Don’t Overlook Burn Areas this Hunting Season!

By Trevor J Hubbs

PHOTO BY: Eric Huffman

Whether you are hunting early or late season burn areas are a great place to notch your tag this season. Wildfire is one of the West’s most powerful forces. Fires are destructive, unpredictable, and often misunderstood. To the untrained eye, a burn scar looks like devastation. But to a mule deer, it can look like opportunity. In the years after a wildfire, the landscape transforms into a mosaic of nutrient-rich regrowth, young shrubs, and open feeding grounds, all prime habitat for mule deer recovery and herd growth.

For hunters and conservationists alike, understanding the relationship between mule deer and post-fire environments is essential. Burn areas can be some of the most productive, yet overlooked, spots to find deer throughout the fall.

Fire: The Natural Reset for Mule Deer Country

Across the West, wildfires have always played a natural role in shaping mule deer habitat. Historically, periodic low-intensity burns cleared dense underbrush, opened timber stands, and stimulated the growth of nutrient-rich forbs and shrubs. These plants are essential food sources for deer, especially does and fawns recovering from harsh winters.

Recently, decades of fire suppression and human development have altered this cycle. Wildfires, or uncontrolled fires often burn hotter and over larger areas than those of the past. These uncontrolled fires can be devastating but fire can still be a useful tool for wildlife and habitat management. 

Photo credit: Eric Huffman

Regrowth: When Deer Return

Mule deer use burn areas differently as vegetation recovers:

• Year 1-2: The “green flush” phase. Fireweed, lupine, clover, and young aspen shoots sprout quickly, providing high-protein forage. Deer will move in almost immediately once plants emerge, especially in small burns near unburned cover.
• Years 3-7: Peak productivity. Sagebrush, bitterbrush, and serviceberry begin returning all of which are key winter browse species. Bucks often take advantage of these areas in late summer and fall, building fat reserves for the rut.
• Years 8 and beyond: Shrubs mature, canopies grow up, and shade begins to limit understory growth. Mule deer will continue to use the area, but their presence may shift toward the edges and transition zones.

The sweet spot for hunting post-fire landscapes is typically between three and six years after a burn, when new growth is thick, nutrition is high, and visibility remains good.

Finding Productive Burn Areas

Modern mapping tools make locating and scouting burn scars easier than ever. Use platforms like OnX Hunt, or the U.S. Forest Service Fire History Map to identify recent fires within your target state or unit.

Look for:

• Mosaic burns with mixed severity (patches of timber and open regrowth). Mule deer prefer the variety of cover and feed these areas provide.
• South- and west-facing slopes that green up first in spring and retain nutritious vegetation into fall.
• Proximity to escape cover: Unburned draws, rock outcrops, or timber edges where deer can bed safely.
• Water sources nearby, especially in arid regions where fire can temporarily reduce natural water availability.

In the field, glass burn areas from elevated points early and late in the day. Mule deer are often visible as they move between bedding and feeding areas, especially when new vegetation is lush.

Hunting Strategy in Burn Country

Burn areas can be challenging to hunt but incredibly rewarding when approached strategically:

• Glassing is key. The open visibility of a burn gives hunters the advantage if they can stay still and patient. Use shade and terrain features to break up your outline.
• Expect unpredictable travel routes. Fallen logs, dead snags, and new growth change movement patterns. Pay attention to fresh tracks and droppings rather than old game trails.
• Focus on edges. Deer love the transition zone between blackened ground and regrown vegetation. These edges offer both feed and cover.
• Use the wind. Burned slopes can create swirling thermals; stay mobile and approach from downwind when stalking.

Early morning and late afternoon are prime times to catch deer feeding in the open. Midday, focus on shaded draws and unburned pockets within the burn perimeter.

Safety in Recently Burned Areas

While the regrowth is enticing, burned landscapes come with unique hazards. Dead trees, known as “snags” can fall without warning, especially in wind. Ash pits can stay hot for weeks or even months after a major fire. Roads and trails may be washed out or blocked by debris.

Before heading in:

• Check with local land managers for access restrictions or closures.
• Wear durable boots to protect against sharp, charred branches.
• Pack extra water, burned soils often shed moisture and leave little available for refills.

Always mark your route carefully. Burn areas can look deceptively similar, and it’s easy to lose your bearings without established landmarks.

Conservation and the Role of MDF

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) plays a vital role in ensuring post-fire landscapes recover in ways that benefit deer and other wildlife. MDF partners with agencies and landowners to reseed native plants, remove invasive weeds, and build wildlife-friendly fences in burned areas.

These projects accelerate the natural recovery process and ensure that the vegetation returning to the landscape supports both habitat diversity and long-term deer health. By supporting MDF, hunters directly contribute to the renewal of these critical environments, turning fire scars into thriving ecosystems once again.

Last tips to take home:

A burn scar might look like a wasteland to the casual observer, but to a seasoned hunter or conservationist, it’s a sign of life returning. For mule deer, those green shoots rising from the ashes are the foundation of stronger herds and healthier habitat.

The next time you glass a blackened slope shimmering with new growth, remember nature’s reset button just created one of the best mule deer habitat goldmines in the West. With patience, planning, and respect for the land, that burned hillside could be where your next great hunt begins.

Good Luck!

As always, good luck this fall everyone and remember to send any success pictures or stories from the field to [email protected] and you could be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article or any of our articles have helped you become a better hunter or conservation steward, consider becoming a member of the Mule Deer Foundation for only $35 dollars a year. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/

Trevor Hubbs

Trevor is the Communications Manager and Editor for the Mule Deer Foundation and Blacktail Deer Foundation. He grew up hunting and fishing the Ozark Mountains for quail, ducks, and bucks. Now he goes west for mule deer as often as he can draw a tag.