Topo map education...

[mandrroofing]

I noticed all the great teaching threads on here and I do appreciate them.would anyone be willing to post different topo map pics over time and explain were they would be interested in looking at for elk.that way guys like me would have a better understanding when scouting from home?this may be to difficult to do,not sure but thanks for humoring me

[RockChucker30]

It's a difficult problem......

Sreekers and I are writing a series of blog articles to help the new elk hunter be successful, and topos present a challenge. We'd like to show a map and then pics of the real terrain, but you have to do that without giving away your spots. We are thinking of using WY wilderness areas (closed to non residents without a guide) or even national parks.

[JGH]

You know, the National Parks Edition might be the right thing.

Wouldn't you just hate to see "your" WY wilderness camp spot marked as a good spot to set up?

We were actually talking this weekend of taking a long horse-packing trip in a national park ... and I'm sitting there thinking: "Yep, that'd be great -- but how does this integrate with my limited weekends for scouting for hunting purposes?"

Well, you wouldn't offend anyone that way.

[welka]

Plenty of info if you google "how to read a topo map" and some libraries even have good books.

[Z Barebow]

It's a difficult problem......

Sreekers and I are writing a series of blog articles to help the new elk hunter be successful, and topos present a challenge. We'd like to show a map and then pics of the real terrain, but you have to do that without giving away your spots. We are thinking of using WY wilderness areas (closed to non residents without a guide) or even national parks.

I know when I post topo pics, I'll scrub them with MS Paint and erase and landmark names. (When posting pics of Google Earth screen shots, I erase the lat/long display also)

I like the National Park idea. Yellowstone, Glacier or RMNP would work.

[Vanish]

Plenty of info if you google "how to read a topo map" and some libraries even have good books.

I think the question is more like "how do I read ELK information form a topo, not just generic info.

[RockChucker30]

A book geared to whitetails called Mapping Trophy Bucks helped me learn to read topos. I used it to pick out several hotspots in a national forest in Ohio I'd never been to before, and then hunted those spots and had opportunities at bucks every time I went (with archery equipment).

Learn to identify dark timber on north facing slopes, saddles, high cuts, hidden basins, benches, meadows and parks, water, etc. That will put you ahead of the game. Finding good glassing points on a map is a great skill to have, as is basic land navigation.....I can tell you that "going up and over that ridge" takes a heckuva lot longer when you're at 10,300 and have to gain/lose 1000 ft elevation than it does when I'm back home at 600 ft. So having an idea of how elevation gain/loss and distance affects your travel time is important.

Using a compass (the kind that writes, not the magnetic kind) you can also use the map scale to draw a circle a mile wide around all trailheads and along all roads with wheeled vehicle access. Highlight those areas. That is where most of the hunting pressure will be. You can do the same highlighting with elevation ranges, like 9300-10500 if you think that's where the elk will be. This will help you digest a lot of country very quickly and pinpoint several areas that are higher odds.

[ctdad]

I read an e book called diy elk hunting, or something like that. The best part of the book for me is that he walks you through in detail how to read a topo map and find elk. It is available on his website for sale and you just download it after you buy it. A quick Google search would find it.

[JGH]

Everyone wants to be able to look at a map and tell where the likely spots are to find elk.

Also important, though, is to eliminate large swaths of land that are likely to be non-productive.

For instance, in hilly country, eliminating the tops of saddles helps to "see" the bottoms of saddles a little easier.

[mandrroofing]

what does one mean by dark timber,such areas with thick pines?

[msd1228]

This is a topic that I would love to learn more about too. I hunt some pretty rugged terrain that has lots of access for ATVs, but I also know there are lots of areas they just cant make it. To get around in this country is difficult since it has so many elevation changes. Google earth is good to a point, but most of the area is very heavily treed with dark timber so you can't see the small bowls and basins that are in there. I think learning topos would almost certainly result in me being able to find some pretty much untouched land since most guys don't leave the quad trails.