Wild fires affecting Mule deer.

kidoggy

Veteran member
Apr 23, 2016
9,581
10,279
56
idaho
I know this post is somewhat old but I just ran across it. most of my lifelong hunting areas burned up in massive fires 3 and four years ago. between the two years 95% of my go to areas went up in flames.
but devistating as the fires were it took very little time for the herds to move back in. I miss the trees and beauty the mtn once held but to be honest, it has made it much easier to glass and hunt and hike. the fires have opened it back up again and just going by other areas I have hunted in the past those fires tragic as they are while burning,generally become a blessing in within a few years.
 

Ikeepitcold

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 22, 2011
9,885
1,461
Reno Nv
I love to hunt burns. Easier to see, usually more animals are there due to the good new feed growth. 3 of my fav hunting spots burned within the last 15 years
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,070
8,347
70
Gypsum, Co
I have been into burn areas where the deer and elk have moved back into them while the trees and brush is still smoldering. Then once the grasses and brush start to regenerate they love the area. They get more nutrition from the young shoots than they get from a grown one and they just devour them.
 

ivorytip

Veteran member
Mar 24, 2012
3,760
31
42
SE Idaho
im considering changing my usual elk unit and jump across rd to hut in a diff zone cuz of fires last fall, wanting to hunt the burns, here in a couple months im going to go scout it out and see what I want to do.
 

Tim McCoy

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2014
1,855
4
Oregon
Depends on the area/species I suppose. Some game seems to migrate regardless of conditions, some not so much. But as long as there is prime feed there, odds are critters will be too. Burns can take time to get good, not all are good right after, can vary with burn intensity, moisture, etc.
 

Never in Doubt

Active Member
Jul 9, 2012
304
0
A huge area burned here in CA a few years ago. Last fall was 2 years exactly since it burned and the deer were in there THICK. Even the road hunters shot a lot of bucks. Some think that's because the deer were used to all the traffic from the logging trucks logging the burned trees.

Deer that used to migrate higher then return to this area when snow fell at higher elevations, stayed in this fresh growth area all year.