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Reading Maps

I am hoping for some inside tips for looking at maps. On satellite maps its often important to look for things like cover, water, and food sources. I know I'm making this really simple and it probably isn't that simple but I have more interest in what to look for on topographic maps. Does anyone have any helpful tips for looking at topo maps? Do you use them to help determine stand locations? Do you look at topo maps before scouting a new place to hunt? Thanks!

Google satellite view is your friend. By holding the ctrl and draging your able to get 3D view which is great. Use two screens. One with satellite view the other with topo. The county GIS has better topos than google bit they overlay it with google satellite so you get the best of both worlds.

And of course boots on the grouns once yoi found a few parcels you want to scout.

Aerial photos mainly in the Midwest for whitetails.

Topo maps mainly out west for elk.

Cheesehead Mike,

What do you key in on when looking at aerial photos? Thank you in advance!

When I was hunting a variety of different places I always used topo maps. Always tried to find out prevailing winds in the area I was going to hunt. Then, by deciphering contour lines, I looked for pinch points based on topography of land. Then boots on the ground and if a land contour pinch point could be coupled with a vegetation pinch point I knew I had a good spot. This was just one way I used them.

casekiska,

Trying to learn - How do you find pitch points using a topo map?

brewcrewmike - PM coming your way PDQ

The guys from The Hunting Public just did a multi-part series on YouTube on using OnX maps for scouting paired with boots on the ground trips. They use the maps to eliminate areas they suspect will have heavy pressure, then identify areas with varied cover, and then potential bedding using topo.

casekiska, pm sent with my info. Thank you!

Orforalot, I follow that YouTube channel. I will try to dig that up! Thank you!

What if all the people from the heavy pressure area watch the show and move to the areas with the least amount of pressure because of the tips they saw from the show?

I don’t spend the kind of time that they do scouting so I don’t have the knowledge of other quality areas to move to like they explain. As a result, I see a whole lot less quality deer than they do. I learn something from each video that I can try to apply during my limited time in the woods. As an example, I have always had a hard time determining from an aerial map the type of vegetation there is in a transition area. Seeing some of their maps and then their boots on the ground trips is starting to teach me what is what. Now I’m trying to do the same on my public tract.

Some fellows may not know much about topo maps or how they tell you about the land. Once you understand them they are not difficult to decipher. To learn more about the how and what of topo maps just go on to google and enter "How to read and interpret topo maps". You will discover a number of sites to click onto. Combined, they all can give you a very good understanding of what these maps represent. To my way of thinking topo maps are much more informative than aerial photos, but when used with a photo the two, in concert, can really offer a lot of info.

Topo maps and a compass and you're good to go. If you don't know how, learn orienteering...it's fun in to itself. Out west, for me, it's a must. GPS is great...point A to point B is a snap. But that unit won't tell you what lies between...a topo will. A surprise 2000 feet canyon will ruin your day.

Shout out to casekiska! Very helpful and a good resource if you're trying to get your feet wet with topo maps.

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