Making your own maps!

[DanRPhD]

There is a very good way to produce your own maps for hunting. Go to www.mytopo.com/maps/ and find your hunting area. Then go to Google Earth and find pictures of the same area. Resize both to match. Print out the Google Earth picture on paper. Next print the topo map on an overhead clear plastic slide, make sure it is compatible with your printer. Staple the map over the picture. What do you have? A topo map overlayed over an aerial picture. Why the two? One it can help keep you far enough from a building and two it shows where water ways are and just how they look from the air.

Got this tip from a Sargent LRRP from Viet Nam. He used it, the idea of knowing both the topo of the land and just how the tree tops made things look. I also read a book by a "top" hunter who said he always took an airplane flight over any area he wanted to hunt in. But this cheaper. I have been using this method for years with good results.

 

[dok7mm]

Smart phones and GPSs have mostly replaced paper maps for most hunters, nowadays, with hybrid maps using satellite and elevation. There's also hybrid paper maps available for many GMUs, but definition is lacking.

I prefer to use electronics, but always have a paper map and compass, just in case. There was no Google Earth in Vietnam, so I'm assuming your friend was using military aerial photos. It's a good idea though, paper doesn't break down. I do think electronics have an advantage at night, those tracks can come in pretty handy.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

If you're really smart you'll contact Relyco and get a 3-sheet sample pack of white 8.5x11" Revlar in 7.7mil thickness and a sample pack of 3 sheets of 8.5x11" clear adhesive backed Revlar in 2.2mil thickness. But only if you're REALLY smart.

 

[DanRPhD]

I rely on map and compass. Remember, Murphy was a grunt. Electronics will always fail just when you need it most. But good scouting of your hunting area will aid you as you will know it on the ground with a map backup. And knowledge can not be taken away from you.

 

[Hubby45]

I've used mytopo.com to get maps of my hunting area. Taking Snip It shots off Google Earth as well, printing them out and putting them in plastic protection sleeves as well. I have a Garmin Oregon GPS and 650 series radio/gps as well. Redundancy just in case something fails or gets lost.