bigbuckfever

Congrats, looks like a pretty good year.

Congrats to her and great job passing on the hunting bug to the next generation. Keep us posted on January!

I would LOVE to hear the story on this buck. Congrats man, I'd be busting at the seams if I shot one that nice.

Sitting on a mountain is the best medicine. Hope you get there soon. Best of luck for the coming year.

I was up hunting for a cow elk for a few days and found a nice mulie kill on an open slope. It had crows picking at it, which was how I spotted it. Surprised to see it in such an open area and it hadn't been found before. If you want location NV, call me and I'll tell you where it was. 602-319-4096.

My brother and I drew cow elk tags (third choice) in 2A and 2B and are going scouting this weekend. If I spot any bucks I'll try to make note of where and let you know.

Make sure that you rub your hand over the surface prior to any paint going on. If your hand is chalky at all, then insist on an additive like "Emulsa Bond" be added to the first coat. It will allow it to stick to a slightly chalky surface, but will need a top coat as it isn't designed to be used as a top coat. Probably TMI, but I do this for a living. Now go take your bow out and find a deer while you still can. LOL

If the existing paint is still sound and not chalky then 2400 sounds about right. If it's chalky it will need power-washing and primer with an additive for sticking to chalky surfaces, then a top coat. That would add to cost.

I checked my camera the other day and saw two Coues bucks hanging out with three does. The bucks were a 2 x 2 and a 2 x 3 both still in velvet of course. I was surprised to see bucks with does in August since it's nowhere near the rut yet. I guess they could have been first year youngens(?) I usually don't see the bucks with does in this area until late Dec. or Jan. I also have never seen a first year buck as developed antler wise as these two, so I thought it odd for them to be together. What do you all think? Do you see them hanging out together too or is this unusual? Just curious what other hunters might think on this.

Beautiful buck. Congrats to your buddy.

I've had some positive responses from leaving my business card on their camera asking to see some pics. Two have called me and thanked me for leaving their shoot alone and shared what they know about the area. You could also put some Vaseline on the lens, I hear that will make the pics fuzzy but wont ruin anything. He might get the hint that the hole in the ground was from another hunters efforts.

Congrats on a great buck. Sounds like you found an awesome spot. ( I volunteer to guard that spot for you, just send coordinates. ) lol

Looks like a hybrid to me too. Either way, it's a beauty

Here's some pics of Dylan's toad and my 3x5

I was on a rifle hunt for coues at one of my favorite hillsides about 20 years ago. I got settled into my little spot on the side of the hill I had carved out on a previous trip and spotted five of six deer right away. One of the bucks was about a 110 buck and I was pretty excited. I laid down with the bipod extended and squeezed off the shot at about 250 yards. I lost sight of him at the flinch of the shot and when I looked where he should have been, I saw nothing. He had been standing at the front edge of the clearing and I wondered if he had fallen back into the brush along the edge. I felt good about the shot but couldn't see him. A few minutes later a doe walked over to where he was standing and cautiously sniffed and poked around the edge of the bushes where I just knew him to be. She wandered off and another doe did the same thing. This was all I needed to confirm I had a 110 buck down. As I sat shaking I noticed another buck walk out of some scrub bushes on the slope. He was a TOAD. His body dwarfed the other deer still on the slope and his antlers were Oh My God size. Here I am with an awesome buck down (yeah, right) and I can't shoot at one of the biggest deer I had ever seen. He wasn't spooked so I crawled out of there and went back towards camp to find my hunting buddy Dylan to see if we could possibly get him on the toad. He had heard my shot and was walking my direction. We crawled back into my spot and he was still there. The buck was walking away from us and about to crest the open hill. I told Dylan not to shoot unless he gives him a good broadside shot, as a buck of this caliber deserves a clean kill. At the last minute before disappearing, he turned to eat some fruit off a staghorn cholla, putting him broadside at 340 yards. Dylan made the shot so we went to get out two downed deer. When we got down there, there wasn't a sign of my deer. Nothing! No blood, no deer, nothing. I must have missed him after all. After spending what seemed like an eternity looking for my deer, we made our way over to Dylan's cactus and found blood. The buck was only about 50 yards from the cactus and he didn't disappoint. I went back the next morning and shot a nice 3x5 at my same spot. His antlers could fit inside Dylans buck. Some mistakes are still painful after 20 years, lol.

I got a decent mulie in January , so I get to wait till Jan again. Not complaining. Going to check two cameras sometime next week. Pretty excited to see what they show me. Good luck to all and take plenty of pics. I have to live vicariously for now.

My hunting partners and I fared pretty well this past season. I managed to take a nice forkey (it is the biggest couse forkey I have seen) with my bow in September. My brother Don took a mighty fine palmated buck with a triple eyeguard in November with a rifle, and our friend Joe took a real nice three pointer on the same morning. I was pretty well whipped by the end of that day as I packed out both hind quarters for each of them. That's what I get for tagging out earlier than them!

Everyone of us dreams of arrowing one that nice, Congrats

Two things I can suggest for you if you've never seen a couse deer before. One is bring the best optics you can afford and be patient glassing. You can glass a hillside or bowl for an hour and suddenly see one (or part of one) where you had looked 20 times before. The other piece of advice is to study the difference between a mulie and a couse. Be positive and double check the tail (and antler configuration) It can ruin your hunt in a hurry if you make the mistake I made once. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy (well, maybe one or two, lol). Hope you find what you're looking for! Best of luck.

Here are a few more pics of Don's buck

Great buck! Way to stick it out and seal the deal. Thanks for sharing the story too.

Still my best. I have seen another that would top it , but he was too far to get to and it was a scouting trip.

My first deer back in 1985. Still look at him just about every day and realize how fortunate I am. Grossed 126. That set the Couse hook pretty hard.

Doubling up with your Dad is hard to beat. Congrats!

Pretty awesome bucks for a new unit. Wonder if you'll hunt it again, lol.