Hunting after a fire....

[Big Smizz]

Hi all:

Well, as usual we have buck tags for the Desolation Unit rifle hunt this year. Looking forward to hunting, but I have a quick question. The Bull Spring 2 fire, around the town of Dale appears to be in the very close vicinity, if not the same area that we traditionally hunt. This is a smaller fire that was buring about the same time as the "B and B" fire and is now fully contained. My question to you all is....given that there was a fire recently in the area, is it a given that hunting will be poor? Do wildfires take large numbers of game animals' lives? Should we even bother hunting in the burned areas? Any insight would be great. Don't hesitate to give me the bad news if that's what is coming to me. Thanks everyone.

-Mike

[greenbuttskunk]

surprisingly, most larger animals that can move quickly like elk and deer will survive. hunting in a newly burned area though is not very successful. Animals will move to area where there is cover, food source, and water. In some cases, the animals will be forced into smaller areas adjacent to burned zones. Burns can be very good in the coming years through, when young grasses and foliage start to grow up. In my opinion, find a map of the burned areas, and look for good habitat in areas where the herds may have moved to escape. I've done well finding large tracts of good timber surrounded by burns. They feed in the burns on the grass, then move into the dense timber to bed or hide out the day.
good luck!
GBS

[Old Coot]

I would guess that there will still be quite a bit of human activity in the immediate fire area; rehab work and such. You might be able to use that to your advantage. The fire was 1266 acres, but looking a some of the photos posted, it appears that there are likely to be unburned islands. Some of it looks like it was just a ground fire, too. If you haven't been there yet, try the Umatilla Forest website and follow the wildfire link. Good luck!

[Bait O' Eggs]

I would not be surprised to see them keeping you out of the burn area for the rest of the year.

Last year a big piece of Black Canyon in the Ochoccos burned. Fire had been out for over a month when I was there and it was all posted off limits due to fear a tree might fall on somebody.

I looked at the big black area this year for several hours and it was still pretty much solid black with little to no regrowth yet and didnt see an elk in the burn area. :depressed: There was no where for an elk to hide yet, black ground, with black spindly sticks standings.

But the St Helens area has been pretty productive since the blast.

[maggot]

My old stomping grounds in Idaho....Mccall....Whenever there was a fire, you could bet there would be elk in that area.. They use the soot and ash to rid themselves of ticks and stuff, rolling around and frolicking.
Many a night as the wind started to pick up , and the half burnt snags started to pop like dynamite...I could hear the elk bugling in unison....It doesnt take long after a good rain in a fire area to sprout sweet, tasty shoots for them to eat......dont pass over these areas.

[Artwo]

I agree with maggot, I've heard of some very successful hunts that have taken place in newly burned areas. I would however suggest that you verify that the area will be open. If the area is closed I would hunt as close to the area as possible.

JK