Step-By-Step Guide: How to E-Scout With GOHUNT vs. OnX

Step-By-Step Guide: How to E-Scout With GOHUNT vs. OnX

E-scouting has completely changed the way hunters prepare for western hunts. Whether you're planning an over-the-counter elk hunt in Colorado or mapping out access for a spring turkey trip, digital tools give you a massive advantage before you ever leave home. Two of the most popular platforms—GOHUNT and OnX Hunt—offer powerful mapping features, but each shines in different areas.

This step-by-step guide breaks down how to e-scout with both apps, where each tool is strongest, and how to combine them for the ultimate pre-season strategy.

Why E-Scouting Matters

Before diving into the platforms, it’s important to understand why e-scouting is non-negotiable today:

• Saves time and gas money

• Helps you understand terrain, vegetation, and access

• Identifies bedding, feeding, and travel corridors

• Allows you to build multiple game plans before stepping foot in the unit

• Reduces pressure mistakes by knowing how hunters typically approach an area

Whether you’re chasing elk in September or turkeys in April, this process gives you a huge head start.

GOHUNT vs. OnX: Quick Overview

GOHUNT Strengths

• Best for terrain and habitat analysis

• Slope angle shading (incredible for elk country)

• 3D mapping with extreme detail

• Layers focused on western hunt planning

• Desktop platform is extremely fast

OnX Hunt Strengths

• Best for property boundaries and access

• Easiest for pin management and exporting data

• Excellent mobile interface

• Ideal for private land research

• More useful for whitetail, turkey, and mixed terrain hunts

Step-By-Step: How to E-Scout With GOHUNT

Step 1 — Identify Elevation Bands

Use GOHUNT’s elevation layer to find the elevation range elk commonly use during the time you’re hunting:

• Early September: 8,500–10,000 ft

• Peak Rut: 8,000–9,500 ft

• Late Season: 7,000–8,500 ft

Highlight these bands to instantly narrow down the entire unit.

Step 2 — Use Slope Angle Shading

GOHUNT’s slope shading is the most powerful tool in e-scouting western terrain.
You can quickly identify:

• Steep bedding slopes (25–40 degrees)

• Gentle feeding hillsides

• Travel-friendly saddles

• Escape routes

Elk LOVE benches on slopes—GOHUNT helps you pick them out instantly.

Step 3 — Scan for North-Facing Timber

Use the aspect layer to identify north and northeast slopes, which hold cooler timber and bedding cover throughout the season. Mark clusters of high-quality timber patches.

Step 4 — Identify Water Sources

Toggle water features to find:

• Springs

• Wallows

• Small creeks

• Beaver ponds

• Hidden drainages

GOHUNT’s high-resolution imagery often reveals water that OnX does not show clearly.

Step 5 — Mark Glassing Points and Vantage Ridges

Switch to 3D mode to identify:

• Peaks

• Ridges

• Knobs

• Opposing slopes

Any high point with visibility into feeding or travel zones should get a way-point.

Step 6 — Build Access Routes

Use terrain and slope shading to plan:

• Main access trails

• Backdoor routes

• Dead-end roads other hunters ignore

• Steep-but-short climbs that reduce pressure

This is where GOHUNT excels for DIY elk and mule deer hunters.

Step-By-Step: How to E-Scout With OnX Hunt

Step 1 — Identify Property Boundaries & Public Access

OnX has the most accurate boundary data, which is crucial for:

• State and federal lands

• Private parcels

• Landowner names

• Walk-in access

• BLM/Forest boundaries

If you're hunting near private, this is non-negotiable.

Step 2 — Locate Trailheads, Road Systems & Barriers

Use the road & trail layers to highlight:

• Closed gates

• Seasonal roads

• ATV restrictions

• Trail access

This helps you understand hunt pressure and plan low-pressure access.

Step 3 — Use the Hybrid Basemap for Vegetation Clarity

Hybrid mode gives you:

• Satellite detail

• Topo lines

• Road labels

• Drainage details

Use it to identify travel corridors like saddles, finger ridges, and benches.

Step 4 — Mark Sign, Campsites, and Waypoints

OnX’s mobile experience is unmatched for:

• Color-coding pins

• Building layered routes

• Adding notes

• Organizing multiple hunt plans

• Sharing with partners

OnX is the app you’ll use more while you’re actually hunting.

Step 5 — Track Distance and Vertical Gain

Use the Line Tool to measure:

• Pack-out distance

• Steepness of climbs

• Distance between bedding and feeding areas

• Travel between glassing points

This helps you understand the “cost” of each route.

Step 6 — Download Offline Maps

OnX’s offline mode is extremely reliable.
Download:

• Your entire unit

• Adjacent units

• Backup routes

Phones die, signals fail—offline is essential.

Where GOHUNT Wins

• Western big-game focus

• Best terrain analysis

• Fastest 3D rendering

• Slope, aspect, and habitat layers

• Perfect for early-stage planning

Where OnX Wins

• Best for navigation in the field

• Most accurate boundaries

• Best waypoint tools

• Better for whitetail and turkey hunters

• Dominates for access research

How to Combine GOHUNT + OnX (Pro Strategy)

Use GOHUNT for:

• Evaluating an entire unit

• Finding habitat zones

• Analyzing terrain

• Narrowing down “hunt areas”

Then move to OnX for:

• Marking exact entry routes

• Determining pressure points

• Mapping pack-outs

• Navigating during the hunt

This combination gives you the best of both worlds—big-picture analysis PLUS on-the-ground efficiency.

Final Thoughts

GOHUNT and OnX aren’t competitors—you should use them together. GOHUNT finds the elk. OnX gets you to them safely and legally.

Mastering these step-by-step e-scouting processes helps you show up confident, prepared, and ready to make quick, smart decisions. Before any big trip west, spend the time to build multiple hunt plans on both platforms. It pays off the minute your boots hit the mountain.