# Plat books/aerial photos



## svk (Jan 18, 2017)

Was lamenting that I didn't have good access to a lake near me that has great fishing and good duck hunting. There's one spot to go in on private land and the good thing is the owner lets you park there but it's sort of a "kiss the ring" situation and the guy really makes sure to let you know he's doing you a favor by letting you cross his 6 feet of property. 

Was studying the plat map and found that there's a single chunk of state land on the far side of the otherwise totally private lake. Even better is that this spot is actually quite a bit closer to my cabin than the kiss the ring dude and this state land abuts the road into my cabin. I know there's an old ATV trail in there that I've never explored that may even go down to the lake. Even if it doesn't go all the way down I've got a place to go.


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## benp (Jan 19, 2017)

Beltrami County has an awesome interactive online GIS application. 

It basically is an online platte book with multiple over lays.

I've actually used it for getting GPS coordinates on property lines when scrounging wood behind the house.

I have also used it to check out a chunk of property I was looking at purchasing. 

You should check out and see if your county has the same.


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## svk (Jan 19, 2017)

We have the same. That is how I figured it out. I always thought the road was much further from the lake when it is actually less than a 1/4 mile in some points. I always thought the entire north shore of the lake was private. I was checking out the neighboring 40's border lines so I could scout for deer on the adjacent public land. Clicked to the right and was shocked.


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## stillhunter (Jan 22, 2017)

Most all county GIS sites round here also have topo maps you can lay over aerial pictures and property lines, I've been printing my own maps of hunting/fishing spots. I've been using them to scout new places to fish and hunt before I go there. I mark places I want to go to like saddles, hilltops/ridges, mature hardwoods,creek bottoms/forks etc. I don't own a gps but I can navigate new lands w just the contours/aerial prints because it's not very flat anywhere near me.


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## svk (Jan 22, 2017)

Those are extremely helpful. 

I noticed the overlays of the maps by my cabin have the property lines slightly off by maybe 30 or so feet but otherwise are very useful.


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## svk (Jan 27, 2017)

Checked things out and there's actually 1/2 mile of state land on the lake. Possibly two trails down to the lake that I can identify from the aerial photos. 

May try to snowshoe down there the next time I get up there.


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