Hunting Burnt Areas

[Elkoholic]

With much of the West burning up last yr there are going to be a lot of honey holes burned up. Do you any luck hunting burnt areas? How long do you wait before going back into an area that has had a good fire?

 

[GoatT]

Typically burn areas are really good for deer and elk.  Sometimes it may take a year or two for the growth to some in so the animals will come into the area.

 

[ghost]

Typically burn areas are really good for deer and elk.  Sometimes it may take a year or two for the growth to some in so the animals will come into the area.

Spot on GoatT

 

[Mountain Bowhunter]

yeah i know with deer the forest service does controlled burns for habitat improvement.  clears out alot of the underbrush and allows space for stuff they like to browse on to grow back.  usually takes several years like ghost said

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have seen them move into a burnt area before the smoke cleared out.

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Burned areas can be extremely good in a matter of months. I have learned that 1 ;D

 

[GoatT]

Nice bull JJ! 

I have seen some amazing elk activity, deer too for that matter using burn areas. If you can find some good water and cover near a burn area that has some new growth, you will see some animals.  I have seen animals use it shortly after the fires, but the animals that were rolling around in the ash was to keep the flies and bugs off.

 

[Garrett Weaver]

When I was a wildland firefighter we would see days after mop-up when the fire is out, the deer, elk, and bear would roll around in the soot and ashes. I'm guessing to get ticks and stuff off. I wuold start hunting a burn when I see enough feed back in the area.

 

[patch1010]

Very rarely, does an area burn with out leaving small growth areas. After a burn it is easier to find the trails being used by animals heading to and from areas of feed and or beds.

 

[MT_mulies]

As some others have stated I would also hunt as soon as possible. A fire restarts the succession stages of an area. Fire is a natural process so I don't think it effects wildlife very much except for when the fire is actually going. The following years will produce high amounts of grasses and forbs for the elk to feed on.

 

[Bullhunter]

As soon as that new growth starts coming in then it will be a good area to hunt.  I have a taken a lot of deer in burned out areas but not an elk.  Hope that will change soon.

 

[jenbickel]

I agree, I've had a lot of luck hunting burned areas not too long after they have burned.

 

[lang]

It's the first place I go is anything that's burned recently.

 

[Kmbingham92]

As GoatT has mentioned if you find a burn area near cover and/or water you better set up shop. I have an area that burned about ten years ago that has both water and thick cover on either side of the burn area. The elk are there almost every day and have kept hitting it all these years. Too bad I can't get a tag for another 6-10 years.

 

[turbo1967]

my area hit by fire about 10 years ago and hunting has never been better,every thing will grow green the next year.people will automaticly think the animals will not return.yet they love it.You will find the forest service will close most of it off to wheeled vehicals so if your a packer its your area now,game carts are out and the people that use them.The animals will scrap on the burned trees and it make there antlers a dark color that is cool and the elk will lick the ash from the trees that gives them extra minerals to enhance antler growth.Area is more open now and better for spotting but you may need to shoot further distances,harder to get close.some times I wish my area would burn again.Not really but hunting does improve with a fire.HUNT THE BURN!!!!