Topo maps

[snake]

I have only used topo maps sparingly. Any advice on how to learn to read them accurately? And where is the best place to find out if private property surrounds the area or butts up against it?

[>>>---WW---->]

Do a Google search on (how to read maps). You'll find enough information to keep you busy for awhile.

[N5J]

Here is a link that help me.
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outd ... ic-map.htm


Most BLM and National forest maps will show private property. Also if hunting in Idaho...go to the F&G web page and use their hunt planner. It is a topo which shows private, BLM , and National Forest.


N5J

James

[Broken arrow]

Mytopo.com has lots of options. Unit boundries, private land boundries, different scales, etc.

[Swede]

Since your question is specific to "topo" maps, I will attempt to give you enough information, specific to topo maps, in short form to get you started. The difference between a topographic map and a planametric (highway) map is the topo map shows countour lines indicating elevation changes within the mapped area. Contour lines are commonly based on 40 foot intervals. You can check by looking at the written elevations on the darker contour lines. If the dark lines show elevations are 200 feet apart and there are four light lines between the dark lines, they are 40 foot elevation apart. Somewhere on the map it should show you the scale. If you want to know exactly how steep the area is, determine the elevation change per inch, then divide that by the distance in feet one inch covers on your map e.g. if there are 16 lines up a slope within one inch of the map and the map scale shows thethere are 2 inches per mile, then i inch equals 2640 feet horizontal. The elevation chance is 16 times 40 or 640 feet. 640/2640 is 24% slope. Obviously the wider the distance between contour lines the gentler the slope. Areas where the contour lines get farther apart can be benches. Places where they are very close indicate very steep slopes. Basic contour map reading and navigation is about a one hour coarse for a decent starter. It would be a good idea to prove to yourself you how to use your map and compass before you head out into the elk woods. Elk country can be big.