Map scouting help

[hunter85]

Yesterday I struck out to the woods to scout and gather a mess of squirrels for the pot. My typical scouting methods is to walk as much road ways looking for sign around the mud holes and going back to that area before daylight the following day and listen and use that info for higher potential come the kick off of the season. Now yesterday I walked probably eight miles of known areas that typically have a lot of sign. The first area I didn't find the first track and the second found some tracks but no strut sign at all and was burned and has really no cover left to hide in. So my question is how do you utilize Ariel maps to decide where to start scouting of new areas and putting boots on the ground. Most of my research of this typically doesn't apply to the terrain in the south east as there are no ridges, benches, or valleys. Thank you all in advance for your help

[Dtrkyman]

Find where water sources are, then find multiple different habitats in one area.  Say mature timber near a clear cut field or thicket.

The burn area will draw birds once it starts to green up!

[g8rvet]

The problem I encounter is that many of the arial maps are older.  Always check the date on the specific one you are looking at. Like on Google, you can move two miles and the map will be a different date. Just a thought. 

I agree, I also like to use topo lines to see where low lying bottoms are located as well as scrub oak ridges (which around me can just be 5 feet higher).  I mark spots I want to listen ahead of time and also places I want to put eyes on ahead of time.

[hunter85]

With out name dropping an area what I am running into is I'm in central Florida and hunt an area of flat woods it mostly planted pine flats between bay heads all swamp land or river bottom. As for water sources you can't walk a hundred feet in any direction with out finding standing water. I typically look for areas that look to be a little more open between the heads.

[Spitten and drummen]

If there are any birds at all in that area , go and scout around the burn. I have killed birds in burned areas that were still smoldering. Burns are turkey magnets.

[hunter85]

Where the burnt area is is where I killed my bird last year at and I did find tracks in that area just no strut sign to get me excited of the area. But come next weekend I will probably spend some more time in that area.