Cell Phone/Hunting Question

[Woods Walker]

I have a question for all of you that feel that a cell phone is an indispensible piece of safety equipment, and that we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to be electronically leashed at all times.

If you had an opportunity to hunt an area that had NO cell phone coverage (and this is NOT an abstract idea, many places...even in the midwest and northeast...are like this), would you still hunt it, even knowing that you would be "on your own" electronically? Would you be able to hunt all day not being able to "stay in touch" with your hunting buddies or not being able to play games to pass the apparently excruciatingly boring times between deer sightings?

[Ohio farms]

Yes, of course.  Not many people have my cell #, so it does not ring much. My wife worries when I'm hunting so I carry the cell.  I do know people who just can't be without it. My brother drives me nuts with his when we are hunting/fishing.

[DeerCamp]

I would still hunt these areas. However I feel that communication at camp would play a VERY important role. (Such as informing others, of the area I plan to hunt/walk. The times I will be back and so forth.) I also feel that a survival kit will be needed. I would hate to be stranded without anything to help me out. A gps I feel would also be a must at this point as well.

[pickleguy]

I would still hunt the area just like I hunted before I got a cell phone. The only thing I would do different is that I would make sure someone knew where I would be hunting. A oz. of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Statistics are made by people that take things for granite, we owe it to our families & freinds to be as safe as we can rather it is carring a phone, 1st aid kit, or using a safety harness. Even then sometimes things happen. Hunt safe Hunt Smart!

[fasteddie]

Sure I would . Just like some of the above replies . I would let someone know where I would be hunting . I even do that with the cell phone .
If I got lost or hurt , they could track me by the chip placed in my Blaze Orange Walker ! (just kidding) [8|]

[kabrevcus]

Many people may not know that deer hunting actually pre-dates the invention of the cellular telephone. I'm actually old enough to know this- yes- I'm 39. Hard to believe I know.
Even today my camp uses a primitive communication device called a "walkie talkie". Its not as fun as a cell phone, and it doesn't have games on it. But we are able to advise each other of our whereabouts.
We don't get cellphone reception in the valley where we hunt....and we don't have internet access there either. Yes, not as exciting to some. We can check our deer in over the telephone now adays which seems to be stealing a little something from the way things used to be. But I guess I'm just an old fashoined 39 year old.
I don't think I'm going to give up my deer haunts for lack of cell phone reception, or any other amenity that hasn't quite reached us. I will try to be safe in the woods and I hope you all stay safe as well.

[metrx]

I, like most, would absolutely hunt an area that didnt get cell service.  I carry it anyway, but also carry a radio, as do all my hunting partners if we are hunting in a group.
If hunting solo, I always let someone know what "area" I'll be in and where I park my truck so if God forbid I dont return, they know where to start looking for me.  (Never happened yet, but you never know.) 
I always leave a radio behind tuned into the channel I'm on so if someone does come looking for me they can reach me by radio if they are in my general area.
 
What did we ever do before cell phones...lol

[buckhunter21]

Absolutely.  I hunt areas right now that are like that.  I make sure I tell my family and friends where I'm going, when to expect me back, etc.  They know where my exact stand sites are too, which I think helps too just in case something happens.  Ya, I'll play around on my cell with games or text friends to see how their hunting is going, but it's not a prerequisite.  I am perfectly happy sitting in my stand just thinking...

[Sailfish]

Indispensable? Hardly.
Would I think it'd be foolish for a person not to carry one out of fear he was being leashed to it? You bet.
Why on earth would a person not taking every available precaution to ensure themselves and their loved ones a safe return??? The logic presented is akin to saying: "Why should one wear a HSS vest? "I don't need none of that technology"

If I had the opportunity to hunt an area with no cell phone coverage, would I? Yes.
Would I bring my cell phone anyways? Absolutely. Besides you can still play games without cell service [;)]

And I'd still bring my walkie talkie, maybe even a sat phone too, depending on where I had to go.

[Sam Menard]

I never owned a cell phone until last week. In fact, the area where I deer hunt has no/poor cell coverage so it is not an important piece of equipment for me. Our group has been using handheld radios for some time however, but they are more a convenience than a necessity.

One's personal safety is very important and it's up to the individual to take whatever precautions are necessary to make sure that they get home at the end of the trip. At the very least, they should tell someone exactly where they going and when the are expected to come out.

Although I hunt in a group with 6 other guys, I found myself hunting an area by myself one afternoon. I had no cell phone and no one to talk to over the radio. Although I could of stayed in the tree and hunted 'til dark, just to be on the safe side, I chose to climb out with about a half hour of daylight to spare. As luck would have it, a big buck walked out as I was half-way down the tree. Some things are just not meant to be I guess!

Sam