Wenaha E/W keep or not?

[Branden]

I would turn it in.

[JWEBB]

Id turn it in. Even if they do open it up alot of the elk will have already scattered and moved out of the unit. I could also imagine quite a few elk have gotten killed in the fire.  I would rather wait a few years to hopefully draw again when the fire pressure wasn't on the animals than lose my points.

Yeah but the fire hasn't been burning in the Wenaha West so possibly elk have been pushed from the East into the West?    That could make for a pretty exciting hunt! 

Thats a good point. You might be on to something

[coldsteel3d]

Id turn it in. Even if they do open it up alot of the elk will have already scattered and moved out of the unit. I could also imagine quite a few elk have gotten killed in the fire.  I would rather wait a few years to hopefully draw again when the fire pressure wasn't on the animals than lose my points.

Yeah but the fire hasn't been burning in the Wenaha West so possibly elk have been pushed from the East into the West?    That could make for a pretty exciting hunt! 

Thats a good point. You might be on to something

Yeah just imagine if all those bulls pushed into the West and they opened it around the 16th and I was the only person holding a bull permit still!!!! It could possibly be the best hunt ever! 

[JoeE]

I'm hoping they all fled to the watershed! 

[JWEBB]

Id turn it in. Even if they do open it up alot of the elk will have already scattered and moved out of the unit. I could also imagine quite a few elk have gotten killed in the fire.  I would rather wait a few years to hopefully draw again when the fire pressure wasn't on the animals than lose my points.

Yeah but the fire hasn't been burning in the Wenaha West so possibly elk have been pushed from the East into the West?    That could make for a pretty exciting hunt! 

Thats a good point. You might be on to something

Yeah just imagine if all those bulls pushed into the West and they opened it around the 16th and I was the only person holding a bull permit still!!!! It could possibly be the best hunt ever! 

You got that right!

[tonymoe]

I find it interesting that we have to make a decision the day before the hunt starts, but if I wanted to go out and hunt a general season, I can by a tag on the morning of the 24th and head out?

Also, to the comment about "the west hasnt really burned, so they may open that side up first"

That's true about the burn area, but they aren't going to open up a section of the wilderness, the wilderness will be closed as a whole, not partial. At least, that's what I was told by a few umitilla natnl forest people. But I don't know who to believe anymore.

[Branden]

That's true about the burn area, but they aren't going to open up a section of the wilderness, the wilderness will be closed as a whole, not partial. At least, that's what I was told by a few umitilla natnl forest people. But I don't know who to believe anymore.

I agree. I think it will take a lot of rain for them to open the wilderness up.

I also heard Tucannon hunters have the option of keeping the tag or regaining points like the Wenaha hunters now.

[autodink13]

That's true about the burn area, but they aren't going to open up a section of the wilderness, the wilderness will be closed as a whole, not partial. At least, that's what I was told by a few umitilla natnl forest people. But I don't know who to believe anymore.

I agree. I think it will take a lot of rain for them to open the wilderness up.

I also heard Tucannon hunters have the option of keeping the tag or regaining points like the Wenaha hunters now.

So are u holding on to your tag or turning it in?

[JustinC]

That's true about the burn area, but they aren't going to open up a section of the wilderness, the wilderness will be closed as a whole, not partial. At least, that's what I was told by a few umitilla natnl forest people. But I don't know who to believe anymore.

I agree. I think it will take a lot of rain for them to open the wilderness up.

I also heard Tucannon hunters have the option of keeping the tag or regaining points like the Wenaha hunters now.

So are u holding on to your tag or turning it in?

We are still deciding. Doesn't look like we will get any rain, and I doubt the wilderness is going to open at all in September. With no access to the wilderness, this is hardly the hunt we all applied for. I'm glad the state stepped up and gave us hunters the choice.

[tonymoe]

So are u holding on to your tag or turning it in?
[/quote]

I have max points, I can't gamble like that. I'll be turning mine in at the latest time possible.

[Woodchuck]

It is currently raining with more in the forecast for the weekend. At least in Wally World. 

[SkookumHntr]

Friday night and Saturday suppost to be a good soaking!

[Ridgeratt]

Update:


Grizzly Bear Complex September 2 Morning Update

Incident: Grizzly Bear Complex Wildfire
Released: 8 hrs. ago
 Southwest Corner of Grizzly Complex Cooled Down by helicopter water drops yesterday in Wenaha drainage


Elgin, Ore. – Fire managers are keeping an eye on the southwest corner of the 74,496-acre Grizzly Bear Complex Fire as dry, large ground fuels keep the fire burning to the west through the Wenaha drainage. A dozer- created fire line along FR 6415 from the 62 Road to the edge of the wilderness north of Elk Flat has been prepared to stop movement of the fire to the south and air attack and helicopters flew over the area yesterday, reporting fire movement and cooling the fire down with water drops.

A 10-person fire-use module has moved into a spike camp at the southwest corner of the Bear Ridge Fire burning a mile north of the main body of the Complex. The module is monitoring the fire that has an established fire line along its western perimeter. Infrared flights over the 935-acre fire continue to show heat along its southeast leg. Fire lines are preventing movement south of the Misery Trail. The fire is zero percent contained.
Crews continue to protect cabins in the Slick Ear and Little Turkey area. Eight miles of fire line along the 64 Road from the north along the western boundary of the Wilderness are prepared with four more miles left to go.
 
The fire burning along the eastern edge of the Complex north of Grouse Flats continues to move to the northeast toward a prepared dozer line at the Wilderness boundary. Hand line is being built up Driveway Ridge to connect with FR 40. Small burnouts and water drops along the fire front there are slowing the fire down before it reaches these fire lines.

Along the southern perimeter of the Complex, fire lines are being mopped up with the support of 305 members of the Oregon National Guard. Firefighters that have been working on the Complex for nearly two weeks are being encouraged by fire officials to get an extra hour or two of rest at night, if possible, to help reduce fatigue.
 

Heavy equipment and firefighters will continue today to improve and brush out the 64 Road from the south along the western perimeter of the Wilderness to meet that being constructed from the north. Branch officials estimate another 6 to 7 days to complete that fire line.

Unit Information


http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4511/28919/

[Timberstalker]

0% contained??
I swore inciweb showed it at 5-10% last week?  Must have jumped the confinement lines?

[MichaelD]

I guess there is a message at home from WDFW for us lick creek guys too.