Fires across Colorado

[Duff Hunter]

I’m assuming it’s a bull tag then... tough spot to be in. I have a muzz bull elk tag in 7,8,9,19,191 and have been watching closely as well. It’s indeed fairly disconcerting that the fire lines they are cutting are soooo far from the current blaze. Hopefully there’s some rain in the works, but we all know the whole area is a ticking time bomb with all the beetle kill. I just hope it all doesn’t burn to the ground at one time! Prayers to the firefighters, property owners, and critters!

Bumping this thread. I have the same elk tag in 7,8,9,19,191 as you and have also been watching close...... I will be making a few calls today to see if hunting plans this year need to be changed. I am from Midwest so it is hard for me to imagine so many acres burning and the amount of smoke that comes with it. It leaves me with plenty of questions. How many miles from fire should you hunt to be safe? How many miles is the smoke lingering? Even if the fire did go out soon, how long does it take for the smoke and burning to actually quit? With such a hot fire, it seems like it would be a long time.

 

[cedahm]

How many miles from fire should you hunt to be safe? How many miles is the smoke lingering? Even if the fire did go out soon, how long does it take for the smoke and burning to actually quit? With such a hot fire, it seems like it would be a long time.

A 3000 acre fire burned 10 miles across the valley from my archery elk camp a few years ago for a number of weeks. Luckily we were on the upwind side of it (the vast majority of the time, at least), so smoke wasn't an issue.

The 'how many miles from the fire to hunt' is a decision that will be made for you, not vice versa. The closure area on that fire was fairly wide compared to the actual amount of ground involved - and it would have been even wider if the fire hadn't been burning towards a Wilderness Area anyway.

I can't compare intensity to current fires, but there was ample green growth a year after in a lot of the fires area, however in the spots with lots of standing snags instead of living trees (mostly DougFir and Spruce in this area), the ground has not really recovered 3 years later.

 

[Hummer]

A lot can change in the next month and a half before moose season. The rains could come and fire get under control so that the closure area will be minimized. I would wait as long as possible to see what transpires. The moose won't be using the burned areas so that could concentrate them and narrow down your search areas to the untouched wetlands and riparian areas.

 

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

Colorado must not rake their leaves either.

 

[SandyCreek]

A lot can change in the next month and a half before moose season. The rains could come and fire get under control so that the closure area will be minimized. I would wait as long as possible to see what transpires. The moose won't be using the burned areas so that could concentrate them and narrow down your search areas to the untouched wetlands and riparian areas.

unfortunately right now the closures are 8 days into season and pretty much have all of the moose country closed except for the areas that are mainly private

 

[SandyCreek]

Bumping this thread. I have the same elk tag in 7,8,9,19,191 as you and have also been watching close...... I will be making a few calls today to see if hunting plans this year need to be changed. I am from Midwest so it is hard for me to imagine so many acres burning and the amount of smoke that comes with it. It leaves me with plenty of questions. How many miles from fire should you hunt to be safe? How many miles is the smoke lingering? Even if the fire did go out soon, how long does it take for the smoke and burning to actually quit? With such a hot fire, it seems like it would be a long time.

i would change my elk plans if you have an archery tag. closure is until the 20th right now and with what they expanded it to yesterday afternoon theres not a lot of country open. weather looks hot and dry for the next 10 days too..

 

[JoltnJoe]

i would change my elk plans if you have an archery tag. closure is until the 20th right now and with what they expanded it to yesterday afternoon theres not a lot of country open. weather looks hot and dry for the next 10 days too..

You mean until at least 20th of September?
Pretty much all the areas I had marked e-scouting and areas I have killed elk there in the past are either on fire or off-limits. Additionally most of what’s left accessible which is units nine and 191 is private. It will be interesting to see if and what CPW might offer us in the form of refund and preference point restoration.

 

[JoltnJoe]

Bumping this thread. I have the same elk tag in 7,8,9,19,191 as you and have also been watching close...... I will be making a few calls today to see if hunting plans this year need to be changed. I am from Midwest so it is hard for me to imagine so many acres burning and the amount of smoke that comes with it. It leaves me with plenty of questions. How many miles from fire should you hunt to be safe? How many miles is the smoke lingering? Even if the fire did go out soon, how long does it take for the smoke and burning to actually quit? With such a hot fire, it seems like it would be a long time.

I’m coming from Eastern North Carolina so I feel your pain. It’s hard to make a call from so far away. Usually it’s hurricanes that mess my trip up but this year it’s fire, but hey it’s 2020 right? How far you can safely hunt in proximity to a fire in the mountains.... I like the idea of numbers with at least 3 digits!

 

[Duff Hunter]

Looks like there is not many options..... With no refund of elk tag, I feel that I have to go out and give it a shot...... Spending time in the mountains is always a good thing. Hunters might be concentrated in certain areas, but animals will be too.....right now, I will make best of situation and will hope for best.

 

[Dsnow9]

Looks like there is not many options..... With no refund of elk tag, I feel that I have to go out and give it a shot...... Spending time in the mountains is always a good thing. Hunters might be concentrated in certain areas, but animals will be too.....right now, I will make best of situation and will hope for best.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife offering refunds for some permits affected by wildfires

Hunters holding licenses in GMU's impacted by the fires may be able to request a refund

www.gohunt.com

 

[JoltnJoe]

Looks like there is not many options..... With no refund of elk tag, I feel that I have to go out and give it a shot...... Spending time in the mountains is always a good thing. Hunters might be concentrated in certain areas, but animals will be too.....right now, I will make best of situation and will hope for best.

A friend spoke with CPW yesterday and they are assessing the Cameron Peak Fire and closure situation and should announce something next week regarding adding it to the refund list or not.

 

[EWO]

As long as no people or property are in danger, I have always felt forest fires are a good thing. The fact we keep putting the small fires out allows too much fuel to accumulate that they burn out of control.

 

[SandyCreek]

As long as no people or property are in danger, I have always felt forest fires are a good thing. The fact we keep putting the small fires out allows too much fuel to accumulate that they burn out of control.

except now it seems like they burn so hot that no trees come back

 

[Duff Hunter]

Thanks for all responses. CPW offered refunds today for Unit 7,8,9,19,191 affected by Cameron Peak Fire.

 

[JoltnJoe]

Thanks for all responses. CPW offered refunds today for Unit 7,8,9,19,191 affected by Cameron Peak Fire.

Just saw this, link is below for those affected (such as myself). Also looks like you get +1 on points. Still would’ve rather gone hunting. Bummed about that as well as all the pretty country that’ll never be the same.

Wildfire Refund Options

gdoc.pub

 

[TOGIE]

Bummed about that as well as all the pretty country that’ll never be the same.

heck it could even be better in the future. keep an eye on it for next year

 

[seeth07]

serious question as I've never had a hunt impacted by fire before the year of: do a majority of the big game animals stay ahead of the fires and evacuate or is there a substantial amount killed? Where I'm going with this is that if a big fire like the Pine Gulch fire just simply moves the animals to adjacent areas, I can think of a few good jobs just west of that fire that should be holding way more elk than normal right now.

 

[TOGIE]

serious question as I've never had a hunt impacted by fire before the year of: do a majority of the big game animals stay ahead of the fires and evacuate or is there a substantial amount killed? Where I'm going with this is that if a big fire like the Pine Gulch fire just simply moves the animals to adjacent areas, I can think of a few good jobs just west of that fire that should be holding way more elk than normal right now.

i think they generally stay ahead of fires pretty well

CPW apparently has received lots of calls this summer from concerned citizens that are worried about wildlife and CPW spoke to a local news station about it

How will Colorado wildlife fare during all of the wildfires?

Colorado Parks & Wildlife says not only do wild animals know how to protect themselves from wildfires, but many of their habitats will actually benefit.

www.9news.com

"Hampton reminds us, wildlife are fast and smart. Most get out ahead of even the fastest-moving fires well in advance. From there, the fire can go to work without putting animal lives at risk."

fish are another story though

 

[seeth07]

i think they generally stay ahead of fires pretty well

CPW apparently has received lots of calls this summer from concerned citizens that are worried about wildlife and CPW spoke to a local news station about it

How will Colorado wildlife fare during all of the wildfires?

Colorado Parks & Wildlife says not only do wild animals know how to protect themselves from wildfires, but many of their habitats will actually benefit.

www.9news.com

"Hampton reminds us, wildlife are fast and smart. Most get out ahead of even the fastest-moving fires well in advance. From there, the fire can go to work without putting animal lives at risk."

fish are another story though

Thanks for the intel. wish I didn't have a full fall schedule, I know where a few extra bulls might be hung up