Vanish and FireTiger's 2025 Journal

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How's the ankle doing?

It was annoyed for a day or so, then faded, so nothing serious, thank goodness!

This morning I put down the big glass and did a ridge hike instead. The spot took some thinking to access, so I hoped it might hold some hidden deer, but it wasn't the case today.







I'm feeling like the bucks are still higher, but I don't know how to hunt them until timberline and my gut is saying thats not where they are either. So ... here I am hoping one comes looking for does.

Tonight's setup is within range of where I saw some of the does last night. There was just something I liked about this meadow. Something telling me there are more deer here to see. I also dont really have a better evening plan.

 

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What a view this morning. If only it contained some bucks. Had a single doe fairly close, 6 does about 900 yards out, and 7 does way out there.

Left around 1030 and walked into fellow hunttalker @dmarsh2 glassing from the ridge halfway back.

 

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Last night I decided to climb to a higher ridge and look over a nasty opening. I only realized later that I was looking at the "worse" half of it.



It didn't pay off directly, but i was also able to glass some of the open ridges behind me. At 515 ( end of shooting light is 522 ), I spotted a group of 12 deer, with one of then obviously a buck, just about 1.5 miles away. Not enough light to size him up.

Looking at my maps, there was an obvious place to access them. I figured there was a good chance they would still be on that ridge in the morning, so I drove around and camped about 800 yards away.

At 620am, I was looking at the first does in the group. Finally the bucks appeared.



Oh boy, a half rack forky and an even smaller spork. Damn. He didn't even have a HUGE NECK.

 

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Shortly after watching the two forks fight, I spotted a really good buck heading into some aspens almost a mile away. I hunted for another hour or so, but with the heat everything was bedding pretty quickly.

Even though it was only a mile, I had to practically drive out to town to come in a different drainage, so I filled up with gas and brunch.



It was awkward to wait, but I knew I couldn't go set up over this spot until the sun had gone down enough for the thermals to switch. I was finally in there around 415 and could see two other bucks had passed through and were feeding on private. They both looked like 2.5 year olds, so I probably wouldn't have passed at this point, but my hopes were high the big one just hadn't come out yet.

Around 445, a doe, fawn and possibly not even legal buck all passed by me, which was fun. That was the end of it, though

This morning I decided to go to the same spot. Before I even left my truck and well before shooting light, I could see a forky skylined within shooting distance along with a dozen does. That was fun.

I was in place by 615 and by 645 over a dozen does were feeding my way. About 700, I spotted a good buck heading right for me as he passed behind a pine obstructing my view.

The wind was just barely in my favor, but at some point unexpected gusts took my scent to them. I could tell the does were agitated and never saw the buck again.

I've since climbed a couple miles through aspens. Jumped one deer that somehow never let me see it. Sitting on a peak taking a break before working through a different section.

Feeling a bit beat down. When I have a good idea what to do, things are great, but I only have an hour in the morning, and I have no real game plan atm. Pretty sure this morning's spot is toast.

 

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Lst night's king of the mountain.

I decided to hunt a ridge/canyon that lead to where I had last seen the big buck, but a totally different direction than where I had been set up in the morning. During my drive, im pretty sure I spotted him feeding out on the private at 2pm, but I was on a one lane 4wd road and expected a flurry of road hunters any minute so didn't get the spotter out.

The hope was deer would move towards the private, or up the canyon, but neither happened.

At 450pm I climbed the ridge towards where I had seen a herd a couple days prior. I spotted 3 does and wasted entirely too much time trying to sus then out, as I spotted a much larger herd further back on the ridge.

I busted back around the ridge, dropped my pack and tried to close the distance in case there was a buck with them. I finally got there as shooting light ran out, never able to fully determine if there was a buck. There were at least 9 deer.

This morning is a hail mary down low. I have to be home by 1230pm, so ive got about an hour to hunt.

 

[Pucky Freak]

The bull definitely looked at me, but walked a bit closer. He began to feed behind a small bush and I took the opportunity to get an arrow nocked. That little "tunk" as the nock went on the string might as well have been me saying "hey". He didn't spook but he did turn around and amble back the direction he had come. Still feeding, he eventually was behind the aspens again and I decided to cross the mud gully and close some distance.

I made it without incidental started creeping along the edge of the aspens. The vegetation downhill from me was incredibly thick. The bull was making plenty of noise, including mews, so I think he figured I was just another elk. One step at a time, but I could not see the bull. Eventually I stepped on a dry stalk and he lifted his head. Oh, dang, I'm sub 20 yards, yet all I can see is antlers, an ear and an eyeball.

Frankly, I dont remember what happened at this point, but it must have involved me doing something dumb, because I never got a shot. Good start to the season, though!

I hold the string w/ my left (non-dominant) hand and press the knock in w/ my right, silent. Tougher when you’re standing up, having to pin the riser b/w left elbow and left hip/pelvis. It is also possible to do it w/ just the right hand, grab the string below the nock b/w meaty part of the thumb, and the middle and ring finger opposite, and then press the arrow on the string b/w the tips of the index finger and the thumb.

 

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Just a doe and a fawn this morning. That's a wrap on 3rd season deer. Maybe I'll have some closing thoughts later.

 

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This was essentially home for the 10 day hunt.

In the back of the truck, I have thise interlocking foam rubber mats on the bed. This makes it easier on the knees, and keeps feet much warmer.

On the driver's side I had a cot with a couple pillows, a comforter and a sleeping bag. Underneath the cot was extra gear (towards the front), my clothes bag and my cooking bin ( towards the rear, where i could slide them out.

Passenger side had a cooler used for dry food storage. I would set up my stove on that cooler. Towards the rear, I had half open so I could sit on the cot and dress, and my water jug strapped to the side.

In the cab of the truck, I had my cold cooler, recovery gear, rifles and backpack. Extra pair of boots was up front under the dash. I swapped those almost every day to ensure I was working with a dry pair.

I brought a battery pack for my phone. Whenever I would move, I would charge both phone and battery pack. At night, I would charge my phone off the battery pack.

One night, both were low, so I ran the truck. I found i could open the windows between cab and topper and actually heat up the back pretty well. It wasn't all that cold most nights so I didnt need to do this but it was nice to know.

In the morning, just heating my coffee water would take the chill off. Not worried about carbon monoxide back there ... tons of ventilation and I wasn't running it while sleeping.

I had headphones and a couple books for entertainment. Occasionally I had signal, but I mostly tried to stay off the internet aside from updating this thread.

 

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On Saturday, I woke up way too early to pick up T and N for a pheasant hunt. This was mostly for the dogs, as Colorado pheasant hunting just isn't great. It was not pleasant weather- 40mph winds and 23 degrees. However, it was one of the best bird number days I've ever had. Mostly hens, but we still put up over 40 birds.

Unfortunately they were not holding at all and there were no points to be had, so most flushes were on the long side. I think there were only four shots between us. I felt good on the last one, but no dice.

Still, an entertaining day.

 

[wolfpup]

On Saturday, I woke up way too early to pick up T and N for a pheasant hunt. This was mostly for the dogs, as Colorado pheasant hunting just isn't great. It was not pleasant weather- 40mph winds and 23 degrees. However, it was one of the best bird number days I've ever had. Mostly hens, but we still put up over 40 birds.

Unfortunately they were not holding at all and there were no points to be had, so most flushes were on the long side. I think there were only four shots between us. I felt good on the last one, but no dice.

Still, an entertaining day.

That is promising bird numbers... I'd call that a win.

 

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I may get out for a goose hunt next week. T has a local connection. I've never been goose hunting and only mildly interesting but this is a golden opportunity.

Its currently 64F outside.

Probably another bird or small game hunt in early 2026, but frankly my mind is already on 2026 fishing season. I pulled all my gear from the boat and have been organizing tackle, replacing hooks and documenting other things to prep.

I've never been this excited this early ... gonna be a long 4 months. I hear Pueblo Res never freezes