CouesWhitetail

Congratulations!! Always nice to see more women hunters out there! Amanda

I am pleased to say that Gary Hanson (aka elkaholic) has allowed me to add his game bags to the CW store. These game bags are a great product! And how much better that they were created by a CW.com'er! So if you are in need of a game bag....check these out! Amanda

Hi All, Well, Doug and I were chatting about a contest idea so that I could give away a new Covert II trail camera and you guys might remember Doug's deer hunt story which included the lucky coral bean that SunDevil gave him before the hunt. For those that didn't read the story, here it is: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...c=11172&hl= Well, anyway, this is a variant on the usual guess the number of beans in the jar in that it's all 100% coral beans collected by my husband. Coral beans are a neat and unusual plant in AZ that produces a toxic red bean. I think the beans fit in well with this time of year since they are a very Christmasy red color. Here are some photos of the very unusual flower this plant has. So, for this contest, you guess the number of coral beans in the jar. The jar is as full as can be and it measures about 10.5 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter. I put a 110 inch buck skull next to it for scale so we could at least make this somehow Coues related The person closest to the number (either high or low) wins. I haven't yet figured if I am going to count each individual bean or get a rough estimate based on weighing a 100 beans or so and figuring it out. But either way, you have to accept the answer I come up with as the one you have to get closest to. I will run this contest until Dec 31st so that gives you about two weeks to figure it out. Amanda Here is a pic of the DLC Covert II trail camera. These things are sweet!!! They are 5MP "micro" cams, have infrared for nighttime pics and video and come with a 2GB SD card. For more info on these cams, click here. And here are the coral bean jar pics:

Hi All, This month we feature Duwane Adams of AZ Big Game Hunting. Many of you know his book, How to Hunt Coues Deer (available in the CW store). He has also put out several DVDs that focus on teaching people how to glass and hunt. He helped pioneer glassing from binos on a tripod. Duwane has been a guide in AZ for 30 years! He has 25 guides that work for him and he offers hunts for elk, mule deer, Coues deer, antelope, desert bighorn sheep, and quail. When you hunt with Duwane you get a fully outfitted camp with wall tents and a cook making delicious meals. Duwane also offers a service where he will provide you with information on a hunt area along with detailed maps to help you on a self-guided hunt. Duwane also teaches glassing lessons and if you are interested in becoming a guide, Duwane teaches you how to be a great guide and find trophy animals on public land. And Duwane has been giving seminars at events like the AZ Deer Association Hunter Clinic for years. Duwane says his clients have a record of 100% shot opportunity. This year for instance, he had 7 archery elk hunters and 6 killed and the one who didn't kill shot 9 times. He had two archery coues hunter and they both killed. And he had 16 hunters for mulies in the Kaibab and the majority killed and all got shots. One guy shot at 5 different bucks and missed. One coues buck they killed was a 122 inch buck. 4 mulies were over 190. And his smallest elk taken was 320 and the biggest was 380. And he had a client take an 87 inch antelope. That's some serious success! Duwane used to guide for Coues hunts in Mexico, but has decided it's no longer worth the trouble and risk. So currently he only guides in Arizona. Duwane doesn't spend alot of time on the computer, so his website doesn't show the latest kills and he didn't have photos from animals this year for me to post. He hopes to update his website later this year. If any of you have hunted with Duwane and have some pics to share, feel free to post them. Here are a few pics from previous years: Duwane can certainly make you more successful on your hunt in AZ. So give him a call and chat with him about what he can do for you. Duwane Adams - Owner & Licensed Guide, 204 Avenue B, San Manuel, AZ 85631 phone: (520) 385-4995 E-Mail: coon@theriver.com http://www.arizonabiggamehunting.com/

Stephen Schwan sent me this pic of an elegant quail and wanted to share it with you guys in the forum. here is his note that went with it: hunted for Coues last week in MX and kept seeing these guys and after chasing these very tame birds all week I finally got a photo of them and thought I would share with you and your small game section as I am sure very few bird hunters have actually seen them…I can also add them to my “life list” We hunted the ranch last year and did not see a bird and this year of 8 days of hunting we found at least two coveys a day with 16 to 24 birds in them and we were not even looking. Also saw a few small coveys of Gambles. Don’t know when they breed, spring or summer but after two years of hurricanes hitting south of Hermosillo area I would guess they are summer breeders. Beautiful birds and if I can figure out what the FWS required to import them then I will shoot some to get them mounted.

The zeiss 15x45 conquest are very nice, but don't allow as much light in as the much larger 15x56's. But the zeiss's are very nice and lightweight, so they have big plus there. Mostly I have glassed with my swaro's and I haven't ever set them up side by side, but there is an obvious difference in light because of the smaller diameter objective lens in the zeiss. So as usual, there are trade-offs and it's a personal preference thing. Best for everyone to look through several types of glass to determine what they like and don't like. The big Swaro's are a little difficult for me because I apparently have narrow eyes, haven't had that problem with my Zeiss's (10x40s and 15x45s). Also with the Zeiss's you have to use a velcro type adapter to put them on a tripod whereas the swaro's have a tapped hole and you can use a metal post type adapter. Amanda

Clay you can come to my house and look through some 15x45 zeiss's if you want and compare them to swaro 15x56's. Might help you with your decision. Amanda

Good points Bobbyo! I like the idea of balancing the stories with many of the ones where everything went right. Amanda

Most units in AZ have low buck to doe ratios due to lots of hunting pressure on the bucks. So your unit may only have 20 bucks to every 100 does, so you can see lots of does without bucks. I suspect as the rut kicked in stronger in January your odds of seeing bucks with those does would have gone up. A good idea is to get a copy of the annual "Hunt Arizona" book from AGFD and it will give you buck:doe ratios for all units. You can use this data to pick units that have higher buck:doe ratios for your hunts. Some of the old data is on this site: http://www.coueswhitetail.com/where_to_hun..._coues_data.htm As far as info for hunt units from AZGFD, I think they generally give good information and are based on the wildlife manager's experience in the unit. However, there is a flip side to that also. Many people see those recommendations and therefore you are more likely to have lots of hunters and lower buck:doe ratios in those areas if they are easy to access. Amanda

Nicely done! Congratulations! Amanda

WOW, that a great buck!! I want that one!!! Love the mass and color. Amanda

Happy Birthday you big-buck killer!! Sure was great sharing your recent San Carlos hunt with you. Hope you got the CD I sent with the pics on it by now. Let me know if you didn't. Amanda Guess you got a bday present a little early, huh?

Elk and antelope hunting permit applications are due by Feb. 10 News Media Jan 12, 2009 PHOENIX — The 2009 Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information booklets are now available at all Arizona Game and Fish Department offices and license dealers statewide. Applications are now being accepted by mail only. Apply before Jan. 22, and if there is an error in your application, the department will make three attempts, within a 24-hour period, to notify you by telephone (if a phone number is provided) to get the application to be corrected. Errors can cause your application to be rejected from the draw process. A 2009 hunting license is required to apply. Department officials encourage hunters to get their license before applying for an elk or antelope hunt permit-tag if they wish to do any other hunting in early 2009. Licenses purchased through the draw process will not be mailed out until April 24, 2009, regardless of application success. Hunters are reminded there is no online application process. The final deadline to submit paper applications for a 2009 hunt permit-tag for antelope and elk hunts through the draw process is Tuesday, Feb. 10 by 7 p.m. (MST). Applications must be received by mail or by hand delivery to department offices before the deadline; postmarks don’t count. To assist customers and reduce errors, a PDF application form can be filled out using a computer and keyboard, but must be printed, signed and submitted by mail (along with the correct fees by check or money order), or by delivery to any department office. The form can also be printed and then filled out using an ink pen. The PDF application and the 2009 Arizona Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information booklet can be downloaded at www.azgfd.gov/draw. The elk over-the-counter nonpermit-tags (for limited areas) are also available in 2009. These tags are akin to a “limited opportunity” hunt in areas with very low elk populations. Hunters interested should thoroughly review the regulations and visit www.azgfd.gov/otc to download the “2009 Elk OTC Informational Handout” PDF for frequently asked questions, hunt area boundary descriptions and area maps before purchasing. For those hunters looking to get into the field before the fall, there are many spring javelina hunt permit-tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Javelina over-the-counter archery-only nonpermit-tags for metro Game Management Units are also available at any department office or license dealer. For a list of available spring javelina hunts, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw under “List of Leftover Permits for Spring 2009 hunts (PDF, 45kb).”

I was out yesterday filming a Coues deer hunt for the San Carlos yesterday and on the way out stopped and noticed some movement in the brush maybe 30 yards in front of me. I quickly realized it was a lion and then also noticed it couldn't get away and that it was caught in a leghold trap. So I took some quick pics and video and left. Thought you guys might enjoy the pics and video. Lion video link

Yes, you were FIRST!!! Thanks so much, I am sure Gary will be happy! Amanda

It's tough to grasp the small size of these cameras compared to other cameras without holding one. Maybe some pics of the Covert 2 against a moultrie cam and a wildview for comparison will help you get an idea. the wildview is smaller than the moultrie, but still not nearly as small as the covert 2

Hope you had a great birthday Keith!! Amanda

Good points Rio, I too would like a longer startup time when setting it up. I will mention that to Joey, owner of DLC. And fyi you might get your wish soon on the remote issue.... Amanda

I think this will be a very informative thread. I don't archery hunt much, so I can't offer much advice, but would love to learn more on the ways experienced archers have been most successful in recovery of animals. Thanks for starting the discussion Gino. The collective wisdom of archers on this site surely has a lot to offer. Amanda

Many thanks to those that are trying to keep this thread on track. I sure appreciate anyone who helps make CW.com a positive, productive place where people are free to share their stories without getting attacked. I hear all too often from people who once posted in this forum, but no longer do because someone here attacked them. Words on the computer can sound so much harsher because you don't have all the other body language cues that would normally communicate intent better if you were face to face. Wow, what a great poem Rembrant! It's always easier to find fault in others, isn't it? It's a shame he didn't recover those two animals...but as he already stated, it is a day that will haunt him forever. We all have highs and lows and mistakes...should we hide them or let others learn from them? Amanda

Yes, there are. I think the badger in this thread is from AZ, isn't it? And also, you might remember Casey just got one that he called in. They seem to like grassland areas where they can burrow into the ground. Maybe some of you guys that hunt and trap them know their habitat preferences better and can post that info. Amanda

Hey, maybe we should be praying for the Academy to have the strength to deal with Casey once he gets there!

Wow, your good Chef!! Yes, that's it. It's not the greatest hiding job, but I think it shows that you can put this camera out in situations where you wouldn't put a regular camera that has to be attached to a tree. A close up of it. Certainly it could have been hidden better, but it's a spot no one goes so I wasn't really worried about it. here is another example:

Godspeed Casey!! Amanda

And here are a few recent pics (I sized them down for the web so they lose a little quality): a young buck: chipmunk jumping off my camera: two foxes travelling in the night: almost high noon so lightning harsh in this pic: a scrub jay near the cam: