Find maps on the internet for free
I think all hunters at one time or another have been in the woods with a map that is almost useless. Maybe a map that a buddy had drawn on a piece of paper or a map from the state that has no useful information. There are limitations to hunting with topographical maps. Either they are too big or they don't show enough details. Also, paper maps can only show you a limited area. For example, you are hunting a spot that requires 3 or 4 maps. A hunter can use the internet to get a really good overview of what a hunting area has and what is surrounding the hunting area. The maps that we will cover in this article are to be used with maps that you get from the land owner or the state.
There are lots of webpage out there that are very useful. The problem is that it can be very hard to find the information that you want. The USGS has a lot of topographical maps of the United States on their webpage but you'll need special software in order to print them out. The USGS web page is very difficult to use for even the most proficient user. Many of us will have to use some kind of map service. A map service is any service that takes either satellite images or maps from the USGS and gives it to us in any easy to use format.
On the internet there are a lot of web pages that say that they have maps but really they have images from a satellite or high flying airplanes. The images can be very useful for hunters. The problem is that there are no elevations or distances on the images. There are many places where there are no images or they are very poor quality. The great thing about the internet is that if your map service doesn't have an image a different one might.
When hunting a new area I want to know the lay out of the land. Looking for maps or images on the internet can save you a lot of time walking around. The biggest problem about hunting a new area is you just know don't where everything is. There are some good maps and images that are free on the internet.
There are two web pages that can help most hunters. Both are easy to use and have very good images on them. The first web page that we will look at is Map Live by Microsoft. It is a very useful webpage that any hunter can use. You will have to install a plug in for your web browser to us the 3D affect. The plug in will only work with Internet Explore so you Mac users will have to download it. The download and install is easy to use even for a none computer person. Once you have the program installed there will be a short cut on your desk top that will start the program. When you start the program Internet Explorer will open to the page below.
It is very easy to move around the world. Simply grab the globe and turn it until you get to the country or land mass you want to see. At this point you can use the wheel on your mouse to zoom in on the exact spot you want to see. You can enter the location or address into the search bar at the top of the screen to zoom in on different areas. The search bar will also support the longitude and latitude address from your GPS.
In the photo above we can see the dunes on a small inland off the shore of Boston. There are no elevation lines or longitude and latitude. You can print the maps but they are small. The maps will show street names, buildings, and some details of the lay out of the land.
In the photo below you can see what an image of a forest area looks like. You can see the lakes, roads, and houses. We will be comparing the images to Google maps using this same location later in the article. You can see the hills and trails though the woods. The image below was taken when there were no leaves on the trees.
Map Live search is not the only web page that offers free maps and images on the internet. Google earth has a very similar service to Map Live. There are some basic differences. The big one is that it shows the longitude and latitude on the screen where the pointer is. The picture below is what Google Earth will look like when you start it. Google Earth has to use a browser that is provided for free from Google. The install is very easy to use and to start.
The photo above shows what the screen will look like when you start Google Earth. As with Map Live you can zoom in using the mouse or you can enter the address into the search bar. As with Map Live you can show streets, houses, and other options that you can add to your image. I have have found that the images on Google Earth are older and don't show new streets or major changes in the landscape. The maps also show more details. Below is what Google Earth looks like compared to the Map Live image.
(I have rubbed out the location in this photo)
The Google Earth image shows more details that are harder to see in Live Map. As you can see on the image you know the elevation and well as the longitude and latitude. The image also shows more detail of the slop of the hills as well as being a little brighter than Live Maps.
The shape of the Google map is square where Live Map is rectangular. Both map services have their drawbacks and it will be very hard to find you tree stand. I think that the Google maps are a little better maps. Both services will give you an over all view of your hunting spot. The maps and images will give you a general view of your hunting area but will not give you close details.
The two service we covered will give you a lot of insight into a new hunting spot. The service will also show you more details about spots that you hunt now. The lake above it less than a mile away from a spot I have been hunting for four years now. With the use of topographical maps and the images from the internet you should be able to save yourself a lot of time scouting this year.
Good Luck
