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Two fires burning on the Kaibab Plateau are threatening upcoming mule deer hunts.
The Dragon Bravo fire, which was lightning caused and recently burned most of the facilities at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, is burning at the South end of the Plateau within Grand Canyon National Park. The fire is currently 11,000 acres and 0% contained.
The white sage fire is burning at the opposite end of the Plateau near the town of Fredonia. The fire was also lightning caused and began in the sage flats of the Arizona strip North of the Kaibab Plateau. The fire quickly grew as it climbed into the juniper and pine forests and now sits at 59,000 acres and 17% containment.
The combination of fires burning on both ends of the famed mule deer country have caused authorities to close both Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest until September 30 or until conditions change.
The onset of the Dragon Bravo fire lead to the evacuation of bison hunters hunting along the GCNP boundary. With archery deer hunts scheduled to run from the end of August through mid-September, it’s possible that tag holders will have no opportunity to utilize their coveted permits to hunt one of the premier units in the West.
Arizona Game and Fish has not issued a statement about the fires or the upcoming hunt at this time. Will they afford hunters the opportunity to return their permits? That is yet to be seen. However Arizona does have a point guard program which allows hunters who purchase the option prior to the draw to return tags up u til the first day of the hunt for a restoration of bonus points.
After years of trying and finally getting a Archery Kaibab Deer tag, I would hope that the Az Game & Fish would offer hunters that were drawn to be offered their tag next year. This would only be fair since the fires caused the cancellation of their tags.