Hunting in burn areas?

S

Sierra280

Moderator
I didn't apply for tags this season (2013), Business was too busy, promoting new book and too much traveling (I know that's no excuse) but I think I'm lucky I didn't. The area I like (Pinenut mtns, my backyard) had a lightning strike fire hit it this summer, largest wildfire in recorded Nevada history, and burned through a large majority of the hunting area.

If we get good precipitation this winter, which it looks like we will, all that burned area should be tons of feed (grass/weeds) in the recently burned fields. There are still many trees standing and with all the added feed it seems to me that next year will be a great time to get a nice mulie. Does anyone have experience hunting in recently wildfire damaged areas? Would it be a good idea to apply for this area or should I go somewhere else?
 
I've hunted fresh burned (control) areas,, deer move through em as always.
As long as there is fresh vegitation you should be good to go ; )
Y/D
 
Deer love burned areas, the new growth is tender and they'll come from miles around to feed on it. Here in Northern CA we get our share of fires and when there is a big one it is a safe bet many bucks are going to be harvested around the burn, usually caught moving from bedding areas to feed in the burn.
 
Burns are good, but...
Deer and elk tend to stick to the edges of the burn, and work their way back in as the new (or recovering) vegetation grows tall enough to offer cover.

Generally, 3-5 years after a burn is the peak time for wildlife and hunting opportunities.
 
I hunted south of your home where it was burned about 20??? years ago (maybe 30??) - on the way to Topaz, as well as East of Carson and Minden - those mulies don't like to move if they don't have to and there are enough fields providing alfalfa as well as the bitterbrush and pine nuts so they should hold fairly close
 
The deer like the new browse, and also unburned timber nearby the new browse, that's their thermal cover. Match that to a water source, you should find the trails and then you are good to go, they'll walk right in front of you if you sit still and wait for them.

They like to contour along as much as they can, just like we do.
 
Not only will the deer love the new browse that will come up rather quickly in the burn area but turkey's as well as most other wildlife will be attracted also.
 
Thanks for all the info. I know of a few natural springs and creeks up in some nice draws where I've seen plenty of sign in years past, it burned, but I'll start checking it out in the spring.

Big_D, I'm east if minden/carson but more south. There's some good camping/fishing spots along the east carson river I like. They're a few miles south but looks like it burned 20-30 yrs ago. Lots of new growth now, but not such a good hunting area as it's become (like much of the Pinenuts) heavily traveled by ATVs, dirt bikes, and 4WD rigs; plus the fact they all like to shoot when they go out that way now.
 
My location is different and my deer are whitetails not mulies. Some years ago we did have a fire burning many acres. It was really strange to see the landscape lacking all the bushes, scrub oak & pines. Didn't take long and new vegetation sprouted up. After that there was never a shortage of deer. Every single trip from camp to town and back- deer were always seen browsing the new green plants & grasses coming up.
 
When I lived in SoCal, recent burn areas were highly reocmmended as the new vegetation deer eat is thicker grows in quicker, faster, and is more appealing to them. I also found that "recent" usually required a year or two of recovery time before that happens, and as Frankenmauser said, 3-4 years starts looking REALLY good to them.

I alwasy hunted national forest, so i would contact area ranger stations about those areas and they were happy to tell me all they knew.
 
Burns are critical to habitat maintenance

A good burn opens up the range and the grasses/shrubs that come back fastest contribute more to a deer's diet than old growth forest.
 
This past June had the Black Forest fire and I live corner were fire went east then North so we didn't get burned out. We always had good feed here deer/elk and about 3mos after fire we finally got some rain deer were in the burn area feeding.
 
If memory serves, here in Colorado about 2 or 3 years ago some hunter brought home a near-record or record mulie from an area that had burned a few years previous. They will follow the greenery.
 
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