Google Earth Pro: Advanced E-Scouting Tricks
Don't just look at a flat map. Use 3D viewing, historical imagery, and tilt-shifting to identify hidden bedding benches.
Google Earth Pro remains the most powerful free tool in a hunter's arsenal. While Roam Idaho provides the critical fire and boundary data, Google Earth's desktop power allows for deep topographical analysis that can reveal 'unseen' features.
The 'Bedding Bench' Search
Elk and mule deer almost never bed on top of high ridges or in the bottom of drainages. They bed on benches—small, flat areas on the side of a steep slope that offer a view of the canyon below and a wind advantage.
- The Tilt Trick: Hold the 'Shift' key and drag your mouse to tilt the view. This allows you to see the true slope of the mountain. Look for where the topo lines would spread apart.
- Thermal Bedding: On north-facing slopes, look for benches roughly 1/3rd of the way down from the top. This is the thermal belt that stays cool but protected.
Roam Idaho Pro Tip: Historical Imagery
Check the snow. Use the 'Clock' icon in the top toolbar to view historical imagery. Find photos from late June or early July. Where does the snow hold longest? Those are your north-facing 'refrigerators' where elk will hide during the heat of the September rut.
Calculating Sun Exposure
Using the 'Sun' tool (also in the top toolbar), you can simulate the light at any time of day. This is critical for glassing strategy. If you want to glass a certain basin at dawn, ensure the basin isn't in a deep shadow cast by an adjacent peak. You want the light hitting the elk's coat to make them 'pop' against the green timber.
Identifying Game Trails
In open country (Unit 40 or 39 burns), high-traffic game trails are visible from space. They often look like faint, light-colored lines connecting benches to water sources. Mark these with pins and look for the 'intersection' points—these are your prime glassing targets.