite imagery, route builder, and tracker tools
• Offline maps that allow customers to take their maps wherever they ride, even if it’s far away from cell service
• An upgraded web and mobile app experience

“The addition of a mountain biking activity builds upon onX’s all-in-one set of adventure discovery and planning tools,” said onX Backcountry GM, Will Sladek. “MTB Project is a leading mountain bike trail data source. By adding that trail data, which includes photos, trail descriptions, and other information, to onX Backcountry’s leading set of navigation tools, bikers can confidently conquer any trail.”

The MTB Mode is now available to all existing onX Backcountry users on all platforms: iOS, Android, and Webmap. Users can expect to see significant updates and extended MTB coverage in all their favorite riding areas throughout North America in the near future.

An onX Backcountry App membership starts at $29.99 annually. For more information about onX Backcountry, visit https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/app

About onX Backcountry

onX Backcountry empowers trailblazers and powder seekers of all levels to find new outdoor experiences and relive old favorites. Unlike other apps on the market, onX Backcountry combines industry-leading GPS tools with expert-curated adventure content. Members can enjoy access to 770,000+ trails and 30,000+ guide-book adventures. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives

About MTB Project

MTB Project is a free, community-built resource for mountain bikers built by mountain bikers. With the rollout of MTB Project trail data in onX Backcountry, mountain bikers gain an upleveling in navigation tools to aid their planning and rides. Mountain bikers can continue to use and access the MTB Project website for free as they always have.

The post onX Backcountry Launches Mountain Bike Mode with MTB Project Routes appeared first on onX Maps.

onX Hunt, the market’s leading hunting GPS app, today announced an integration with Bushnell and other industry-leading manufacturers that will completely reinvent the way hunters use cellular trail cameras this season.

onX Hunt members can now receive images from select cellular cameras directly in their onX Hunt app. By logging into their Bushnell Trail Camera app, hunters can connect their cellular cameras with onX Hunt. Images will then seamlessly flow into the onX Hunt app, populating at each Trail Camera icon that marks individual camera locations on the map. In addition, they can also see their cell camera’s battery life, exact location, and, over time, a comprehensive history of the cameras’ previous locations.

“Trail cameras are one of the most important tools a hunter can use,” said onX Hunt General Manager, Clifford Cancelosi. “But historically we’ve relied on a tedious process of managing that imagery and making sense of our data. In close collaboration with Bushnell, we’ve pioneered a solution to change that.”

This integration will not only simplify the trail camera management experience, it also sets the stage for future analysis–so hunters can better understand how, when, and where game uses their property. By analyzing factors associated with each image–like wind direction and speed, barometric pressure, moon phase, and more–hunters will soon be able to build a more comprehensive understanding of the deer on their property and find more success this season. 

“In addition to having a holistic view of all their cell cam images, we’re putting analysis at a hunter’s fingertips, so he or she can better pattern that buck more effectively,” explained Cancelosi.

“The ability for hunters to track and predict whitetail movements just became a lot simpler thanks to our new partnership with onX Hunt,” said Primos Director of Product and Marketing, Jason Harris. “By simply adding your Bushnell cellular trail camera to your onX Hunt account, users can easily collect images from every camera in one app. This new feature goes a long way in solving a common need shared by millions of whitetail hunters.”

Currently, onX Hunt integrates with Bushnell, Covert, and Exodus cellular cameras. For more information, head to: https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/trail-camera-services

Bushnell is also an onX Hunt Elite partner. This fall, Elite Members can take advantage of 25% off Bushnell trail cameras and three months of free cellular data with that purchase. To learn more, check out: https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app/elite/benefits/bushnell

About onX Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire, and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry make up the company’s suite of apps which are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land and promote stewardship opportunities. Learn more at www.onxmaps.com/about.

The post onX Hunt Announces Industry-First Integration with Cellular Trail Cameras appeared first on onX Maps.

The John Day River is the longest undammed river West of the Rockies and is designated Wild and Scenic. From its headwaters in the Strawberry Mountains near Prairie City, the river runs, unencumbered, nearly 284 miles through archaeological sites, historical areas, and canyons. The varied sections of habitat provide life both above and below the water line. It hosts runs of Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other game fish including great bass fishing in the heat of summer. The riparian areas are filled with bighorn sheep, deer, game birds, rattlesnakes, coyotes, and countless other species.

The river is an exceptional float and attracts rafters from all around the Pacific Northwest to its tranquil waters. That is until, the notorious Tumwater Falls—a class-five waterfall that is surrounded by private land. So where are rafters, boaters, and floaters supposed to take out? That’d be McDonald’s Ferry Ranch. This 4,054-acre parcel near Wasco, Oregon is a place where recreationists have taken out from their multi-day float, hiked along the Oregon trail, and chased chukar through the rugged John Day valley.

Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC), a conservation group dedicated to protecting rivers in the West, first purchased land along the John Day in September of 2008. Their strategy is to acquire, and then convey these properties to federal, tribal, local, or state land management agencies. In the case of the now-named Cottonwood Canyon State Park, upstream of McDonald’s Ferry, they purchased that property to turn it over to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

Since then, local businesses such as the Wasco House Bed and Breakfast have seen an uptick in visitation to the area. “When they (WRC and OPRD) first developed Cottonwood Canyon State Park, we weren’t expecting to get much business from it. However, we have several guests come out every year to fish the John Day and one or two groups that float it,” share Dave Bergmann and Lisa D’Arcy, who own the hospitality business. They remember a time when they used to be the only two hiking the area, yet now, there are 20 or 30 people out there on the trails. Not to worry, “It’s a huge park and it’s not crowded,” they say. For them, Wasco seems to be a stopover town for folks heading out to the Painted Hills, Cottonwood Canyon State Park, or even the farther reaches of places like Smith Rock, however, the hope is that the recreational gem of McDonald’s Ferry Ranch might just slow them down a little bit and adventurers might stay a while.

McDonald’s Ferry Ranch Walk-In Program

While under the management of WRC, which has been about three years, the McDonald’s Ferry Ranch has provided recreational access to hikers, boaters, and hunters. WRC’s dedication to hunting access propelled them to seek out Brandon Dyches of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, who manages the state’s Hunt By Reservation program. WRC enrolled the ranch into the program which granted Dyches administrative oversight of the property’s hunting access. This ensures rich hunting experiences and empowers landowners to allow access and manage their property the way they want to. “They were a small landowner willing to allow hunting access, but didn’t have the time or resources to do so,” says Dyches. In the first year, they had 85 reservations and 155 hunters. Harvest was mostly chukar. “Access is the biggest problem. There’s Bureau of Land Management peppered through there that got locked up by little ranchettes or old homesteads. We were able to handle that access and keep hunt quality really high,” reflects Dyches. 

Opening up these parcels, including McDonald’s Ferry Ranch and Cottonwood Canyon, allows people to break up their explorations into smaller chunks, “The spirit is now that the average recreationist doesn’t have to commit six days to the John Day.” Day trippers from Portland, Hood River, and nearby areas can experience this valley. This access and the proximity to his then-home in Portland, are what drew hunter, Jesse Abel, to the program and McDonald’s Ferry in the first place. 

The Hunt

As a new hunter, Jesse needed to know where he could hunt. He had picked up hunting to eat sustainably, learn about ecology, and get in better shape. Like most new hunters, he didn’t know where to go. “onX has been helpful because I didn’t have any idea about land ownership, so the (Hunt By Reservation program) was really comforting to know ‘I’m allowed to be here.’ There wasn’t anyone to tell me to ‘get lost.’” He goes on to say, “You’re pretty nervous your first time, so the Hunt By Reservation was really nice for getting started and to know this is totally sanctioned.” 

The morning started with a car camp on nearby BLM land and a drive over to the parking lot at McDonald’s Ferry. He started up a few drainages whacking at shrub brush coaxing a chukar, a bird he’d never seen before, to emerge. As the dawn light cast its warm glow deeper into the canyons, around 7:30 a.m., a herd of deer crested a ridge in full sprint. “They were all huffing and puffing, and you could see the steam because it was early and cold.” Something, perhaps one of the coyotes Abel saw or the nearby pheasant hunters, had spooked them. “It was fun because I watched them approach me for a long time. They had no idea I was there,” he reflects. 

“The whole property is dynamic. There are all these big rocky cliffs. I only covered about half of it.” Following up on a tip from another hunter, he ascended a draw where they were known to be and where the only escape would be direct flight descending the drainage—exactly where Abel was standing. “About 30 of them go flying past me making a big commotion. I shot the tenth one or whatever—I wasn’t quick or skilled then. I’ve since gotten better. They’re so camouflaged that I didn’t want to lose that one, so I didn’t shoot any of the others, and just kept eye contact with that one.” Even then, he walked across the ravine to near-ten feet of where it dropped and still had to use onX to recover the perfectly blended-in bird. 

In total, he walked about 12 miles around the ranch including walking along the Oregon Trail. The trail switchbacks down the canyon to where a ferry would shuttle wagons across the river in the 1800s. The wagon ruts are still visible on the property. The terrain that chukar like to live in is tough. “Since picking up chukar hunting, I’ve bought a pair of mountain climbing boots, really really stiff ones so your ankle doesn’t roll.” It’s amazing that pioneers in their wagon carts could do this across such rugged terrain.

Connecting Parcels and Dissolving Landlocked Boundaries

As of Wednesday, August 30, WRC conveyed the property to the Bureau of Land Management. While the management plans are yet to be finalized, users can expect that the property will fall under the BLM’s plan for the John Day as a whole. As Dyches referenced, the property, at 4,054 acres, is neighbored by parcels of both private and public. 

One particular piece of land is a 598-acre BLM-owned area that was previously landlocked. This result is what makes the work of WRC so special. “This opened up acres of public land, in a county that doesn’t have much of it on a wild and scenic river,” shares Alex Barton, a Project Manager for Western Rivers Conservancy. “The vast majority of these projects have a natural, long-term steward.” There’s a Plan A—meaning that the property of interest is adjacent to a land management agency like the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or BLM. “In the case of McDonald’s Ferry, the BLM was motivated to acquire it and they managed lands adjacent to it.” Between their first project in Cottonwood Canyon and this, they had worked with the BLM to protect the lower nine miles of Thirtymile Creek—a coldwater refuge for steelhead. “We had a recent history with them, a positive working relationship, the funding from Land and Water Conservation Fund, and they are the big public landowner in the area which makes them a really logical long-term steward.” While there are countless factors that go into these transactions, and oftentimes a Plan B or C, the proximity to adjacent BLM land and their existing presence in the community will hopefully position the property for success in the years to come.

All Ahead

These types of projects—the ones where access is needed, in areas where an acre conserved opens up a multiplier effect, and where the landscape can support the changes—are what make a great onX Access and Stewardship story. We’re proud to contribute to WRC’s strategy of finding long-term land stewards. Take the chance to visit McDonald’s Ferry Ranch if you’re traveling through Oregon. Visit the local lodging options, try your hand at chukar hunting, or find yourself walking through the history of the Oregon Trail.

Learn more about onX’s ongoing access and stewardship initiatives.

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