Mapping accurate field boundaries is essential for maximizing the benefits of precision agriculture. With the right John Deere technology and a Gator Utility Vehicle, you can efficiently create, adjust, and manage your field boundaries—opening the door to features like Section Control, AutoPath, easier equipment setup, and year-over-year repeatability.
Why Use a Gator for Boundary Mapping?
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Nimble and Fast: Gators move quickly and can access fields when larger equipment can't.
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Lightweight and Gentle: Ideal for wet conditions or sensitive soil where compaction is a concern.
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Integrated Precision Ag Tech: Modern Gators can run the same receivers and displays used in tractors.
What You Need to Get Started
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Full-Size John Deere Gator® (XUV 845, XUV 875, XUV835, XUV865, or similar)
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StarFire™ GPS Receiver (SF3 or RTK recommended for repeatability)
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GreenStar™ or G5/Gen4 Display
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Display & Receiver Integration Kit (For mounting display and receiver on your Gator—available from John Deere).
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JDLink™ Modem (for automatic data transfer to John Deere Operations Center, optional).
See the Display & Receiver Kit on John Deere Shop
Step-by-Step Guide: Mapping Field Boundaries
1. Install Your Technology
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Mount the StarFire receiver and your GreenStar/Gen4/G5 display to the Gator using the recommended integration kit.
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Connect everything to the vehicle's power supply and, if needed, the JDLink modem for wireless data transfer.
Need help? Contact us for installation.
2. Calibrate and Set Up Your Equipment
Enter Accurate Machine Measurements
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In your display, navigate to the Equipment Setup section.
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Select your Gator as the vehicle.
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Measure and enter:
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Inline Offset: Distance from rear axle to the StarFire globe (e.g., 26in. ahead of the axle).
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GPS Height: Ground to the center of the receiver (e.g., 82in.).
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Lateral Offset: If your globe is offset from the center, calculate based on working width (e.g., 30ft implement, globe is 30in. from the edge: half of 30ft is 180in.; 180in.–30in. = 150in. lateral offset).
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Set Connection/Implement Details
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If mapping with a bar or marker on a front 3-point hitch, measure the distance from the back axle to the recording bar (e.g., 106in.).
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Set all additional implement/connection offsets to zero if mapping from the very front of the Gator.
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Enter your mapping implement width (typically the width you want recorded as the “working width”—e.g., 30ft).
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Tell the system it’s mounted on the front 3-point hitch.
3. Start Your Boundary Mapping Session
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With home pages and shortcuts set up in the display, select the relevant client, farm, and field.
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Add a shortcut for Boundaries to quickly access mapping tools.
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Ensure your system and TCM (Terrain Compensation Module) are calibrated—this improves GPS accuracy.
4. Record the Field Boundary
Driving the Perimeter
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Place the left tire of your Gator on the field boundary (if offset left) so you drive exactly along the edge.
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Begin a Driven Boundary: Select “Add a Boundary” → “Driven B Boundary.”
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Assign an optional name for future reference.
Using the Record and Pause Feature
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The system will “paint” a boundary line based on your GPS and implement offsets.
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Record straight sections, then use Pause while you drive corners or around obstacles (washouts, poles, etc.)
Handling Field Features
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For curves, drive along the edge and leave recording active—the system will follow your path.
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For inside features (e.g., waterways, terraces), you can add “interior boundaries” later using the same workflow.
5. Completing and Saving Your Boundary
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Once the field is fully mapped, hit Save on your display.
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Your boundary file can now be transferred to the John Deere Operations Center wirelessly (with JDLink) or via USB.
Need assistance with your precision tech? Our Optimization Specialists are here and ready to help you get the most from your John Deere tech. Learn more and contact us.