Happy Fodders day guy's!!!!
Gotta ????? for ya  :confused:    :confused:  .......we got a real nice forrest fire roaring here in northeastern N.C.  :eek:    :eek:   It's on a wildlife refuge where i do alot of hunting.....most of it is poccossin type bog, the peat soil will probally burn for months. Most of the stuff is unaccessible because its so thick, just wondering how this may affect the deer and bear population for the upcoming season.The refuge is approx. 196,000acres. already lost about 50,000acres.    They just set a 20,000 acre control burn to counter the progression.
I suspect the access will be better because of the undergrowth being destroyed but the critters will be gone. This land is almost all coastal thickets and bog but the wildlife population has always been very good.    
I always see lots of deer , bear , canebreak rattlers , coyote ,raccoon,  bobcats , otter , beaver , nutria , eagles ,ducks , geese , swans , hawks , owls , fox ,  occasional red wolf etc.......it would be a shame to loose that.
Any ideas on how it may affect this season?

Maybe quite a bit the first season after,,, but the next year will be the best ever. All the nutrients released after the fire will equal more browse, acorns ect...

Be willing to go in deeper where the fires didn't hit the first season.


John III

Yeah the smoke from it settled in up here this week and about choked us.I know it has to be terrible down there.Those peat fires might burn for years unless we get a good hurricane this year with enough rain to put them out.That stuff just never goes all the way out unless it is pretty much covered with water.

want to see fires? CA.  Our sky has been smoky for the past three days as  they burn to a crips over the border.

I wasnt aware they had a code purple until this fire up......weather channel says code purple is the worse.
I live about 1 and half hrs. away and visibility was about 200 ft. in some spots.
I really hope this dosent kill off too much wildlife......less rattlers would be nice though.
I've lived here 45yrs. and cant remember a fire like this , i guess California is used to it but it's out of the norm here in the Carolinas.
Tim

The fires in my area (San Diego) last October brought the deer right into our yard. Looking for something to eat I guess as it was total devastation. It also brought the mountain lions looking for the deer!!  :eek:

Fire is a natural process for cleansing the land. Where I live, the Forest Service lets fire burn when it doesn't threaten human habitat. While ugly when it is burning and for a while thereafter, it provides nutrients to the land and generally enhances wildlife habitat. I hunt in old burns quite a bit, and they are havens for critters after the initial fire is over. In the long run, it will make your area a better place. Don't know much about the Carolinas, but in the west, fire is good for wildlife in the long run.

That's kinda what i was thinking too......just wanted to hear from someone who has experienced this type of thing.
It looks bad on the surface but i can see where it would help.
I guess i am in denial since i wont be able too hunt my favorite honeyhole......at least this season.  Good hunting is hard to find around here and i hate too loose what little i have.
God knows what he's doin'...i 'll just leave it in his hands.
Theres alot of protected species there, hope they do o.k.
Thanks
Tim

Yeah my fire station sent a emgine and a couple guys up there to help. But what can ya do? it is gonna burn itself out unless hurricanes come, and I dont particulary care for that idea either! LOL

Smoke got us here this morning but weren't as bad as last week.

J

Likewise.....our ems station has us on standby with the S.M.A.T Team. I volunteered also...figured it's a good way to give back to the refuge.
It's a very remote area so any injuries could be serious, i hope guy's and gals are all safe.

I am down in Morehead city STOBBER bit South of ya. Wish I lived closer to the refuge!! it is great hunting and this is not its first fire, nature will do its thing and all will be normal.

J

I visited yelowstone the year after the big fire and was totally amazed at what I saw, TONS of new growth! All this of course is good for the wildlife habitat because of the nutrients and they'll adapt very quickly Im sure

www.witntv.com/fire

Bears will be moving west, no doubt.
It's huge...64 square miles.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18061

And the Dismal Swamp fire, on the VA border is out of control.
Pray for rain.

tim it is a shame. i enjoyed it the time i went down with you. but theres always pungo close by.