Billy,
If you want Topographic maps, you first need to obtain the State Grid map. This is a map of an entire state that has each section of the state identified by map name. Then, once you decide where you'd like to hunt, you order the map sheet by name. I usually order all the surrounding map sheets also, since often I'll wander off the topo map sheet and rarely is the place I want to hunt in the center of a map sheet, usually on or near an edge of the sheet, thus the need for the adjoining sheet. That means the one sheet I'm interested in plus the six adjoining sheets. The individual sheets are about $8.00 each from the government.
You'll want to obtain 7 1/2 minute maps also konwn as 1 to 24,000 maps. This will give you sufficient detail to understand where you're going and what it will look like once you get there.
There is a chain of stores called MapsUSA that offers their own brand of 7 1/2 minute maps on a plastic paper stock thats waterproof. But the detail to the MapsUSA product is not as sharp as the US Geological Survey maps. The address for USGS is as follows:
US Geological Survey
P.O. Box 25286
Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
(888) 275-8747
www.usgs.gov If you pick up a USGS map you'll also want to get a product called Aquaseal, which is a liquid that will waterproof your map. A handful of soggy shredded paper will do you no good when you're trying to navigate at night in a rainstorm.
As for compass, you will do no finer than a Cammenga compass. It is what our military grew up on before everything went GPS.
http://www.cammenga.com/cammenga-products.php?category=1 This is a quality navigation device made to be used in total darkness, powered by radio active Tritium and will give you genuine to the degree bearings in daylight or nighttime without any light aid. I never leave camp without my compass. The Cammenga is scaled 1 to 50,000, so you'll need to cut the Cammenga scale in half when using 1 to 24,000 scale.
Topic: Maps (Read 497 times)
