The most important reason to design a professional looking map for your hunting property is to create the best layout for hunting that property. An aerial photo of your hunting property is a very powerful tool. I prefer to access and hunt travel patterns for deer. Having a bird’s eye view of the property helps to determine the needed strategic layout to have a successful hunting season and reduce the unwanted consequences of a poorly designed hunting parcel..

The process for making a professional looking property map can be simple. I’m sure there are other programs, but this is a simple free way to create a map. Google Maps offers access to quality aerial images for free. Simply find your hunting area and turn on the satellite image map. From here, there are two ways to produce your base map: the best way is to take a screen shot. The screen shot is accomplished through right clicking on the three horizontal bars in the upper left-hand corner. The quickest way to produce the map is to use the download button, an image file will be created under the computer documents tab. The second way to create a map is through print screen, this image can be cropped to produce the desirable map. This map will be found under Screenshots in Pictures. Both ways to create a map will result in an image file.

The next step in the map making process, is utilizing a program that allows illustration on the map. Common programs include PowerPoint and Google Slides. I use PowerPoint because of my familiarity with the program. The Insert tab allows for the photo upload. The Design tab allows for orientation of the photo (Landscape or Portrait). The Format tab allows for cropping and determining the photo size. The Home tab allows for images and lines to be drawn onto the map. Text can also be added, a text box with white background can serve as the map legend. A large sized map can be printed at a local print shop.

It may take some time, but having an overall plan for the entire property is the most critical aspect to hunting a property. I can’t stress enough the importance of having a holistic plan for your hunting property. Most of the common hunting improvements work in concert with each other to help define and strengthen movement patterns. Improvements such as access, bedding, travel, water, food, etc. can all work for you or against you. Trees can’t be uncut, money can’t be unspent, and some big buck opportunities never materialize. Every property should have a solid management plan before any work starts.