Wildfire Smoke Impact on Deer Health and Behaviors

[StoneTrees]

I've spent much of the last month going back and forth between Eastern and Western Washington (Seattle, Moses Lake, Leavenworth, Chelan, etc.) for various reasons and I've seen nothing but widespread smoke hazing up the skies over vast amounts of the state.  The news is full of statements about how bad this stuff is for us to breathe, particularly the young and elderly.  Of course, that is presumably true for for the deer population as well (along with all wildlife).  Anyone know with any authority how this might impact the deer population?

Of course the fires themselves will move the animals out of an area, but what about the areas impacted only by heavy smoke?  Might they travel to lower elevations sooner?  Do deer get asthma?  Does this affect the vitality of the deer come the rut?  Is there more genetic mixing as deer move into other deer territories?  Are deer more likely to stay put while predators will move out of a smoky area?  I don't really have a particular question I need answered, but I do find it an interesting topic as I do my scouting for the fall - sore throat and all.

[cougforester]

Movement seemed shut down this last Thursday-Sunday for nearly all critters. Hardly any fresh bear and deer poo in Chelan County where I was hunting. Ended up seeing 2 bear wandering in the berry patches early in the morning, but only a handful of deer. I was hoping that the reduced direct sunlight would extend dawn/dusk periods and increase animal movement, but it seemed the opposite happened. Weird for sure.

[Doublelunger]

I personally don't think smoke from wildfires affects animals or humans nearly as much as people think it does. I doubt it would effect animal activity/behavior in any significant way as well.

[SpurInSpokane]

You did ask for someone who could speak with authority, which I certainly can't...but, here in Spokane we had very high smoke levels Sunday evening into Monday, and one effect is that deer were out and moving much earlier Sunday night than usual, since it seemed dark enough to be twilight already. They probably came out an hour or so before actual twilight. I don't know what impacts it has on their long range movement. Certainly if they were close to the burning area, they would flee, but for example here, we're a long way from any actual fires. And I would bet long-term exposure could impact their susceptibility to other infections that would compromise their viability some, but I have no idea how much.

[StoneTrees]

You did ask for someone who could speak with authority, which I certainly can't...but, here in Spokane we had very high smoke levels Sunday evening into Monday, and one effect is that deer were out and moving much earlier Sunday night than usual, since it seemed dark enough to be twilight already. They probably came out an hour or so before actual twilight.

Just to be clear, when I asked for someone that can speak with authority, I include first hand observation in that; I don't mean to exclude input to wildlife biologists or some such thing.  Your comment is full of meaningful detail and happily fits into that category so I appreciate you coming forth with that.  What I struggle with here and elsewhere (particularly on the internet) is the incessant, entrenched debates that center on unsubstantiated opinions being hurled back and forth.  I prefer not to be told what to think, but don't mind hearing observations and checking my thoughts, beliefs, and conclusions on a given subject against those observations.

[OutHouse]

I wanna say it was 2013 and I was doing muzzy deer in Okanogan County and the smoke was just as thick as here in eastern WA today, if not thicker. The woods were completely choked out. If you were to look 30 yards out into the trees, there was already a slightly hazed view. The fire wasn't very close at all. Even in those conditions, the deer were still around and moving but the timing of when they moved did change. I remember running into a few two point mule deer at around 4:30 instead of 6:30, and that pattern continued. Smokey conditions are a good time for still hunting. Scent is masked a bit and the deer cannot see as well.

[Wanttohuntmore]

I saw deer and elk this weekend in the smoke.   Didn't seem any different.   Also, a smoker was telling me how bad the air was yesterday.   

[yakimanoob]

I'd be curious if any bios or wildlife vets have studied this in a rigorous manner. 

My understanding is that smoke is dangerous to us because of the carcinogens in it.  Cancer in wild animals is an interesting topic on its own, so who knows.  My gut would be that while I'm sure wild critters do get cancer, maybe even at similar rates to humans, it would rarely be the thing that kills them.  We live long and safe lives, so a cell that multiplies and doesn't know when to stop might just be the thing that gets us.  Hard to imagine a deer losing to cancer before it loses to a cougar. 

Anyway, interesting topic. 

[andrew_in_idaho]

I personally don't think smoke from wildfires affects animals or humans nearly as much as people think it does. I doubt it would effect animal activity/behavior in any significant way as well.

As an asthmatic I will second this opinion, I’ve heard nothing but how terrible the air is for the last month and how much it is affecting everybody’s health, even personal accounts from coworkers and friends and yet I continue to have no issues despite the fact that I would fall into a highly susceptible group for breathing issues. I am no psychologist but I think there has to be some sort of a psychological symptom that affects some people when they continually hear that the air will make them sick while others are immune to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pianoman9701]

I would hope that they're unaffected except for the now-smoky flavor of their meat!

All seriousness aside, when the cold creek fire was burning on the south side of Adams 5 or 6 or more years ago, we still saw critters and it was thick. I didn't notice them being out at different times than usual, however.

[NOCK NOCK]

I personally don't think smoke from wildfires affects animals or humans nearly as much as people think it does. I doubt it would effect animal activity/behavior in any significant way as well.

As an asthmatic I will second this opinion, I’ve heard nothing but how terrible the air is for the last month and how much it is affecting everybody’s health, even personal accounts from coworkers and friends and yet I continue to have no issues despite the fact that I would fall into a highly susceptible group for breathing issues. I am no psychologist but I think there has to be some sort of a psychological symptom that affects some people when they continually hear that the air will make them sick while others are immune to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe it all hinges on how much internal nose hair the affected party has. 

[Squidward]

I'm thinking about running my hunting cloths through my smoke house before season for cover up smell. 

[jdb]

I personally don't think smoke from wildfires affects animals or humans nearly as much as people think it does. I doubt it would effect animal activity/behavior in any significant way as well.

i agree

[pianoman9701]

I'm thinking about running my hunting cloths through my smoke house before season for cover up smell. 

That's what Native Americans have done.

[fishnfur]

Asthma?  Who knows.  Maybe??  Do other animals suffer from asthma?  Google that and you can likely infer the answer for deer.  (Horses and cats is the noteworthy answer).

Changes in genetic mixing due to population movement - probably not.  Studies indicate that as soon as the fire is out (in their territories), the deer return to their homes, even if there is nothing left to eat there.  They've been known to return while the ground is still very hot to the touch.  If only a portion of their home territory burned, then presumably they would use that area that still provides food, cover, and water.  Anyway, they don't pack their stuff up and move to the next ridge over though - they chose their territories when they were young, and they stick to 'em like glue (though Whitetail bucks have been found to increase the size of their territories over their lives).

The fires will likely be all out by the rut and the deer settled into their altered lives in their changed environment.