BuzzH
Well-known member
Of all the hunting I've done, I think Coues deer are the ultimate in challenging. Nothing about them is easy. Hard to find, hard to glass, hard to get close to, really tough to find those top level bucks. They get hunted pretty hard for 3-4 months of the year, plenty of predation on them, etc. Very wary, very smart, and everything they do is calculated. Every other big-game animal I've hunted are easy in comparison for one reason or another.
I got down to AZ and was greeted by some rainy weather, about 1.5 inches to be exact. Luckily got camp set up before it started raining. Glassed up a few deer, but pretty obvious they weren't moving much with the bad weather. Finally the weather broke and I started seeing deer.
Hunted pretty hard the remainder of the hunt, saw lots of wildlife including a very large Tom bobcat with a radio collar.
A few pics:
Camp after drying out:
Various wildlife:
Glassed up this coyote bedded at about 1/2 mile:
Almost stepped on this thing, luckily it had a good disposition:
Almost sort of a piebald Coues deer spike:
The hunting was tough, but I was seeing maybe 5 bucks a day glassing about 7-8 hours each day. Plenty of action. I glassed up a buck and got a quick look. It looked pretty solid but fed behind a ridge before I could get a great look. I stalked to the next ridge and couldn't find him. I heard a rock roll pretty close and sure enough I see antler tines about 20 yards in front of me. He walked out at 17 yards and was a nice wide buck but, pretty young and was also missing an eye guard on one side. I passed, but what a great experience being that close to a good buck with no idea I was there.
Continued to hunt, basically getting my butt kicked. Found a couple really nice bucks in one area but always found them late in the day with no way to make a move.
I decided to hunt to the bitter end so on the last morning I went to a spot that I'd seen the better bucks. Only saw 11 deer, 2 small bucks. I went back and broke camp, got everything loaded and decided to go back and hunt the same place until dark.
Got out there and started seeing deer from my glassing spot but no bucks. Made the decision at 4:15 to move to a place where I could watch where I'd seen the better bucks and just hope they came out. I texted another hunttalker who I met up with down there by chance, telling him it was my last ditch effort. I crossed into the first draw and immediately saw 11 deer, 3 of them small bucks. I edged around those to make my way to the next draw. Just as I got there I glassed up a solid buck. With less than an hour to go in the season, I decided good enough. Was in an awkward spot for a shot, so took my tripod out to get a half decent rest. The shot was only 180 yards and I placed the dot on the front of his on-side shoulder. I touched the trigger on the 7-08 and he dropped right on the spot.
I've never been a lucky on the last day sort, but caught a break with this buck and I'm pretty happy with him.
Absolutely beautiful deer with striking grey and white patterns, perfectly suited for where they live. Can't wait to go back.
I got down to AZ and was greeted by some rainy weather, about 1.5 inches to be exact. Luckily got camp set up before it started raining. Glassed up a few deer, but pretty obvious they weren't moving much with the bad weather. Finally the weather broke and I started seeing deer.
Hunted pretty hard the remainder of the hunt, saw lots of wildlife including a very large Tom bobcat with a radio collar.
A few pics:
Camp after drying out:
Various wildlife:
Glassed up this coyote bedded at about 1/2 mile:
Almost stepped on this thing, luckily it had a good disposition:
Almost sort of a piebald Coues deer spike:
The hunting was tough, but I was seeing maybe 5 bucks a day glassing about 7-8 hours each day. Plenty of action. I glassed up a buck and got a quick look. It looked pretty solid but fed behind a ridge before I could get a great look. I stalked to the next ridge and couldn't find him. I heard a rock roll pretty close and sure enough I see antler tines about 20 yards in front of me. He walked out at 17 yards and was a nice wide buck but, pretty young and was also missing an eye guard on one side. I passed, but what a great experience being that close to a good buck with no idea I was there.
Continued to hunt, basically getting my butt kicked. Found a couple really nice bucks in one area but always found them late in the day with no way to make a move.
I decided to hunt to the bitter end so on the last morning I went to a spot that I'd seen the better bucks. Only saw 11 deer, 2 small bucks. I went back and broke camp, got everything loaded and decided to go back and hunt the same place until dark.
Got out there and started seeing deer from my glassing spot but no bucks. Made the decision at 4:15 to move to a place where I could watch where I'd seen the better bucks and just hope they came out. I texted another hunttalker who I met up with down there by chance, telling him it was my last ditch effort. I crossed into the first draw and immediately saw 11 deer, 3 of them small bucks. I edged around those to make my way to the next draw. Just as I got there I glassed up a solid buck. With less than an hour to go in the season, I decided good enough. Was in an awkward spot for a shot, so took my tripod out to get a half decent rest. The shot was only 180 yards and I placed the dot on the front of his on-side shoulder. I touched the trigger on the 7-08 and he dropped right on the spot.
I've never been a lucky on the last day sort, but caught a break with this buck and I'm pretty happy with him.
Absolutely beautiful deer with striking grey and white patterns, perfectly suited for where they live. Can't wait to go back.
