How to Use WOW Outdoor App

Creating Your Account

1. 1 Open the app and tap Create Account on the welcome screen.
2. 2 Enter a username — this is your public display name. Choose it carefully as it cannot be easily changed.
3. 3 Enter your email address and a password (minimum 8 characters).
4. 4 Select your home state — this determines which species and regulations appear in your Species Guide.
5. 5 Tap Register. Your account is created on your device immediately. If you have internet, it syncs to the cloud automatically.

Logging In

1. 1 Enter your username or email and password, then tap Login.
2. 2 After your first login, the app will offer to set up a 4-digit PIN for faster future access. Tap Set Up PIN to enable it.
3. 3 On future launches, just enter your PIN — no need to type your full password.

Forgot Your Password?

1. 1 On the login screen, tap Forgot Password.
2. 2 Enter your registered email address and tap Send Reset Link.
3. 3 Check your email for a reset link and follow the instructions to create a new password.

Viewing Your Activity on the Map

1. 1 Tap the Map tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. 2 All your crab pots, fish catches, wildlife sightings, and hunting harvests appear as color-coded pins on the map.
3. 3 Tap any pin to view the full details for that record.
4. 4 Pinch to zoom in and out. Drag to pan around the map.

Adding a Record Directly from the Map

1. 1 Tap the + button on the map screen.
2. 2 Choose the type of record: Pot, Fish Catch, Wildlife Sighting, or Hunting Harvest.
3. 3 Your current GPS location is used automatically. Drag the pin to adjust if needed.
4. 4 Fill in the details and tap Save.

Adding a New Pot

1. 1 Tap the Shellfish tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. 2 Tap + Add Pot.
3. 3 The app captures your current GPS location automatically.
4. 4 Enter a pot name or number (e.g., "Pot 1" or "North Buoy").
5. 5 Select the pot type (crab, shrimp, etc.) and bait type.
6. 6 Add any notes such as depth or nearby landmarks.
7. 7 Tap Save Pot. The pot appears on your map and soak timer begins immediately.

Managing Your Pots

1. 1 Tap the Shellfish tab to see your full pots list.
2. 2 Each pot shows its soak time — how long it has been in the water since it was last dropped.
3. 3 Tap a pot to open its detail view.
4. 4 Tap Pull Pot to log a haul — enter the catch count and total weight.
5. 5 Tap Re-drop after re-baiting to reset the soak timer.
6. 6 Tap Retire Pot to mark it as inactive and stop the soak timer.

Dock Pots

1. 1 On the Shellfish screen tap Dock Pots to switch to dock mode.
2. 2 Dock pots work the same as boat pots but are pinned to a fixed dock location instead of a GPS coordinate at sea.
3. 3 Tap Dock Pots Map to see all dock pot locations on the map.

Logging a Catch

1. 1 Tap the Fishing tab.
2. 2 Tap + Add Catch.
3. 3 Enter the species, length, weight, and whether it was kept or released.
4. 4 Tap the camera icon to add a photo from your camera or photo library.
5. 5 Your GPS location is captured automatically. Tap the location to adjust it manually if needed.
6. 6 Add any notes, then tap Save.

Editing a Catch

1. 1 Find the catch card on the Fishing tab.
2. 2 Tap the pencil (edit) icon on the card.
3. 3 Update any details and tap Save Changes.

Note: Once a catch has been shared to the WOW network as a hotspot, it is locked and cannot be edited. A lock icon will appear instead.

Viewing Your Catch History

1. 1 The Fishing tab shows your full catch log sorted by most recent.
2. 2 Tap any catch to see full details including the photo, GPS location, and your notes.
3. 3 Tap Fish Map to see all your catch locations displayed on a map.

Logging a Harvest

1. 1 Tap the Hunting tab.
2. 2 Tap + Add Harvest.
3. 3 Select the game type (deer, elk, waterfowl, upland birds, etc.).
4. 4 Enter the date, time, estimated weight, and any notes.
5. 5 Add a photo if desired.
6. 6 Your GPS location is captured automatically.
7. 7 Tap Save.

Editing a Harvest

1. 1 Find the harvest card on the Hunting tab.
2. 2 Tap the pencil (edit) icon on the card.
3. 3 Update any fields and tap Save Changes.

Note: Once a harvest has been shared to the WOW network as a hotspot, it is locked and cannot be edited. A lock icon will appear in place of the edit button.

Hunting Map

1. 1 Tap Hunting Map from the Hunting tab.
2. 2 All your harvest locations appear as map markers.
3. 3 Tap any marker to see the full harvest details.

Logging a Wildlife Sighting

1. 1 Tap the Wildlife tab.
2. 2 Tap + Add Sighting.
3. 3 Enter the species, count, and any behavior notes.
4. 4 Add a photo if available.
5. 5 GPS location is captured automatically. Tap Save.

Editing a Wildlife Sighting

1. 1 Find the sighting card on the Wildlife tab.
2. 2 Tap the pencil (edit) icon on the card.
3. 3 Update any details and tap Save Changes.

Note: Sightings shared to the WOW network as a hotspot are locked and cannot be edited. A lock icon will appear instead.

AI Bird Identification (Bird Tracker)

1. 1 From the Wildlife tab tap Bird Tracker.
2. 2 Tap Identify Bird to take a new photo or choose one from your library.
3. 3 Google Gemini AI identifies the bird species and provides details about it.
4. 4 Tap Log This Sighting to save the sighting with GPS coordinates and the identified species already filled in.
5. 5 View all your bird sightings on the Bird Map.

Starting a New Trip

1. 1 Tap the Track tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. 2 Tap Start New Trip.
3. 3 Choose your activity type: Hiking, Sailing, Fishing Trip, or Hunting Trip.
4. 4 Give your trip a name (optional), then tap Start.
5. 5 The app begins recording your GPS route.

During an Active Trip

1. 1 The active trip screen shows your live map route, distance traveled, elapsed time, and current speed.
2. 2 Tap + Add Record at any time to log a catch, sighting, or harvest mid-trip without stopping your recording.
3. 3 Tap Pause to temporarily stop recording (useful for breaks). Tap Resume to continue.
4. 4 Tap End Trip when you are finished. Your complete route is saved.

Trip History

1. 1 From the Track tab tap Trip History.
2. 2 All past trips are listed with date, total distance, and duration.
3. 3 Tap any trip to view the full GPS route on a map plus all catches, sightings, or harvests logged during that trip.

Browsing Community Hotspots

1. 1 Tap the Community tab, then tap Hotspots.
2. 2 See GPS-pinned spots shared by other WOW users — fishing holes, crabbing grounds, wildlife areas, and more.
3. 3 Tap any hotspot to see the full details, photos, and comments left by other users.
4. 4 Tap Hotspot Map to view all nearby hotspots on an interactive map.

Sharing a Hotspot

1. 1 From the Hotspots screen tap Drop a Hotspot.
2. 2 Choose the location on the map (or use your current GPS position).
3. 3 Add a title, description, and an optional photo.
4. 4 Tap Post. Your hotspot is shared with the WOW community.
5. 5 Every approved hotspot post earns you community points — enough points earns you Lifetime VIP status.

Community Leaderboard

1. 1 From the Community tab tap Leaderboard.
2. 2 See the top users ranked by hotspot posts and Lifetime VIP points.
3. 3 Your own rank and points are displayed at the top of the list.

Contest Events

1. 1 From the Community tab tap Events.
2. 2 See all active contests — screenshot contests, catch contests, and community challenges.
3. 3 Tap any event to see entry instructions, prizes, and current standings.
4. 4 Tap Event Location to see the map pin for any physical meetup associated with the event.

Adding Friends

1. 1 Tap Profile → Friends.
2. 2 Tap Find Friends and search by username.
3. 3 Tap Add Friend next to any user to send them a friend request.
4. 4 To accept incoming requests, tap the Requests tab and tap Accept.

Creating & Joining Groups

1. 1 Tap Profile → Groups.
2. 2 Tap Create Group, give it a name, and add members from your friends list.
3. 3 The group creator is the Captain — they can add or remove members and manage shared data.
4. 4 Group members can see each other's shared trips and catches based on individual sharing preferences.

Messaging

1. 1 Tap Profile → Messages.
2. 2 Tap New Message to start a conversation with a friend.
3. 3 Group conversations are available for any group you belong to.
4. 4 Tap any conversation to open the chat and send messages.

Trip Invitations

1. 1 Tap Profile → Trip Invitations to see pending invites from friends.
2. 2 Tap Accept to join the trip — you will see the shared route and all catches logged during that trip.
3. 3 Tap Decline to ignore the invitation.

Sharing Preferences

1. 1 Tap Profile → Sharing Preferences.
2. 2 Control what data is visible to others: trips, catches, pot locations, and wildlife sightings.
3. 3 Set each category to Public, Friends Only, or Private.

Editing Your Profile

1. 1 Tap the Profile tab.
2. 2 Tap your profile photo to upload a new one from your camera or photo library.
3. 3 Tap Edit Profile to update your display name, bio, and home state.
4. 4 Tap Save to apply changes.

Adding Your Fishing & Hunting Licenses

1. 1 On the Profile screen scroll down to My Licenses.
2. 2 Tap + Add License and select your state.
3. 3 Enter your license number, type, and expiration date.
4. 4 Your license is saved locally for quick reference. You can add licenses for multiple states.

Species Guide

1. 1 The Species Guide is accessible from the Profile screen.
2. 2 It shows fish, wildlife, and game species relevant to your home state.
3. 3 Each entry includes identification tips, legal size limits, season dates, and bag limits.
4. 4 Tap any species for the full detail view with photos and regulation notes.
5. 5 Update your home state in your profile settings to switch which state's regulations appear.

Your Statistics

1. 1 Tap Profile → Statistics.
2. 2 See lifetime totals: fish caught, pots pulled, miles tracked, wildlife sightings, and harvests.
3. 3 View breakdowns by species, month, and activity type.

Account Settings

1. 1 Tap Profile → Account Settings.
2. 2 Change your email, password, or PIN at any time.
3. 3 Toggle biometric login (Face ID or fingerprint) on or off.

How to Subscribe

1. 1 Tap Profile → Upgrade (or tap the subscription banner if one appears).
2. 2 Choose your tier: Cloud or VIP.
3. 3 Select your billing period: monthly, 6-month, or annual (annual saves the most).
4. 4 Tap Subscribe Now and confirm the purchase through Apple or Google.
5. 5 Your subscription activates immediately.

Restoring a Previous Purchase

1. 1 Tap Profile → Upgrade.
2. 2 Scroll to the bottom and tap Restore Purchases.
3. 3 Your previous subscription will be restored automatically.

Earning VIP for Free

1. 1 Monthly Earned VIP: Log entries daily (up to 5 per day count) and earn bonus points for new states discovered. Reach 100 points in a calendar month and earn VIP access for the next full month — free. Up to 6 free months per year, and this can be earned a total of 5 years over your lifetime. All points reset on the 1st of each month.
2. 2 Annual Earned VIP (1 Free Year): Requires an active Cloud membership. Log 1,000 total entries within any rolling 365-day window (for example, April 1 one year through March 31 the next), including at least 150 wildlife sightings and 600 public Network Hotspot posts. Admin reviews and grants 1 full year of VIP — those 365 days run from the grant date. During your Annual VIP year, monthly VIP points do not accumulate — only your Lifetime VIP progress continues building. Earnable up to 5 times over your lifetime.
3. 3 GPS State Bonus: Each time you log from a state you have never logged from before, you earn +10 bonus points — once per state per account lifetime. Those same 10 points count toward your monthly, annual, and lifetime VIP goals. They are never counted more than once per award.
4. 4 Lifetime VIP (Earned Only): The ultimate achievement — 10,000 total entries, 2,000 wildlife sightings, and 8,000 Network Hotspot posts. Pot events are capped at 6,000. Admin reviews and must verify at least 70% of your entries before granting Lifetime VIP. Lifetime VIP is never purchasable — it is earned through sustained long-term activity or by admin discretion.

1 — Monthly Earned VIP (Earn Next Month Free)

1. 1 Log any entry (fish catch, pot, wildlife, bird, hunting) to earn 1 point per entry. A maximum of 5 entries per day count toward your monthly total — entries beyond 5 in a day are logged to your records but do not add points.
2. 2 Earn +10 GPS State Bonus points when you log from a state you have never logged from before. This happens automatically in the background using your GPS coordinates. See rule 4 below for full state bonus details.
3. 3 All monthly points reset to zero on the 1st of every month. Your logged entries, catches, pots, and sightings are kept forever — only the monthly point counter resets.
4. 4 Reach 100 points in a calendar month to earn VIP access for the next full calendar month at no charge. Contact wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com once your profile shows the threshold met to claim it.
5. 5 You can earn free VIP months a maximum of 6 months per calendar year this way. This limit resets every January.
6. 6 Over your account lifetime you can earn a total of 5 VIP years via the monthly earn system. After 5 years, renew with a paid subscription.
7. 7 Monthly VIP cannot be earned while you are on an Annual Earned VIP year. If admin has granted you a VIP year (the 365-day award), your monthly point system is paused for the duration of that award. Your Lifetime VIP progress still counts every entry during that time — only the monthly earn path is paused.

2 — Annual Earned VIP (1 Free Year, Up to 5 Times)

1. 1 You must hold an active Cloud membership at the time you apply. Free accounts are not eligible for the Annual Earned VIP award.
2. 2 Log at least 1,000 total entries within any rolling 365-day window — the window does not have to follow the calendar year. For example, entries logged from April 1 through March 31 of the following year count. GPS State Bonus points count toward this total.
3. 3 At least 150 of those entries must be wildlife sightings (wildlife sightings and bird sightings combined).
4. 4 At least 600 entries must be public Network Hotspot posts.
5. 5 When all goals are met, email wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com to apply. Include a screenshot of your profile showing progress bars complete. Admin reviews and approves your application.
6. 6 Reward: 365 days of VIP access starting from the admin grant date.
7. 7 During your 365-day VIP year, monthly VIP points do not accumulate. You cannot earn a free monthly VIP month during an Annual Earned VIP period. Your Lifetime VIP progress continues — every entry still builds toward the Lifetime goal throughout the year.
8. 8 When your VIP year ends, the 365-day earning window resets and you can immediately begin working toward your next Annual Earned VIP year.
9. 9 This can be earned up to 5 times over your account lifetime. After all 5 years are used, renew with a paid subscription or continue earning monthly VIP.

3 — GPS State Bonus (+10 Points, Once Per State Per Lifetime)

1. 1 When you log any entry and the GPS coordinates place you in a US state you have never logged from before, you automatically earn +10 bonus points.
2. 2 This happens silently in the background — no action required. It requires a data connection to reverse-geocode the location. If you are offline, the bonus is simply skipped for that entry and is not retroactive.
3. 3 Each state can only award points once per account lifetime. Logging from Washington 100 times in 10 years still only earns the bonus once.
4. 4 The same 10 points count toward all three VIP earn goals — monthly, annual, and lifetime. They are never counted more than once per award tier. Maximum possible state bonus: 500 points (all 50 states × 10).
5. 5 States are detected by GPS coordinates only — you must physically be in the state when logging. Licenses are not used for this bonus.

4 — Lifetime VIP (The Ultimate Achievement)

1. 1 Log at least 10,000 total entries across all activity types. GPS State Bonus points count toward this total.
2. 2 At least 2,000 of those must be wildlife sightings (wildlife and bird sightings combined).
3. 3 At least 8,000 must be public Network Hotspot posts.
4. 4 Pot events are capped at 6,000 in the total count — each drop/pickup cycle counts as one event. Pot events beyond 6,000 still appear in your records but do not count toward the Lifetime VIP total.
5. 5 Admin reviews your account and must verify at least 70% of your entries as legitimate before granting Lifetime status.
6. 6 Lifetime VIP is never purchasable — it is earned through sustained long-term activity and admin approval only. Contact wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com to request your review.