Lost my lease to fire today

[StringShooter]

One of my best hunting spots that contains the large CPR fields and strip woods suffered a large fire today.

My lease borders a large lake where the corps of engineers owns the land adjacent to the lake that borders the lease.

From what I can gather, the corps of engineers was doing a controlled burn close to my lease several days ago, which got out of hand. The fire several days ago did not do much damage to our lease but did manage to enter one field and was still smoldering until today.

Apparently, the fire had been smoldering until today when a front came through with 50 mile per hour gusts. It has been extremely windy all day with high wind warnings.

We lost every field and some damage to the woods but not much. I am talking about at least 150 acres reduced to ash.

I haven’t been up yet since I am working but will head up on Monday.

Those fields had an abundance of rabbits, quail, deer, turkey and other wildlife. Now they are an inch tall. They will grow back but it upsets me that so much that the wildlife was run from it’s cover. Cover that they have been in for the pat 15 years.

Jesse. If you have some experience with wild fires I have a question. If the winds were that high, could the embers travel several hundred yards and ignite other fields?

The reason for the questions is that our fields are all separated and they all burned. I thought it may have been an arsonist but the sheriffs office said the controlled burns from last week got out of hand so that’s what I am hoping caused it however I am not for sure.

Oh by the way, guess what I have three of straped to the trees?

Yeah my cameras! I hope they made it.

 

[Tinhorn]

Altho this was probably a bad time to burn, I know a Mo. Conservation guy who says burning don't hurt the deer or turkey much. He says when they burn in the spring and fall, the deer & turkeys are right back out there right away. Also, he says it really helps quail because when the grass is really thick, the young quail expend so much energy keeping up with Mom, they can die. When they do a burn, I like to wander around (getting all sooty) and look for shed horns, etc and don't notice much dead wildlife except terapins, apparently they can't run fast enough to get out of the way!

I'll ask him what he thinks about a burn this time of year. Their fall burns are usually late enough that some green is back up before winter starts tho.

Hopefully it'll turn out ok and will help after all. Those cameras tho.....if the fire didn't get them, the firemen might have....OUCH.......

Fingers Crossed

Tinhorn