Thread: Fires

Hunting a couple of weeks back in an alpine valley, with a couple of far more experienced hunters than myself, the topic of a camp fire came up.

One was keen to get a fire going, the other was dead against it.
For - atmosphere & warmth and general positivity you get sitting around a campfire.
Against - smokes always in your eyes, and it’s not conducive to hunting. The smoke warns the animals people are around.


I was on the fence. I liked the idea of a fire, but I also liked the fact we had a couple days of hunting ahead of us, in a fairly remote and undisturbed spot, so I kept quiet and let them come to their own agreement, which was no fire.

Interested to hear your thoughts.
Has anyone got any positive or firm evidence one way or the other?

Quite like a campfire, they dion't have to be smokey though. If you're worried about the smoke alerting nearby animals then they've probably already smelt you and fucked off anyway, think about it.

A camps only as good as its fireplace a wise man once said. As for Animals spooked maybe . Last time I was at camp i shot a roaring stag less than 150m from the fireplace with variable wind and smoke everywhere . I think we humans overthink it sometimes . Id rather be warm and have hot water on the go.

haha, have seen lots of deer out on a hut clearing with people inside and smoke wafting down the valley. fwiw loops see many a stag out on hut clearings at midday

I used to think fires were a give away when out hunting. Now id rather be warm and comfy and like others have said i have still seen animals from the deck of huts with fire and people around.

Yep, had a spiker walk into a camp site whilst we were sitting around getting the fire going.
Full on smoke everywhere
Missed the shot too

Mind set.....Depending upon who you are with and whether you are a dedicated hunter to getting an animal?

Huts and deer and quiet human activity probaly don't make the slightess bit of difference to the local "hut pet deer" who regularly feed on the hut clearing.....some of us know the stories.

Fly camping and a big effort to get there because of a "HOT SPOT" for deer. Yes go with no smoke and quiet activity aproach.
However for most / some hunters for years a fire and comfort has allways taken preference over game animals.

So to the powers to be.....What are the rules to lighting fires out in the bush now?

I’m not one of “the powers that be” but somewhere on DOC website it states no fires to be lit in open, only in approved and provided fire places. Forest companies, no fires to be lit within forest, used to be ‘or within 1.5 km of forest’. Around here they even state smoking to be confined to within vehicle cab.

I would love to have a camp fire since to me sitting over a fire in the night is a spiritual thing of hunting and outdoors. I do `t really care about if I came back with nothing, but I do care about the "quality" of my hunting trip. I thought about this before about stay in hut with people have different views about things, like lighting a fire, sleep early or late, or when I light up my cigerate outside...that `s why I ordered a light tent just to keep sand fly away.

Originally Posted by woods223

I’m not one of “the powers that be” but somewhere on DOC website it states no fires to be lit in open, only in approved and provided fire places. Forest companies, no fires to be lit within forest, used to be ‘or within 1.5 km of forest’. Around here they even state smoking to be confined to within vehicle cab.

I was a Rural fire Officer for some 30 years so can answer this- if you are heading out and intend to light a camp fire first check on DOC website if its allowed i.e what is the current status of the area you are going to - easy process on DOC web site its like a search engine -you will be asked to state the area and when - if it states the area is in an open season yes you can have a campfire but use bloody common sense where you put the fire -personally I would only light near a stream or river and well away from any potential fuels - if it says restricted season you may well be confined to set DOC areas such as picnic areas or designated campsites the web site will tell you - if it states total ban that means just that - ignore at your peril it could be very expensive

Hunting to me is about the environment I'm in. I love to roam with only a pack & rifle, in our bushlands and Mountain Ranges, keeping alive the old school "man alone' protocols and etiquettes. The bush lore's our last generation of ngarled and grizzled old hunters used to guide their morals.
And cooking on a fire fits right in there..... take it from me, you wont shoot any less deer if you pick your campsite and light a fire and I believe I can hear the odd ghostly "here here"

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I was a Rural fire Officer for some 30 years so can answer this- if you are heading out and intend to light a camp fire first check on DOC website if its allowed i.e what is the current status of the area you are going to - easy process on DOC web site its like a search engine -you will be asked to state the area and when - if it states the area is in an open season yes you can have a campfire but use bloody common sense where you put the fire -personally I would only light near a stream or river and well away from any potential fuels - if it says restricted season you may well be confined to set DOC areas such as picnic areas or designated campsites the web site will tell you - if it states total ban that means just that - ignore at your peril it could be very expensive

For forum users I will try to clarify on monday a few anomalies this has bought up - DOC run a restricted season year around - but this web site does not seem to be able to specifically log into a specified DOC area - rather it will go to nearest town - I will do some home work on monday and see what the rules are - this is an important one as the consequences can be financially severe

Don't fret about making noise either...I have hunted fallow in a pine forest that allowed firewood extraction, and at midday I snuck up on a hind that was standing on a gravel road intently watching a guy cutting branches with a chainsaw, 60 metres away. I couldn't shoot because the guy was in the firing zone.

Originally Posted by Ranger 888

Don't fret about making noise either...I have hunted fallow in a pine forest that allowed firewood extraction, and at midday I snuck up on a hind that was standing on a gravel road intently watching a guy cutting branches with a chainsaw, 60 metres away. I couldn't shoot because the guy was in the firing zone.

Yes, animals get used to the expected. Was involved with a forest being logged, the goats were used to the work crews and their hi-viz vests and ignored them but ran a mile from camo hunters.
That issue was solved with a change of dress code for the hunters.

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Hunting to me is about the environment I'm in. I love to roam with only a pack & rifle, in our bushlands and Mountain Ranges, keeping alive the old school "man alone' protocols and etiquettes. The bush lore's our last generation of ngarled and grizzled old hunters used to guide their morals.
And cooking on a fire fits right in there..... take it from me, you wont shoot any less deer if you pick your campsite and light a fire and I believe I can hear the odd ghostly "here here"

Here here