FireTiger is in the mountains for 1st Rifle Elk. She has an either sex tag and her friend has a cow tag. They are camping with another friend of ours that also has a cow tag. Unfortunately they all missed opening morning but the weather was pretty ugly today anyway.
Vanish and FireTiger's 2025 Journal
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Well, it sounded pretty rough. FireTiger and her friend covered nearly 40 miles over 4 areas. T was also up there with a group of 4 NR friends. Between the 9 of them, they saw a total of 5 elk. The wind was rocking 20-50mph pretty much the whole time.
FireTiger managed to call in a bull silent to archery range on day 2, but wasn't prepared for such a close encounter.
The saw several bears. Seems like all the deadfall from the beetle kill is allowing more berries to grow, which is keeping the bears out.
FireTiger managed to call in a bull silent to archery range on day 2, but wasn't prepared for such a close encounter.
The saw several bears. Seems like all the deadfall from the beetle kill is allowing more berries to grow, which is keeping the bears out.
Lab
Well-known member
I heard that the weather was terrible in Walden all hunt. Friend said wind was the worst. He also saw a wolf near Big Creek Lake
I've got a little time to get Ada up in the hills again Wednesday afternoon. Going up higher. Will probably explore a new spot.
Saturday morning looks like a duck hunt with T. Im not much of a duck hunter but he knows what he's doing and its fun to do once in awhile. Weather looks a little too nice atm.
I'm getting very excited for my 3rd season deer tag. I e-scouted the whole unit block again and have been chatting with @trb about it. I have the entire week off and no reason to rush anything with an elk and four pronghorn in the freezer. Im going to try to be selective but my best mule deer isn't all that big.
Saturday morning looks like a duck hunt with T. Im not much of a duck hunter but he knows what he's doing and its fun to do once in awhile. Weather looks a little too nice atm.
I'm getting very excited for my 3rd season deer tag. I e-scouted the whole unit block again and have been chatting with @trb about it. I have the entire week off and no reason to rush anything with an elk and four pronghorn in the freezer. Im going to try to be selective but my best mule deer isn't all that big.
Ada and I got out Wednesday, but not much to say. I saw one snowshoe hare but she never got on the track .
Wen out for ducks "locally" with T this morning. We got one drake mallard, three widgeon and three green wing teal. Completely calm conditions made for tough hunting, but we thought it was pretty good given the circumstances.
Wen out for ducks "locally" with T this morning. We got one drake mallard, three widgeon and three green wing teal. Completely calm conditions made for tough hunting, but we thought it was pretty good given the circumstances.
I'm quite torn on doing my deer tag as a Live Hunt vs going airplane mode and detoxing from notifications. Both sound good. I want to be able to relax, and having someone to share with may make that easier, or harder. I've invited all my buds to come glass but they all have one thing or another going on.
Mentally, I think my head has already left for the hunt. Hard to focus at work. I got the last major chore done yesterday afternoon. FireTiger and DD have their plans set. Most of the truck is packed. Need to finish assembling meals.
I've never really put in a solid effort on mule deer, with 4 days being my longest hunt, as far as I can remember. I have no reason to be trigger happy with an elk, four pronghorn amd fish in the freezer. If I can be seeing deer, I know I can hold out. Wouldn't take much to best my biggest.
I want to be able to relax, and having someone to share with may make that easier, or harder. I've invited all my buds to come glass but they all have one thing or another going on.Mentally, I think my head has already left for the hunt. Hard to focus at work. I got the last major chore done yesterday afternoon. FireTiger and DD have their plans set. Most of the truck is packed. Need to finish assembling meals.
I've never really put in a solid effort on mule deer, with 4 days being my longest hunt, as far as I can remember. I have no reason to be trigger happy with an elk, four pronghorn amd fish in the freezer. If I can be seeing deer, I know I can hold out. Wouldn't take much to best my biggest.
Gee, I could swear I posted earlier today...
Anyway, I made the drive out to the last town this afternoon. Saw several big bucks on the drive, as well as a few bulls elk. Got here just at dark so no scouting this afternoon. This is my vacation as well as a hunt so damn if I feel like eating at a restaurant I'm going to!
After I'm done in town, I'm going to drive out to a spot I want to glass in the morning. Will camp in the truck and make the climb in the early morn. After an hour or two, will need to head to town to do a bit more work.
Then I'll need to hit the range to shoot the 7mm. It took a big tumble and I dont trust it being on anymore. Have the .270 along in case.
Then hopefully another scouting session in the afternoon, which is damn early now!
There was definitely some rutting going on, so hopefully that will bring the bucks lower. However, there is very little snow in the alpine.
Anyway, I made the drive out to the last town this afternoon. Saw several big bucks on the drive, as well as a few bulls elk. Got here just at dark so no scouting this afternoon. This is my vacation as well as a hunt so damn if I feel like eating at a restaurant I'm going to!
After I'm done in town, I'm going to drive out to a spot I want to glass in the morning. Will camp in the truck and make the climb in the early morn. After an hour or two, will need to head to town to do a bit more work.
Then I'll need to hit the range to shoot the 7mm. It took a big tumble and I dont trust it being on anymore. Have the .270 along in case.
Then hopefully another scouting session in the afternoon, which is damn early now!
There was definitely some rutting going on, so hopefully that will bring the bucks lower. However, there is very little snow in the alpine.
seeth07
Well-known member
Those are some funny looking deer. Perhaps your hunting too high!
Well I wasn't really hunting up there, just happened to take a look.
I did some driving around this afternoon, marking access points and such. Looked for deer for the last 90 minutes but only turned up a forky.
I doubt I'll be able to do a true live hunt. Signal is very spotty.
I had to be up dang early today. I had to climb 2000ft in under a mile, then do some hiking to get to this spot. It took about 2 hours.
I wish I could say it paid off but I only turned up one group of 4 does. The wind has been ripping the whole time and I think that's affecting movement.
Literally slid into this shed during my descent.
Its colder this morning, 22 degrees. No wind at the moment and supposed to be 5 to 10mph today, a welcome change.
I rolled my right ankle last night ( after finishing the terrible terrain, like 100 yards from the road. ) I was hoping it would just brush off but its definitely noticeable this morning. Going to hit an easier access spot we've had success with in the past then scout some more roads I've never driven around lunch time.
I rolled my right ankle last night ( after finishing the terrible terrain, like 100 yards from the road. ) I was hoping it would just brush off but its definitely noticeable this morning. Going to hit an easier access spot we've had success with in the past then scout some more roads I've never driven around lunch time.
The PJs have grown up some since I last hunted here. Still, hopes were high as two different groups of does passed through shortly after first light. That was it though.
Time to go scout several more new potential glassing points I identified during e-scouting. One of them in particular I'm very interested in, but as I've been reminded again, what looks glassable from above isn't always so.
Only have signal if I move 1/2 mile or so.
I'm in the deer. Only little bucks so far but with at least 30-40 does around I feel like my best chance is just to wait for a good buck to show up. If I knew where other doe groups were I might bounce around
I'm in the deer. Only little bucks so far but with at least 30-40 does around I feel like my best chance is just to wait for a good buck to show up. If I knew where other doe groups were I might bounce around
Last night I only was able to turn up 7 does, most of which actually bedded back down.
Brutal winds came in again last night. Felt like it was trying to blow my truck off the mountain.
I managed to get myself bundled and in the glassing spot anyway. Had 12 does on the ridge next to me, but where I saw all the deer the day before was void except for two white butts headed away and a hunter working one of the ridges. Decided to give that area a chance to have some bucks move in.
Around 830am, I hiked a long ridge of aspens, then looped back through a sweet giant bowl. Didn't find anything except a fawn about 300 yards from the truck. By then it was 1230.
Fixer upper I was surprised to walk into.
Decided to make a big move to see if there was maybe rutting activity at the other end of the unit block.
Not the best glassing spot but it worked pretty well. 3 doe groups and 1 spike.
Feeling like @npaden , where are the bucks?!
Brutal winds came in again last night. Felt like it was trying to blow my truck off the mountain.
I managed to get myself bundled and in the glassing spot anyway. Had 12 does on the ridge next to me, but where I saw all the deer the day before was void except for two white butts headed away and a hunter working one of the ridges. Decided to give that area a chance to have some bucks move in.
Around 830am, I hiked a long ridge of aspens, then looped back through a sweet giant bowl. Didn't find anything except a fawn about 300 yards from the truck. By then it was 1230.
Fixer upper I was surprised to walk into.
Decided to make a big move to see if there was maybe rutting activity at the other end of the unit block.
Not the best glassing spot but it worked pretty well. 3 doe groups and 1 spike.
Feeling like @npaden , where are the bucks?!
npaden
Well-known member
Good luck!
