Tools Needed: Tape Measure (ideally a cloth flexible measuring tape)

There is also another technique known as the “pencil” method.  For this you can use your pen or pencil, or anything of similar shape and size. In this method it is not important that the length of the stick above your hand on your outstretched arm is equal to the distance from your eye to that same point of the pencil where it is held in your hand. Simply hold out the pencil and move toward or away from the tree until the top of the pencil is lined up with the tree’s highest point and the bottom of the pencil lines up with the spot directly below that highest point. Then turn your hand so that the pencil is “laid down” on the ground, keeping the bottom at the same point. Visually mark the location where the top of the pencil now is found on the ground out away from the tree (It helps to have a second person for this purpose). Tree height should be equivalent to the distance from the pencil bottom spot to the new pencil top spot >as long as that point is at a right angle to you!

A clinometer is a relatively simple mechanical device for measuring height of trees in the field by taking sight measurements and applying trigonometry to measured angles and known distances to calculate height.

On the nomination form – at minimum the geographic township information and a map is required. For those that have access to a GPS unit it is important that you submit your information in the format provided for on the nomination form.

Here is a quick step by step process for those using their GPS to mark the location of their Great Tree.

The basis of the GPS technology is a set of 24 satellites that are continuously orbiting the earth. These satellites are equipped with atomic clocks and send out radio signals as to the exact time and their location. These radio signals from the satellites are picked up by the GPS receiver. Once the GPS receiver locks on to four or more of these satellites, it can triangulate its location from the known positions of the satellites. This is a very simple explanation, but unless you are a surveyor or engineer who needs to understand how to use GPS to locate within fractions of an inch, this is all you really need to know.
The functionability of a receiver is dependent on the ability to receive signals from the satellites. Certain locations such as under very thick foliage or down in the bottom of a slot canyon will preclude your receiver from getting a good signal from enough satellites to determine your location. With many of the newer receivers however, these problems are minimal. All receivers have warning messages when they are not getting sufficient signal to properly navigate.
Accuracy:
The accuracy of the receivers is dependent on the number and quality of the signals it is getting from the satellites and from a factor called Selected Availability.
Selected Availability is an intentional error that is introduced into the signals coming from the Satellites that create readings that can be off as much as 300 feet. Even so, the accuracy levels with Selected Availability turned on, is usually within 100 ft. or better.
Other factors effect accuracy such, quality of GPS signals from the satellites, and operator error. Operator error can include such things as inputting the wrong values for position coordinates and as using the wrong datum for the map being referenced.
Once the receiver is initialized and set-up, the most useful and immediate function is to save the current position as a waypoint.

Saving Current Position as a Waypoint – the location of your Great Tree:
To save the current position as a named or numbered waypoint you must access the function for your unit that does this. On many of the Garmin units, the “MARK” button is specifically for this purpose. Other units may access a menu first where “Create Waypoint” or some other related option is available. Usually, the current position coordinates are then displayed and can be edited if you choose to create a waypoint that is not the current location. If you are saving the current position, you then proceed with the menu choices to name and save the waypoint. With many units available, the waypoint will automatically be assigned a sequential number that can be changed to a name of your choosing. This is so a waypoint can be saved quickly and the name noted. You can go back later and rename it if you choose or you can rename it as you are saving it initially. The naming process is usually simple using the up and down arrows of your keypad to choose various letters and the left and right arrows being used to move to the different characters. This process will be adequately described in the user’s manual.
Ensure you name your waypoint – the location of your Great Tree – with a name you can remember. When you return from the field call up the waypoint you saved and record the following information in the prescribed format below. If you do not see the co-ordinates for your waypoint in this format – don’t worry – just go to settings and change to a longitude and latitude format for your unit – go back to the created waypoint and your units will be in the proper format.
GREAT TREEHUNT GPS LOCATION FORMAT