Big Fires in Region 7b

[bwhnter]

My Dad got drawn for Grizzly in 7-45 but I just got off of the phone with a friend that works up there and he said that there is a big fire up there. Most of the oilfield camps have been evacuated and last night they were talking about doing the same with 101. This could really hurt the hunting up here this fall due to the smoke and loss of habitat. It is so dry that most of the fields have quit growing and the deer are just laying around my dugouts.
Also if we don't get alot of rain there will be no camp fires allowed.

[bigwhiteys]

Bwhunter,

My dad works in the oilpatch in FSJ. He said the same thing to me on the phone last night. Back in his outfitting days he saw this once before where access to the backcountry was totally prohibited because of the risk of fire.

This was several years ago.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[GoatGuy]

I wouldn't be too worried - it's a long time between now and the end of sept/early october. Might even be better for you. If the fire goes out soon and you get a dump of rain there'll be grass by fall.

In the longterm you'll be gaining habitat

[boonerbuck]

That's a late season hunt up there.

I'm going in Aug 20th.

[bwhnter]

I agree that it is good for the long term. I have seen first hand how much better antler and horn growth is in areas that have been burned. I sure hope that it doesn't ruin our plans for this fall.

A friend of mine was out quading on the weekend and the muskeg that was kicked up onto the exhaust on his bike caught on fire and then fell off. They were lucky enough to spot the smoke on their way back out and they put the fire out but it could have easily gone unnoticed. Just goes to show you how dry it is out there.

[PGKris]

Ya she's dry for sure. I think it'll be OK up there this fall.......have fun with that grizz draw. I know for a fact there's a few big ones in that area

[270WIN]

How do you guys think that going to afect the early bull moose season i was planiny to head to 101 in aug do you guy think i should look to other plans

[willy442]

How do you guys think that going to afect the early bull moose season i was planiny to head to 101 in aug do you guy think i should look to other plans

As of last night 101 was issued an evacuation alert due to fires in the area. It is extremly dry and with thunder storms in ther forecast the situation is likely to deteriorate. The moose season is a ways off though.

[bwhnter]

[QUOTYa she's dry for sure. I think it'll be OK up there this fall.......have fun with that grizz draw. I know for a fact there's a few big ones in that areaE][/QUOTE]

My Dad and Grandfather used to trap that counrty and we used to hunt moose in there years ago. When I was a kid a friend and I were quading down an old lease road hunting grouse and we hit a patch of really thick fog when we came out the other side we just about hit a grizz that was standing in the middle of the road. It seemed to me that he was huge as we went passed him but we didn't stop to check that for sure. Hope fully we will see a good one this fall up there.

How do you guys think that going to afect the early bull moose season i was planiny to head to 101 in aug do you guy think i should look to other plans

I don't think you should make other plans but the areas that you had good luck in in the past might be a little different this fall.

[boonerbuck]

If theres little real rain this month, I'd be looking at other plans for sure.