I have been hunting this particular piece of land for 5 years now with good success as far as quantity but not quality. There are only 5 of us hunting this land with only 2 of us during bow season. The last few years there has been 4 quality deer taken by novice hunters. What I am trying to do is read this topo map, which I have no idea how to do. Would any of you who do know something about these maps please take a look and just give me your opinion on some spots that you would want to look at if you were going to be hunting this piece of land for the 1st time.I know the land pretty good but there are some areas I have never been. It's probally a total of about 500 or so acres, with lots of thick undergrowth and very limited red oaks. Also the area to the east of Hill Road is off limits. I'll try to upload a link. Thanks for any help. http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/addressimage.aspx?t=2&s=12&lon=-89.953752432&lat=30.538293785&alon=-89.92244600&alat=30.488042&w=3&opt=0&a mp;addr=

I would probably start by taking a look just west of hill road. There is a "woods road" or trail of sorts that runs by the southern tip of the lake. Just after the trail vears from the lake a ridge runs down to the water and appears to all but touch the far shore. If the lake is to scale it's aprox 200 yards around the end of the lake so I would imagine you'll find a funnel. Walk the shores and it should be clear if there is a prefered crossing.

The next place I'd take a look is about twi inches in from the west and just below the midpoint on the map. There is a hill "marked 102" that has a road that loops over the top. I'd look between the top of the hill and lake. this area should funnel animals as well as to the south west of the top between the other hill.

Lastly I'd scout out just at the bottom of the page. There is a hooked ridge that runs up into the map. If you move the map one click south you'll see what appears to be an elevated marshy area. A likely spot to be home to mossy horns. I wouldn't penetrate the swamp too much but I'd be looking for a travl route down the hooked ridge.

Print this map, take a pencil and a gps and go walk the woods. Take notes on wind direction, weather, animals viewed, old sign from ruts past and piece together the puzzel. Good luck and remember to have fun!

Adams

Great advice, Adams!

I'd add a couple of spots. First, if you click the tab marked 'Aerial Photo' and look near the red '12' on the topo map, it looks like there's a nice long clear cut (in a ravine) leading from one lake to another. That should be a good spot to scout. Second, on the west side of the map near the word 'Big' there's a little swamp between two hills next to the lake and road. I'd say that warrants a look as well.

First I'll start with Adam's post. When you mentioned the hill "marked 102" I had to do a double take when I looked where that was. I have a box stand just below it on the road right around where the * like symbol is. There is a foodplot that runs N.E. along the road and south east which runs to what is now a 1 year old cutover. There are numerous deer trails that run just below the hill marked 102 that cross the road and into this foodplot. I know the deer there but have been reluctant to penetrate it believing that it is a bedding area. There must be at least 5 or 6 heavily used trails that run from the hill that you mentioned. I've seen a few deer from my box but never the one's I was hoping to see. It sure is good to know that it is a hill there, I have no idea how to read these topo's. As far as the 1st spot you mentioned by the southern tip of the lake, there is an old house there that someone rents from the owner. The last spot at the bottom of the map is not on this piece of property, at the S.W. corner of the map you'll see a road that deadends going to the east, that is the southern boundary of the property. as far as Windsorarchers post the red 12, which I hear used to be a very good stand, is now some very nice homes. Most of our land to hunt is now west of the lakes. Your other spot by the word "Big" happens to be a spot I have hunted up until 2 years ago. The owner of the property has a foodplot just SSE of that and I try to keep my space and not disturb him or his grandchilden that he takes about twice a year. Both of your post were fantastic and made me think even more how I need to learn more about these topo's. If Adam's is still reading I still not sure where this hooked ridge is that you refered to. Does it run inbetween the numbers 13 and 14 at the bottom of the map? Also if either of you wouldn't mind filling me in on what these symbols mean it would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time.

There appears to be a natural saddle below hill #102 . . . from what you said in your last posting, this saddle could just be a natural funnel and well worth checking out.

Thanks again for the advice. I see that you guys are being drawn to that hill 102 area. As I said before there are many trails coming from this area but I do believe it to be a bedding area. There is alot of undergrowth, not much bare ground in much of this whole place. I have never penetrated this area but I quess now would be a good time. Thanks again and at least I know nowwhat a hill looks like on a topo. Now that I'm looking at it further I believe that this hill 102 is an old foodplot that my buddy used to hunt but never did much good. Not that it was expected, he didn't hunt much and didn't stay when he did. When I go through there I'll post my results on what I find.

The "hooked ridge" is just East of the #13 on the map. Just the very NW end of the ridge is hooked but if you move the map one click South you see the entire ridge more clearly. It appears that "Jacks Branch" originates on top of this ridge. It looks swampy by the markings on the topo. I'm getting side tracked but you should now be able to see the ridge.

As the ridge runs NNE the two sides are steep to both the East and West but the center of the ridge is "concave" if you will, with a nice gentle slope to the bottom of the ridge and to the "hook". I'd scout out the bottom of this ridge to see what sign is around but the hot spot I'm visioning is at the bottom of the NE side of this ridge.
http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/addressimage.aspx?t=2&s=11&lon=-89.943765632&lat=30.526426525&alon=-89.92244600&alat=30.488042&w=1&opt=0&a mp;addr=