More Late November Success

[Gr8 White Jr]

Even though I didn't bring home a big buck as I had hoped I still had a great time. My father and I both had Unit 33 tags. I didn't have time to get out and scout at all this year so I was going strictly off of what I know from hunting this area the past two years. This year I did something that I had never done before, I let my girfriend Angie tag along on my hunt. She had the early November hunt in 36b and it turned out to be a really poor hunt. Between Angie, my friend Frank (Kaffer62) and Frank's dad, we only saw a handfull of deer in four days of hunting. That being Angie's first hunt I didn't want her to have a bad impression of deer hunting so I asked her if she wanted to come long with me on my hunt. I told her that I wanted her to see what deer hunting is supposed to be like so she happily said that she wanted to come along on my hunt. Being that the hunt started on the Friday after Thanksgiving we were in a time crunch to spend time with family and still have time to get out of town. We decided to leave early Friday morning instead of late Thursday night. Friday morning Angie and were up at 12:30 am had everything in the truck and on the road by 1:30 am. We had plans to meet a good friend of mine, Justin (Gotcoues) who I met on this site and his friend's son Aaron, close to where we were going to be hunting. After we all met up it was up the hill we went. We got to our glassing spot at just the right time when there was just a glow in the sky. Before it was even light enough to really see Justin and Aaron were both already calling out that they had spotted deer. Unbelievable! I glass with 10X42's and they both have 15X60's so they are pulling in way more light. As it got lighter we were glassing deer in all directions. It was a perfect morning! It was cold with a light rain drizzle and the peaks above us were snow capped. Because of the perfect conditions the deer were up and moving all morning long untill about 12:30 in the afternoon. In that morning between the four of us we had glassed over 50 deer and between 10 and 15 of them were bucks (thats no exageration). I was holding out for a big buck and although some may have been questionable only one was worth going after. Justin had glassed him up later in the morning but shortly after we saw that two other hunters were beating the brush on the same hill side and had pushed the deer out of there. My dad had finally arrived around 1:00 so we decide to go set up camp. After setting up camp and a really good lunch (thank you Angie) we tried hunting the lower elevation for the evening. Almost immediately Aaron glassed up a big buck. Not sure exactly how big because after only looking at him for about 5 seconds I knew right away that I wanted this buck and I was getting my gear ready to make a stalk. The buck was only two ridges away so all I had to do was get to the ridge between us and then I would have a shot. Before I left the buck had went over the top and out of sight so I was high tailing it. Before I even got to the bottom of the ridge we were on the buck had already crossed the next ridge behind were he was originally. Allthough I knew it was a lost cause I kept going because I really wanted that buck and nothing ever came of it. The next morning we were back at our original glassing spot from the morning before and we were picking up deer left and right again. Aaron had to work that day so it was My dad, Justin, Angie and myself glassing. After about an hour of glassing nothing but does I glassed up a little forky on a hillside that was definitely stalkable. Being that my dad has never killed a buck we decided to try and get my dad on it so we made a plan and we were off. We spent a good part of the morning trying to stalk this little buck but we ended up getting busted and the stalk was blown. We headed back to camp for lunch and to decide what to do for the evening hunt. Justin had to head back home because he had prior plans so he couldn't hunt with us for the rest of the weekend. We were planning on going into an area I had hunted in previous years but when we got there, there were already two other hunters headed in so we decided to keep going and hunt somewhere else. On our way down the road I happen to see strange little creature with a long tail. I stopped the truck and couldn't beleive my eyes. I yelled out "desert monkey". My dad and Angie both said "what?" as they looked at me like I was crazy. I grabbed my riffle and I was off with my dad not far behind. We headed accross a flat toward a canyon seeing two coatis briefly through the grass up ahead. As I got to the edge of the canyon I last saw the coati go I saw the grass moving about 20 yds ahead of me. I turnded my scope down to 3 power and pulled my rifle up. I could see one of the coatis staring at me throught the grass. All I could see was its face so I put my cross hairs on its nose and pulled the trigger. I don't know if it was because I was so close but I shot right over it. Now I don't know much about coatis so I don't know if they are an agressive animal but as soon as I missed the coati came on a dead charge right for me. As I was back stepping I racked in another round and just put my rifle to my shoulder and shot. I didn't even look through the scope. I just pointed and shot and ended up shooting this coati on a dead run right for me at 5 feet! My heart was pumping so fast and my adrenaline was going good! My dad was standing there in amazement at what had just happend when I looked accross the canyon and couldn't beleive my eyes. The whole conyon was moving. There was coatis running everywhere! I yelled at my dad to look at the canyon side. We moved forward and after a few misses my dad ended up getting one as well. Now I would love to be able to tell you guys that I glassed them up and was able to stalk them and shoot one but thats just not what happend. They were honestly seen from the road. The entire time this was going on Angie was in the truck. I wish she would have followed so she could have seen all the excitement. We decided to go back to camp and get them skinned before it got dark. I was disappointed because I have always wanted to get a coati so I could get alife size mount but there was just to much damage to the hide from shooting it at such close distance. My bullet entered between its shoulders and exited between its hind legs leaving alot of damage on the exit. The next morning, wich would be our last morning to hunt, Angie and I ot up and headed out. My dad decided he was going to break camp and head home early(he gets burnt out easy). We went to a new glassing spot and right away I glass two deer on a hill side about 3/4 to a mile out. After watching for a while I could just tell through my 10X42s that one of them was a buck and looked to be a decent buck. I decided I wanted to get a closer look so Angie and I worked our way down a couple of ridges and cut the distance in half. I looked the deer over and could see that they were two bucks. A mid 70's 3X3 and a small forky. I dicided that since it may be the last day I was able to hunt that I this buck would do. Angie stayed back as I made my stalk. I was able to sneak down well within shooting distance. As I got to a good spot I over looked the hill they were on and I spotted two deer. But wait, these were 2 does. The whole time I was sneaking in I was watching the wrong deer. I panned around looking for the bucks and could not find them. I found 6 does and a spike but the other bucks were no where to be found. I panned to my right and saw a lan mark that I had used to keep track of the bucks when I originally had spotted them. I had been looking way to far left the whole time. I panned to the right and spotted the forky. Now I'm getting excited! I keep panning around and can't find the 3X3 anywhere. The spike fed its way over to the forky as I keep looking for the 3X3. I look back toward the does and half of them are gone. I look back toward the spike and the forky and the forky is gone. I keep panning around and before I know it all the deer are gone. I glass and glass and can't find any deer. I look at my watch and its 10:00 am. I realize that they are beded down. I don't have time to sit all day and wait for them to get up because unfortunately we had to leave that night and we still had to pack up camp so I sneak out of there and head back up to meet Angie. I tell her lets go back to camp, pack everything up, have lunch and then we will come back on our way out and wait for that deer to stand. I told her I will shoot him and then we will go home. So we headed back to camp, packed everything into the truck as fast as we could, had a quick lunch and we were back into position by 1:00. This time I had Angie sneak down with me. As we sat there I was feeling sick to my stomache from eating lunch so quick so I laid back on the hill side as Angie glassed the opposite side. Afer and hour or so she started telling me "I got deer". I would sit up and look through my binos to see that they were does and then I would lay back down. Every 15 minutes or so she would find more deer and I would look and then lay back down. After a while she says "I got the spike". Immediately I forget about my sick feeling and its replaced with excitement. I know that the spike was with the forky and the last time that I saw the 3X3 it was with the forky so I'm hoping that the 3X3 will show himself. As Angie and I are both glassing the hillside I see a body just left of the spike. Right away I think its the 3X3 because I can catch glimpses of antler through the brush. I tell Angie, "I think I got him". She got very excited! The buck then steps into an oppening and I could see that it was just the forky. I tell her that its just the forky and she asks sadly "you're not going to shoot him?". I said "no that's not the buck I want". I hear her sye. We waited a little while longer with no sign of the 3X3 so I asked Angie, "do you want me to shoot the forky?". She replies "yes!". I asked her, "how bad?". She says "really really bad!". Being that we were heading home in a few hours and I wasn't sure with my work schedule if I would be able to get back out before the end of the hunt, I decided to take the forky so I said, "okay I will take him". Angie got extrememly excited and started telling me "get him, get him". I tell her to calm down as I was getting ready for the shot. Due to the steep incline we were sitting on I could not use the bypod on my rifle so I just lowered my binos on my tripod and rested my rifle right on top of my binos. I ranged him at 308 yds and waited for him to present a shot. After a few minutes of waiting he finally turned and I told Angie, "okay I'm going to take him". BOOM! After the shot he ran 20 yds to the left before pilling up in a bush. Angie was so excited telling me "you got him, he's down. I saw him kicking". Angi stayed on the hillside as I went down in and up the other side to tag my deer. I made a perfect double lung shot on him. Then it was time to haul butt to get him out before dark! Allthough I didn't get the deer I had hoped for it was very special experience because I got to share it with Angie. She was so excited and had a huge smile the whole time we were packing the buck out. It was really great how the plan worked out. It wasn't the buck that I had planned for but the plan in general worked to the "T". We never did see that 3X3, even after the shot. He must have put the slip on us. I really want to thank Justin and Aaron for coming and helping out on my hunt. The best thing I have gotten from this site is their friendship! Sorry this is so long but I like to share every detail.

 

-Tracy

 

 

 

 

 

[mountaingoat]

good job on the buck and good job on that stinkin coati. I have only seen two of those things in my whole life up until about 3 years ago and now it seems like they are everywhere. That is so crazy that it charged you. how exciting!

[azcouesandelk]

Way to go man I knew you would get a buck!

[Young]

Congrats to you on your buck. That lil 3x3 will be bigger next year. You or your dad can get him then

[Gr8 White Jr]

Way to go man I knew you would get a buck!

 

Thanks Christian! I was really hoping for a big buck but with limitted time this year I can't complain. Allthough I do kind of wish I would have shot one of the several other bucks we saw earlier in the hunt. Some were plenty bigger than the one I ended up taking. Oh well, I'm happy to have some meat this year. Last year I passed on several bucks and ended up coming home empty handed so its been a while since I have had some fresh venison.

 

-Tracy

[COUESAZ]

Nice Buck. But if i could give you any advice it would be to keep that girl around. The ones that like to get out and do this are few and far between. She even got blood on her hands.

 

Glad you tagged out.

[bearbait]

Nice Buck. But if i could give you any advice it would be to keep that girl around. The ones that like to get out and do this are few and far between. She even got blood on her hands.

 

Glad you tagged out.

 

 

I definitely agree!!!!! French tip nails with deer blood on her hands! MAN, you got a keeper for sure!!!

 

Great story and a great ending on the hunt! Good job!!!

 

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for the write-up...I enjoy the long, detailed stories! And great job taking Angie with you and letting her see some fun deer hunting!

 

Amanda

 

[COOSEFAN]

Great job and thanks for takin' us all along with you on your hunt.....I too like the detailed stories and appreciate you takin' the time to share it! Congrats! JIM>

[Coues Archer]

Great buck?

[Ernesto C]

Tracy you the man!! Nice pictures! You must mount that coati!! they make beatifull mounts. Man you had a fantastic succesfull hunt, with an extra bonus plus with your girlfriend!! What more can you ask?? God bless you more and thanks for the story and pics.

 

Note: Casey see how its done?

 

Ernesto C

[IKillCoues]

Sweet buck! Too bad i missed the last two days. But theres that work and school thing i have... Haha.

 

Aaron

[firstcoueswas80]

Dude, I have one question...

 

Why is Angie your girlfriend and not wife?!!!!

 

 

Sounds like she was more excited for you than you were! Thats AWESOME! Plus, she is good lookin!

 

Great job!

[IKillCoues]

Haha thats why me and Justin were finding all the deer Tracey. You couldnt stay focused with Angie there

[Gr8 White Jr]

Hey Aaron! Good to see you joined the site! Wish you could have hunted the whole weekend with us but I understand the whole work and school thing. Maybe it was a mix between my focus being drawn toward Angie and the fact that you and Justin have those dang 15x60s! I really need to upgrade my glass! Allways thought I did just fine with my 10x42s untill I started glassing with you guys. Better start saving my coins!

 

-Tracy