Map Definitions

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What Map Type Best Suits My Needs?

Map Type Descriptions

Map Index: The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Map Index application provides a tool to search various Department maps, applications, data and map documents. This application uses ESRI's ArcGIS Online as a resource catalog for various Department map content. The published content contains numerous tags that are used filter the user search results.

Map Service Applications

Interactive Map Service: The North Dakota Game and Fish Department interactive map services provide users with a variety of information available through a web browser. These map services offer a rich user experience with numerous tools and widgets that allow users to interact with the map features and customize the map they desire. These maps services are optimized for desktop and mobile devices using responsive design to format accordingly to the device form (desktop, tablet, handheld).

Web Map: While these maps may be viewed in a standard browser, they are also designed to be used within a native mobile application like the ESRI ArcGIS application. These maps tend to be simplistic with limited data layers and tools. Mobile device GPS location services may be used with these maps allowing a user to view their current location on the map.

Mobile Apps

Mobile Apps are native applications (applications that are downloaded and installed on a mobile device as opposed to using the browser) like ArcGIS explorer.

ESRI ArcGIS Explorer: The Department currently publishes many maps using ESRI's "Explorer for ArcGIS". More information.

Geospatial PDFs: Geospatial PDF maps can be downloaded and saved on a smartphone prior to going into the field. Once in the field, the phone’s GPS can be used to display the user’s current location on the map. No cell service is required since the map is already stored on the phone. More information.

Garmin GPS Maps

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department GPS maps were originally designed for staff use and were constructed to work on several varieties of Garmin handheld GPS models. These map files may be downloaded to a Garmin GPS unit for use in the field. The Department recognizes that these maps may not work well for all models and expect end users to proceed at their own discretion.

Note: Data used to create the North Dakota Game and Fish Department GPS maps are subject to frequent change, and are compiled from a variety of sources, data standards and scales. Users should be aware that the data may contain spatial inaccuracies, does not represent a legal land survey and may not be appropriate at certain scales.

Web and Data Services

The North Dakota GIS Hub Data Portal is a tool for finding downloadable GIS data, GIS web services, and GIS applications using geographic extents, searching by keywords, browsing or searching within categories, or some combination of all.

ESRI REST Services: The North Dakota Game and Fish Department provides a simple web interface solution to access the Department’s published GIS web services using the ArcGIS Server REST (Representational State Transfer) API. These web services provide the means of streaming GIS data to the computer, avoiding the need to download. These services may provide a better solution when accessing dynamic data, providing the user with the most current information available.