Know Your Maps

By Neil Johnson, Wildlife Biologist, IDFG/Southwest Region The phone has finally stopped its constant ringing. We have made it to February and the public contact with Fish and Game has slowed down considerably. As I sit here, I reflect on all the calls that I have taken over the last twenty years or so. Most of them have been from hunters trying to get a leg up on the upcoming hunting seasons. The typical phone conversation keeps repeating in my mind and it sounds something like this. Me: "Ok, go up to Deer Creek and hunt the drainage to the left." Caller: "Ok, that is the third creek on your left as I go up the road." Now I believe that I have directed the hunter into an area of unit 39 that should have deer in it. The caller heard what he thinks are directions on how to get to a good hunting spot. The only problem is that he is relying on his memory of the road system and he might end up in unit 33. This happens over and over every fall as hunters call trying to get inside information on the area they are planning to hunt. Every fall, as I answer these questions, I always feel that there is a good chance that the hunter did not interpret the information correctly. Upon further reflection, I have come up with some tips that every hunter should consider prior to calling a wildlife biologist for information. First and foremost, the hunter should read the regulations that pertain to their particular hunt. This would include knowing the hunt opening and closing dates and if the hunt is for antlered or antlerless animals. Second, the prospective hunter should be familiar with the unit and the general landmarks. Third, when the call is made to the department, the hunter should have maps of the unit in front of him, so they can follow along as they visit with the biologist. Specifically, these maps should be either Forest Service maps or the new "Big Sky" 1 to 100,000 scale maps. Some familiarity with the maps would be helpful by making it easier to quickly locate map place names during the discussion with the biologist. Completing these few simple steps prior to making the call to Fish and Game will result in a much better transfer of information, and (hopefully), allow the hunter to access the areas that are discussed and suggested.