# Maps



## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

So I got lucky this year and drew the Expo tag for Muzzy elk down on Manti. My family has been down there camping above Manti many times and I hunted it on the general deer last year. The problem is most of our time has been spent above Manti on the South end of the unit. So I have a good base but want to branch out a little more. Friends and neighbors have given other canyons to check out, so I have other ideas as well. My questions is what does everyone use for maps for preseason scouting? I have used Google Earth and it is good but hard to find canyons if I am not sure where they are at same with my handheld Garmin. I just ordered a Forest Service Map from Sanpete County's site. What should I do next? Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

I like onxhunt. It can be temperamental but when working correctly is pretty handy.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Narrow down the area you want to hunt from the Forest Service maps and Google Earth and then put boots on the ground. Find some good glassing points and put the spotter and binos to use. I had the tag last year and didn't see a lot of Elk in my pre-scouting, so don't get discouraged if that is the case. They will be there though and your tag is smack dab in the primo time during the rut. Find 3 or 4 "good" spots and eliminate them as you go. It's a great hunt - have fun!


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## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

Google Acme Mapper. It's free on the web. You can toggle back and forth between satellite, topo, roads, etc. It's great for identifying actual names of places and drainages.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

The USU library prints out large pretty detailed maps, for a cheap price if you are ever up in Logan. I think I paid 6$ for a 36" x36" waterproof map.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

DNR map store located at 1594 West North Temple in SLC. That is how I planned out my Pauns hunt a few years ago. 

I used Google Earth a ton as well. But you can get any topo map around the state. I narrowed the unit down to the areas I would focus my hunting and bought the 24K topos for each quadrangle. It was hugely helpful for me. Plus, it's just fun to sit and look at maps!


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Good info , thanks guys. MWScott sounds good that is all in the plans just wanted to get my homework done till the time comes to get down there. It is great to have extra time to know that I drew but torture at the same time!


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

You can download a usgs topo map layer that displays in google earth. You can't search for canyon names, but if you have a general idea of where to start you can find specific canyon names with out too much effort.


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## tallbuck (Apr 30, 2009)

I use an online Topo satellite map website. Then on another computer screen I use Google Earth. I then can review water and trails and canyons on the topo site, then mark them on Google earth. Then I have some good starting points for when I hit the hills.


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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

There are several overlays that can be used in Google Earth. This is the one that I use: http://www.gelib.com/ng-topo.htm. I think it's by National Geographic, but I've tried several and this one seems to be the most seamless to me.

I also second the DNR Store. There's just something special about standing over a poster sized map at the kitchen table with family/friends with everyone pointing out areas that appear "promising."

I spent a good amount of time with both of these tools doing some reconnaisance for the early rifle hunt on that same unit last year.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

If you haven't tried Utah-Idaho Map Supply/Store, they can print just about any map you want - standard paper or waterproof paper. You can also play around with map boundaries and stitch areas of several maps together if needed. It's a pretty cool program they have, and you can hill shade and put in all the other extras too if you want.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

3arabians said:


> I like onxhunt. It can be temperamental but when working correctly is pretty handy.


I cant in good conscience recommend this app. I got it specifically for a Wyoming hunt last year where boundaries were a concern. I had everything cached off but when we got to the unit and started hunting, it wouldnt load maps, wouldnt load boundry info... it sucked. I had my printed paper maps I always carry as a backup and we had to rely on those.

Total waste of $$$ for me.

-DallanC


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

http://utahdnr.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html

http://utahdnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=557cbe1da42243af8908fdebc0bb1b61


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

mytopo.com Print 100% custom maps, the exact area you want, scale, landownership, etc. I have a mess of them for all my hunting spots.....

Each one runs around $30.00 printed on waterproof pre-folded paper.....

This along with a good gps,


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## SLCHunter (Dec 19, 2013)

ntrl_brn_rebel said:


> mytopo.com Print 100% custom maps, the exact area you want, scale, landownership, etc. I have a mess of them for all my hunting spots.....
> 
> Each one runs around $30.00 printed on waterproof pre-folded paper.....
> 
> This along with a good gps,


I used mytopo and find it well worth the money. Excellent quality, exactly the area you need, etc.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

If I have time, I like to make up my own custom maps. Here's one I did of the Avintiquin for my boys cow elk hunt. Its a composite of at least 3 maps I had. Pink shows the huntable area, Red is the indian lands to stay off of.

http://www.huntingnut.com/images/Avintaquin.jpg

-DallanC


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

DallanC said:


> I cant in good conscience recommend this app. I got it specifically for a Wyoming hunt last year where boundaries were a concern. I had everything cached off but when we got to the unit and started hunting, it wouldnt load maps, wouldnt load boundry info... it sucked. I had my printed paper maps I always carry as a backup and we had to rely on those.
> 
> Total waste of $$$ for me.
> 
> -DallanC


I can't comment on the app but I've used their data on my GPS for years. You can either just but a preloaded chip and put it in your GPS or download the maps onto your computer and add to your GPS later. This works flawlessly on my Garmin 62st, never had any issues.


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## nelsonccc (Jul 8, 2014)

I like the Public Lands Map Center site. You select your hunt unit and they bring up all the maps you'd need, forest service and surface management maps. They're like $8 a piece so super cheap and they show the land ownership with the gps on the edges.

The USGS site lets you download free topo maps as PDF with layers you can turn on or off on the PDF for topography, aerial, and boundaries. They are like 30mb a piece but I doanloaded each of the 1:24,000 maps for where I was hunting Pronghorn last year and printed them here at work on 11x17. Super handy for when you need more detail and or the aerial overlay (which you can vary the opacity before printing, super handy!!).

http://plicmapcenter.org/view.php?st=UT&ag=BLM&typ=Hunting

http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/index.html

Here's a sample PDF file, you can see the layers you can manipulate. I would turn on the topos, woodlands, and aerial but then back out the aerial to 50% opacity and print. They were super handy when scouting and hunting.


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Great info, thanks everyone!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Maybe I'm wierd but I like paper maps. I'm also a gadget guy but I find a big paper map much more useful than trying to visualize a larger map through a tiny screen. I also use the Utah/Idaho maps supply store. I also find the various Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer books really useful. I have them for most western states and Alaska. Keep'em with me in the truck, and they are pretty accurate.

https://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?beginIndex=0&item=320&section=10096

I've also gone and dug up super old maps... its surprising what features show up on really old maps that don't show up on newer ones. Also in specific cases like Strawberry Res, I have a 1930's map of Strawberry Valley before the lakes were created, showing some interesting springs and features. I've fished on top of some of those now flooded springs with fantastic results.

-DallanC


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