Availability of Information
Equipment
Just got an email from a hunting app that I use, I'm sure many of you the same, that they just added a public lands overlay. For a very nominal fee you can have land ownership information across the continental US. Some of this stuff is plain awesome when you need it. At your fingertips on your phone you can see all public lands, their boundaries and see who owns what piece of land anywhere. But it's a double edged sword. Let's face it, 90% of hunting success is finding a great spot. You can be a mediocre hunter and have success in a tremendous spot. I do my best to be that guy ;)
Over the years I've been able to keep ahead of the masses by working harder to find good spots. Out of the way tucked in gems of public land, finding that landowner that isn't easy to find. Now it's all out there for the sloths. It will change the hunting no doubt. Hasn't made it's way to Canada yet, but most likely only a matter of time. Might take a few years to pattern what this does on a grand scale so that you can work around the changes and figure other hunters out to stay one step ahead.
Thoughts? Do you like it? Hate it?
This info has been readily available for years. It can be very useful.
Agree APauls; double-edged sword. The masses can now easily see on their phone or gps what land is public and accessible. Used to take quite a bit of sleuthing to figure that out and I put a lot of work into it. I have noticed in past couple of years a LOT more people now in areas that used to be really difficult to figure out access. This is in checkerboarded mixed public/private in NM.
I know guides and outfitters can't like it one bit.
Barring the huge wilderness areas that are extremely difficult logistics to access it is just too easy to DIY. Makes no sense for me to waste money on an outfitter. I guess it just emboldens them to push for more government welfare via tag allocations and non-res restrictions.
I guess I see what you are saying too, but I have found cyber scouting so advantageous I don't think the increased competition even comes close to outweighing the positive. Other people usually follow the beginner 101 logic to a tee and you can figure out what they are thinking.
And it doesn't make miles any shorter, hills any flatter, jaggers any duller, or swamps any drier.
Tremendous help in making sure I’m on the land I’m supposed to be on.
It's a nice resource and I agree kind of sucks that it's easier for all to access now. However the way I look at it is. A lot of the spots I will hunt are not easy to access. If people were too lazy to do a little work to find the access before. I have to believe the majority will be too lazy to do the work to get to the good areas.
