How to Use Google Earth for Kentucky Public Hunting Maps and Information

1) If you haven’t already downloaded the Google Earth program and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife hunting area Google Earth files go to web site http://fw.ky.gov/kfwis/google/GoogleEarth.asp

2) Open Google Earth

3) In Windows Explorer go to where you saved the KMZ files on your computer and double click each of them. This opens the files and they will upload under temporary places. Open all three files before proceeding.

4) Now in the middle left hand side of the Google Earth screen you will see Places. Scroll down to find Temporary Places there are selections labeled Ky Public Hunting Area Points, Ky Public Hunting Areas, and Elk Hunting Unit Layers, if you downloaded the County Boundaries and Fishing access sites they will also show up.

4a) Ky_Public_hunting_areas_entrance.kmz are the GPS points of a starting point for each Public Hunting Area

4b) Ky Public Hunting Areas.kmz is the boundaries of each WMA in the state

4c) Elk Hunt Unit Layers.kmz has Elk Release Sites and Elk Hunting Unit boundaries in it.

4d) County_Boundary_Polygons has the boundaries for each county

4e) Fishing_Access_sites has the point locations for the boat ramps and fishing access sites

5) Expand KyPublic Hunting Areas by clicking on the box to the left with a plus sign in it + until the list of WMA’s appears.

6) Now uncheck the box √ beside Ky Public Hunting Areas to turn off all the boundaries of the WMA’s.

7) Now scroll down to look for the WMA that you desire to get a map of and select the empty box to its left. Then double click the WMA name and it will take you to the map.

8) Expand Elk Hunt Unit Layers by clicking on the box to the left with a plus sign in it + until the list Elk Release Sites and Elk Hunting Units appear.

9) Now uncheck the box √ beside Elk Hunting Units to turn off all the boundaries of the EHU.

10) Now scroll down to look for the EHU that you desire to get a map of and select the empty box to its left. Then double click the EHU name and it will take you to the map.

11) To better to see the boundaries, you can change the color and the width of the lines by right clicking on the WMA/EHU name or within its boundaries then selecting Properties, then Style and Color to change them to the desired color and width. Use the zoom tool (top right of the map screen) to zoom in and out.

12) To print the map it is best to make the map a full screen by going to View and selecting Full Screen. Then select File, Print, Graphic of 3D-View and Screen. Then print. To have the biggest map, have the printer print in landscape format.

Example of Finding and Printing a Map. I want to find Redbird WMA and then print the map.

a) Expand Public Hunting Areas + until you see the list of WMA’s.

b) Uncheck the box beside Public Hunting areas √

c) Scroll down through the listing of Public Hunting areas and find Redbird WMA.

d) Double Click on Redbird WMA

e) Right click on Redbird WMA, select Properties, then Color and Style

f) Change color to Blue and Make the Width 3.0. Click Ok

g) Go to View then select Full Screen. Then select File, Print, Graphic of 3-D View and select Screen. Print in landscape format.