No end in sight for SE MT with Fire

[MTbowhunter84]

Not looking good for hunting this fall around home. The Ash Creek fire just keeps getting bigger. Plus add another fire on CusterNF in the Indian Creek and Taylor Creek area along with two more west of Colstrip in the Horse Creek, Sarpy Creek area at 8,000 acres, while another burns by Crow Agency. So far the Ash Creek fire has burnt 204,700 acres, and it has only been a week. Fire officials are saying the fire is 300 sq miles. Unreal to see. Speaking personally with some of the fire crews it looks like the Indian/Taylor Creek fires will meet up with the Ash Creek fire tonight. At this point pretty much 75% of the CusterNF will have burnt with 100% burn north of US 212, as well as it looks like the fire will run from 10 miles east of Lame Deer and eventually reach Broadus, which is around 50 miles between. They do have containment listed at 55%. If anyone has a 700 unit tag and plans on hunting the area it will be a bit cramped. Amazingly with all of this fire there has been no deaths, and no injuries. There has been structures lost, but not close to other areas in the country where fires are burning.

 

[CabinFever]

Man thats rough. The first year I decided to do 700 archery too, guess we'll see how it shakes out.

 

[passinthru]

We came through there the morning after it started and were detoured to the north. I had checked for construction on 212 but didn't find anything on fire so inadvertently ended up there. Stayed in Billings that next night and heard the next morning it had exploded to a hundred thousand acres already. Really freaked out my wife.

Anyway sorry to here it has gotten so huge. The area we saw had quite a few deer and antelope. Hopefully noone gets hurt. And you have a place to go come fall.

 

[schmalts]

With a fire that size, where do the deer and elk go? was there any patchwork burns as usually the case when a fire burns that fast? Since it is so big, maybe with some good summer rains it will not be as bad as you think, i hope..

 

[JCS]

I guess I will have to find a new area to hunt. The place where I have taken 2 raghorns with my bow in the past two years has burned up.

I have had to move my hunting places in the forest before because of a fire.

I'm sure the elk will move on to greener pastures.

Hope they get the fire out before too many more houses burn up or maybe a town or two goes up in flames.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

was there any patchwork burns as usually the case when a fire burns that fast? Since it is so big, maybe with some good summer rains it will not be as bad as you think, i hope..

Hopefully there are plenty of pockets left that were left unharmed and that area will bounce back quickly. We need some extended period of sufficient rain all over the West. I hate to see anyone lose their spots due to a fire.

 

[----]

I've been working in Colstrip the last couple weeks, what a freaking mess.
My truck yesterday said 110, with probably a thirty mile an hour wind. Can't imagine there's much they can do in conditions like that.

 

[MTbowhunter84]

Just an update, the fire is now at 244,500 acres, and still extremely active. The fire west of Colstrip is getting handled fairly well. The Ash Creek Fire is now the largest fire in MT since 1910, and appears it will be the largest burn in MT history. I was told the largest ever was around 257,000, and pretty sure it will burn well past that. Speaking with fire crews they are seeing elk and deer running all over looking very confused on where to go, but they will find grass as there is some left. Not much for patched areas, due to the heat and speed of the fire. Landowners are still missing around 4,000 head of cows along with multiple horses missing. Looking at maps my initial assessment of 75% of the forest being burnt is a little high and the Taylor/Indian Creek fires did not combine last night, as well as there is still a little of Liscom Creek still left. That area burnt last year and the fire looks like it will reach the old burn. I drew a 411 archery tag which is still good for the 700 unit with the new regulations on archery season for elk, but I will find other areas to hunt yet. My big plan this year is to hopefully spend some time out west trying for a wolf.

 

[THWAK1]

With a fire that size, where do the deer and elk go?

In 2006, the Derby Fire south of Big timber started and eventually burned around 224,000 acres. High temps, strong winds and single digit humidity fueled the fire, and the steep terrain made it impossible to put out. Finally, Mother Nature stepped up to the plate and extinguished it.

I had drawn a mountain goat tag that year for a district south of the fire and the opening was delayed because of the fire. I ended up getting my goat, but once the rain/snow came, it never stopped in the back country.

Here are a few pics from my 2006 mountain goat folder. As you can see, not all animals can escape the fire and the smoke that accompanies it.

 

[passinthru]

Wow. That'd be a horrible death.

 

[mconway951]

This is not good news at all... I had been working non stop the last week and hadnt heard anything about this until now. I got a deer tag for this fall and was planning on hunting in the custer....IDK what we will do now...

 

[Selkirk]

THWAK - thanks for sharing the reality pics.

 

[Dinkshooter]

In 2006, the Derby Fire south of Big timber started and eventually burned around 224,000 acres. High temps, strong winds and single digit humidity fueled the fire, and the steep terrain made it impossible to put out. Finally, Mother Nature stepped up to the plate and extinguished it.

I had drawn a mountain goat tag that year for a district south of the fire and the opening was delayed because of the fire. I ended up getting my goat, but once the rain/snow came, it never stopped in the back country.

Here are a few pics from my 2006 mountain goat folder. As you can see, not all animals can escape the fire and the smoke that accompanies it.

I think I might have hunted in that area in 2008, it was full of cow elk. There were also some really cool looking earth cracks in the burn areas. Need to look for pics.

 

[DavidKeenan]

Sad to hear. I figured this was going too happen, when I heard about the fire, from my mom in Billings. I was planning to hunt there this year. on a general tag. I guess I better start looking at my back up . I've been out of the know for over a week. As a lot of you know the central east cost was hit hard with the storm over a week a ago. I'll try to get some pictures of some of the aftermath later.. Right now I've got to get a lot of things done with Dad ,inlaws and my own place. If anyone has any suggestions on deer please pm me. I was working hard on that area and now it's probably out of the queStion. Thanks.

 

[Bambistew]

Sad deal for sure. I bet the young animals are going to suffer big losses. I can't imagine a fawn or calf could out run a fire.