Eatin Fire

Prairie Drifter

Prairie Drifter

Well-known member
The weather finally laid down and gave me a good burn day. ENE winds 11-13 tops. We burned a 97 acre patch first and had little difficulties. Had to take our time with the last couple of acres as our fire break was a creek the had a couple of 18 inch straights that didn't give us much faith. Got done with that patch at about 12:30 after a 10:30 start. Moved north and by the time I'd locked the gate on the first patch, loaded the ATV and hooked up the trailer, the boss had half of the next 6 acre patch done. Moved to the other side of the creek from the first one and did another 20+ acres, getting done about 3:30. We put up equipment and sent everyone home at 4:30. I drug myself to the house and got a cup of water. Asked the wife if she wanted to see the fire as I needed to check it again. We drove over to find it had jumped the creek and was now 300 yards long, backing into the wind. This area is springy and full of pitfalls, but we wiggled our way to where we needed to be and got it put to bed by 6:00. We dragged my carcass home again only to go check it again at 6:45, back home at 7:30.

We moved two groups of turkey and two does if you don't count the bluewing teal off of the pond. I got up early this morning to pull the beaver traps I'd set to prevent additional financial drain due to holes in the dams and marsh dikes. Another 50 pound brute was cured of his digging propensity. Caught a black one and a normal one yesterday too. Progress, about 125+ acres today. Not bad for a crew of 6. Hoping for rain in the night. That'd lay this fire down well, incorporate the ash, and start the growth for the year. Now hoping for a SW wind for a couple of days in the 5-15 mph range.
 
We need PICS!!!!:(:( Sounds like you had a good time. Its been way to wet to burn around here and now its really starting to green up but there's still some time to get in a burn if the weather falls just right. I've got a 4 acre field of big blue and indian that I need to set back so it wont get torched probably until June or July.
 
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Though hard work, these are the days that are fun! Barely saw the office!!! The acreage figure was small, but two of the fires were somewhat technical. The news said there were a number of wildfires in the area. Glad I could clean up my own escape! It did get fairly volitile mid afternoon! Jaytee, if you want to set the natives back, you're better to burn early. Burning late just seems to thicken the NWSG. Burning early gives the forbes a competitive advantage.
 
I got the burn plan approval letter back from the FSA so now all we need is a match! Burning a 4,7,18,19 acres patches. All are NWSG so hope to burn early and set them back like you said Troy. Got a good team and equipment. Hope to get some pictures. Not sure when it will be as I would not want trucks getting stuck out there and it is soft right now.
 
Well a retired Private Lands rep from the MDC suggested a late burn after the NWSG had greened up some, he said that would set it back. You think I should drop a match ASAP?
 
Forbs are the first to green up. In order to give them the head start, you need to burn early. Yes, burning late will do the same thing, better in July/August like I'm doing in my Patch Burn/Patch Grazing program. You'll see the benefits the following year. Google Oklahoma State Ecology and go to their patch burn information for some really good material.
 
Did a little burning after work tonight. Got the O.K. from our local fire dept. and also the sheriffs office. Did a five acer patch of switchgrass at home and a three acre strip at my moms.Conditions was perfect and a very easy burn. However the burn at moms lasted into the dark and had people coming down the road one after the other and stopping and asking if everything was O.K. , and many had already called the sheriff and fire dept. I belive it will not be long and you will not be able to burn just because of all the fuse that people stir up when they see a fire and do not understand it purpose.:10sign:
 
Yeah, Win97, when I managed the area in NW Kansas I started a burn program the first year I moved in. Flat bed trucks came screaming up to the burns wanting to help put it out. I'd explain that is was a management burn and they'd tell me how this was NW Kansas and "they" didn't burn up there. I reminded them that the same grass species were present there as in the flint hills. Within 3 years, there were plumes of smoke all around my area on private ground joining with my smoke. The neighbors had watched the results and gained a new respect for one of the primary driving forces that developed the prairie. To quote Fred Guthrie, "you cannot maintain prairie without the use of fire". Keep up the good work!
 
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