Hunting around wildfires

[KSB209]

Right now the state of CA is on fire. Well at least northern CA. How do you hunt areas around fires? I'm looking at an area (D-5) which had a large fire to the East and now has a large fore to the north. Some of the areas on fire are highly sought after and tags are limited. I'm hoping that the fires may have pushed the animals into the area I want to hunt.
So my question is how do you hunt animals that are already on high alert of fires and other environmental issues (lack of water also). My plan was to go high in elevation with areas that have mountain lakes because most of the rivers and streams are pretty dry right now.
Just looking for some knowledge. Im sure many of you have hunted in areas that had recent fires blow through.

 

[dflyfish]

Most of the National forest around those areas are closed so double check before you go.

As far as where to hunt. Deer will generally just move far enough to be comfortable. In a few years those burns will hold a lot of deer.

 

[Huntnful]

The mountains are loaded with springs. I wouldn't focus on main bodies of water like lakes and streams. Lots of forest closures to research as well (if you care).

 

[KSB209]

Yeah I know the areas that are closed. They closed them last year for Covid too (what a joke!).

not saying I will go into a "closed" area but I will use my best judgement when and where to go. Last I checked the area I want to hike into is still open for business. I'll be out scouting with my bow this weekend in D5

 

[GKshootsXX]

Hey Gents, I just wanted to know where ( or what zone ) in california is yalls favorite place to hunt on public land? And what caliber are yall using?

 

[dfanonymous]

You just pick the best areas you can that's not on fire…. It's not uncommon for a unit, gmu, zone whatever to be completely unaccessible for a year, in which case you might get your money back.

If that's not the case, as in, it's not that bad…then look start looking in areas NOT on fire

 

[Springtom]

The latest Remi Warren "Cutting the Distance" podcast is all about hunting during wildfire smoke. Its a good listen.

 

[KSB209]

The latest Remi Warren "Cutting the Distance" podcast is all about hunting during wildfire smoke. Its a good listen.

I'll check it out thanks

 

[sp6x6]

I was hunting in MT one year,archery and a big fire was just over the ridge.But a few miles off,I road in on my fatcat 11m,to the end of that type access,then followed horse trail to nice meadow creek bottom. Ok 5x5 strolled out past me,I went and hunted the ridge where it went .Saw many elk in timber,mid day thunder boomers rolled in,was about 6m from my bike,dry woods got me spooked and I hightailed it out.I had to go up a steep greazy section,took me three ries riding a wheely threw boulders.The elk just seemed normal,was opening weekend.

 

[SArnold30]

The mountains are loaded with springs. I wouldn't focus on main bodies of water like lakes and streams. Lots of forest closures to research as well (if you care).

I mostly hunt the A Zone (south), but have hunted in a few of the D zones, including a small amount of time in D 5, which holds some very nice deer. Time limits me to only the A Zone this season, but I feel like we haven't been impacted by fires as severely as those north of here. We have however been quite dry though, which is the norm. With archery starting mid-July and rifle going in August, hunting the A Zone is always hot nasty work, but not everything is as dry as it may seem. Huntnful brings up an excellent point here: while the deer might enjoy access to large rivers or lakes, they don't need them to survive. If you can find even the smallest spring, trickle, or pool in a creek bed, I guarantee the local wildlife has as well.

 

[KSB209]

I haven't looked up this info for CA but in general and in other states when they close the forests because of fire what happens to all the guys that drew tags?? At a minimum I would think they would get a refund (maybe) and their points back to try again next year. I haven't been so lucky to get drawn in the lottery I just get the standard OTC / general type tags in CA so I haven't had to worry about it.
Been putting in for other states like CO, WY, and UT (still unlucky) and if I had deposits down on guides and a $1000 tag that I could not use because of fires and closed forest I would be unhappy to say the least

 

[Chadp82]

I know this is Colorado based and elk, but this came out last year after the horrendous fire season in CO. May help shed a little light. Was interesting to watch and seems to fit the discussion. Colorado did close hunting in some of these areas last fall due to the fires.

 

[-WARDOG-]

I grew up and lived in D3,4,5 in the Sierras for 50 years.
The blacktails will move away from the commotion. I hear the woods are terribly dry right now.
Study maps and satellite images from OnX Hunts or the like. Find the ground water that is still flowing this time of year. The big buck will abandon their ridgeline haunts in the current heat and hunker down in the tulies, cool wet areas where the Choke cherry / bitter cherry / elderberry trees still have their leaves. Think of where the bears will be and that's where the bucks will be in the heat. The bucks can browse during the day and don't have far to go for water. Either that or they go full nocturnal.
Good luck hunting.

 

[KSB209]

I know this is Colorado based and elk, but this came out last year after the horrendous fire season in CO. May help shed a little light. Was interesting to watch and seems to fit the discussion. Colorado did close hunting in some of these areas last fall due to the fires.

Thanks for sharing the video. This is useful intel and not exactly what I thought would happen. It's only 1 study but is a little eye opening. I figured the animals would turn and run as far as they could until they were out of the smoke but that doesn't seem to be the case here