Anyone near Gillette that minds sharing some intel on the fires?

[EastTNHunter]

I drew a deer tag and am looking at 3-4 areas between Buffalo and north of Gillette that I’m wondering how the fires have affected. Anyone mind talking by PM or a quick phone call for me to ask about some specific areas so that I can figure out if the fires went through there? I’m 6 weeks out from leaving and I want to make sure that I have a solid game plan in place

 

[Bighorner]

OnX fire layer has MODIS hot spots which are pretty true to what's happening on the ground. Both the constitution and flat rock are active and those fire perimeters are not done growing.

 

[manitou1]

323 sq miles burned as of this morning and more burned today with the high winds. Zero percent controlled on both fires.

WG&F closed antelope area 22 for the season after doing dead animal surveys. At least that is what friends of mine who had tags in that area told me today.

What area are you looking at? I will p.m. you what I know about the areas of burn.

 

[duckhunt]

323 sq miles burned as of this morning and more burned today with the high winds. Zero percent controlled on both fires.

WG&F closed antelope area 22 for the season after doing dead animal surveys. At least that is what friends of mine who had tags in that area told me today.

What area are you looking at? I will p.m. you what I know about the areas of burn.View attachment 337540View attachment 337541View attachment 337542

Unit 22 is where I planned on taking my boys antelope hunting. Canceling a trip is no big deal compared to whats going on all over wyoming right now.

 

[kwyeewyk]

WFIGS Current Interagency Fire Perimeters

Best available perimeters for recent and ongoing wildland fires in the United States

data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com

 

[Bob-WY]

Not aware of 22 closing yet, the surveys are just starting. GF sent out notice on how to get refund if your hunt is effected.

 

[Walkathon]

I'm not familiar with how the sage areas recover after a fire like this. Does it kill the sage? or does it come back? Hope they can get these fires under control and I hope for the best, for the people and animals affected by the fires.

 

[manitou1]

Not aware of 22 closing yet, the surveys are just starting. GF sent out notice on how to get refund if your hunt is effected.

All I know is my two friends from MO had a guided hunt in 22 for this year and WG&F offered them a 25 tag or they could carry their 22 tags over until next year.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

All I know is my two friends from MO had a guided hunt in 22 for this year and WG&F offered them a 25 tag or they could carry their 22 tags over until next year.

Do they think the Pronghorn moved to 25, or is that herd just gonna get hammered?

 

[Bob-WY]

All I know is my two friends from MO had a guided hunt in 22 for this year and WG&F offered them a 25 tag or they could carry their 22 tags over until next year.

Sounds like the email that went out yesterday. One I got essentially said check, but if you need to cancel you can get refund or roll forward to 2025

Note I do NOT have that tag so maybe they got a different one. I have a friend with that tag and a good chunk of 22 did burn

 

[Oak]

Watch Duty is a pretty handy free app providing timely fire information and updated perimeters.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Thanks for the guidance on the apps, I’ll check them out. I’m really wanting to go this year and hunt something else next year. My brother just moved to central WY and is renovating his new house and getting his kids settled into school so not much time for him to travel up there and heck it out. I’m going out there regardless to visit him and his family.

I got the email from WYGF about the refund or shifting the tag to next year, but I have other plans.

@manitou1 I’ll reach out by PM with some screenshots of the areas that I’m looking at. I know that the fires are close, so it may actually push deer onto these areas, but it also may congregate more hunters on them as well.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Unit 22 is where I planned on taking my boys antelope hunting. Canceling a trip is no big deal compared to whats going on all over wyoming right now.

Yes, I definitely don’t want to minimize the human impact of this, and my heart goes out to those folks for sure

 

[kwyeewyk]

I'm not familiar with how the sage areas recover after a fire like this. Does it kill the sage? or does it come back? Hope they can get these under control and I hope for the best, for the people and animals affected by the fires.

Three tip sage will resprout but most sagebrush species don't. Can take a while to reestablish depending on conditions.

 

[kansasdad]

 

[duckhunt]

Just called game and fish and was told season is not closed for antelope unit 22. For the most part the fire was on private land. Biologist informed me that hunting should be decent on public and they did receive some rain with more on the way.

 

[manitou1]

Just called game and fish and was told season is not closed for antelope unit 22. For the most part the fire was on private land. Biologist informed me that hunting should be decent on public and they did receive some rain with more on the way.

Yeah, I contacted my buddy and he clarified that the LO cancelled his hunt but was under the assumption WG&F did.

They did give him some options for a refund or carry over since his outfitted hunt was cancelled... thus the confusion.

That being said, a lot of public burned also as three of my public hunting spots burned up.

There is unburned public in 22 also.

We live right next to the House Draw fire burn area.

 

[perma]

View attachment 337959
View attachment 337960
View attachment 337961

That's rough to see.

 

[ismith]

That's rough to see.

Burger bull prices will stay strong, no doubt.

 

[SagebrushSlayer]

Deer, antelope, and elk died from the fire after exhausting themselves running, laying down and the fire consuming them. Depends on the fire and which of the fires around Gillette. Last weekend some pilots told me they did see elk and deer in waterways when flying back to Gillette from fires they were working. Crews at the airport here have done sporadic flying for the fires.

I called the Sheridan office yesterday. I planned on getting a refund for my cow tag, was given a wardens number and left a message. The lady on the phone asked if I was hunting public or private and if I was hunting with an outfitter. After answering her questions, she then told me the biologist wasn’t available based on my answers. Still awaiting a call back and will try again tomorrow calling for the biologist.