Maps

1911 · Oct 22, 2011

Where is a good source of maps. All my research on the internet turns up the same ambiguous garbage a pro cartographer could not decipher. It seems like there has got to be a better source of maps to pin point boundaries of state, blm, and forest service owned lands. I hesitate to buy mapping online for fear it will only be similar garbage of colored blobs of burnt umber, baby blue, and lime greenwith no ability to determine with any accuracy where the boundaries and access points are.

Hardway · Oct 22, 2011

http://mytopo.com/ Cuz.....The badge not working when tresspasing on private land anymore? Anyways.....These guys have always worked for me. You can have them make almost any kind of map with whatever options you can think of.

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

dillon · Oct 22, 2011

If you learn how to do GIS (Geographic Information Systems) you can make your own maps. ESRI (ArcGIS) is expensive software, I am learning GIS on ESRI at school. There are free software sources online, and you can access shapefiles of the information you want. You would need to be somewhat tech smart and have a decent computer to do them this way.

tailchasers · Oct 22, 2011

www.huntinggpsmaps.com
Might be worth a look see.

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."

eelgrass · Oct 22, 2011

Go to mytopo, select the State and the hunt zone or area. Type in "Public Land Honeyhole 180+ Net Score Deer 2011 Edition"

180+ bucks will be marked with a red dot.

For a small fee you can get weekly updates. No point in hunting a buck that was killed last week.

If you're a member ($59.95/year) it will give you the shortest route from your zip code and put an X on the closest parking spot. Worth it to me.

If you have a smart phone it will beep when you're on private property. Accurate to within two feet.

Hassle free hunting!

Eel

MuskegMan · Oct 22, 2011

www.huntinggpsmaps.com
Might be worth a look see.
_____________________________

I took the plunge and bought the WYO memory chip for $80 for my Garmin 60 CSx about a month ago. This has the topo maps and unit boundries on the chip. I did not spend the extra $20 for the chip that has all the private property owners names. I just was to know if I'm inside my unit and on public land.

It seems worth the investment so far. I'm 1,500 miles from the unit as the crow flies and I'm not able to prescout. Been doing a lot of "scouting" with Google Earth and free downloadable digital raster quad maps. Entered a lot of waypoints for areas that look promising and to note location of important road intersection.

A buddy let me hack his MyTopoZone account. I'm not impressed. Google Earth is superior IMO.

1911 · Oct 22, 2011

I don't need that much Eel. I can get all that information from my Eelmans Hunting Journal membership.

1911 · Oct 22, 2011

Next follow up question. What is a good GPS unit to buy which you can integrate the maps into. Also, does anyone use any map apps on the smart phone. And do these apps cease to function once you are out of range?

elkantlers · Oct 22, 2011

I use GPShunitngmaps on my Garmin Oregon 450. I used it in wyoming on a pronghorn hunt and it was awesome. I bought the download version and then downloded it on a micro sd card in my GPS. I didn't even get my maps out in wyoming. you can drive 60 miles an hour and know exactly where you are.

Hardway · Oct 22, 2011

Cuz, the only thing I miss about my droid was the "backcountry navigator" app. It cost $10 but was worth every penny. Your smatphone is a gps. How it works is you search through the map database (mytopo) when you have service and save areas you want. When your on the mountain and have no service you just fire up the app and it works just like a gps would....records waypoints, records tracks, tells you where you are, etc. It really was nice to have but since I'm going anti techno it had to go.

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

tailchasers · Oct 22, 2011

The Garmin is the way to go. You'll be pleased.

Bad part with cell phone mapping apps is when there is no service the app will not function properly. The other issue is the app also eats the battery on your phone up quick.

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."