I am new to hunting overall and don't really know any good hunters (I didn't grow up here in AZ). So all my hunting knowledge is from reading online and personal experience from the last few years of effort. I'm actually not limiting myself to Coues, but any antlered deer works.
I've bow-hunted deer on flat ground, walking and stalking. Supposedly this style of hunting deer is much harder. But I knew they passed through the particular area from non-hunting experience, so it was just a game of finding exactly where they were that day and then learning how to get close enough. I was relatively successful in the past season after nearly 100 miles (over entire season) of hiking around and learning haha
I know there is an early season (that ends today!) in game units I'm unfamiliar with, so I decided to try out the more conventional glassing from a mountain. Only one way to learn! I was able to go 4 times for 6+ hour days (starting at right before sunset). I was so disappointed. I wasn't expecting to get a deer, but I was hoping to at least spot one! I saw nothing but occasional cows (of the moo'ing variety!).
Based on reading I did the following places:
1. West of 17n off bloody basin rd
2. East of 17n across from Sunset Point, glassing into the canyon and opposite mountains. Twice
3. West of Horseshoe Lake. I got a tip from a friend that he heard the canyon in that area should hold deer. I rode my dirt bike off from the bartlet road, Then turned left on a trail close to Horseshoe. I took the dirt bike in as far as I could into the canyons, then hiked 3 miles or so that day. So it's not for lack of trying, considering it's with my 35lb bow pack in 105 degree weather! Nothing! I did find it hard to find great glassing spots. I glassed 3 or 4 different areas but it was never from a very tall peak. I could usually only get to halfway up a mountain. Even in those spots, I had to do some really sketchy steep climbing with loose ground. Walking through a lot of the canyon land habitat, I couldn't find any signs of deer except one area. I found 2 piles of scat. Which means deer have been there, but it wasn't abundant so I don't think it's a great sign either.
I wasn't expecting much from the first 2 locations since they were easy to get to and glass from, so I figured that meant most people would have already ravaged them. But I was really hopeful for the third.
Am I doing something wrong, looking in the wrong locations, or is it just that hard to find one this time of year?
