Opinions on a situation that came up today.

Took my daughters up to get some cedar and spruce bows for decorating, and while we were up the hill wanted to bring them into a spot that had a bunch of fresh sign over the last couple days.
First off all the girls were amazing they hiked in about half km and were super quiet(7,5, and 3 years old)
we get into the spot which showed plenty more fresh sign
as we are sitting there, one of my daughters notices smoke right behind us and quickly the smoke grew thick and all around us.
Packed up our things and started back down, through several slash piles that had been set ablaze.

There was 2 trucks parked next to mine and no one around(assuming they were out lighting more.) as I get the girls into the truck another truck pulls up and a guy wearing a Tolkien high vis gets out and jokes “hope you brought the hot dogs”.

i was a bit pissed off due to the fact there was no effort to make people in the area aware of what they were doing, and especially pissed off cause I had my daughters with me

An are all known for hunting and with a couple days left of Moose season this appears to be quite the dick move on their part.

My opinion is that you're in an active work area and it's your responsibility to make sure you don't get caught in the middle of it

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Originally Posted by Fella

My opinion is that you're in an active work area and it's your responsibility to make sure you don't get caught in the middle of it

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X2 they can't stop doing their job cuz hunters might be in the area

Its a forestry road on forestry land things like this will happen. I'd just explain to the kids what slash burning is, what its benefits are for forestry and also how excellent animal forage is to come :)

those guys you encountered were obviously rookies, everyone knows you bring smokies to a slash burning, not hotdogs

All of the above, plus not sure if you were concerned about your safety but they light slash when there is basically no risk of it going anywhere.

Yeah, bad timing. I can only imagine what was going through your mind with all the little ones in tow, which was probably downright scary. I don't blame you for being upset. Just take note of those fresh slashes and waiting burn piles in the future, and hopefully you won't be caught in it again.

Ive driven down long stretches where the slash is burning on both sides, forward vis is almost NIL...its an awesome experience, nothing to be concerned about unless you parked on the slash pile

Thanks guys

Ive seen deer standing beside still smoldering slash piles. Smoke doesn't bother the game if that's what your concerned about.

Can't wait for the city/valley folk to start calling 911 about all the forest fires they see up on the hill burning. :roll:

I think my initial reaction would have been much different if I did not have my kids with me
i did explain to them why it was done and how it also helps animals

At least there was no gate locked to get in there in the first place.

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Originally Posted by Ozone

Ive seen deer standing beside still smoldering slash piles. Smoke doesn't bother the game if that's what your concerned about.

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deer roast and you didn't even have to gather the wood
hope u brought mash mellows

i think those fires are still burning tonight

The best is when helicopters spray you with round-up and fertilizer. Pro-tip, don't look up when the fertilizer is coming down :D

I used to burn slash piles as part of my jobs before I retired from my career in forestry. Unfortunately, the times that the piles can be lit up are sometimes few and far between. There has to be the proper atmospheric venting before they can be lit up. This is so the whole valley doesn't fill with smoke. So, when that weather window is there is "go time" and they all get lit up at once.
Incidentally, the buck I shot yesterday was on a cutblock that had the piles burned the previous week. The piles were still smoking.
Look on the bright side. Go back to that spot next spring or the spring after and pick morels in and around the burns.

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Originally Posted by nwalter

I think my initial reaction would have been much different if I did not have my kids with me
i did explain to them why it was done and how it also helps animals

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I can understand being surprised and concerned with little ones in tow!

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Originally Posted by Salty

I can understand being surprised and concerned with little ones in tow!

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Yeah, I'd probably feel the same in his shoes. It's a good situation to teach them to be alert when in the woods though, be prepared for anything and stay on your toes

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Originally Posted by Salty

Its a forestry road on forestry land things like this will happen. I'd just explain to the kids what slash burning is, what its benefits are for forestry and also how excellent animal forage is to come :)

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Bingo........

I saw the burns up that way today, I ran into a similar situation last week on the other end of town, all though they had burnt the day before and the slash piles were smoldering.

Word of advice, get back in there. I walked the cut block with and there was ample amounts of fresh sign, even this guy standing in the ashes as the slash pile smoldered...
https://i.imgur.com/nUDmevm.jpg?2

So are you mad that they burnt piles and there were only a couple days of moose season left? Or are you mad because you didn’t get a warning they were going to light them?

Just a bit confused as to what your issue is I suppose.

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Originally Posted by Wrayzer

I saw the burns up that way today, I ran into a similar situation last week on the other end of town, all though they had burnt the day before and the slash piles were smoldering.

Word of advice, get back in there. I walked the cut block with and there was ample amounts of fresh sign, even this guy standing in the ashes as the slash pile smoldered...
https://i.imgur.com/nUDmevm.jpg?2

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Its quit possible he is standing there since he just got burnt out of were he was hibernating, some make it out alive some don't, some guys here check around to see if there is any evidence of bears or other animals in the slash piles before lighting them but think probable most don't.

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Originally Posted by Salty

Its a forestry road on forestry land things like this will happen. I'd just explain to the kids what slash burning is, what its benefits are for forestry and also how excellent animal forage is to come :)

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Agreed. Hard to account for everything that happens in the forest. As long as they do their work according to the regs and standards, not much you can really do about it.