WMUs + GIS layers on topos and aerials

[Jelf]

The following map link displays boundaries for the NY Wildlife Management Units.  This map will always be up-to-date since the data comes straight from a GIS (Geographical Information System) server operated by the state.  You can also turn various other GIS overlay layers on/off and change the stacking order.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.616023,-76.060753&z=7&t=m,Wildlife_management_unit&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/state/NY/NY_trail_public_land.txt

To display the list of basemaps and GIS overlay layers, click the button (upper right corner) that is showing the name of the current basemap.  Click the overlay layers to turn them on/off.  The first layer you turn on will be #1 and at the bottom of the stack.  The last layer you turn on will have the highest number and be at the top of the stack.

Be patient.  Some GIS overlay layers might take a short time to appear on your screen depending on how busy the server is when you ask it for data.

If you open this map with a smartphone or tablet, then you will automatically see a touch-friendly interface.

If you are hunting on any of the public land shown on the map and there is cell service, then you can:
Open the above link with your smartphone
Do Menu ==> My location
The map will center at your position and display a symbol that will follow you just like a dedicated GPS unit.  This will help you stay on the public land.

To see high resolution topo maps, zoom in a bunch and then change the basemap to “t4 Topo High”.

To see the map legends, click the "About this map" link in the upper left corner then scroll down a bit for links to the map legends.

The "About" page also has a link to tips for using the map.  You can search, change the coordinate format, display a UTM grid and a lot more.  If you want to get the most out of the map please take a few moments to read the “Tips”.  They are written in plain English since I never did learn how to write computer babble-speak.

The overlay layer titled “Point of interest” includes different symbols for campgrounds, picnic areas, etc.  This layer also has a lot of other information and will take a short time to appear on your screen.  These symbols are easiest to see if you change the basemap to “All white basemap”.

Yes, the map works offline but you have to give it some help.  Please see this pdf file:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/help_files/gmap4_offline.pdf

The map is displayed by Gmap4 which is an enhanced Google map viewer.  Full disclosure time: I am the developer of the Gmap4 browser app.  It is used by people that enjoy all kinds of outdoor recreation.  

Here is the recipe for making your own custom Gmap4 map link:
1.  Pick the basemap you want
2.  Turn on the GIS layers you want.  Remember, the layers are stacked from bottom to top as you turn them on.
3.  Adjust the panning and zooming
4.  Click Menu ==> Link to this map
The link that is displayed will reproduce the map you see on your screen.

This map is part of a project I am doing to make Gmap4 links that show GIS recreation information at both the federal and state level.  Here is the homepage for this project where you will find links to the other maps that have already been produced and the next state that will be processed.
http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map.html

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
 

[mlammerhirt]

Can this be used for private property?

I am looking to have the property lines on a map as well as stand locations....this could help with the neighbor posting a pretty skewed posted signs.

[phade]

I wish this would work with Bing bird's eye view. It is still a heck of a tool however!

[Jelf]

Thanks for the kind words.

1.  Bing maps

No.  Gmap4 is based on Google maps.

But try the basemap labeled “New York latest aerial”.  The resolution varies in different parts of the state.  Some of the aerials were taken at “leaf off” which is real nice since you can see the ground under deciduous trees and pick out trails, rock walls and other stuff that cannot be seen on a “leaf on” aerial.

2.  Private property

Yes.  If you have coordinate data for anything (stands, signs, property lines, etc) then Gmap4 can display that data.

If you have that data in a GPX file, then put your file online (Google Sites provides free hosting) and make a Gmap4 link to display your file.  Gmap4 can also display KML files and a delimited file format I designed.

The following map for some property I own in Michigan.  To change the scale (lower right) from meters to feet, click right on the scale.  This map uses a simple delimited text file that I made.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?t=s&label=on&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/demo_maps/parcel_close_to_river.txt

The text file displayed by the above map looks like this:

line=on
44.561808,-85.132073
44.561750,-85.129102
44.558248,-85.129102
44.558248,-85.132073
44.561808,-85.132073
line=off
44.558904,-85.129594^Stand
44.559257,-85.130660^Game trails

If you go to the Gmap4 homepage and click the ‘Help’ tab then you will see links to some pdf files with documentation.  One file walks you through  the delimited file format and shows you how to make custom lines, specify symbols for waypoints, make fancy labels and more.

The Gmap4 homepage has a FAQ, examples and Quick Start info.  (The Quick Start info is on the 'Help' page.)

Homepage:  http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

But here are two important points.

1. Take a few minutes and learn how to get the most accurate coordinates from your GPS device (mobile or dedicated).

I look at a lot of outdoor related forums and almost no one is talking about this.  GPS accuracy varies during the day.  If you want to collect the most accurate coordinates possible then you need to first visit one of the websites that predicts when the constellation of GPS satellites will be favorable.

Also, if your GPS device can see the Russian GLONASS satellites then you need to make certain that your device has a current almanac for those satellites.

2.  You need the best coordinates you can get for the property lines.

While many counties have an online GIS, usually they do not give you coordinates.  Also, the accuracy of the property lines you see on a GIS varies from county to county and also often varies from area to area within a county.

If you can locate the property corners yourself and collect the most accurate GPS coordinates that your device can gather, then you can use that data to make a delimited text file that you can display with Gmap4.

If you need help getting approximate corner coordinates for a property, then please take a look at my other project:
http://www.propertylinemaps.com

Finally, here are two articles I wrote to help people that want to use GPS technology to locate approximate property lines or ‘lost’ survey markers.

Smartphone or other mobile device:
http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf_smartphone_find_property_lines.pdf

Dedicated GPS:
http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/pdf_tips_for_using_a_gps.pdf

Joseph

[Jelf]

Here is an update on my ongoing project to produce online maps that show public land and other recreation information.  

All of the maps in this project display data that is hosted on GIS servers.  Think of these servers as having two kinds of data.  One kind of data can display symbols and boundary lines on the map.  My first post in this thread talked about that kind of data.

The other kind of information a GIS server has is attribute data.  This consists of fields of information about the symbols and boundary lines that can be displayed on the map.

Gmap4 now has the ability to display all the attribute data when you click on a GIS feature you see on the map.  You can try it out on this map which shows different kinds of public land in New York State.    Click the "About this map" link in the upper left corner (1) to see the map legends and (2) to learn how to turn other GIS overlay layers on and see their attribute data.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=42.712210,-75.940933&z=7&t=h,State_recreation_land&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/state/NY/NY_trail_public_land.txt

Here is another example using a new map I added to this project.  This map shows all the current USA weather watches and warnings.  If you click on any of the colored areas then a popup appears that displays the attribute data.  The attribute data includes links to weather service pages that have all the details for the spot you clicked.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.282795,-97.250977&z=5&t=h,Weather_watch_warning&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_weather.txt

The homepage for this mapping project is:
http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map.html
As time allows, I will be posting map links for additional states.  So if I have not got to your state yet, eventually it will get added.

Finally, every attribute popup always has a link titled “GIS server directory”.  This link takes you straight to the GIS server that includes the data layer that is presently displaying attribute values on the map.  A new Help page (http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/help_files/gmap4_gis_help.html) walks you through (1) understanding the key information the GIS server directory provides and (2) how to use that information to build your own custom Gmap4 links to display the GIS data that *you* want to see.

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy