Fire burnt my whole Archery deer spot

[TCMX]

Normally my brother and I do our archery deer hunt out of our cabin in southern the part of reg 5 and have had success 3 years in a row, this year the fires have completely wrecked our entire area that we would normally be in. We currently are goin over other spots we have been to in the past and just trying To get help deciding decide between them. Never been too any of these spots his early in the season.

Just asking on opinions between the following

Spot and Stalk (MULE DEER)

Sept 1st - 10th

- Soutwest Kelowna
- North kamloops
- West Kootenay's
- Southwest Reg 5
- In between Merritt and Kamloops

Hunting on foot mostly and sleeping in wall tent *****

[Ride Red]

Over the next few years your spot will be super green and lush. Don't worry, the critters will be back in full force.

[TCMX]

Thanks, yeah we talked about that as a positive, I'm more worried about my immediate hunting season and where to go instead.

[walks with deer]

Well on the bright side hopefully you can find a new pocket so you dont have to rely on one...
I had a freind rely on one pocket i showed him..when that pocket was done he gave up hunting because i wouldnt show him another..

Ask jelvis where to go..not kidding..

[Wild one]

What species of deer is your main goal?

If you are thinking spot and stalk mule deer I would consider the issue of smoke as it will limit visibility

[TCMX]

Sorry I didn't specify spot and stalk, mule deer **

[Wild one]

In that case I would start my search looking at the BC highway cams to get an idea on potential smoke level

Pick a location but have a back up farther out. One fire year I had to drive 3hrs past my first choice location just to get to an area where visibility would be good for spot and stalk. Fire years suck

If it was me I would go south east okanagon with both mule deer and wt planned. If you have a bad smoke day not allowing spot and stalk sit in the thick stuff for WT instead


With the fires this year your going to need to be willing to adjust location or style of hunting as conditions change day to day

[Fisher-Dude]

Thanks, yeah we talked about that as a positive, I'm more worried about my immediate hunting season and where to go instead.

We've shot deer in a burn that was only 6 weeks old, still burning on one end and full of new green cabbage (and deer) on the other.

[Big Lew]

If it me, I would concentrate some effort adjacent to the burned area and in an area
away from the worst smoke. I had a special place a few years ago that survived the
nearby fire but was in direct line of the smoke. I saw neither deer or recent tracks so
I checked out the other side of the valley and 'bingo', plenty of deer.

[palmer]

If you decide to come my way, happy to point you in the right direction. would be west side of west kootenays

[DDD]

If you're concerned about smoke limiting visibility, have a look at the interactive sat. imagery at
firesmoke.ca

[elch jager]

Don't worry about your little fire... Justin time Trudeau is there now to sprinkle a little Pierre-eh? water on the flames... right after this selfie....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/riseform/justin%20fired.jpg

[VFX_man]

Normally my brother and I do our archery deer hunt out of our cabin in southern the part of reg 5 and have had success 3 years in a row, this year the fires have completely wrecked our entire area that we would normally be in. We currently are goin over other spots we have been to in the past and just trying GT help deciding decide between them. Never been too any of these spots his early in the season.

- Soutwest Kelowna
- North kamloops
- West Kootenay's
- Southwest Reg 5

Hunting on foot mostly and sleeping in wall tent *****

Sorry to hear of the burn-out. Had a similar issue 3 years back. Interestingly enough, it cleared out a lot of crap and opened up our sightlines immensely.

The year before the fire, during hunting season, we heard critters moving/vocalizing behind us in our blind. But since the brush was so thick we could never see them [only found their tracks later as we left]. Was wishing I had cut some shooting lanes, but the lightning caused fire that came in the late fall cleared it out [got close to my buddies cabin though and they were evacuated].

The next spring it came back to life. Trail camera caught: Deer, Wolf, Beer, Coyote, Rabbit, Moose in the burn. Granted, no big bucks were seen, but the camera was not along the edges of the burn, but on a trail through the middle of it.

Think my Loon Lake area was spared based on the latest I've seen, but the area with a few Km's have been hit hard, so no clue how it pushed animals out.

There is a sad photo from Loon Lake of a few head of cattle that did not make it.

-VFX

[Bugle M In]

Well on the bright side hopefully you can find a new pocket so you dont have to rely on one...
I had a freind rely on one pocket i showed him..when that pocket was done he gave up hunting because i wouldnt show him another..

Ask jelvis where to go..not kidding..

As stated, atleast you will now be giving yourself the opportunity to look for some new areas.....
Don't look at hunting from a "success" standpoint, if success is just based on cutting a tag.
It might be nice to see somewhere new.....or look at your area from a different standpoint now...after a fire.
Lots of other previous areas that had fires that should be good now.
Kelowna obviously, Pritchard area in Kamloops....or how about Carpenter Lake after that fire...a few years down the road now...
Look at it as a new experience....in other words, if you feel the area you normally hunt is going to be pointless....
then go hunt an area you have always thought about wanting to see and hunt.
Yalakom had a fire also, a few years back now.....
Atleast one thing with these fires this season....it will spread us hunter back out again when these burns start to regen again....looking forward to that.