Mapping Trophy Bucks

Great book which ranges from some basic concepts to much more in depth ones in regards to terrain features, how they affect deer, and how to hunt deer utilizing the terrain. The only thing I think would be beneficial is for Mr. Herndon to update the book including the new technology--mainly the explosion of the internet and cell phone usage. It would be too easy to incorporate mapping software, files, programs, and weather applications to help with reading maps and the wind and would reinforce the concepts already laid out in the book. Even so, this is a great read for any serious hunter, novice to advanced, and is full of information that will make someone a better deer hunter.

This should be required reading for all whitetail deer hunters! Very informative and technical - which I like. Can NEVER get outdated in my opinion. Helps you pick out spots remotely with the use of today's internet based digital maps and aerial imagery. I wish I had this years ago when I started hunting! It would have saved a lot of time scouting unproductive locations on new turf which is this books greatest feature. Whether looking at new hunting grounds (public land, or private) or even looking at the property you've hunted for years with a new perspective, this book is really THE SOURCE for helping you find potential spots prior to in-field scouting. There's also plenty of good information about technology, hunting setup tactics, hunting the wind, and countless others. Honestly, one of the few MUST HAVE books on hunting whitetailed deer.

This book has some great information, but it could have easily conveyed the information effectively in half of the pages. It is worth reading but I found myself skimming through most of the information.The diagrams have most of the information you need. Most of the text was the author explaining the diagrams in too much detail or telling a story from experience in too much irrelevant detail.The experience stories were relevant in saying that the author or his wife had successfully hunted the areas suggested. However, the experience stories did not teach much on how to do it by example; most of the stories could be summed up like this: "I did what i suggested in the last paragraph in 1996 and bagged a big buck doing it." They were mostly the same so i skimmed most of them once i figured out the pattern.I would estimate that half of this book is photos, which makes it a quick read, but the extent of detail makes it boring and dragged out.It gets 4 stars because the author is definitely a good hunter and the knowledge presented is definitely helpful to anyone who would hunt, but it was a dragged out read.

Some of the information has become slightly dated with the advent of Google Earth, but the rest of it is pure gold. I read it over last summer, anticipating the coming hunting season and I was amazed how much this book opened my eyes as to how the deer were using the topography of the land. I set up on many of the spots this past season that this book discussed as good hunting locations and I saw deer moving through them. This book will surely help you to take deer more consistently (I got my first real crack at a deer this past season using my traditional archery set up..... don't ask.... :) ) and if nothing else, add some reason to the seemingly irrational things that deer do. If you are a trophy buck hunter, the information in this book will surely become a part of your hunting strategy.

I am ashamed at my arrogance for having ignored this book for quite some time thinking that I knew all I needed to know about interpreting maps and incorporating them into my hunting strategy. I had already taken a few nice bucks on unfamiliar ground thanks to reading maps, so I pridefully thought there wouldn't be much information for me to glean from Herndon's book.Boy am I glad I broke down and picked up this book, what a humbling experience reading this book was. The author's knowledge and experience on reading topo/aerial maps and perceiving how deer will use certain terrain and topography is stunning. I am seeing all of my old hunting grounds in new ways. I also feel even more confident in hunting unfamiliar ground.The quality of the physical book is also second to none, large beautiful illustrations can be found throughout. This is now one of my favorite deer hunting books, and I have read a few shelve's full.If you think yourself pretty savvy in map reading, don't be like me. Don't wait another week, month, year to buy this book. It is so much more than just telling you how to make sense of those squiggly lines. This is a thorough guide on deer movement and how to hunt them.

Great book on topo maps and using them to pre scout good hunting areas. Very informative, a lot of things i would have never thought of. i would suggest anyone from rookies to seasoned hunters to read.

This book was recommended to me by a fellow wildlife officer. I've been a deerhunter for many years, and although I knew about using land topography to funnel deer into my treestand shooting zone, this book explained several different aspects of this approach in detail that I hadn't thought about before.When you walk onto a tract of land for the first time, most of the time you have to spend a LOT of time scouting it looking for deer sign. Using the principles in this book and a topo map of the property, you should be able to pinpoint exactly where the deer are coming into, crossing and exiting the property within a matter of minutes. You'll still have to put in the time putting up your stand and clearing shooting lanes, but the scouting time will be cut dramatically using these principles.Whether your a novice or an old time deer hunter, you really need to spend some time with the ideas in this book. The principles are sound, and they work.

I've started scouting this year focusing on the terrain features he writes about and, sure enough, all the sign was there. Not a big fan of the trophy management section in the back but it's more of the sign of times than anything. All of that information is readily available on the internet now.

easy read, good read, gain a lots information, I like it