Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: OutHouse on October 04, 2023, 08:17:26 AM

Title: Slow Season/Fire Weed
Post by: OutHouse on October 04, 2023, 08:17:26 AM: So my haunts up in Okanogan County all burned a few summers ago and now the fireweed is anywhere from two to seven feet high. I love still hunting the timber, and so I am basically ruined in that regard because I can't see over or through the tall fire weed.

It's also been a slow season. Anyone else feel the same way? Not sure if there are less deer or if the fireweed just means I am not seeing them.

Does anyone have experience hunting around burns a few years later when that fire weed is too tall to see over?? Any specific tactics that work in this situation. I have hunted a total of seven hard days this year on the MS tag and my normal practices just don't apply under these circumstances. Thanks in advance!!
Title: Re: Slow Season/Fire Weed
Post by: elkrack on October 04, 2023, 09:12:31 AM: Yeah, the trails through the fireweed are sketchy! I was literally saying to myself “this is where I get attacked by a cougar” walking through it and I flushed a cougar out but couldn’t get a shot :bash:

The deer numbers are pathetic which most likely has more to do with not seeing deer
Title: Re: Slow Season/Fire Weed
Post by: MAVsled on October 04, 2023, 09:35:40 AM: Early season, September>early October is tough with burn areas & fireweed. Burns of 2-4 years are ok but 3-7 years the FW gets tall & bushy.

Later mid-October and late seasons are best. Couple good storms, wind to weather down the FW.
I've hunted burn areas of weathered down fireweed where the deer tracks were many and fresh. Can be lots of new feed in the burns.
But if no tracks or other deer sign (scat), the deer aren't there....yet.
Title: Re: Slow Season/Fire Weed
Post by: OutHouse on October 04, 2023, 11:00:43 AM: Quote from: MAVsled on October 04, 2023, 09:35:40 AM
Early season, September>early October is tough with burn areas & fireweed. Burns of 2-4 years are ok but 3-7 years the FW gets tall & bushy.

Later mid-October and late seasons are best. Couple good storms, wind to weather down the FW.
I've hunted burn areas of weathered down fireweed where the deer tracks were many and fresh. Can be lots of new feed in the burns.
But if no tracks or other deer sign (scat), the deer aren't there....yet.

Thank you very much. I was getting the feeling that in certain fire weed areas, there simply are no deer. I did find some areas up higher that were beaten down from wind and rain and there were a lot more trails and sign there. Looks like rifle season it is!