Colorado - Lake Dorothy SWA Limited Tags

[hobbes]

I believe Hookspur hunted on the Lake Dorothy SWA in 2010, and there are a few other guys here that have asked me about limited tags in CO, so I thought I would post this.  There is plenty of time between now and the 2011 deadline next winter to verify this info, but there are some bad reports coming from the region right now.

A wildfire has swept through a portion (west side) of the Lake Dorothy SWA and sounds like it could be on its way to the James M. John SWA. The reports I saw were preliminary reports posted on Bowsite by a DOW biologist.  He did state that the report was preliminary and he had just got off the phone with a local District Wildlife Manager who said the area was so full of smoke that they couldn't tell how much habitat damage had been done.

If you had any plans to apply for a limited tag for one of these SWA's in 2011, you'll want to verify the condition of the area before applying.  I'm sure the DOW will adjust tag #'s accordingly, but be sure of what your applying for before you burn any points you might have.

[socalturkeyman]

the Az fire was pretty bad I saw a map a few days ago and had sat. pics with it too. Forgot which site it was on but its not good tho.

[Cove]

Gotta be flippin' kidding! I've already got my AZ permit in the mail! I need some info on where I can find this burn maps... Could be bad news.

[hobbes]

Just do a search for Arizona wildfire.  I assumed everyone knew that fire was going, but I guess that is just here in the west.  We've had smokey skies in CO for weeks due to the AZ fire.  Just think about the poor guys that have waited years to finally draw a coveted AZ elk tag to only find out their unit was on fire.

[hobbes]

http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intelligence/admin/maps/wf/swa_fire_az.htm

Here is a map that show the location of the Wallow Fire in AZ  There are other resources that show how much has burned and what units

[Cove]

Thanks! 469,407ac! Wow!

[hobbes]

Here is a flyover and report on the fire that has burned Lake Dorothy.  Additional reports are talking about fire over 80% of the management area.  The fire is threatening homes in NM also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlaSaDKEUxE&feature=player_embedded

The AZ fire is the largest in AZ history and is still going.

[barry]

I don't know how it will be in Arizona but in the East a burn would be great for wildlife with all the new growth it would trigger. I realize there would need to be a roosting area nearby so if you can hunt on the edge of the burn I would say you would be okay.
What do you guys out west think?

[hobbes]

It depends on how bad/big the burn is.  There won't be turkeys hanging out for a long time within the huge areas that burn out everything.  The areas will green up quickly though on the ground and other wildlife will flourish.  I'm sure some of the areas need to burn, but 500,000 acres is a big chunk of real estate if everything is down except charred remains of dead trees. 

A western biologist would be more suited to answer this, but I know Chris over on Bowsite is a CDOW Biologist and he seems worried about it being a total loss of habitat that we may not see restored in our life time.  Again........it just depends on how bad the burn is

[barry]

I can't imagine the damage that was sustained over that 500,000 acre area. That's why I thought maybe the "green-up" on the edges could be utilized by turkeys next spring.
I know it was a very destuctive fire, my cousin lives in Eager and had to be evacuated, luckily the fire did not reach their home.