Vanish and FireTiger's 2022 Journal
- Thread starter vanish
- Start date
Sunday morning, I moved to an area just above some private hoping to catch some deer moving up to bed. I think it almost worked, but the wind was unsteady. Heard some slow footsteps and then a strong blow shortly after arriving. Never saw it.
Stayed until 10am when it began to roast outside. Took a nap and then decided to drive around checking some new possible access points.
Sunday afternoon... first access point was legit but too heavily hiker trafficked for my taste. Second and third both resulted in private gates. Fourth I knew was legal but didn't know the state of the road. It was fine in the truck.
Kinda liked this area. A lot of interspersed aspens stands with ponderosa and open meadows. Green everywhere. Didn't find any deer but I did find some fresh elk scat. Seemed good enough to try it in the morning.
Huh, you're totally right. When I've seen it in the past it looked different. Must depend on what theyre eating.
Monday morning... Still hunted for about four hours through aspen thickets, pine parks and nice meadows. No deer. It's nice up there. Seems like it has high potential for spring turkeys.
Back home now for Holiday festivities.
Hunter4Life78
Well-known member
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- Sep 4, 2022
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Based on extensive research that is platypus scat.
I just saw a couple deer running across the hill up above me 250 yards. Doesn't seem like I spooked them as the thermals are downhill and I am ultra quiet with the rains yesterday.
Sample of what I'm hunting. It isn't all this open.
Sample of what I'm hunting. It isn't all this open.
Well, got the dad nailed down on Oklahoma. We will be archery hunting western OK November 5 to ~13. Pretty excited to finally try a new NR hunt for us, as he's been all about Nebraska since I took him there over a decade ago. Hopefully it goes better than this local deer tag!
I've been interested in getting an OK deer tag for quite some time. Looking forward to hearing how that goes!
Yesterday, my dad got the call that he was next in line for a Unit 61 2nd season elk tag. He took it.
I think I was way more excited about it when he told me than him. I said I'd adjust the PTO I had just reserved for OK so we could do this instead ( as initially planned ) and he told me not to. He's more interested in the OK trip. I was like, why take the tag then?!?!
He will never have a tag like this again in his life.
He is planning a scouting trip up there next week. Maybe that will get him more excited.
I think I was way more excited about it when he told me than him. I said I'd adjust the PTO I had just reserved for OK so we could do this instead ( as initially planned ) and he told me not to. He's more interested in the OK trip. I was like, why take the tag then?!?!
He will never have a tag like this again in his life.
He is planning a scouting trip up there next week. Maybe that will get him more excited.
Saturday...
Work on Friday ran long due, so I decided to get a good night's sleep and stay close to home in the morning. I had obligations in the afternoon, too.
The plan didn't work out that well as plan A and B both had multiple trucks parked as I drove by. There was one more nearly spot I had marked years ago, so decided to give it a try. The hike was a bit longer than I remembered.
The plan was to sit this meadow which borders off limit grounds and hopefully deer would head through this saddle off to my left.
I gave it a couple hours, but nobody was home.
I decided to circle my way back down the opposite side of the ridge from where I came...
Work on Friday ran long due, so I decided to get a good night's sleep and stay close to home in the morning. I had obligations in the afternoon, too.
The plan didn't work out that well as plan A and B both had multiple trucks parked as I drove by. There was one more nearly spot I had marked years ago, so decided to give it a try. The hike was a bit longer than I remembered.
The plan was to sit this meadow which borders off limit grounds and hopefully deer would head through this saddle off to my left.
I gave it a couple hours, but nobody was home.
I decided to circle my way back down the opposite side of the ridge from where I came...
Had to make a stop to pick up a balloon. There's always balloons!
Now, looking at the map it seemed like there were some small meadows interspersed with rocky areas. Something niggles me but I ignored it. Things steepened as I dropped lower.
As I got to the bottom of the draw, it turned into a slot canyon. "I should turn back, I'm going to get cliffed out" I thought, and proceeded to continue down. Dumbass.
A bit later and here I am with a 20ft drop and no options left or right. I had already done some sketchy slides to get to here. I did not like my prospects of going all the way back up, nor was there an option to go down. I started wishing I'd had my inreach activated, not to use it yet but because I was nervous about the one route out; climbing up around and over the wall to my left. There was a spot or two where I had to do some legit climbing maneuvers, bow stashed in a bush or precariously on an edge where if I slipped, it was probably 30-40ft of of tumbling down rocks.
I'm here writing this up, so you know I made it, but oi, I did not have fun!
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