Petty Creek Prescribed Burn

[sethkuhl]

I have calls in to get the information, I remember the smoke, it was definitely the fall and burned very hot. Other hunters and I discussed while it was burning if it was a good idea right before winter, turns out it was not.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I have a hard time believing 90-100 bighorn sheep just up and left an area, scattering to who knows where.

 

[BigHornRam]

I have a hard time believing 90-100 bighorn sheep just up and left an area, scattering to who knows where.

I think any kind of fire could displace the sheep at least temporarily. Units 121 and 124 are nearby. At one time 124 population had soared to over 400 sheep and they had to take quick measures to get the numbers down before a die-off occured. That unit is difficult to manage because the herd spends time both on and off the reservation. FWP and the CSK work it out to get the sheep population back in check.

121 has had some issues of it's own, including highway and train mortality, conifer encroachment, wild fire, invasive plants, and predators.

My biggest issue with Seth's theory, is why is unit 122 not recovering? The sheep still there in 2015 should be expanding if the burns, not disease, was the cause of the reduction in that herds population.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I think any kind of fire could displace the sheep at least temporarily. Units 121 and 124 are nearby. At one time 124 had

Temporarily being the key word.

 

[BigHornRam]

I think we still have a lot to learn about the habits of bighorn sheep. My wife had a ewe tag in lower Rock Creek in 2006. We followed a herd of ewes and lambs work their way up a steep north slope doug fir jungle. They fed in a tight group as they climbed the hill, eating grass and moss from the trees. She finally ended up shooting a dry ewe at 30 yards, and it was interesting to watch the sheep at such close range. This was in October and not at all what biologists would consider sheep habitat. For some reason they liked it on that day.

 

[sethkuhl]

That could be, but I doubt the burning had nothing to do with the sheep "disappearing" I have spent time in that area for a long time. The burn I was referring to was in September it was 1400 acres "planned" helicopter lit for those of you that have ever done fire know how difficult it can be to burn in September and keep it within lines. We could see the smoke from Superior.