Tips on picking an area using google earth

[fishingguy44]

IM still fairly new to the blacktail scene. I wanna pick an area to focus on this fall and just curious on tips using google earth to pick an area to start m focus, maybe hang a couple cams up. thinking either sea to sky or sumass as im a bow hunter.

[Fred1]

Ok... maps and google earth will only help you if you know what they are showing you. The best way to get map/google earth/ortho photo etc savey is to go out and physically look at some terrain and then go back to your "maps" and compare what you saw to what you see. I use all these tools everyday at work. Its a acquired skill and a learning process. Be very cafreful with google eath imagery - it can be very misleading. So head out an look at black tail country do a bunch of recce work and then go back to the maps - you will get a feel for what to look for on the images. Look at areas on the maps when you already been - compare. Check out swamps, cliffs, openings, rocky stuff - they may look very different on google earth. Im my opinion, there are no real short cuts to learning what these tools show you. You will get better at it and start to see the benefits and limitations to some of the mapping. Cheers!

[TheProvider]

Old growth timber, rocky bluffs and south facing slopes. Using google earth look for old growth areas with good elevations. Remember if you don't have the updated versions the imagery can be out of date. Ex. area has been logged or perhaps a road/trail is now over grown. My one tip for google earth is rock slide areas. I tend to find a lot of activity above rock slide areas. Of course not every spot will hold black tails so pick a few spots to check out. If you are only finding does it may seem disappointing but come November those bucks will be hanging out with those does. My first year hunting black tails in BC was very frustrating. I only saw a couple deer and ate my tag. I had heard people mention find old growth timber but always kept to areas that I figure would hold deer. They seemed perfect for deer but would see very few or no tracks. One day I turned and faced straight up hill and hiked for over an hour through thick nasty second growth timber on a south facing slope. I didn't see a single deer track till the edge of the old growth. Literally by the time I had went 100yrds inside the old growth there was deer tracks going in every direction and lots of them. Unfortunately for me I learnt the old growth lesson to late in the season as it started snowing. Next time out hunting I couldn't drive within 7kms of the area as there was too much snow. So another tip is to find good old growth areas that you will be able to access once the snow flies. I have a few spots that are great but can only reach them early season before the snow gets too deep. Snow is your best friend though when it comes to black tails

[brian]

My first step is check out the areas on Google to get an idea of access. Then I check out club tread trip reports and click on photos in google (earth or maps). This is not to see pretty pictures of the area but to see how heavily used the area is. Lots of pictures ad trip reports mean I am not really interested in hunting the area. The trip reports will also give you an idea for access trails to an area of interest, nifty photos, and sometimes pre-scouting info of animals seen. I don't put too much stock in it, but its always good to know. If everything looks good I don't waste too much more time on the computer in that area because I will need to get out there and see what the access and terrain are really like. Keep in mind that the area will not reveal its secrets the first time out. It'll take some time to get to know it.

[fishingguy44]

great help guys. im gunna head out today to take a look. maybe put a cam up if I see lots of sign.