windymtnman
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2014
- Messages
- 484
Living here in Southcentral Colorado, we are extremely dry. The local news is all about the worst drought Colorado's had in recent history. It's not just limited to this immediate area either. Friends of mine on Facebook are commenting about their similar conditions too in many areas of the State, and Denver TV stations are doing news segments about it.
At present, the Forest Service has Stage One fire laws in effect in the Rio Grande Nat'l Forest and the San Juan Forest has Stage Two laws in effect. If they go to Stage Three, that may shut that section of Forest down, prohibiting entry by anyone. Currently, there's a Forest Fire over by Durango ongoing too. After an extremely dry Winter, we're feeling it's effects. My pasture in the mountain foothills at 8600 ft. elevation is burned up.
I've been up on the mountain nearby, and the Aspen forest seems okay, but then there is a lack of water there too. A month ago, I noticed the creeks and springs had flow that's more like late Summer, rather than early May.
So what does all this mean for the hunting season? Too soon to say I guess, but I think it will impact where the game is to some degree. I planned to hunt a great wallow I know of, but I'm wondering if it may dry up? I expect the Elk may be higher up in elevation, where the chances of T storms and water recharge may be greater. I also hope we're spared the massive forest fires. I already read a comment from a Bear hunter in Durango that said the fire there has wiped out his GMU he hoped to be hunting in.
I think the Colorado resident hunters will be attuned to the current conditions, but I can see where the non resident hunters that have their plans focused on the same areas they usually go too may be in for a potential bad surprise? At the very least, I'd be watchful of Fall conditions and wouldn't expect to be burning any campfires. Right now, it's illegal to start a chainsaw in the forest around here.
At present, the Forest Service has Stage One fire laws in effect in the Rio Grande Nat'l Forest and the San Juan Forest has Stage Two laws in effect. If they go to Stage Three, that may shut that section of Forest down, prohibiting entry by anyone. Currently, there's a Forest Fire over by Durango ongoing too. After an extremely dry Winter, we're feeling it's effects. My pasture in the mountain foothills at 8600 ft. elevation is burned up.
I've been up on the mountain nearby, and the Aspen forest seems okay, but then there is a lack of water there too. A month ago, I noticed the creeks and springs had flow that's more like late Summer, rather than early May.
So what does all this mean for the hunting season? Too soon to say I guess, but I think it will impact where the game is to some degree. I planned to hunt a great wallow I know of, but I'm wondering if it may dry up? I expect the Elk may be higher up in elevation, where the chances of T storms and water recharge may be greater. I also hope we're spared the massive forest fires. I already read a comment from a Bear hunter in Durango that said the fire there has wiped out his GMU he hoped to be hunting in.
I think the Colorado resident hunters will be attuned to the current conditions, but I can see where the non resident hunters that have their plans focused on the same areas they usually go too may be in for a potential bad surprise? At the very least, I'd be watchful of Fall conditions and wouldn't expect to be burning any campfires. Right now, it's illegal to start a chainsaw in the forest around here.
