Nebraska Fires

[caddiscrazy]

I truly feel for everyone that is currently affected by the fires that are roaring across Nebraska, so I dont want this question to sound cold to the people that are in the midst of it. Just wondered what your all's thoughts are on how it will impact deer and other game this year? I know fire can rejuvinate the landscape as long as it doesnt scorch the roots. I also wonder how soon after a fire like this animals will move back onto it? Since it is so early in the season I would think there would be plenty of time for a green up this summer. I hunted the panhandle a couple years ago and can absolutely understand with the right amount of dry, windy weather how these fires have become what they have. Definitely praying for those folks!

 

[duckhunt]

I truly feel for everyone that is currently affected by the fires that are roaring across Nebraska, so I dont want this question to sound cold to the people that are in the midst of it. Just wondered what your all's thoughts are on how it will impact deer and other game this year? I know fire can rejuvinate the landscape as long as it doesnt scorch the roots. I also wonder how soon after a fire like this animals will move back onto it? Since it is so early in the season I would think there would be plenty of time for a green up this summer. I hunted the panhandle a couple years ago and can absolutely understand with the right amount of dry, windy weather how these fires have become what they have. Definitely praying for those folks!

I went antelope hunting in an area that burned 3 weeks before season and saw more goats in the burned area than in non burned area.

 

[Mallardsx2]

That Cottonwood fire area has been completely overwhelmed by those cedar trees.
I said years ago that if that area ever caught fire, that the whole area would go up like it was doused in gasoline.

 

[smw110136]

I have friends actively helping with these fires sending me photos of toms strutting in places that were on fire less than 24 hours before. As far as wildlife is concerned, it's probably a net positive with new growth and burning a lot of the cedars or dead timber. If we have a wet spring and summer, that new grass is going to be found pretty quickly by animals that may have been displaced by fire. They will come back. Different pieces of public and private land I hunt has been impacted. I have the least concern for the wildlife displacement because I think it was overdue in some of those places and will end up being beneficial overall for the habitat.

As far as everything else goes, there are going to be a lot of people, many of whom I know very well, struggling to operate working ranches with no grass and large cow herds. So far it doesn't sound like the structure damage has been terrible. I talked to a few people I know who had the Morrill Fire blow right through their property and were able to save their homes and livestock.