15 Best Hunting Watches 2023: GPS or ABC - Garmin, Suunto & More! (2024)

Are you looking for the perfect watch to help make your hunt even better? If yes then look no further. We have done extensive research and testing to bring you the best watches suited for hunting in 2023.

In this post, we have mentioned our top 10 picks that offer a wide variety of features. These features range from water resistance, night vision support, barometer sensors, and more.

With the help of these, you can both simplify and elevate your next adventure.

Now, without further ado, let’s get started.

What is a Hunting Watch?

A hunting watch embodies essential for any seasoned or novice outdoor enthusiast. It’s a combo of style and features tailored to the demanding requirements of hunters.

But, what sets this timepiece apart from the average wristwatch?

Hunting watches are packed with durable materials, built-in compasses, and other features. These features provide support in hunting and other outdoor pursuits.

15 Best Hunting Watches 2023 (Quick List)

Difference Between GPS, ABC, and Regular Watch – A Quick Overview

When it comes to choosing a watch for outdoor activities, there are a lot of options available in the market. GPS watches, ABC watches, and regular watches all have their own unique features.

Let’s compare the key differences between them so that you can understand which one is better.

GPS Hunting Watches

GPS hunting watches are the most expensive type of outdoor watch, but they come with many useful features. These watches use GPS and other navigation systems to track where you are and show you the best route to take. They can even leave virtual breadcrumbs to help you find your way back if you get lost.

In addition to navigation, GPS hunting watches can also measure things like your Sp02 levels, count your steps, and show you notifications from your phone.

These watches are perfect for people who want a watch that can do it all. They’re especially helpful for hikers, climbers, and adventurers who need to navigate tricky terrain and keep track of their progress.

ABC Watches

ABC watches are equipped with an altimeter, barometer, and digital compass. These features allow you to measure elevation, gauge atmospheric pressure changes, and navigate your way through the wilderness.

ABC watches also have longer battery life compared to GPS watches, making them ideal for those who need a watch that can last for months at a time.

Regular Watches

Regular watches are the most affordable of the three options, but they can still handle the rigors of outdoor activities. They are typically built to withstand shock, water, and extreme temperatures.

These watches are ideal for those who don’t need advanced navigation or fitness-tracking features and simply want a reliable watch to keep track of time.

Here’s an overview in tabular form:

What to Look for When Buying a Hunting Watch?

A hunting watch can be a valuable tool for any outdoor enthusiast, especially for hunters who need to keep track of time, monitor weather conditions, and navigate through unfamiliar terrain.

When it comes to buying a hunting watch, there are several features to consider.

Durability

One of the most important factors to consider when buying a hunting watch is its durability.

Look for a watch that is made from high-quality materials, such as stainless steel, titanium, or rugged plastic. It’s also important to choose a watch that is water-resistant or waterproof, as hunters may encounter wet or damp conditions.

Accuracy

Another important feature to consider is the watch’s accuracy. A hunting watch should have a reliable timekeeping mechanism, preferably a quartz movement or a high-end mechanical movement.

Look for a watch that has been certified by an official timekeeping organization.

Water Resistance

Hunters often encounter wet or damp conditions while in the field, so a good hunting watch should be water-resistant or waterproof.

Look for a watch that has a high water resistance rating, such as 100 meters or more. This will ensure that the watch can withstand rain, splashes, and even submersion in water.

Built-In Barometer

A barometer is a useful tool for hunters as it can measure changes in air pressure, which can signal changes in weather conditions.

A hunting watch with a built-in barometer can help hunters stay alert to potential weather changes and make informed decisions about their hunting strategy.

In this section, we have picked the top 15 hunting watches that you can purchase to embark on your journey in 2023. For outdoor enthusiasts, these durable watches provide a wide range of features.

Ranging from GPS tracking to waterproofing, our top picks have got you covered.

Let’s take a look at what we have here:

First of all, let’s take a look at the best GPS watches.

1. Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar – Best Overall

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The Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar is a high-quality hunting watch that comes with a range of features to make your outdoor adventures easier and more enjoyable. It has a 1.3-inch touchscreen display, Garmin Pay contactless payments, and Bluetooth connectivity to keep you connected and make payments on the go.

The watch comes with preloaded TopoActive maps, which allow you to navigate the outdoors with ease. This feature, along with GNSS support and built-in sensors for a 3-axis compass, gyroscope, and barometric altimeter, enables you to track your position accurately and always know where you are.

The Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar has over 30 built-in sports apps, making it an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts. With endurance and real-time stamina tracking, training status, and advanced performance metrics, you can track your progress and achieve your fitness goals.

This watch also has wrist-based heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and enhanced sleep tracking, which can help you monitor your wellness and achieve your fitness goals.

2. Garmin Epix Gen 2 – Best for outdoor enthusiasts

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The Garmin Epix Gen 2 features a 1.3″ always-on AMOLED display that ensures easy readability in all lighting conditions. The sleek and stylish black titanium finish adds an elegant touch to the design.

The watch comes with built-in sports apps, performance metrics, and adaptable training plans through Garmin Coach to support an athletic lifestyle. The multi-band GNSS technology provides accurate positioning even in challenging environments.

The watch has an impressive battery life of up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and up to 42 hours in GPS mode, so you don’t have to worry about frequent charging.

3. Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Edition – Best Hunting Watch for the Money

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The Garmin Instinct 2 is a rugged smartwatch specifically designed for outdoor adventurers. With its solar charging, it can provide unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode. This makes it ideal for extended outdoor activities.

The watch features dedicated tactical functions like Jumpmaster activity and preloaded tactical activity. You can also go dark with stealth mode to disable data sharing. For navigation, the watch includes a built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter. It also comes with many global navigation satellite systems to track your movements.

The watch also includes health monitoring features. Such as heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, Pulse Ox, respiration tracking, and more. Also, it comes with built-in sports apps to track activities like running, biking, swimming, strength training, and more. It also includes VO2 Max and other training features.

In GPS mode, the battery life can last up to 48 hours with continuous solar charging in direct sunlight (50,000 lux).

The next category consists of the best ABC watches for hunting.

4. Coros Vertix 2 – Best for Advanced Athletes

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The Coros Vertix 2 is a premium watch that is designed for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. It’s for you if you demand high accuracy and reliability in your navigation.

One of the key features of the Vertix 2 is its advanced GPS technology. It communicates with all five major satellite systems simultaneously. In this way, it delivers highly accurate tracking in even the most challenging environments. Even in deep forests, tall buildings, or rocky terrain.

The Vertix 2 also features a redesigned user interface that is displayed on a larger 1.4-inch screen.

It is made of premium materials such as a sapphire glass screen and titanium bezel. The glass screen has a Diamond Like Coating and the bezel is 3x more scratch resistant than the VERTIX.

5. Garmin Tactix Delta Solar with Ballistics – Best for Military Use

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The Garmin Tactix Delta is a smartwatch designed for tactical and outdoor use. It comes with a 1.4-inch display and a black DLC-coated bezel with a nylon band.

The watch comes with a solar charging lens that extends the battery life. It also has custom power manager modes that enable weeks-long battery life.

The watch is designed for long-range shooting. It also comes equipped with Applied Ballistics Elite software that calculates aiming solutions. It also has specialized tactical features, including Jumpmaster mode, waypoint, and kill switch.

The watch also supports Bluetooth connectivity. Plus it has a battery life of up to 21 days in smartwatch mode or up to 15 hours in GPS mode.

6. Casio Pro Trek PRG-270 – Best Budget Option

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The Casio Pro Trek PRG-270 is a rugged and durable watch designed for outdoor enthusiasts. It features Tough Solar Power, which allows it to be powered by sunlight. It is also water-resistant up to 100 meters. It can withstand low temperatures down to -10 C / 14 F, making it suitable for use in harsh environments.

The watch is equipped with several useful features such as a barometer that displays a range of 260 to 1,100 hPa. It also has a thermometer that can measure temperatures from -10 to 60 C (14 to 140 F).

The digital compass measures and displays direction as one of 16 points. It also has a bearing memory and a magnetic declination correction function.

The altimeter has a measuring range of -700 to 10,000 m (-2,300 to 32,800 ft). The altimeter can store up to 30 manual memory measurements, such as altitude, date, and time.

7. Casio GD100-1BCR G-Shock – Best for Rugged Outdoor Use

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If you want a sporty watch that can withstand tough conditions, the GD100-1BCR G-Shock is for you.

This timepiece comes in an all-black design that exudes a sleek, edgy vibe.

One of the standout features of the Casio GD100-1BCR G-Shock is its World time function. This allows you to easily keep track of time in multiple time zones.

The multi-home time feature lets you switch between home time and world time easily. And if you need a visual alert, the flash alert function flashes the backlight along with an alarm.

With its 51.2 mm resin case and mineral dial window, this watch is built to last. The quartz movement with a digital display ensures precise timekeeping. While the molded resin band with buckle closure keeps the watch securely on your wrist.

Let’s take a look at the best regular watches for hunting.

8. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar – Best for Multisport Athletes

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The Garmin Fenix 6 is a GPS watch that’s packed with features for fitness enthusiasts.

With a 1.3-inch screen, the watch offers a clear and easy-to-read display. It comes in a sleek black with a slate band color combination.

One of the most impressive features of the Fenix 6 Pro Solar is its solar-charged battery. This can give you a battery boost from the sunlight and extend the battery life up to an impressive 336 hours.

This means you can spend more time focusing on your workouts and outdoor activities. Instead of spending time worrying about charging your watch.

The watch comes equipped with a range of performance metrics and advanced features. Such as:

• Hydration Tracking
• Recovery Time
• Daily Workout Suggestions
• Power Manager
• Pulse Ox Sensor

9. SUUNTO Core, Outdoor Sports Watch – Best for Outdoor Enthusiasts

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The SUUNTO Core Alpha is a watch designed for people who love the outdoors. Plus, for someone who needs a watch that can keep up with their adventures. It has many great features that make it a reliable companion when you’re out exploring the wild.

The SUUNTO Core Alpha combines an altimeter, barometer, and compass with weather information. In this way, you always know where you are and what the conditions are like. This information helps you stay safe and confident while you’re out in the wild.

Whether you’re hunting, or working out, the SUUNTO Core Alpha is the perfect watch to keep you on track. It’s made in Finland using ultra-durable materials. And it features both metric and imperial units.

10. SUUNTO Traverse Alpha – Best for Hunting and Fishing

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If you’re a hunter or hiker, the SUUNTO Traverse Alpha GPS Watch is the perfect tool to enhance your outdoor experience. This watch is designed with hunters and hikers in mind and comes with specialized features such as a barometer, compass, and GPS tracking capabilities.

The 1.5-inch screen is easy to read, and the watch’s rugged design is built to withstand harsh outdoor environments. With its North American map type, you can easily navigate through unfamiliar terrain, and its Android/iOS operating system allows for seamless integration with your smartphone.

The Traverse Alpha is also equipped with buttons for easy human interface input and can be controlled via the SUUNTO app.

11. Garmin Fenix 6X Pro – Best Hunting Watch for Outdoor Sports

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The Garmin Fenix 6X Pro is the ultimate multisport GPS watch for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. This watch boasts a large 1.4-inch display, 36% larger than previous models, and is solar-powered, providing extended battery life for off-grid activities.

With its advanced features, this watch supports advanced sleep monitoring and altitude acclimation at high elevations, making it a versatile tool for all your adventures.

The Fenix 6X Pro is equipped with advanced training features, including PacePro for grade-adjusted pace guidance, environmentally adjusted VO2 max, and training status estimates.

These are the best-rugged watches for hunting.

12. Garmin Instinct Rugged Outdoor Watch – Best Value Hunting Watch

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If you love activities like hiking or rock climbing, you might want to check out the Garmin Outdoor Watch. It’s made to work in harsh environments.

It is also constructed to U.S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock, and water resistance. This means it is rated to withstand water pressure up to 100 meters.

The watch also comes with heart rate monitoring, activity and stress tracking, and preloaded activity profiles. The strap is made of silicone, which is comfortable to wear and durable.

One of the best features of the Garmin Instinct is its long battery life. You can use the watch for up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, and up to 40 hours in Ultratrac battery-saver mode. This means you don’t have to worry about the watch dying while you are out in the wilderness.

13. SUUNTO Core, Outdoor Sports Watch – Best Rugged Watch for Hiking and Camping

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If you’re an outdoor enthusiast looking for a reliable and durable sports watch, then the Suunto Core is definitely worth considering. This classic timepiece is designed to help you stay informed of the conditions around you while hiking, biking, or camping.

One of the standout features of the Suunto Core is its intelligent storm alarm, which alerts you to sudden drops in air pressure that could signal an approaching storm. It also includes an altimeter, barometer, and compass to keep you informed of your elevation, the current weather conditions, and your direction of travel.

And with over 80 years of high-quality heritage craftsmanship and pioneering innovation behind them, you can trust that a Suunto watch will deliver the accuracy and reliability you need, no matter where your adventures take you.

14. North Edge Apache Tactical Sports Watches for Men – Best Budget Outdoor Watch for Men

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The North Edge Apache Tactical Sports Watch is a highly functional timepiece designed for outdoor enthusiasts and tactical training. This watch can withstand rugged use with a dial window made of tempered glass and a durable stainless steel case.

Its nylon band with a push button deployment clasp ensures a secure fit and comfortable wear during any activity.

Weighing at 117g/0.258lbs, the North Edge Apache Tactical Sports Watch has a large watch face with large numbers, which can make it feel a bit heavy, but its great technology, beautiful designer, and nice size make it a great-looking watch with great features. The package includes a watch, a manual, and a black square gift box.

15. Garmin Descent Mk2i/Descent T1 – Best for Diving Enthusiasts

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The Garmin Descent Mk2i/Descent T1 is an advanced, watch-style dive computer with a 1.4” color sunlight-readable display. It comes in a titanium carbon gray DLC with a black band and is designed to be elegant yet rugged. The watch has six dive modes, multi-GNSS support, and ABC sensors including an underwater compass. However, it is important to note that GPS tracking does not work underwater.

The Descent Mk2i/Descent T1 can be paired with the Descent T1 transmitter for integrated pressure monitoring on up to 5 tanks via the SubWave sonar data network. This allows you to see remaining air time, air consumption rate, and more for yourself and other divers within a range of 10 meters.

How Do I Use My Garmin Watch for Hunting?

With just a few simple steps, you can use your watch to enhance your hunting experience.

To get started, navigate to the GPS function on your watch face and select “Hunt.” From there, you can access a range of features that will help you navigate and keep track of your hunt.

One useful feature is the ability to save your current location. This can be especially helpful if you come across a promising hunting spot. To save your location, simply select “Save Location” from the Hunt menu.

With these simple steps, you can make the most of your Garmin watch on your next hunting trip.

Can I Use My Phone as a Hunting GPS?

The answer is yes. With the right app, your phone can be a powerful tool for navigation and tracking while you’re out in the field.

Some popular options include onX Hunt app, Gaia GPS App, and Geo-Pal Hunt.

One popular option is the onX Hunt app. It offers a range of features specifically designed for hunters.

With these apps, you can view detailed maps of your hunting area, mark points of interest, track your movements in real-time, access detailed topographic maps, navigate GPS, and a lot of other things as well.

How Accurate are Altimeter Watches?

Altimeter watches are designed to measure altitude, allowing you to track your progress. But just how accurate are these watches?

When it comes to measuring altitude, altimeter watches use a barometric altimeter.

With proper calibration, an ABC watch can provide altitude readings with an accuracy of +/- 50 feet. This means that if your watch displays an altitude of 10,000 feet, you can be confident that your actual altitude falls within a range of 9,950 to 10,050 feet.

Conclusion:

So, this was all about the best hunting watches to buy in 2023.

With some research, you can find the right tool to meet your needs. Whether you’re out hunting or simply enjoying a scenic hike, these devices can help keep you safe and on track.

We hope that you enjoyed reading this post. And by the end of it, you have already chosen your watch. Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions or queries.