Elk Poacher, Not what you think!

[danr55]

These pics were taken out the back door of a friends cabin in Arizona. His place is just short of where the big fires were. He had just bought hay for his critters and gone home. Before he could unload it, he had to take a whiz. When he walked out the door, he found Rufus the baby bull poaching out of the truck. (Elkhunter will post the pics, I hope.)


The next morning, he found medium bull and big bull grazing contentedly in his side yard. Periodically they would all wander over and check out the back of the pickup.

Kind of a neat thing in a way, but a sad comment on what's left of that country up there.



<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 08-09-2002 12:23: Message edited by: danr55 ]</font>

 

[Washington Hunter]

I don't think it's sad at all. Fire is a natural thing. Next spring those elk will have more green stuff to eat than they ever had before.

 

[AZ402]

Actually It's very sad, both of our big AZ fires which eventually combined with one another, where man made. Both where purposely done to boot. Can't wait to see the pics danr55.

 

[danr55]

The really sad thing about these fires was that they burned so hot that they sterilized a lot of the ground. I've seen photos of melted sand and exploded rocks. A friend at G&F says that some of that ground may never grow anything in our lifetime.

I agree that it's a natural thing and when it's naturally caused that's one thing, but when a fire that does this much damage is caused on purpose and the guilt party gets away without penalty, then that's criminal.

 

[Deerslayer]

Yep...it's sad, Dan.

No matter how beneficial it may be in the long run to the wildlife, and big wildfire like that is both tragic and devasting to those directly effected by it. Yes, a re-birth will eventually occur, but the immediate impact on the wildlife who struggled trhough it and the folks who both battled the fires and dealt with it's aftermath could certainly be characterized as sad.

Look forward to the pix, Dan.
DS

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Where can I find somebody to light some fires over here?? Of course, it would be nice if it was a more controlled burn. I can think of miles and miles of forest that are pretty much unused by big game because they are a tangled mess of dead trees, standing and fallen. Had a match been thrown in there the last two summers.. it would have created a mushroom cloud seen all the way over in Australia.

 

[Deerslayer]

Greeny....there a Forest Service chick on trial here for among other things, the death of a woman as a direct result of the fire she started....the largest fire in Colorado history......I'd say she would be the one to lokk to,.....that is if she doesn't get life for the millions or maybe billions of dollars in damage to property and forest land. A lot of homes were lost as well as a life......and she set it while on patrol warning campers against starting forest fires ..

...yep, she would be on the short list of who to call.....
DS

 

[Calif. Hunter]

That's exactly the situation in a lot of California, as well. The F&G just issued a report here stating that this is the prime reason why there are more and healthier deer on private land than on public. The private land gets cleared. The public land is so overgrown with brush that is less healthy for deer feed, as well as providing cover for predators, allowing them to stalk the deer more effectively. They state that controlled burns are needed. (And I fully recognize the difference between a controlled burn and a wildfire...I'm simply agreeing with Greenhorn's statement about other areas.)

 

[danr55]

Hey Kurt, We have a couple of controlled burn crews here in Arizona that are pretty good at clearing forest land. Last year and the year prior we had two pretty good size fires that resulted from controlled burns that got out of control. Maybe you can entice those boys to come visit you in Butt and give lessons to the Montana folks?

 

[A-con]

Hey Greeny, next summer try hunting coyotes with tracers.

 

[Elkhunter]

Here are the pics Dan. Did not get in till late afternnon today.

 

[Elkhunter]

And here are the next set.

 

[Elkhunter]

Nice animals Dan. Thanks!

 

[Deerslayer]

I never get tired of seeing that stuff.......
DS

 

[Ithaca 37]

Great pictures! Thanks!

 

[AZHUNTERR]

nice pics

i will be in that area in a few months

 

[raybow 1]

Man that is what I call a canned elk hunt. All you need are the mason jars and some boiling water. Just throw a little seasoning in that feed before hand and start canning!

 

[A-con]

Great photos Dan (&Elkhunter) Thanks.
Your friend is lucky he still has that cabin

 

[ELKCHSR]

Those are great pics Dan.
I think it's absolutly great that the fires are getting so large. Maybe not for the extreme damage that is taking place, but for the reason that the people in charge of the controled burns have a hell of a time getting them done because of the medow muffins that thwart their every turn at getting logging and burns completed. With the fires, perscribed burns are being completed behind the scenes because the money and manpower is their for them to use. This last fire I was on, showed me first hand of how this works. And there is no repercusions from the green crowd about what is beeing done.......

 

[danr55]

I guess you could classify the back burns as prescribed burns. Never thought of it that way.

I guess the White Mountain Apaches are going to be in trouble with thier west side trophy hunts this year. The west side isn't there anymore. I've heard reports that most of those Elk have moved down into the Cherry Creek area and west along the rim. Should be some nice bulls come out of Unit 23 this years.