Book Cliffs Burn Sept. 10th.!!!

BrowningRage · Sep 6, 2016

Was out to the Book Cliffs over the weekend. Found the following posted at the top of McCook/Tom Patterson Ridge:

As you can see, the BLM will be settin the Book Cliffs on fire, from the Unitah County line, north, between Sweet Water Canyon over to Chipeta Canyon. Likely start date is this Saturday, Sept. 10th.

I felt like there may be some deer and elk hunters on here that might want to know this before your upcoming hunts. You can take it for what it's worth. I will be out there for most of the Muzzy Deer hunt. Don't know what to make of it. :-( :-(

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

browtine · Sep 6, 2016

Daxter · Sep 6, 2016

This can be crummy for the guys with tags this year that had planned to hunt that specific area, but over the long term a burn in the Books is going to pay big dividends for wildlife for a very long time. The federal agencies have such specific criteria (temperatures, humidity, etc.) before they are allowed to burn anything, it sometimes means they end up burning in the fall during hunting season. I feel for guys that had scouted that area, but I also think the elk hunters hoping to find a bugling bull in the exact area they scouted early were likely to disappointed regardless of the burn. Those bulls are on the move during the rut. Luckily it's not hard to find elk in the Books in mid-September.

Dax

Charina · Sep 6, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-16 AT 09:50PM (MST)[p]Not the best timimg, but fire is long overdue out there. Lots of it should be burned to open up the monoculture pinion pine. Wish they would do more controlled burns.

Oneye · Sep 6, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-16 AT 10:08PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-16
>AT 09:50?PM (MST)
>
>Not the best timimg, but fire
>is long overdue out there.
>Lots of it should be
>burned to open up the
>monoculture pinion pine. Wish they
>would do more controlled burns.
>

Prescribed burns will pay great dividends for the future. Now if only the republican led congress would properly fund the BLM and FS, then maybe they could.

Gator · Sep 7, 2016

So burn it when a hunt is not happening, Maybe they need to get done before Nov due to a change in policy.
It suck that could impact a lot of folks hunts.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

Oneye · Sep 7, 2016

>So burn it when a hunt
>is not happening, Maybe they
>need to get done before
>Nov due to a change
>in policy.
>It suck that could impact a
>lot of folks hunts.
>
>"I have found if you go
>the extra mile it's Never
>crowded".
>>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>>the MM green signature club.[font/]

There are hunts from August on. There are bear and turkey hunts in the spring. It is better to burn in the spring or fall when the temps aren't as high and the fire won't burn so hot, it is also easier to control. I guess you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. People complain about land managment, then complain when a project is underway, or they complain about smoke. Glad to see them completing a project. Doesn't matter when they did it they would be putting someone out of their way. People are unpleasable and that is why land managment is the ridiculous game it is.

BrowningRage · Sep 7, 2016

You may have a point Oneye, it is kind of Damned if you do, Damned if you don't...

However, if I knew I was burning 26,000 acres right in the middle of the prime elk and deer hunting area, I think I would try and do it when those particular hunts were not taking place. I'd rather displace a few dozen turkey and bear hunters (though turkeys are found miles and miles from this area) than hundreds of deer and elk hunters.

That said, my point in posting this was just to notify as many guys as read it that it will be taking place, and to plan accordingly. I think an email from the DWR probably should have been in order, but I don't think that happened. So, everyone, be ready for a wild hunt in the Books. You just might have a fire breathing down your butt... LOL

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

Broadside_Shot · Sep 7, 2016

I wonder how close they will let you even get to the fire. I know they have boundary's shown but I'm sure there is a safety buffer involved

Oneye · Sep 7, 2016

>You may have a point Oneye,
>it is kind of Damned
>if you do, Damned if
>you don't...
>
>However, if I knew I was
>burning 26,000 acres right in
>the middle of the prime
>elk and deer hunting area,
>I think I would try
>and do it when those
>particular hunts were not taking
>place. I'd rather displace a
>few dozen turkey and bear
>hunters (though turkeys are found
>miles and miles from this
>area) than hundreds of deer
>and elk hunters.
>
>That said, my point in posting
>this was just to notify
>as many guys as read
>it that it will be
>taking place, and to plan
>accordingly. I think an email
>from the DWR probably should
>have been in order, but
>I don't think that happened.
>So, everyone, be ready for
>a wild hunt in the
>Books. You just might have
>a fire breathing down your
>butt... LOL
>
>"Therefore, wo be unto him that
>is at ease in Zion!"
>2 Ne. 28: 24

Hey, maybe the fire will push some deer and elk your way.

mtnrunner260 · Sep 8, 2016

I imagine the deer and elk wont be where there are active flames. Sounds like there should be a higher concentration of animals elsewhere.
I think the DWR should put a check box on all applications similar to the OIL where counts and captures may be occurring.
"The state, FS, BLM and whoever may be conducting work during your hunt"