CouesWhitetail

Send him our regards Casey!! Amanda

I feel for ya!! I did the same thing on recently my rifle hunt in Mexico...waited for a better broadside shot and it didn't happen. Of course the scenario is different, but the never ending questioning yourself afterwards is the same! But I agree with what others have posted, you made the right decision for you and it's always easy to believe that if you had shot it all would have gone perfectly but we all know that isn't always the way it happens. So maybe you made the absolute correct decision, it's impossible to know. Amanda

Wow, Awesome Stalk!! Congratulations! Wish we had that on video!! Amanda

SunDevil PMd me this, I thought it was great so I am reposting here. LOL!!! Amanda - this is my equipment - you can plug in your own. remington 700 rifle - $800 box of bullets - $40 range finder - $300 spotting scope - $900 binoculars - $1,200 tripod - $150 self guided WT tag in MX - $2,000 rifle scope with target turrets - PRICELESS

Hey All, I was fortunate enough to get to go hunting with Mexafari again this year. I went down with Cliff Sorrels and we had a great time! We drove down the week before Christmas and the weather was pretty darn hot for hunting. So action was slower than usual. Javier glassing at sunset one of the evenings: Saw a few good bucks but nothing stellar until the last morning. We had hiked up a hill to get a great vantage of an area where Javier knew a massive buck lived. We all glassed and finally one of the guides (Chino) said he found a buck. I turned my optics over and saw another buck with that one that was truly a MONSTER! As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to go after it, so I got Javier's attention and asked him to come check it out. The sun wasn't up yet and so we were sort of waiting for more light to evaluate him and come up with a plan. I thought I could tell he was a 4x4 and he was wider than his ears and had great mass. Cliff said he could see stickers on his G-2s. I figured he was at least 120 and actually thought he was pushing 130. Unfortunately we watched him bed down in the open on a ridge that we thought would be very hard to get a shot on. But we made a plan and hoped for the best. Javier and Cliff searching for a good buck: Chino, watching the big buck: Javier and I took off while Cliff and Chino stayed back to spot for us. We got over there two ridges away and Javier immediately spotted the buck still bedded. You could just see part of his head in the tall grass. It was only 388 yards or so from the buck so I told Javier that was fine and let's get setup for the shot. We found a nice place to set up and I got my bipod extended and put a tripod under the butt of my gun using the Jim White gun rest. Javier says "he stood up" and so I get the crosshairs on the buck. But he is facing directly away and all I have is a tail shot. I haven't ever taken a tail shot before and so now I am in a quandry. Should I take the tail shot or wait for him to turn left or right for the higher percentage broadside shot. I don't want to wound the buck and that tail looks awfully small in my 9x scope. With my .270 I have to hold over about 12-15 inches at that yardage and it's pretty hard to judge hold over on tail. It's a lot easier with a broadside deer for better scale. Anyway, the buck is looking back over his tail and I would have to hold the crosshairs on his head or higher and that idea made me worry about actually hitting him in the head and blowing the rack up!! Didn't want to do that, so anyway, I decide I will wait for a better shot. The buck continues to stand with his butt to me. Some does spook on the ridge between us and the buck and the buck is getting nervous. Instead of turning and stopping broadside, he turns and trots off through the bushes. I have a very small window of opportunity since he turned to the left and I decide it's now or never and take a shot. But it's a very low percentage shot and I completely miss the buck. UGH!!! No more opportunity to get him where he went. We go over there anyway to check for blood and make sure we can't find him. Nothing doing...so we decide to hike aways back and take a snack break. I feel sick of course at how things turned out. My last two shots at coues have been at almost exactly the same yardage and I was very confident I could make the shot. Everything seemed to be coming up roses right up until the moment he decide to leave quickly....... After the shot Javier asked me how big I thought the buck was and I said, "I think it's as big as the one at the ranchhouse". And I scored that buck at 129!! Here is a pic of that buck. I really need to upgrade my scope!! Currently I am borrowing one from my neighbor (thanks Pat!!), which I am very grateful to have, but I want to get something with more power and target turrets. Had I not had to guess hold over, I probably would have felt confident to take that shot. Hopefully my finances will allow me to get a better scope this year. I have been wanting one for years now! Anyway, it was a great trip to Mexico!! I love going down there! the food and company were great. At the ranch house they have some Gould's turkeys that like to hang out by the house and if you call to them they will strut. Had to take some pics of that. javier says it's a flock of wild and domestic turkeys. they also have some peacocks: I love the interesting plants down there. There is a common tree (Palo Blanco) that was full of white flowers while I was down there. The ranch house was very comfortable and we had steak, shrimp, some delicious soups and much more. Even got to try some homemade "tequila". It's made from a special fruit out there that looks sort of like an olive. Anyway, they call it "cowboy stuff" and it was excellent! pic of the kitchen: and some sheds: and antlers on the fence: Many thanks to Javier of Mexafari Outfitters for inviting me down there. I had a great time hunting with you and I really appreciate having a chance at that monster buck. And thanks for continuing to be a sponsor of this site and for your annual hunt donations to the AZ Deer Association. Those of you looking for a hunt in Mexico where some true giants live, you should check out Mexafari. I was realizing that I think i have been down there about 4 times now and I think everytime I have seen a 120+ buck. I haven't killed one of them yet, but my friend Beth did! Happy Hunting! Amanda

Thanks for the update. At least he got something back.... Amanda

I use both, but not always. If I am backpack hunting, I usually ditch the spotting scope. It just depends on how far out you want to glass. If the area you hunt doesn't offer giant vistas, then you don't have to worry so much on the spotting scope. but if you are glassing farther out and will want to evaluate a buck, bring the scope too. Amanda

Maybe it should be the "Declay Brothers Buck" since your bro spotted it and helped you kill it! Or maybe use the apache word for "Brother" or something like that. Amanda

Yep. Palo Blanco. And they do eat the snot out of the flowers. That is cool to know!! Guess I should have tried one!! Amanda

Perfect, thanks! I figured it would be fine with y'all. Amanda

Ok, I went ahead and bought a table of 10 for CouesWhitetail.com folks. It's a great way to support deer conservation in AZ and have a great time with some great people! The tickets will be at the door and Hector will collect money for me since I am not sure yet if I will be there. The table comes with $200 worth of raffle tickets which we will split evenly among all 10 people. Tickets are $75 each. So far for our table: 1. Hector 2. Orlin 3. TJ 4. Peg 5. Mark N. 6. Kathi N. 7. Eric K. Anyone else want to go? If we get more than 10 we can think about 2 tables or just have you sit near the one table. Amanda

Do you want to hunt Mexico in this awesome year when lots of big bucks are being killed? You still can! call Dan Bishop: Cell 520-664-4536 www.colablancaoutfitters.com Cola Blanca is a sponsor here and has done some great things for their clients. They killed a 122 and 135 this year. Check out this 135 inch double beamed monster they just shot!

Here are some of the other bucks they took in last weeks camp. The buck below is the 122" buck, the next photo is a 3x4 buck that scores 108". The last group photo shows the 4 bucks a 95,108 122 & 132. The 4 bucks score a total of 457" inches (A 114" average ). Dan is headed back down today to get some more big bucks on the ground.

It is ok Tom....we will be there. Lets talk about carpooling, we can just save a table when we get there. How about I buy a CouesWhitetail.com table and then you guys just send me some money and you can get your tickets at the door? Amanda

Maybe he got so warm in his new coat he fell asleep?? Amanda

Wow, what an awesome day!! Thanks for all the pics!! Amanda

Anyone wanting a regular 30 inch CouesWhitetail.com sticker can just email me with their name and address to ask for one. amanda@coueswhitetail.com For now, the extra deer isn't available, but I will probably make it as an option that people can buy to add to the free text sticker. Amanda

I think Cliff is going to go down and try and whack the monster.....not sure if I am gonna get a chance too... we shall see. I sure hope to. Amanda

Hehehe, yea...suckered into a 122!! You can only feel so much for that guy....hehehe Wish we had a pic of the 122 too. So TAM, I take it it wasn't the same doublebeam buck that you chased? Amanda

Ocelot. A beauty, isn't it? This is the skin I thought of when Josh posted that awesome bobcat he got recently. I thought it looked like the patterns on an ocelot hide. Amanda

Good idea, that would look cool. I will have to check into costs on it. Might have to charge for the option extra deer or something. Not sure yet. The guy that makes them is out deer hunting in Alabama so I can't ask today. Amanda

I always wanted a double droptine buck....and now I want a double mainbeam buck too!!! Amanda

Look right in front of the Prickly's, you'll see its face/muzzle. Thanks! That's where I thought it was, but wasn't sure. Amanda

hehehe, no, that's ok, they get the idea with this one Amanda

Yes, but it might look better on one end or the other rather than bottom. I know lots of you have stickers on already at the top of your windows, so I was wondering how to make it work. I can get the deer made seperately and you can add it to your current, but if it's at the top (like mine is), it will be hard to make it look good. I wonder how it would look if you just add it to one end or the other? Amanda