BuzzH
Well-known member
After having applied for a coues tag for several years I finally drew one for this hunting season. I was pretty darn excited to get out there and try my luck.
I went out a couple days before the season and glassed but couldnt find anything but elk.
Stan and his buddy Richard offered to help me out and show me one of their secret areas. They had went out the weekend before and located a few deer. We met on the afternoon before opening day and drove in and set up camp. We then went to one of their favorite glassing spots and started looking for deer. We soon found out we werent the only people that had used this vantage point...
Stan knows a ton about the Southwest Indian tribes and gave me a detailed account of what tribes could have potentially designed the above art. It was pretty darn cool to think that many hundreds of years ago other hunters were looking into the same country. We also found old pottery that was busted up and again Stan gave a description of how its possible to tell which tribes made the pottery, etc. That alone was well worth the trip.
We didnt see any deer that evening but it wasnt from a lack of looking. They're just flat tough to spot...small and they blend into their habitat. We went back to camp and sat around a juniper camp fire. Junipers make the best camp fire going. Stan cooked up some steaks on the grill and we traded hunting stories, looked at some photos, and ate the best steaks in Arizona.
The next morning we made a rough drive to a trailhead and parked just as it was getting light. We hustled into the glassing spot, which took an hour or so. We started glassing and within 1/2 hour Stan spotted a bedded doe under a juniper tree. We continued to glass for another couple hours and Richard found 5 does in another drainage. I was glassing on the bench where Stan had seen the doe and I glassed a buck walking across an opening. Stan looked it over and thought it was a pretty good buck, so we watched it until it bedded. Stan and I started the stalk while Richard watched the buck. We closed the distance down a steep hill, trying to be as quiet as possible. We got to 550 yards and I told Stan I wouldnt take a shot that far away. So, we closed the gap to 450 and at that point the buck spotted us. He was standing in the shadows and was really, really, tough to see even with my scope on 9 power. I got a good rest and took the shot. I shot just a pinch high. In hind-sight I should have held like it was a 400 yard shot as I was shooting at a steep downhill angle. I over-corrected with my second shot, and probably hurried it too much, shooting just low.
The buck started moving uphill after my second shot and finally stopped under some junipers in the shadows. These little deer dont make any rash decisions, they calculate every move and spend very little time in the open. They usually move into the shadows to feed and they're really, really, really difficult to see when they're in the shadows. We watched the buck for a long time and he was looking directly at us, giving me no shot opportunity. Finally, after 15 minutes or so he moved uphill turning broadside. Stan had ranged it at 438 yards, but this time I held for a straight 400 yard shot. I shot and the buck lurched forward with his front shoulder held up near his head. I saw the buck lurch in the scope followed by the sound of a solid hit. Richard saw the buck run just a few yards and pile up. I was pretty darn excited. My shot had busted the on shoulder and exited just behind the off-shoulder. I was really happy with the shot, but disappointed with myself for missing the first two times.
Stan, Richard and I with my buck.
While not the largest coues buck in Arizona by any stretch, he's still a very beautiful animal and a good representative buck. The colors on these things are amazing, as is the country they live in. I couldnt be happier, but I'm already eager to hunt them again.
I was pleasantly surprised that the hunt was as physically demanding as it was. Like Stan said, "these deer are no joke, they live in tough country and they're hard to hunt".
I'd really like to thank Stan and his buddy Richard for all the help. They really went out of their way, and way beyond what I'd ever ask of anyone, to help me out. They're both good hunters and more than willing to do what it takes to be successful. Thanks guys.
I went out a couple days before the season and glassed but couldnt find anything but elk.
Stan and his buddy Richard offered to help me out and show me one of their secret areas. They had went out the weekend before and located a few deer. We met on the afternoon before opening day and drove in and set up camp. We then went to one of their favorite glassing spots and started looking for deer. We soon found out we werent the only people that had used this vantage point...
Stan knows a ton about the Southwest Indian tribes and gave me a detailed account of what tribes could have potentially designed the above art. It was pretty darn cool to think that many hundreds of years ago other hunters were looking into the same country. We also found old pottery that was busted up and again Stan gave a description of how its possible to tell which tribes made the pottery, etc. That alone was well worth the trip.
We didnt see any deer that evening but it wasnt from a lack of looking. They're just flat tough to spot...small and they blend into their habitat. We went back to camp and sat around a juniper camp fire. Junipers make the best camp fire going. Stan cooked up some steaks on the grill and we traded hunting stories, looked at some photos, and ate the best steaks in Arizona.
The next morning we made a rough drive to a trailhead and parked just as it was getting light. We hustled into the glassing spot, which took an hour or so. We started glassing and within 1/2 hour Stan spotted a bedded doe under a juniper tree. We continued to glass for another couple hours and Richard found 5 does in another drainage. I was glassing on the bench where Stan had seen the doe and I glassed a buck walking across an opening. Stan looked it over and thought it was a pretty good buck, so we watched it until it bedded. Stan and I started the stalk while Richard watched the buck. We closed the distance down a steep hill, trying to be as quiet as possible. We got to 550 yards and I told Stan I wouldnt take a shot that far away. So, we closed the gap to 450 and at that point the buck spotted us. He was standing in the shadows and was really, really, tough to see even with my scope on 9 power. I got a good rest and took the shot. I shot just a pinch high. In hind-sight I should have held like it was a 400 yard shot as I was shooting at a steep downhill angle. I over-corrected with my second shot, and probably hurried it too much, shooting just low.
The buck started moving uphill after my second shot and finally stopped under some junipers in the shadows. These little deer dont make any rash decisions, they calculate every move and spend very little time in the open. They usually move into the shadows to feed and they're really, really, really difficult to see when they're in the shadows. We watched the buck for a long time and he was looking directly at us, giving me no shot opportunity. Finally, after 15 minutes or so he moved uphill turning broadside. Stan had ranged it at 438 yards, but this time I held for a straight 400 yard shot. I shot and the buck lurched forward with his front shoulder held up near his head. I saw the buck lurch in the scope followed by the sound of a solid hit. Richard saw the buck run just a few yards and pile up. I was pretty darn excited. My shot had busted the on shoulder and exited just behind the off-shoulder. I was really happy with the shot, but disappointed with myself for missing the first two times.
Stan, Richard and I with my buck.
While not the largest coues buck in Arizona by any stretch, he's still a very beautiful animal and a good representative buck. The colors on these things are amazing, as is the country they live in. I couldnt be happier, but I'm already eager to hunt them again.
I was pleasantly surprised that the hunt was as physically demanding as it was. Like Stan said, "these deer are no joke, they live in tough country and they're hard to hunt".
I'd really like to thank Stan and his buddy Richard for all the help. They really went out of their way, and way beyond what I'd ever ask of anyone, to help me out. They're both good hunters and more than willing to do what it takes to be successful. Thanks guys.
