AZ~Rich

A beautiful buck and a great stalk! Congrats on a not so small a feat. It does not happen often and I'm sure you are relishing the experience over and over again. Thanks for sharing.

About the meat, I learned a long time ago that Javelina meat needs to be taken care of a little bit differently. I try to find a tree (not always easy where I hunt) to hang it in with the head up. I work from head down and skin the entire pig to the rectum taking great care not to let any hair or my gloved hands which contact hair touch the meat. At least this way I keep contamination of the scent to a minimum. Then I use a double jointed surgical rib-snipper to make two parallel cuts through the pelvis above the anal canal. This allows the entire rectum to swing out of the pelvis when you release the entrails from the abdominal cavity. Then the standard gutting method is used allowing gravity to pull everything clear as you work from upper chest downward. The last thing to be freed is the skin around the rectum, which keeps your knife an hands away from feces as long as possible. I also cut off the skin right above the hoof to make it easy to tie it to my pack. I gamebag the entire carcass and lay it away from the area on a clean rock if possible. When I get it back home (keeping it chilled) I use clean cold water and a brush with towels to further wash down and pat dry the meat. I do the sniff test and if it has any odor at all I repeat the wash and dry. I usually get all the meat completely scent free before wrapping and freezing it. I do this right away not aging it like a deer. Hope that helps.

What can one say, that has not already been said. It is a beautiful Coues buck and you should be quite proud of the way you took him. Not many will get that kind of opportunity and make it all come together. Congrats !!

I took a nice big sow on opening day my friend took his first one a week later.

Buck-hammer, all I can say as someone who has hunted these deer over 30 yrs is to enjoy the moment, as you will never likely have any Coues that big that come your way again for a short range shot in this lifetime. I prefer hunting them on the ground (spot and stalk) which seems many days like the most futile thing a guy can attempt, but in my opinion nothing is more challenging for a bow hunter in North America. Again, congrats on a really great trophy. Rich

Have used this handle for a number of years, I guess I just wanted to identify where I live and my name is Rich of course. Not very imaginative I know, but its easy to type.

WOW that is some buck! I would love to hear all the details of your hunt. Rich

Hi all, Well just finished a another Jan of bowhunting and it came up in discussion with my buddies during our hunts that maybe we were missing out by not actively rattling those bucks we see bed or "cant" see after they bed. I know the technique is very effective at specific times and regions, but was not as confident that working the horns for Coues was as smart. I have tried them several years back but now think I was not doing it right. In theory, it should be a slam dunk if the buck is heavy into the rut, but with so little competition, are our Coues just not used to so much actual fighting? Just thought I would get some other's opinions or experiences. Thanks..

Really great bucks... Congrats to you both on a job well done! It always is a tough hunt for them with a bow.

I would venture to say the low to mid 80s.

Thanks everyone, I know the unlikeliness of this type of luck will happen again too soon as I have been hunting these guys since the early 70's. I recently bought a new Ground Max popup blind which I suspect will eventually allow me an opportunity to arrow a much more mature one over a waterhole. But, that is just not quite the same thing as face to face. Love those COUES! AZ~Rich

Oooops! put two extra pics on that one. Here's my friend with his pig

Crazy thing happened to me week before last while Javelina hunting with my two friends. While helping my one friend cape out his first Javelina (he's from the E. coast), I go over to my pack 20 ft away for something and look up to see this young Coues buck standing broadside at 51.5 yds (measured later). I exclaim "there's a buck" to my friend who thinks I am kidding and says: " well shoot it". I say "ok" while quickly getting to my pack where I rumaged for my release. It seemed to take forever to get that thing on as my torn bloody latex gloves kept getting in the way. Finally I grab my bow, load an arrow and then say to myself: "Ok, you've gone through all the motions but you know that buck is long gone". I step back to the place I could see and amazingly he is still standing there (simply suicidal). In all of 2 seconds I have the bow drawn, settle the 50 yd pin and release. He's not real big but anytime you are eye to eye on the ground and take a Coues buck with a bow is a gift! A great day for sure.