Hunting burns and timber sales

[Clawsar]

With the new OnX map layers available, I'm able to start seeing more of the burns and timber sales than just what I can tell from Google Earth. Now I'm wondering how do you hunt these areas? Specifically elk, but deer as well, and preferably in September during Archery but also November during rifle?
I had heard to hunt timber sales as soon as you can after for the miss from the tree tops act as a late season food source, but does that mean a year old thinning area is no good? I was told. Urns are great as soon as the area gets enough moisture after the fire (that year if it's wet or the next). Are these true or is the window bigger?

Also, do people only glass these areas and either stalk to what you see or do this during rifle season? Or do you still hunt the fringes hoping to catch things coming or going (I'd assume morning and evening respectively). If anyone can let me know the tricks of the trade for these I'd appreciate it. I hiked in 5 miles this last weekend to some thinning areas to see they were actively being logged. I decided they probably would push animals out with that much activity, but I'm not sure.

Thanks

 

[Clawsar]

Is this too taboo?

 

[mevertsen]

In Nevada we will get large burns which will leave islands inside. Say where a creek or spring is and the burn was not completely destroy it. As long as there is food, cover and water, they will be there. I have heard many times of animals being taken near burns. We also get a fall green up of cheat grass that animals seem to like.

 

[Speeddmn]

Pretty sure Big Fin (the man, the myth, the legend, Randy Newberg) said/posted he would be doing a YouTube video about this subject soon. I would subscribe to his channel and keep the email inbox refreshed.

I've been wrong before, but I think he said that in the onXmaps post.

 

[Clawsar]

Thanks. I heard him mention something on the Mapping podcast but I'm trying to plan my Archery opener weekend. I can't go to my planned spots due to a new baby and my backup plans are currently burning. Trying to find some other specific areas and more importantly what to do when I get to them.

Thanks!

 

[wytex]

If your area is open during the fire or just after I would check it out but be very wary of pockets of burning timber and weakened trees due to the fire.
If logging crews are done in the sale area I would get in there too. After the machinery leaves elk will come back in but if loggers are still in the sale area I think they will skirt around them.
Logging can open the canopy cover and release the understory plants for growth. They will respond to the new sunshine pretty early so if weather is right the area could be a green magnet of fresh new plants. We have gotten into elk just outside of an active logging area. Look for fresh trails around the logging area.
Check with the FS to make sure the area is open .

 

[opyff]

For the last 8 years I've done nothing but hunt the perimeter of logging units and burns, old and new. And I've taken almost all of my deer and elk within a half mile of either every year. Being a federal firefighter myself I've had a lot of experience with either Prescribed burning or wildfires. And I can guarantee almost every fire and definitely every prescribed burn I've been on, there will be fresh elk and deer tracks within hours in the black while things are still smoking. They go in there and eat the ash for nutrients and rolls in the ash to kill ticks and fleas. Do some pre season scouting and figure out where the critters are accessing those areas in the evenings and exiting in the mornings and try to get set up near those travel routes. If it's a fresh burn scar and the area has received a decent amount of moisture after there will already be fresh grass and Forbes coming up and will probably be the only fresh greens in the area. It wouldn't be a bad idea to contact the FS in your area and ask if there are any fresh burns or anticipated in the near future and start scouting those areas afterwards to get an idea of the frequency of critters coming back into the area

 

[esracerx]

Heres a question. There was a burn in my unit in June. Burned 7500 acres. It was a mile or 2 from a farming community. A lot of people hunt that side of the unit. I've had a lot of success on the other side and dont see nearly as many people about 12 miles away. Would you take a look at it? Or stick with whats worked?

 

[BigHornRam]

Elk and deer are attracted to active timber harvests because limbs with moss that they like to feed on become accessable. Same with freshly wind felled trees. That windfall food source only lasts as long as it takes the local animals to eat it, not very long, days to weeks. They will hang out around active cuts if fresh trees keep coming down. Equipment doesn't much bother them as long as the loggers stay in the equipment.

 

[kbhillhunter]

There is a burn from 2006 in my unit. Looking at the area on Google Earth, the Co. Hunting Atlas, and OnX, the area still appears to have visible effects from the burn. Even though this is over ten years old is this area still worth a look? A lot of what I have read suggests that burn areas become most productive after about four years, so wondering if after ten years this area would be back to normal, or if there is still a chance it could be a more productive/desirable area for elk.

 

[Clawsar]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys! From Opyff it sounds like scouting for the in and out trails is key. Any other thoughts on how to hunt them? Also curious to kbhillhunters question.

Thanks

 

[opyff]

to kbhillhunters question, Hunting burn scars can be different depending on how hot and the severity they burned and you can get that information by talking to some of the local BLM or FS fire folks. If they burned really hot and basically sterilized the soil then it is going to take much longer for the desired vegetation to come back in some areas, but if it only burned moderately then that desired vegetation will start coming back within the first year. A lot of it depends on what the local tree species is, fires around here in the lodgepole and sub alpine fur are stand replacement, if a fire gets very big within the first year the grasses and forbes come back in really thick and then after 2-3 years the aspen will start coming back really thick. Getting in tune with your local fire ecology can help a lot in trying to decide where to hunt and how to hunt those areas. Not knowing the local conditions I can't answer 100%, but I'd suggest calling the local BLM or FS and asking anyone if they have specific knowledge of the area or even the wildlife biologist or range person