Contributors to this thread:
Ok, I havn't seen this topic on here, even though I'm sure it has been talked about before.
Where is a good place to order custom maps from?
Had great luck with mytopomap.com as well. Very good quality. May be a cheaper option but I haven't looked.
Do they make them waterproof?
If ur hunting in one of these areas that DIY Hunting Maps makes maps for,, they are very good maps. Click the link..
http://diyhuntingmaps.com/
DIY Hunting maps and StartMyHunt show unbelievable detail that the "old" services like MyTopo don't have. There's no comparison, really.
Looks like they don't make any for nevada.
Looks like I found a new place to get maps! Thanks guys.
The only thing I don't like about StartMyHunt maps (which you can customize) is that they show some of MY hot spots as elk hotspots that have the right habitat and remoteness to consistently hold elk. The designer did too good of a job in that respect. :)
Soloman,
You may already know about us but for those that don't, we do not provide custom maps but we provide the hunter with many resources for scouting at home and for use in the field. Our product offers land ownership data, public land data, 1:24k topo, campgrounds, boat ramps, trails, FS roads and much more.
We offer a chip that plugs into your GPS and then you can view that same info at home on your computer. On your computer you will see your waypoints you made in the field and you can create waypoints at home and either print your map or send the new waypoints to your GPS. http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/gps-maps#
We also offer our information as an app for your smartphone and tablet. http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/hunt-for-mobile-devices#
Please let me know if you have any questions and I hope this helps, I am always looking for more resources to help me navigate the elk world.
Honestly, there isn't any one "magic" map system. I use four different paper maps, each with different information, as well as chips and three different satellite sites with land ownership overlays.
Also be aware that chips have errors. One very popular chip shows a big chunk of National Forest as "Rocky Mountain National Park", which means hunting is prohibited, even though it is many miles from the Park boundary. I called the company, and they weren't too concerned about it. That chip is now in my drawer because I don't trust it, and I'm now using the DIY chip.
Hi, my name is Mike and I am a new sponsor to Bowsite. To add on to what was mentioned above, I offer the following--
Elk Scouting Hot Spots—over 7,000 (All of these require some boots on the ground and some work).
Elk Security Habitat—Millions of acres
Elk Prime Forage Areas—Lots, Lots, Lots
Roads and Trails Status--Based upon the 2015 MVUM road maps
Land Ownership (Lands Open to Hunting)—Based on the 2013 status
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Elk Seasonal Range Data (Summer, Winter, and Migration Routes)
All maps are fully customizable to the area you want to hunt based upon a center-point coordinate or familiar landmark. Each map can also be made at any scale you choose. That is why my service is different. You get quality elk habitat, centered on your choice of landmark, with all of the above features added.
Please read my testimonial page first-- http://startmyhunt.com/testimonials/
Well since every other hunting map company is jumping in on this, I think Lou hit it on the head. There is no one solution. We all hunt differently and we all scout differently. The most important thing is getting out into the mountains and learning. But to answer the question about "CUSTOM MAPS", MyTopo, StartMyHunt, or make your own with something free like ESRI's Explorer for Desktop are your options. With Explorer, you can re-create MyTopo on your own using freely available data. You can re-create about anything that you find on any map for that matter, but something like StartMyHunt's Hot Spots, Habitat, and Forage layers are custom made by Mike, so that is the only place you can get that data. Everything else he listed is free online (you can actually get newer landownership from the Colorado BLM). So it depends what you're looking for. Good luck and happy hunting!!
Jordan, I cannot agree with you more. Different maps for different folks. Thanks for the acknowledgment and I wish you the best. Not sure what happened on my last post, but my message did not go through.
