Fires and harvest

[hntrspud]

I wanted to know what you know or think about whether or not the fires east of the mountains will lead to the animals being pushed to certain areas? Will there be a higher harvest rate this year, and will that affect deer herds?

[huntnphool]

The fires won't change the harvest rate unless there are fires way up that force the migrators down earlier. They will likely have to winter in different areas than they are used to if those areas have burned their winter forage.

[boneaddict]

So many variables, mostly with elk and not deer.   It might go the other way with areas shut down for hunting, or fires and smoke keeping hunters away or altering behavior.  SUCH AS, the bulls shut down the last three days of archery here.  Many thought it might be the heavy smoke.    Will an area be shut down for hunting when the season starts.   How many bowhunters usually hunt the Naneum for deer but couldn't.   As Phool said, most of these areas are for migratory critters coming in (in regards to deer)

[boneaddict]

I'm curious of how many are lost to fires.   I know it gets them when it does its big runs.

[hntrspud]

Yes I am curious as to how many die from fires as well. Thanks for the info. It sounds like it could go either way.

[DOUBLELUNG]

They do occasionally get caught in fires but it is really rare.  I have done a lot of post-fire vegetation assessments for big game forage, and have only ever found one big game animal that perished - a buck deer after the Deer Point fire on the north shore of Lake Chelan.

[Bigbuckoholic]

At this point I'm just worried that we even get a hunting season.. the road to deer camp was closed as of this morning.. and no rain in the next week. Dry lightning storms through tonight.. more fires on the way. 

[firefighter4607]

I have posted this before but I will do it again. They have been reporting that this is the worst fire year they have seen in 25 years. So it could be worst than the Fire Storm of 1991, they could be fighting fires until late October thru early Nov.

[buglebuster]

Im glad i dont hunt deer in timber...

[Huntbear]

Anyone planning on still hunting the Naneum State Forest, the Wenatchee National Forest North of the Naneum, and any points East into the Colockum, should be changing their plans NOW...  Unless you have a Colockum tag, then you should be looking West of 97.. 

You can pretty much guarantee it will still be on fire during Modern Deer, and into Modern Elk, and most likely still CLOSED as it is now.

And if by some stroke of pure luck they do get it out, the animals will be so misplaced that your normal spots will not be any good anyway... 

[Earshot]

Talked to the game guy in Wenatchee. the game dept won't close down any seasons but the forest service will most likely close all the roads until a good rain or snow. General season on the east slope looks bleak.

[boneaddict]

I pissed out in the LT this morning and I swear I heard the sagebrush screaming for joy.

[Bigbuckoholic]

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/News/Pages/2012_09_20_industrial_levels_ew_nr.aspx

Bring your handsaws!

[washelkhunter]

No fires of any sort including woodstove in the entire Wenatchee NF. effective 9-21. alert order no: 789.

[400out]

I pissed out in the LT this morning and I swear I heard the sagebrush screaming for joy.

You are a big guy I hoped you pissed on more than one bush
as for the fire kills, I'm glad it came this late in the year (sucks for hunting) but for the animal good (except for winter feed)
I saw what happened in the asotin area a few years back, the fawns were still young (late spring) and lots of them bedded down and held  never had a chance you could walk thru a field and find remains all over  Bad deal