Fire!

[Festus]

Just found out on Friday that the bluff in MT that I was going to be spiked out on the night of Sept 14th is on fire. There goes plan A. The roads and trails are closed in the entire area so there goes plan B also.
I have a plan C and D in a nearby area, but at what distance and for how long does a fire affect elk?
Also concerned about every body else that can't access their spots in the area now. Thinking what if most of their 'plan Cs' are similar to mine? Next drainage over could get crowded...
Anyone have any experience on how a fire and all that activity affects elk and or hunters in the surrounding areas?
You hear about this, but never think it will happen to you...especially 2-1/2 weeks before you plan to arrive there - good thing I just happened to check Inciweb.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Don't forget all the smoke! Coats your airways with blackness and causes headaches, sniffles and nosebleeds. Potential for cardiac events and others.

Fire is great for elk. Once it is out and gets a rain elk will come looking for tender young vegetation. Next year it will be hot!

 

[TheTone]

Lots of times it won't displace them much at all in my experience. I think a big part of it is related to fire intensity and the amount of work that is being put into fire control. The most recent burn in an area I hunted had elk still in it while it was burning; the fire crew members I talked to were seeing elk almost everyday while working the fire. The area was also full of elk the next fall, but people quickly figured that out as well and the amount of hunters in the drainage increased quite a bit post burn.

 

[elkantlers]

We had a big fire in our area last year. What I saw is the elk went just far enough to get away from the fire. I am talking less than a 1000 yards in some cases, and no more than the next canyon that is out of harms way.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

TheTone. Did you see the big 7 point walking around in the fire camp?

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

Don't forget all the smoke! Coats your airways with blackness and causes headaches, sniffles and nosebleeds. Potential for cardiac events and others.

Fire is great for elk. Once it is out and gets a rain elk will come looking for tender young vegetation. Next year it will be hot!

Carrion hit it on the head with this. . .May not be great this year, but next year will be awesome. Good luck.