A Sandpoint native and self-described blue-collar worker, computer nerd and life-long hunter is marketing a new multi-state online hunt planning service that offers a suite of maps, databases and tools.
“We take everything from game departments to Google Earth and put it in one spot for convenience,” said Jeff Balch, founder of BaseMAP (www.basemap.com).
Although the site is still expanding, it currently covers Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, with Washington being the next scheduled addition. The site includes outfitter coverage for the 12 western states.
If the mobile app is ready this month as scheduled, users will be able to sync all of their customized maps and data from BaseMAP to their phone for offline GPS use in the field.
“Working in the oil and gas industry, I worked a lot in computers and building some applications,” said Balch, 39. “That morphed into this because of my interest in hunting. I’m self-taught on computers, to be honest. I especially had to learn a lot about mapping software.”
His background in the outdoors goes further back:
“My dad started taking me hunting when I was very young. I was 10 the first time I did an overnight in the wilderness by myself. I’m not sure what my parents were thinking.
“I’ve always had a huge passion for the outdoors and backcountry.”
Balch says he’s always been fascinated with the information available from maps. He compiles the data and builds the maps for BaseMAP while he contracts with a company to do the coding.
Map layers show satellite imagery, land ownership, roads, trails, fire data, management areas and more.
His biggest challenge is keeping up with the regulation changes in each state each year. “I’ve developed a process that works out pretty good,” he said. “It’s pretty technical; not a method I want to give out. I use some unbelievable Excel formulas.”
Much of what BaseMAP offers is already available online.
“The difference is that we provide a complete start to finish hunt planning, research and navigation system,” he said.
“Rather than going out and getting generic harvest data on a fish and game site, then going to a different site for generic maps and they buying a GPS or mobile application to navigate the routes you plan at home, we’ve incorporated everything into one mobile application. Cost for everything is $49.99 a year.”
A hunter can select the species of interest, choose over-the-country or limited entry permitting and then filter down the results of hundreds of hunts with a few mouse clicks. A search can be narrowed by various criteria, such as youth hunts and season dates.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, and I’m definitely proud of it,” he said.
