Fires in Western Montana affect your hunt this year?

[bowfiend]

Ya, I was loving the Mexico-City syle haze yesterday! I thought about going to get my paper but thought I'd get lung cancer before I'd ever get to the mailbox.

The spot I was worried about went up in flames. The fire changed directions and made a run to the north into some prime old growth. Too bad, but I guess there are more places.

[Brian Krebs]

I could actually see smoke in my cabin last night; with the light on; there was a haze in the air INSIDE. Its still super smokey outside; I can see the outline of ridges; but not anything on the ridges that are really close to my cabin.                          
                                 
 Wind here can be from the north or south or east or west. It can be raining like hell ten feet from where you standing; and you can be dry. The weather in North Fork can be thick smoke and here - it can be clear; as I am up river a couple miles; and the North fork of the Salmon river runs north from North Fork. So just miles apart there can be totally different weather systems. It could be the continental divide is such a short distance away; and weather hits it and stacks up. I don't know; I just know the air is full of smoke; and there is no hope in sight ( ha ha ).
  Can't wait to see how Montana elk tastes after I kill one here in Idaho........  

[Naphtali]

Here is the Jocko Lake fire Saturday. We had 5-30 minutes to get to safety.
 

[tim roberts]

Naphtali,
I talked to a friend of mine from Townsend the other day, and he said that things are way worse than 2000.  I remember them closing the forest and the rivers off back in the 80's, no outdoor activities.  Another friend from Ennis way was telling me that a popcorn fart has more moisture in it than what you got up there.  Some frosty nights would be helpful.

>>>>Tim------->

[Mike Orton]

Today I spoke to both the North Fork office of the Salmon National Forest personnel and the Idaho Dept of Fish & Game in Salmon.  Both persons whom I spoke with thought the fire season would not cause the Forest to close down.  These folks seamed to be taking the firestorms pretty much in stride.

Brian; just consider that our elk are being pre-smoked and will have great flavor this year.      

[fireman_3311]

My wife and I have been out ya'll's way on the Harleys...It was pretty smoky most of the time! Beautiful country, even with all the smoke...we're jealous!!!

[Brian Krebs]

fireman was that you rumbling on by ?  

 Mike- pre-smoked elk steaks !!  I am getting more excited now!!

 
 gee whiz- looks like some people will have to walk: instead of riding their atvs all over.. awww.

 Where I hunt its ok for low riders right up to an easy walk to where I normally park. Kind of doubt they will close the main roads like the one I use.

 If your hunting Idaho this year- check the links and your intended hunting spots.

 Don't forget the marshmallows    

got this news release from the idaho fish and game.

 IDAHO FISH AND GAME
HEADQUARTERS NEWS RELEASE
Boise, ID

Date: August 13, 2007
Contact: Ed Mitchell
(208) 334-3700


fires close backcountry trails, roads


Several large fires burning in Idaho's backcountry have raised concerns about public safety and hunter access.

In the interest of public safety, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have closed some areas. Other areas may be closed as fires grow or new fires start.

But closures may affect access to some fishing areas, and some hunting units.

Anglers and hunters, and anyone else heading into the backcountry, are advised to check with Forest Service Ranger District offices before heading out.

Fire updates and road closures can be found on the national fire incident information site at:  http://www.inciweb.org/state/13/;  at:  http://www.fs.fed.us/idahofires;  and at  http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/nezperce/gvc/.  

Links also are available on the Fish and Game Website at  http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.  

The department will not recommend closing hunts or altering season dates in response to fire restrictions. Most fires are not large enough to affect an entire hunt unit. Hunters affected by a fire closure can adjust their schedule to hunt later in the season, exchange general tags to hunt in a different area. Tags must exchanged before the season begins

[AleghenyMtnBow]

I got this from a friend out there. Doesn't sound good. :(

Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 2:37 PM
Subject: Montana ablaze..


To Slik: from Mike D

 Right now over 300,000 acres are actively burning in Montana alone. Many of the fires are not being fought but are just being monitored. As the Palouse winds blow, the MT fires grow. Expect the number to reach over 400,000 acres in a day or two.

Last week US Forest Service Chief Gail Kimbell declared the Gila, Payette, and Bitterroot NF’s to be “Let It Burn Laboratories.” Kimbell issued this Proclamation with no public input, no NEPA process, no hearings, no EIS, no nothing. She just did it, and to blazes with the laws (and the forests). No enviro outfit will sue her either, because they like the idea of torching America’s public forests. Burn, baby, burn.

A 4.3 million acre Let It Burn zone has been established for the Selway Bitterroot, and at least 12 fires are blazing away unchecked there right now. Last year over a million acres of MT burned in wildfires. Expect a similar count by the end of this fire season.

Last year after the fires numerous "humanitarian" hunts were organized from MT to NV to mercifully slaughter elk, deer, antelope, and Bighorn sheep because the winter ranges were destroyed and those animals were certain to starve to death.

The Big Picture is one of charred wastelands roamed by starving wolves. That's the Final Solution for our public lands. But I am preaching to the choir here, with this e-list.

[bowfiend]

That's perfect! Because the more that burns up, the more they'll be able to shove the "healthy forests initiative" down our throats.
I can hear it now:
"2007 brought historically CATASTROPHIC wildfires. The solution to this is clearcutting the world."

Man, I've got nothing against logging, but that's just about keeping Weyerhauser in the black. That, I do have a problem with.

[Brian Krebs]

There was a fire that resulted in a fire manager being charged with several counts of manslaughter and some misdemeanors.  That alone is keeping fire managers from having to make decisions about whether or not to try to put a fire out.
                                                 
 As a volunteer fireman; when homes in our area are threatened by a forest fire; we defend the best we can. We had a speaker from the forest service that did a study on 'safety zones'.
                                     
                                         
You have to have a plan on where fire fighters will go if the fire heads their way; a place to quickly clear out dry grasses etc and get inside your fire tent.                              
                                         
Problem is; with the drier and drier conditions; the ability to find such areas are smaller and smaller. He said that in order to avoid getting crispy crittered in your tent you need a safety area that is a 1/4 mile across. Thats a really big area to clear!! He openly stated that he felt there were no safety zones in the vast majority of fire situations.                    
                                     
 Used to be an area the size of house was fine; but not anymore.                          
                                           
 Then too - many many people are building cabins in the woods; and then demanding that they are protected from forest fires. Kind of like trying to raise guppies in your local fishing spot; and complaining about the trout and bass eating them. Its just not safe to have a cabin in an extrembly flamable forest! I have a cabin in an open bowl of sage and grass; and we have had grass fires that endangered us here.
                                       
                     
 Some people just plain don't get it. I remember when a fire was nearing Bergdorf Idaho; it was a huge fire; and the news crews were there to talk to residents of the old town ( Spencer Tracy was filmed there making the movie 'northwest passage'); its been there a while !

 So; the news reporter approached one resident; a physician from Boise; who had a summer home there. The reporter asked what he thought of the fire situation. He ( keep in mind he was a DOCTOR); replied " I thought we had the technology to handle these situations".
                                   
                                     
 Yep; we poured super glue in the earthquake fault lines and got that under control; and took an aircraft carrier loaded with trailer houses and all the tornadoes followed it out to sea...
                                           
                         
 The woods are drying; the pine bark beetles are not facing killing cold temperatures in the winter; and trees are dying. That makes it even more of a tinderbox.                            
 We replanted areas logged in the past with seedlings all from the same mother tree; thus insuring the all grow at the same rate; and thats like having a line of matches; the fire goes from one tree to the other with no gaps to stop it.                                  
                                     
 Good thing is that these burned areas will now grow elk and deer food; and about 50 years from now it will be good hunting again. I just hope lots of areas are left unburned. Like where I hunt ..

 I certianly hope they don't have hunts to kill off all the game (except the wolves of course [sic]). I have seen that done before; and its just plain ugly.

[Sant-Ravenhill]

The Ahorn fire west of Augusta, Montana is where I hunt...still burning like crazy. Only time will tell the final result.

I live another 30 miles east of Augusta in Fairfield and we have had nights where the smoke and ash keeps all the windows closed in spite the heat.

[fireman_3311]

Brian Krebs....I knew I'd prolly passed by a number of Tradgangers along the way...fires or not, you live in some awesome country...I told the wife we're movin, soon as she retires, or we win the lotto, whichever happens first....lol

[Brian Krebs]

  there is a guy up here with a 1944 side car on a 1957 harley. Lots of Harley people park their bikes here.  

 We are getting ash too. All over my lovely truck. Looks new until I drive it and the ash blows off....... still smokey. The elk and deer that are known residents; are not moving out.

 tick tock tick tock.

[Mike Orton]

What's the latest update...been 12 hours and inquiring minds need to know!

[Brian Krebs]

The smoke was a little lighter today; and I could see a bit further. Still smokey; but less than in the last few days.
                                       
 In the last two hours of daylight tonight: I saw a herd of about 30 elk; with one raghorn; and a couple spikes; the rest cows and calves. I also saw two buck antelope and a fox; and whitetail does and fawns; and muledeer does; and an 8 point whitetail that will make book.                  
                                     
 With the smoke lifting a little; its neat to see what's out there  
                                           
 The wind has not been blowing very hard; and that must be slowing down the fires. I hope  

[Naphtali]

Fires will burn through October. Local hunting probability is low and dropping.

Seeley Lake has not burned.

In late afternoon air quality approaches San Quentin's old death chamber.

This is depressing.