What is the most efficient way to learn a new unit?

[SHeap]

There are lots of tools out there to use to learn a new unit, but I wanted to get your guys feelings on the most efficient way to learn a new unit.

 

Here are the tools that I am aware of to use.

AZ Game and Fish Hunt Unit information off the website,

Google Earth & other Satelite images,

TOPO's of Course,

Game and Fish Officers when they return your phone calls,

Websites like these for basic information as Escouting seems to be Taboo here.

Forest Service & BLM employees, local ranchers, hunters who have hunted the unit before.

Normally it takes many years to learn a new unit, and I am looking where to focus my efforts to learn it as efficiently as possible.

 

Thanks,

 

 

[5guyshunting]

I have used the g+f web site and talked to an officer in 19a for info. The info gathered from both proved to be the opposite of my own scouting efforts. This was for elk tags.

 

[tjhunt2]

The most effectiveness could be to become friends with someone who knows it well. Help pay for gas, buy breakfast, don't ask to bring your friends along and open his beers around the campfire at the end of the day but let him wipe his own @$$ though because that could get messy.

 

JMHO!

 

TJ

[azgutpile]

Google earth, google earth topo overlays, AZGFD Habimap( ownership) and a long weekend driving as many of the roads in the unit.

[PRDATR]

Boots on the ground and this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Just remember, if an area is easy to get to you will have more competition. Getting out and camping and talking to others in the area will give you some much needed experience as will looking for tracks.

[azslim]

maps, gas and shoe leather, study the maps in your living to plot the most efficient use of gas to put you in position to use your shoe leather

[520HUNT]

Wear the soles off of your hiking boots.

[Pine Donkey]

Nothing beats boots on the ground, elevation, good glass and patience.

[Fulch]

Ask Coues members for their honey holes coordinates?

[lefty]

the best way is to get on a hunting forum and say that you just drew a tag for this unit that you've never set foot in and you would like some hot spots. ha ha ha

[NWhunter]

May not be the most effecient, but it's certainly the best and most fun way, and that way is to actually hunt the area/unit. Scouting before or after a season can be a great help and should be done but may not always represent the "ground truth" during that critical and often short timeframe we have during a given hunting season. In my opinion when you hunt an area you are in a different state of mind and will cue on things you may not necessarily focus on when you are not hunting. There's certain areas I have learned extremely well through hunting and in ways simply scouting would not yield. I've witnessed the benefits of having "hunting knowledge" of an area and the frustrations of not having that experience. One usually ends up in more game seen and more opportunities presented.

[SHeap]

Thanks for your responses. I think I will explore the Game and Fish locations first, then look for water sources..springs, dirt tanks, etc, and then check canyons/mountains in the proper elevation range and locations.

[couesmagnet]

I always start at the unit boundaries and work my way to the middle, from the outside in. Good luck!!

[200"mulie]

I always start at g&f site ... onto maps and finally scouting/driving/glassing the unit

[HuntHarder]

TJHUNT2- Do you want to learn any new units? I am hoping I know one that you do not. You sound like a good guy to teach a unit to!!