Cyberscouting and topo maps

[RiverRoost]

What are some tips or tricks for "cyberscouting" using something like OnX and in particular scouting off of topo lines? Living in the Mississippi delta we never get the opportunity to utilize a topo map to hunt around here.

[Dtrkyman]

I always start with terrain, so not good for flat land.  Still can use topo mode to find water quicker.  Clear cuts, burns and such can be found.

Look for multiple types of habitat in a small area, pines meeting hardwoods and fields etc. 

Access points and trails to use or avoid depending on the situation.

I always pin several places but like to put boots on the ground!

[Tom007]

I just started using Huntstand. It is good in all the mainland states, shows property borders, topography, pretty much everything. So far, so good.....

[johnnyk2000]

I started to use Avenza and the free maps. Download the App and then search for free maps for your area. The topo map I use for my area is much easier to use over OnX

[RiverRoost]

I've been using onX for a couple years but mainly want to start doing to looking and scouting for when I go out of state hunting this spring and dropping a few pins

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

OnX for a few years now.  It's a nice tool for scouting potential areas to scout or hunt. Helpful to download map's for offline use when cell service is sparse or none at all. You can access all information from either your desktop or phone app. I find it helpful during a hunt as well. 

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[RiverRoost]

OnX for a few years now.  It's a nice tool for scouting potential areas to scout or hunt. Helpful to download map's for offline use when cell service is sparse or none at all. You can access all information from either your desktop or phone app. I find it helpful during a hunt as well. 

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I agree. It's an awesome tool and the offline maps are amazing. Just looking for pieces of advice on what you look for as far as contour lines etc of what may spark your interest to go check out those spots when you get there.

[catman529]

Mississippi delta you can use the topo layer on OnX to show swamps and creeks. It's not 100% accurate if the swamp changes every time it floods. But will give you a starting point. Aerial imagery will also show the more swampy areas. You can tell between young timber, mature oaks and cypress swamp most of the time. I deer hunted over a big nuttall oak that my buddy found and it was clearly visible on the aerial map as it was the biggest oak in the area. Usually those big oaks are on historically high ground. Really when map scouting that kind of terrain, you're just looking for a starting point, gotta get in that mud to see what it actually looks like.


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[troutfisher13111]

Look for multiple types of habitat in a small area, pines meeting hardwoods and fields etc. 

That's the number one thing I look for


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[avidnwoutdoorsman]

I've been using onX for a couple years but mainly want to start doing to looking and scouting for when I go out of state hunting this spring and dropping a few pins

Where are you trying to hunt out of state?

It all depends on what kind of terrain you are looking at and what kind of bird you are trying to hunt. Not always but pro tip is to look at "typical wind" direction also know as prevailing winds. Merriams like to roost out of the wind. So where I hunt I am looking first at south and east facing slopes. Other places are north and east facing and other south and west etc etc NOAA can give you this information or a quick internet search....OnX actually has a wind feature now

I could go on forever..... its better to give me a picture or a unit and I can drop pins pretty quick, but I'll try to verbalize some knowledge.

Typical things.... food, water, shelter. The above is shelter.

Rio shelter is tree over water (rule of thumb). Rio's can actually be incredibly easy because often there is limited water or limited trees. So where you find both you should start there. Rio's like merriams are often in open country or high topo country. So your scouting position should be high where you can hear far. A drainage may only have trees in the bottom along the river but its a mile long. Sooooo stand somewhere between halfway and the top of the hill of the drainage at the .5 mile mark at first light and listen or at night (using a shock gobble device at night).

Benches and ridges are a hot spot too.... The trees and roost may be on the north or east side of the topography feature you are looking at but the open area where the food is will be on the opposite or top of the ridge or the open area on a bench.

WHEN you do go hunt a topographic state drop pins like a mad man so you can understand what the turkeys prefer. I'm talking every poop, feather, or track you find. They'll paint a picture for you of everything I briefly explained above. Which side of the bump is there more sign? What elevation are you finding more sign? etc etc. You may be able to make a mid-hunt adjustment to previously mad assumptions.

Did I mention snowline and chasing green up? One of the first question asked by fellow hunters isn't where but at what elevation out west.

Maybe, I'll add more later. Good to share the info here as a learning tool. Would love to here tips from others. If you want to send me a unit or area I can go over my process with you.... its not perfect and I'm no expert FYI just a bored keyboard warrior trying to help.

[slicksbeagles1]

I have onX and how do you download offline maps

[RiverRoost]

I've been using onX for a couple years but mainly want to start doing to looking and scouting for when I go out of state hunting this spring and dropping a few pins

Where are you trying to hunt out of state?

It all depends on what kind of terrain you are looking at and what kind of bird you are trying to hunt. Not always but pro tip is to look at "typical wind" direction also know as prevailing winds. Merriams like to roost out of the wind. So where I hunt I am looking first at south and east facing slopes. Other places are north and east facing and other south and west etc etc NOAA can give you this information or a quick internet search....OnX actually has a wind feature now

I could go on forever..... its better to give me a picture or a unit and I can drop pins pretty quick, but I'll try to verbalize some knowledge.

Typical things.... food, water, shelter. The above is shelter.

Rio shelter is tree over water (rule of thumb). Rio's can actually be incredibly easy because often there is limited water or limited trees. So where you find both you should start there. Rio's like merriams are often in open country or high topo country. So your scouting position should be high where you can hear far. A drainage may only have trees in the bottom along the river but its a mile long. Sooooo stand somewhere between halfway and the top of the hill of the drainage at the .5 mile mark at first light and listen or at night (using a shock gobble device at night).

Benches and ridges are a hot spot too.... The trees and roost may be on the north or east side of the topography feature you are looking at but the open area where the food is will be on the opposite or top of the ridge or the open area on a bench.

WHEN you do go hunt a topographic state drop pins like a mad man so you can understand what the turkeys prefer. I'm talking every poop, feather, or track you find. They'll paint a picture for you of everything I briefly explained above. Which side of the bump is there more sign? What elevation are you finding more sign? etc etc. You may be able to make a mid-hunt adjustment to previously mad assumptions.

Did I mention snowline and chasing green up? One of the first question asked by fellow hunters isn't where but at what elevation out west.

Maybe, I'll add more later. Good to share the info here as a learning tool. Would love to here tips from others. If you want to send me a unit or area I can go over my process with you.... its not perfect and I'm no expert FYI just a bored keyboard warrior trying to help.

I'm mainly talking about reading my onX topo map for scouting Missouri. I went to mark twain last year for the first time and eventually got on some birds in one spot but that was my last morning. So planning on going back this year at some point and just want to look at the topo in the general area of where we camped and see what I can "find" on it to pin for whenever I get a chance to go back this spring as more starting places.

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

I have onX and how do you download offline maps

When you open the app on your phone
-the second "tab" on the bottom says "((x)) ofline maps" - tap it
-then select "+new map" big red button
-then position the picture on where you want to hunt
-adjust resolution accordingly

Personal experience and this all depends on how much area you have to hunt but I typically always do a 10mile first... the resolution is "good enough" and it takes up way less data. Also I typically hunt where I can roam for 10 miles. I actually usually align 3-4 boxes at the 10mile range.

Then on top of that I will put a 5 mile map in for extra detail of a specific place I want to hunt.

I would do this at home on wifi or somewhere with wifi because this function can chew data. I would also do this when at home so you can play with the detail level. You get a lot more map at 10mi then at 5mi and its half the size. Size is becoming less of an issue with newer phones but it can be an issue.

Offline mod is a great function to save phone battery.... it works in airplane mode. So even if you have service its good to use this function to conserve phone battery.

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

I'm mainly talking about reading my onX topo map for scouting Missouri. I went to mark twain last year for the first time and eventually got on some birds in one spot but that was my last morning. So planning on going back this year at some point and just want to look at the topo in the general area of where we camped and see what I can "find" on it to pin for whenever I get a chance to go back this spring as more starting places.

See if I can get a picture to post......

Nice long finger bench with moderate elevation change

Some unimproved road access; easy to walk in and good strut zone

Creek bottom and with mixed marsh/swamp

You could stand in the middle of this picture and probably hear most of the entire frame. The blue line is 1.1mi, red .9mi and both cyan 1/2mi.

For reference this picture is about ~2500 acres.... That's bigger than any farm I've ever hunted and through other means I know there are birds in the area.

I'd be dropping a bino pin right at the junction of four lines I drew as a marker to scout this "area" I of course would park where the pavement ends and be walking all the blue and red line.