Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting which paper maps do you use?

I'm looking into getting some better detailed maps of my hunting area and was looking for some suggestions as to who makes something durable and detailed enough. Are there any that will show different types of roads? (ie paved/maintained roads vs dirty/4wd roads)

not sure on what unit/area, but my favorites are NAtional Geographic maps.

Latitude 40 also makes great maps, but they dont have as many of them.

both are water resistant.

National Geographic TOPO is what I use to print my own maps. You can get the CDs that contain all of Colorado for around $100. This is the same data as with USGS topo maps so the different kinds of roads and the same details are shown. You can switch between scales and drill down to 1:24,000 which is the most detailed USGS paper map you can get.

If you have a decent printer you can print your own on waterproof stock. You can customize them by centering the page where you want, putting on lat/lon grids, etc. If you print on both sides of the paper, you can cover a large area, enough so that one 8 12 X 11 map will do for a trip.

play around with mytopo.com
it takes a little time to learn to use all their options but it's pretty intuitive

you can adjust different scale, map size, relief or no, different grid line options, folded or rolled, waterproof plus you can design the map to the exact location you want

great people and great service

I'm another Nat Geographic Topo! user. I've printed hundreds of them but haven't yet tried the waterproof paper. I've been meaning to try it.

I don't know how Topo! compares to other programs because its the only one I've tried.

FWIW, I have a CD copy of that topo software (of Colorado) and never use it.

I'd be glad to sell it for ~$20, shipped to you if you're interested.

If I didn't have one already I'd be all over that.......

It's a good program. It contains all the USGA maps for each state, seamed together for continuous scrolling. You can zoom to 400% for a detailed look. The maps can also be updated from NG's website.

Supposedly, Topo! maps can be used with most GPS's but I don't have one to give it a try.

Nat Geo here too

Here as well. I prefer to use UTM grids.

I order my mylar maps from mytopo.com

those mytopo maps are nice. pricey, but nice. spend ALOT of time customizing exactly like you want them before you order it. I've been very happy with aerials from them.

I do the aerial with the topo lines from MyTopo. Fantastic!

Mytopo is the what I've been using forever. You can specify exactly where you want to look. They now do big game hunt areas. I just ordered my maps for Wyoming sheep hunt.

Broken record here - mytopo. They are spendy but you get exactly what you want/need. With a little care, they last a long time.

Anyone got a pic of one of their aerial maps? When I look at them on line they look very cluttered.

Dink

I got the largest possible map from mytopo.com, I think ~33x42 printed area, at the same scale as my 24k topo maps. I actually put the aerial on plywood under plexiglass to preserve it, and put it up in my office next to my topo maps.

I have spent COUNTLESS hours sipping scotch in the office/map room "engineering" hunts.

I draw in driveable roads in red, and all water in blue before I put it under glass. Then I start identifying "target locations" I think ought to hold elk. I love elk hunting so much, it gives me a means to "hunt" them in march....

the resolution on them is very good. I think I paid around $60/ea and I've bought 3 of them.

I lay mine on the table and ponder over it when its cold/hot and there's nothing else to do. Whiskey helps the interpretation. In combination with Google Earth, I scout alot of areas this way.

apparently, Mr Winters and I have similar hobbies: elk, mapping, and fine taste in beverages.

I go as far as typing out (in a spreadsheet) my plan of how to access each location based on expected feeding, bedding, water, wind direction, and of course.... ease of access.

I will say this, I went on a guided hunt two years ago, and I was very surprised that my maps were better than the outfitter/guides.

I also noticed that their hunt plans were far more flexible than my own. that was a major takeaway: plan all you want, but pay attention to whats going on RIGHT NOW, and if appropriate, make changes to the plan.

I also was surprised that the guides all had fairly rudimentary GPS units, and they didnt spend near as much time looking at them as I did.

they had spent all their $$ on binoculars.... since they had accounted for many more elk than I ever will, I thought that was something I should take note of...

I think the lack of map use and GPS is due to area familiarity. I've hunted the same area for a couple years now and I never pulled my map or GPS out the last two years. It would only be necessary if the elk have significantly relocated and I had to go to a new area. The exception would be if I got caught out in real bad weather and/or after dark. Then that GPS is really nice to have. All it needs to do is say "go that way".