For what its worth to those who are interested, I have found a way to overlay USGS Topo Maps over Google Earth. Once you get the map overlayed, you can change the transparency of the topo so the aerial bleeds through it. I was surprised at how close the two match up when it comes to low spots & wet areas.
The download and instructions can be found here, it didn't cost me anything.
Thanks TCR ! Great link.
Just got back in from the new lease. All of the locations I marked above ended up being good spots to keep an eye on, however some did not have good setups for treestands. It was hot as hades out there yesterday but thankfully there was a breeze. We walked a long way and got back into a few areas we had to back out of. We ended up hanging 4 trail cams and placed 50 lbs blocks of trace mineral salt in front of each on stumps. Looking forward to seeing some pics in the next few months.
You know, I would like to think that I was smart enough to figure this out before I got out in the woods but I stumbled upon it by accident.
I was checking a section of my lease, it is maybe +/- 45 acres hardwood stand/swampy area right in the middle of a large cutdown (1st pic below). We walked around the outside edge looking for clear game trails that would allow us to get into the middle of this area. We finally found an entry point, pushed our way through and were surprised to find a very defined logging road that had grown over, you could tell it had held standing water, the entire roadway was filled in with that pink root/hog grass some of you guys have been talking about. If you look at the 1st pic below, from that aerial you would of never guessed that road system was in place.
However, when I got home I started doing some research, Google Earth will allow you to look at aerials that go back 1988. I started to go back in time and sure enough, the road comes up clear as day (2nd pic below), it showed up around 99 and disappeared within the last 2 years. I wish I would have looked at some of the older aerials for features like these before I went up there scouting this weekend.
After doing this time lapse exercise, I have a whole other round of sites I need to visit when I go back to swap out batteries and memory cards.
can't tell if that narrow winding wooded area is a river bed/drainage canal? if so any natural depression they can travel without being seen and is relatively cooler than surrounding areas look good. I like the spots you marked with parrallel lines but might want to hang a stand high in that LARGE boot shaped piece, right around the ankle area, should be some good trees there. in this summer heat wherever is coolest with water and mud during the hottest part of the day. when are you gonna be able to hunt it?
