Google Earth

[68w]

Any of you use Google earth to do some pre season scouting? 

I'm new to hunting mule deer, last year was the first time and now I'm hooked.  Was up in the NE corner Saw lots of mulies,  lots of fork horns and does, hiked a lot of country. Even found a moose shed (3rd pic) Didn't harvest a mule deer, but I am going to make it happen this year.

Last year  Area was really think, so I'm trying to locate some spots to scout come Spring that will allow me to get deep 5 miles or so, and be able to glass.

Hopefully I'll  draw multi season, so I'm Looking to do the early high buck hunt. My question is what do you look for on Google earth?  What makes an area look "bucky" to you from a satellite view?  Any tips?  Everything I've seen online is more oriented towards whitetail stand hunting,  I'm looking to be able to spot and stalk.

Anyone wants to PM me a sample screenshot of an example to what I should be looking for would be great.  Doesn't have to be from this state.  I've got a few spots marked up on google that I'm looking to scout.  I'll post a few screenshots up later to see if I am on the right track.

Few pics from last year.

5th pic down.... How many deer?

[Little Dave]

Something like this:

[TommyH]

Google earth is great, but doesn't show you water. My topo, g4 maps and others show other useful info as well. I have one loaded on with google so I can zoom into an area and toggle between them.

[Skyvalhunter]

Google earth is nice but boots on the ground is the way to go. Just beware that come hunting season(high hunt or general) it's a different story and there will be others out there with you same way of thinking.

[boneaddict]

Personally I like paper.   I get way more out of reading a map.  All of it adds together.  Generally speaking,  if you are sticking to the ne corner, 5 miles in isn't as necessary as is a lot. Of eastern. Washington.   

[Eli346]

 I use Google Earth a lot. Everything I need to know is on it except for sign and animals, although I did spot a herd of elk once on it. I can find water, elevations, vegetation, road density (which is one of the most important ones for me), and distances. I'll print satellite views of a spot we want to work and laminate them so we can use them often. It's a very beneficial tool to scout with but also plan your hunts.

[RadSav]

Personally I like paper.   I get way more out of reading a map.  All of it adds together.  Generally speaking,  if you are sticking to the ne corner, 5 miles in isn't as necessary as is a lot. Of eastern. Washington.

   Combining Google Earth (Bing was better before they screwed improved it ) and topo maps is the way to go IMO.  They each have their strong points.  Maps show contours better and water features better.  Google allows better idea of vegetation variables.  Together you will find feeding and bedding spots a lot easier.

[68w]

Little Dave thanks for the example, I guess it will just take some time and experience for me to see it.  I look at that screen shot and have no clue what I am really looking at relating to deer.  Looks like some thick lower brush with some taller trees? 

Google earth is nice but boots on the ground is the way to go. Just beware that come hunting season(high hunt or general) it's a different story and there will be others out there with you same way of thinking.

Thanks,  I'm not trying to use google instead of boots on the ground, just trying to scope out areas that will be most efficient for my time boots on the ground scouting.  I'm looking to take 5-6 boots on the ground scouting trips June-August, just trying to figure out how to look for new areas during the off season.  I have been listening to a couple hunting podcasts and they keep talking about pre scouting with Google earth and I'm just having trouble figuring out what to actually look for I guess.

Here is an area that I marked that I am hoping to go take a look at spring summer.  Seems that most of the mulies I found were bedding  up high near the top of ridges on small benches with a rock or some other large object at their back.  So looking at this area here I figured I could set up atop one of the ridges and be able to glass across and down with some creek bed drainage to the upper right.

Let me know if you think I am along the right lines or way off and what I can be improving on.

[jackelope]

This is the best map I've seen for computer work. You can swap back and forth from satellite view to topo to whatever you could want.
Thanks to "Joseph" on the forum for creating and sharing this tool.

 http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=48.195387,-120.665589&z=11&t=h,MODIS_thermal,Wind_in_6_hrs,Current_fire&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_wildland_fire.txt

[grundy53]

I love using Google earth to scout. It gives you a good idea of where you should concentrate your time scouting. Helps you to not waste time.

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[BOWHUNTER45]

Works great ..I used it a lot this year ...You can really pin point drainages in the areas you are hunting ..

[High Climber]

Your definitely along the right lines. Once i find a general area I like to look at topo view just as you are and once I find terrain features I like, then click over to Arial view to get a feel for the vegetation... Most of the time it looks way different when I show up there with my binos but hey that's why we scout.

This is the best map I've seen for computer work. You can swap back and forth from satellite view to topo to whatever you could want.
Thanks to "Joseph" on the forum for creating and sharing this tool.

 http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=48.195387,-120.665589&z=11&t=h,MODIS_thermal,Wind_in_6_hrs,Current_fire&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_wildland_fire.txt

That is a cool map program thanks for posting a link

[Little Dave]

Well, I was mostly joking with that snapshot, some elk in it.  Even so, you can zoom in to see things like game trails and then a number of other components of good habitat.

[Smoke]

I use it for prescouting, then get out there and actually put leather on the ground... it's great for finding areas off the beaten path, and ways in and out... but don't rely on the pics too much... have many times seen a clear cut on google that the image stated less then a year old, and gone out to find 30' trees... I know some grow fast, but damn....

[theleo]

This is a good one. You can have your topo with trail maps rite next to the satellite image.
http://www.hillmap.com/