Maps

[NCelkhtr]

Hey fellas, I was wondering about everyone's take on maps. I was looking at mytopo.com but before i ordered one I was going to pick everyone's brain about maps first. What company makes the best detailed maps? what zoom level do you prefer? Just looking for some opinions on maps and what everyone preffers. thanks

[Bow4Elk]

It really depends on what you want from the map. I like to look online with http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/data/mapper.html. I just turn off the wetlands checkmark, shrink that box and then go where I want. It has the choice in the upper right side to view Imagery/Labels or USGS Topo. Find where you want to look and then you can toggle between the Imagery and Topo to see the vegetation and the topo. It stays the same size until you blow up the Image too far but is very useful. Combine that with Google Earth and find the birdseye view with the latest image and you can learn a lot for free. When I narrow down to where I want to hunt I just order the topo map from USGS.

[mtnmutt]

I get all my maps from mytopo.com but you may also use the kiosk at REI to do the same. Since I live in CO, I receive my map within 2 business days of my order.

Product Type: Topo Map

Premium Overlays: all (Public Land Boundaries and Roads, CO GMU Boundaries)

Print Size 18 x 24
Orientation Wide or Tall depends on the largest area I need to see lateral or long.
Scale: 1:24,000 USGS Standard I may try 1:10,000 this year for fun.
Datum/GPs Setting: Standard NAD83/WGS84. Make sure you set your GPS to what your map is.
Waterproof Outdoor Map folded
UTM Full grid
Lat/Long Tic Marks
Enhanced topo, add relief shading

Your choices may vary by the area and terrain.

I use the margins of the map to take notes on elk sightings, date/time and weather conditions. My map has a bit of notes around it. At home, I transfer those notes to an elk hunting notebook with GMU and UTM coordinates.

[Swede]

The question is sorta like asking what bow do you like best, but I am not reluctant to share an opinion. I prefer the one inch per mile Fireman's topo map that every National Forest sells. I fold it up and place it in a zip lock bag, and it is good to go.

[WapitiTalk1]

I like the 7.5 minute quad maps and purchase from USGS store (although you can get em from many sites). Same as Swede, I fold my map and carry in a zip lock bag in my cargo pocket. I also get the USFS ranger district map for the area which shows roads, both open and gated, and trail systems; I mark the GMU (hunting area boundaries) on my RD map. I also like to have the National Forest map as part of my mapping arsenal for the area I'm hunting.

[one_elk]

I am a big mytopo fan as well. I have been ordering maps from them for over 10 years and it seems like every year they are adding more and more map products/options. I like the fact that you can customize your scale, coordinate system and datum. I usually get 1:2400 maps, UTM coordinate system (a ton easier for me to use than Lat Long, because everything is in meters vs decimal degrees) and I use WGS84 datum, which has precision advantages over other datum’s. Like others have said there’s a lot of personal choice in map selection but of course it all depends what you want to use your map for the more detail (higher resolution, smaller the scale) the more you can use a map to find landscape characteristic that are attractive to elk like small benches and seeps…..maps are definitely a important part of my daily equipment….one last advantage to mytopo is once you have created a map it is saved to your account and you can quickly order copies or send a link to you hunting buddies to so they too can purchase a copy of the map…..and no I don’t have anything to do with company but they could sponsor me if they wanted to (haha)

[Freebird134]

My topo is great if you have a spot you want to focus on, like a backcountry hunt. But if you are running and gunning across some larger areas, mytopo gets expensive. But they are really really nice maps!!!

[ctdad]

I'm going to a completely new area this year. I bought a map from the forest service that covers the entire unit. This map is great for seeing such a big area. Only cost $10. I plan to use this map for my scouting trip and then I may get a mytopo map if I feel I need it after the scouting.

[cnelk]

I like Trails Illustrated maps.
They are weather proof, show topo lines, have roads labeled, show closed roads, show public and private land, basically have everything you need

[pointysticks]

You can get some great maps online. They give the option to overlay your hunting unit so you don't stray off. Keep the map's datum and units on mind so you can sync your GPS unit to it.

[Indian Summer]

My topo.com

I also buy from the USGS Map Store

No question... 7.5 minute. Details!!!

[ferris bugler]

I also like the Trails Illustrated maps from National Geographic, but they don't have them for all the spots I would like to go. If they have the one you are looking for the detail on them paints a great picture.

[elkoholic]

I use mostly birds eye view for my gps unit. Works great! But I also like to have a topo in my pack and one at base camp

[Bowhunter]

I have some trails illistrated maps from National Geographic. I noticed the black numbered units on the edges which I have my GPS set to. There is also some blue numbers that seem to be more broken down to 1000 meter grids. I am trying to get my GPS set to the right units to match the Blue grid. I have a Garmin Vista CX with the us TOPO on it. Any help would be appreciated.

[Z Barebow]

Bowhunter

I am not familianr with Trails Illustrated, but those numbers are likely UTM, (Universal Transverse Mercarator SP?) It is the way to go. You can search the 'net for explanation, but you are correct of the grid. In a pinch, you can use a piece of paper and fold over to measure distances. (I have a piece of plastic from Silva called "The Card" and it has all of the measurements already on it.

[mtnmutt]

Bowhunter,
In case you lost your owner's manual, you can download from here: http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/eTrex ... Manual.pdf
From your user guide:
"You can choose to change the location format for other
coordinate systems. UTM/UPS (Universal Transverse
Mercator/Universal Polar Stereographic) projection
formats are easy-to-use metric grids that are found on
most USGS topographic quadrangle maps. You can
also select one of several other grids, including a user-
definable grid (for the advanced user)"

Try Units Setup: Position Format. I have a different Garmin, but it is likely the same place. Go to Units Setup, select Position Format, scroll down to UTM UPS, select that one or similar. While in Units setup, make sure the Datum matches what is on the map scale. My CO National Geographic maps are NAD 1927 (old datum) and my mytopo.com maps are NAD83 (1983) - newer datum.

And you already figured out that black lines are lat/long. Blue are UTM.

The National Geographic maps are great to review at camp and home, but the mytopo.com in 1:24000 and Datum 83 are better detail when walking the woods and they are more compact. I am more likely to pull a map out if it is smaller than the National Geographic maps and they are easier to write on for notes.