Using offline hunting maps in the woods

By Devan Metz · October 24, 2026

Offline preparation has two parts: saving your map data and making sure the background map you need is actually on the device. Free Hunting Map keeps your pins and tracks locally and caches map tiles as you view them. It does not offer a bulk download of a selected region.

Prepare while connected

1. Open the app on the device and browser you will carry. Allow the first load to finish. Installing it as a home-screen app can make it easier to reopen.
2. Choose your basemap and enable the layers you need. Pan across the approach, hunting area and alternate exits at several useful zoom levels. Wait for tiles to draw at each level.
3. Save parking, waypoints and a planned track. Export important pins and tracks from Share as GPX or GeoJSON.
4. Switch to airplane mode, reopen the app and revisit the same area and zoom levels. Blank areas mean those tiles are missing; reconnect and load them before leaving.

Know what the cache can and cannot do

A viewed tile is not the same as every detail for an entire region. Switching basemaps or zoom levels can request different tiles. Caches have entry limits and expiration; the browser may remove storage when space is low, and clearing site data removes local maps and saved data.

Viewed Wisconsin deer-unit imagery is cached, but tap identification needs a connection. Viewed public-trail tiles and other cacheable layer imagery can also be reused offline. Fresh weather and new lidar analysis require a connection. Previously cached weather can be stale; saved lidar candidates remain local. Optional sync does not copy map tiles to a second device. Prepare and test each device separately.

GPS can work without cellular data

A phone's satellite positioning receiver can work without cell coverage, but the app still needs location permission and a usable satellite fix. Dense cover, steep terrain and device settings can reduce reliability. Map imagery must already be cached. Test location access on your own phone before relying on it.

Protect the battery and recording

Lower screen brightness, keep a charged power bank and cable, and protect the phone from cold and water. Searching for cell service can use battery; the National Park Service's hiking guidance includes battery and trip-preparation advice.

Keep Free Hunting Map visible when recording a GPS track. A mobile browser or operating system may suspend location updates when the screen locks or the app moves to the background. Check that points are being recorded, and stop recording when you finish.

Carry an independent backup

Bring a paper map and compass and know how to use them. Leave your plan and return time with someone. A cached web map is useful, but it cannot replace a working navigation plan if a device is lost or its battery fails.

See file backups and imports and the installation FAQ.