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Old 11-05-2008, 06:57 AM
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MTMountainMan
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Western Montana
Posts: 96
Default RE: Anybody having luck elk hunting mt st helens

I'm not familiar with the intensity of the burn you're referring to, but a lot of scientific literature indicates that elk usage of an area goes up 500-1000% following a burn. Elk can only eat new growth on shrubs (the red part on a lot of them) and fire promotes this growth. The first year is the best, with the second year being good. Most positive direct effects on elk browse are gone by the third year (except opening up the ground cover).

Lots ofpeople are afraid of the effects of fire, butit's just part of the cycle that created these forests in the first place. Personally I seek out burns each year from eariler that season and elk almost always seem to be using them at sometime.
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