Google Earth scouting question

[allan]

Are there different updated versions of google earth avail for use if you choose to pay for the better versions?
at the bottom of the screen it says image date 2004. When scouting logging roads and cutblocks an 11 year old image is a big gap.

[Mikey Rafiki]

Nope. Google Earth Pro is now free, and they don't care about updating imagery for way out in the boonies.

[heatherdaddy]

I found if you click on where it says 2004 it opens up a box at the top left and you slide the button to 2014 and the images change most of the time but not all the time.

[adriaticum]

You can't use Google earth to give you an accurate picture of the forest.
But it can give you a good picture of the terrain relief and you can calculate distances, inclines and sometimes know if there is water in an area.
Also roads for the most part are marked well.

[Andrewh]

You can't use Google earth to give you an accurate picture of the forest.

Not true...

You can get very accurate info off google earth and other maps such as Bing maps. This is a screen shot of an outfitters set-up in the middle of region 7-50 (basically a 45 minute float plan ride to the area). You can actually count the trees in this image!!!

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/Screen%20shot%202015-10-14%20at%2011.56.48%20AM_zpsw0ycyllx.png

[Glenny]

Wow is that Bing maps?

[adriaticum]

Not true...

You can get very accurate info off google earth and other maps such as Bing maps. This is a screen shot of an outfitters set-up in the middle of region 7-50 (basically a 45 minute float plan ride to the area). You can actually count the trees in this image!!!

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/Screen%20shot%202015-10-14%20at%2011.56.48%20AM_zpsw0ycyllx.png


Lets rephrase, it's true for most areas actively logged, you can't count on knowing if the area is passable or not.
Or the density and height of trees.
You just have to be on the ground.
Sure trails and camp spots that have been around for a while can be reliably found but I wouldn't trust the images of the forest.
I have had many hiking plans changed when I got to the area and realized you can't walk through it because the bush is so dense or there is tons of beetle kill.

The picture of that area you are showing may be accurate if it's very remote and it's not logged.

[Sofa King]

lots of more remote areas are not current at all.
most my areas show they are still thick forest when lots of it has been atom-bombed for years.
I use the maps to simply get a better idea how the terrain is laid out, but it still doesn't beat putting boots to the ground.
that's really how I know just what I'm looking at on the maps, because I've walked the whole areas, and now know what I'm looking at.
sometimes you find water sources that you didn't realize were over that next hill, etc.

[Foxtail]

I recommend getting the iHunter BC app for your phone. It has cacheable sat img and overkays the MU's and even shows you the indian bands. I have used it on 3 hunts now and I am more impressed with it each time. Has full regs aswell.

[tko]

kluacheezy lake ...that's good quality pic

[Xenomorph]

I recommend getting the iHunter BC app for your phone. It has cacheable sat img and overkays the MU's and even shows you the indian bands. I have used it on 3 hunts now and I am more impressed with it each time. Has full regs aswell.

Had no idea there's another local app. I have the Hunt Buddy, not sure if it has the feature though.

[Gun Dog]

The default view in GE is the best set of images. There's a time line in the top left that lets you pick other times. Newer images may have cloud cover or bad lighting but can still be useful for clear cuts and other "improvements".

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Every screenshot of Google Earth is made of a mosaic of imagery. The date in the bottom corner is the age of the oldest imagery you're viewing within your screen. You can access newer imagery by sliding the tab to the newer date markers, but the reason they haven't used the newer imagery throughout your whole screen is because there may have been excess cloud cover or other factor obstructing clear imagery for that area. Play with the app a bit and you'll see what I mean. Basically, what you're seeing is a patchwork of the clearest imagery, but not necessarily the newest.

You can find data from the GeoBC webmap library and just overlay it on your mapping. I turn on "active forest cutblocks" and although the imagery may not show them, the overlay draws the polygons over top so I can see where newer cuts are. Not complicated, but you kind of need a bit of an idea how to use mapping layers and how to import KMLs or KMZs into Google Earth. It's simple enough that anyone putting the time in to figure it out would be able to do so. How quickly things come together for you will be a personal variable.

[Foxtail]

Had no idea there's another local app. I have the Hunt Buddy, not sure if it has the feature though.

I actually got it by accident while trying to get hunt buddy but couldn't remember the name. Figured since I paid for it, I would give it a chance. It is an amazing piece of tech.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg162/foxtail-offroad/2015%20Moose%20hunt/Screenshot_2015-10-14-13-55-21_zpsrvn8bku9.png (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/foxtail-offroad/media/2015%20Moose%20hunt/Screenshot_2015-10-14-13-55-21_zpsrvn8bku9.png.html)

[375shooter]

Not true...

You can get very accurate info off google earth and other maps such as Bing maps. This is a screen shot of an outfitters set-up in the middle of region 7-50 (basically a 45 minute float plan ride to the area). You can actually count the trees in this image!!!

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/Screen%20shot%202015-10-14%20at%2011.56.48%20AM_zpsw0ycyllx.png

I find I don't get this level of clarity from Bing. I'm not sure why. If I zoom in like this image, there is nowhere as much detail. Is there a trick to getting better results?

[redthorn]

Try Vertisee. Way better for northern BC and you can pay for better maps and data.

http://vertisee.mcelhanney.com/

I check here over google earth anyday first for clarity

[375shooter]

You can't use Google earth to give you an accurate picture of the forest.
But it can give you a good picture of the terrain relief and you can calculate distances, inclines and sometimes know if there is water in an area.
Also roads for the most part are marked well.

Can you calculate inclines in degrees? I've been trying to do that. That would be valuable for researching areas for sheep or goat hunting.

[adriaticum]

Can you calculate inclines in degrees? I've been trying to do that. That would be valuable for researching areas for sheep or goat hunting.


Possibly. I have never done it.
If you draw a path on your map and then look at the Show Elevation Profile view of that path it will give you the distance to the target and the elevation of that target.
So theoretically if you have the two sides of the triangle you could calculate the hypotenuse and the incline angle.
From that you should be able to calculate the degree of incline.




http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Image188.jpg

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Possibly. I have never done it.
If you draw a path on your map and then look at the Show Elevation Profile view of that path it will give you the distance to the target and the elevation of that target.
So theoretically if you have the two sides of the triangle you could calculate the hypotenuse and the incline angle.
From that you should be able to calculate the degree of incline.


The elevation profile tells you the slope in % at the adjustable point of analysis (the vertical line you can move to different parts of the profile to get point specific data). From there, just convert % to degrees. The quickest way would be to use an online gradient conversion app.

have fun!

[Slinky Pickle]

I was keeping this to myself as a bit of a greedy little secret.

http://ge-map-overlays.appspot.com/bing-maps

This will let you see Bing maps on Google Earth. That way you can see which one has the most recent image data.

[brian]

lots of more remote areas are not current at all.
most my areas show they are still thick forest when lots of it has been atom-bombed for years.

Sometimes you can zoom out and get a newer map to see where newer clear cuts are. I read that they update them more frequently than the fine detail maps.

[Tikka260]

Wow lots of great info here
Here I thought BC back roads on my new garmin Montana had it all...
Hope I am not the only guy with a few new things to learn

Is I Hunt the best one to get next?
Is it cell coverage dependent?

[Foxtail]

iHunter BC does require cell service or data to get the maps and sat photos but if you select one of the maps or sat settings that say (can be cached) and scroll around the area zoomed in while you have cell service/data, your phone will cache the data and it will now have all the maps/sat imgs you looked at whether you have cell service or not. Your phone should have a gps. I used it on my entire hunt in 5-14 with no cell service.