[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/mapping-whitetails-03-hidden-secrets-of-county-maps\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/mapping-whitetails-03-hidden-secrets-of-county-maps\/","headline":"Mapping Whitetails #03: Hidden Secrets of County Maps","name":"Mapping Whitetails #03: Hidden Secrets of County Maps","description":"Hopefully, you\u2019ve had a chance to read, learn, and quiz yourselves in Mapping Whitetails #01 and #02 because this week...","datePublished":"2015-08-19","dateModified":"2018-06-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/#Person","name":"Hector Agosto","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Legendary Whitetails","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","url":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","width":522,"height":226}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/mappingwhitetails-03.jpg","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/mappingwhitetails-03.jpg","height":664,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/mapping-whitetails-03-hidden-secrets-of-county-maps\/","about":["Hunting"],"wordCount":1120,"keywords":["Hunting","Hunting Strategy","Tips"],"articleBody":"Hopefully, you\u2019ve had a chance to read, learn, and quiz yourselves in Mapping Whitetails #01 and #02 because this week we are going to take a little bit different approach and focus in on a valuable tool that many hunters don’t know about.\u00a0 With archery season opening in the next couple weeks, many hunters are out knocking on doors and asking for permission from landowners to hunt.\u00a0 Rather than going in blind, it\u2019s a smart idea to already know the boundaries for the property of which you are seeking permission. Today\u2019s technology allows us to do just that.\u00a0 With the help of interactive county GIS maps, understanding property boundaries, as well as who owns what\u00a0has never been easier.Why You Need to be Using ThemThere are several reasons every hunter should be scouring their counties interactive GIS maps. \u00a0First off, they display property boundaries along\u00a0with the info on those who own them. \u00a0Boundaries, acreage, owner\u2019s name, and owner\u2019s address are all typical attributes found on these maps.\u00a0 In addition to the info provided, you can select the aerial or orthophoto to overlay the boundaries on, which is a huge advantage for you as a hunter.\u00a0 What this helps with is the ability to see how much land someone owns and if it looks to be a decent hunting property.Another benefit of the interactive maps is that they show you potential access routes to a property.\u00a0 I\u2019ve hunted properties where I thought I only had one way in and then I checked the map to find they have an easement to another road on the opposite side of the property, which allowed me to hunt much more effectively.Thirdly, these maps aren\u2019t just useful for those seeking permission, but ALL hunters.\u00a0 Let\u2019s say you hunt public land, these maps can help prevent trespassing issues.\u00a0 They can also provide you with the insight as to which potential landowner to ask about seeking permission to access the backside of landlocked property.All in all, these interactive maps are a true hidden gem for hunters!How to Find ThemHaving consulted around the country in many states, I know that most counties offer some type of interactive map with property lines marked.\u00a0 However, I have run into a few in the Deep South where the county courthouse is still the only place to access plat information.\u00a0 So, for those counties that do have them (which is most), here\u2019s the basic rundown on how I was able to find these hidden gems the majority of the time.Start with a Google SearchOpen Google and type in your county\u2019s name followed by \u201cInteractive GIS Map\u201dExample: Ozaukee\u00a0County Interactive GIS MapClick on the link to the official county GIS page.Click on the GIS Interactive Map linkFrom my experience every county has a little different homepage setup that takes you to the actual map.Once you open the interactive map you can now start to explore the area and tools within the mapping software.Again, every county is different. Some are very user friendly, others require a lot of digging and playing around.\u00a0 This one in particular is high on the user friendly scale compared to a lot.\u00a0 All I have to do is click the \u201cinfo\u201d icon and then click any parcel of land and it will give me the details I\u2019m looking for \u2013 landowner information and acreage.Here is how most county maps will look when they first appear. \u00a0From here I always zoom to my area and turn on the aerial\/orthophoto view to see the landscape.Outlined in red are the key bits of information you should look for on your county’s website. \u00a0Many have different layouts, but for the most part they all provide\u00a0the same information.HomeworkInstead of a quiz this week, I challenge you all to hop onto your county\u2019s website to see what you can learn.\u00a0 If you really feel up to it, contact a few landowners about gaining permission to hunt their property.\u00a0 An added bonus I\u2019ve found over the years is that if you can bring a printed map with property lines along with you when you\u2019re seeking permission or pull one up on your phone, it builds an instantaneous bit of trust between you and the landowner.\u00a0 It says you are a responsible hunter, that you took your time doing research, and that you respect and know the property boundaries \u2013 all very important credentials when it comes to gaining the trust of a landowner. "},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Legendary Whitetail's Blog"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/mapping-whitetails-03-hidden-secrets-of-county-maps\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Mapping Whitetails #03: Hidden Secrets of County Maps"}}]}]