HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base
Module 08 - HUNTING PREPARATION
MAP IT OUT
An important part of trip planning includes mapping out your hunting location to get a good idea of the terrain you’ll encounter there. Are there hills? Neighboring farms? Are there rivers or streams? What about private property lines? Know the turf and know it well.
Google It
Put Google Earth to work as a planning tool. With it, you can scope out different hunting areas and look at pictures of the landscape. Read the overhead photographs like a map—the heavily treed areas, open fields and water sources are landmarks that you can use to predict the potential locations of game animals and their game trails. You can even plot a shot using the highly detailed satellite images that are available. Use technology to your advantage—hunter espionage is cool stuff.
Practice Using Your Gear
If you don’t know how to use a GPS, there’s no reason to even carry one. The same advice goes for using a compass. Practice with your mapping gear before you go. There’s more to effective mapping than simply knowing that the sun sets in the west.
