Back to Mexico for Trips 2 and 3

[scoutm]

Second and Third Weekends in Mexico

 

 

After an exciting first week on our DIY Mexico ranch, SunDevil, Cramerhunts, Rut and two buddies, Neil and Stephen, from Utah and I were set for our second 5 day trip. The first five day trip is summarized here:

 

 

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11698&st=0&p=130462&&do=findComment&comment=130462

 

 

My buddies from Utah arrived without incident Wednesday night bearing gifts of thanks for inviting them on and coordinating their first Mexico Coues Whitetail hunt. Check out the very cool gift - a 10 piece Opinel carbon knife set.

 

 

 

Thanks for the gift guy they worked great!

 

 

Thursday Morning we made a quick trip to the range to make sure the rifles hadn’t been knocked off on the fight to Tucson. It was a good thing we did as one rifle was shooting 7” high and the other was 6” to the right. A few adjustments and we were off.

 

 

Again we had no issues crossing rifles at the border and arrived at the ranch at the designated time. Cramerhunts and Rut had arrived earlier that day and were already out checking trial cameras and looking for the Big Buck that eluded them in December.

 

 

I unloaded my quad and raced off with Stephen to pull the camera I had setup on a seep. Very excited to see what had been watering there, we dropped into the cut that had the camera only to find it was gone. Shocked and amazed the camera was gone I had a couple hundred different thought as to what could have happened. The only logical explanations for the missing camera was either Cramerhunts picked it up for me or the rancher picked it up as it may have been knocked off its tree as it had looked like cows had been using the area. Arriving back at the ranch house, the rancher knew nothing about my missing camera. So, I waited patiently for Cramerhunts to return to the house in hopes he had picked it up for me. Upon his arrival, I learned he too had a missing camera. Although upset by the loss of my camera I was determined to not let it affect my hunt. I did my best to put it out of my mind and get on with the business of hunting.

 

 

Friday Morning Sundevil and I took the boys from Utah out to see the ranch for the first time, Sundevil with Neil and me with Stephen. Just after first light, Sundevil located a really nice buck for Neil. The buck was first seen several hundred yards above the seep I had my camera setup on. Being so early in the Hunt and not wanting the hunt to end so soon Neil decided to pass on the buck. Over the next hour the buck worked his way to the seep and to a distance of about 125 yards. Here are a couple pictures Sundevil took of the opening morning buck:

 

 

Stephen and I had a good morning as well. We saw several deer and a few smaller bucks but nothing worth ending our hunt over.

 

 

Over the next couple of days we continued to see many deer but none that really excited us as the bigger bucks had broken antlers.

 

 

On the third morning Sundevil and I switched hunting partners - Sundevil with Stephen and Neil with me. Stephen, who’s not known for being patient or picky, couldn’t take seeing so many bucks without pulling the trigger so decided to end his hunt with a nice little buck that bettered his best Coues deer. Sundevil glassed the buck up not too long after sunrise. Stephen gave chase and got into position to shoot only to have the buck bed down behind a tree. Fortunately, the buck was with a doe and as she moved off the buck got up to follow. Just a few steps from the tree Stephen took his best Coues to date. Congrats to you Stephen.

 

 

 

That same morning, Neil and I found a really nice 100” buck with two does. As Neil was getting setup for a shot the buck caught our wind and started to move off into a really thick cut with his does in tow. We watched for him to clear on the opposite side of the cut but he never cleared. I told Neil if we circled around to the southwest to a high point we’d be able to see up into the cut the buck was in and we may have a chance of relocating him.

 

 

After packing our gear and making a quick hike over to the high point that looked up the cut, we sat down and started glassing. In less than five minutes there’s a deer – its doe 1, five minutes later doe 2. I tell Neil the bucks down there somewhere it’s just a matter of time before he shows himself.

 

 

I ranged a barrel cactus near where I believe he will clear - 275 yards. I give Neil the range and tell him to get setup on a perfectly placed rock just below us. Just as Neil got setup I relocate the buck in a really small wash. All I could see was his horns moving through the brush. Attempting to get Neil on the buck I tell him to find the big barrel cactus down in that ocotillo thicket. Forgetting he’s from Utah by way of New York his response was “What’s a barrel cactus?”

 

 

After a quick lesson in desert plants he locates the barrel cactus. I proceed to guide him from the barrel cactus.

 

 

“Neil, 4 o’clock from the barrel cactus is an organ pipe cactus.”

 

 

“Got it”

 

 

“To the right of the organ pipe there’s a small wash that looks like a sandy trail.”

 

 

“Got it”

 

 

“He’s going to clear in the wash right next to the organ pipe. He’s about to clear. OK, he’s right in front of the organ pipe. Drop the hammer!!”

 

 

“I don’t see him”

 

 

“He’s moving up to the left towards the barrel cactus I showed you.”

 

 

“I can’t find him”

 

 

At this point buck fever is raging so strong Neil couldn’t find the buck in his scope. As the buck took off to relocate his does that had moved on, Neil was unable to get a shot off.

 

 

Frustrated by the experience, Neil revealed that he had never shot a buck deer before and that the only game he has taken were does out of tree stands in New York and Antelope in the wide open. I suggested to him he needed to adjust his scope down to 4X to widen his field of view and make it easier to acquire his target. He made the adjustment in hopes of getting another opportunity.

 

 

Disappointed we packed up and headed back to the ranch house to see Stephen’s buck and have some lunch. After the congratulations to Stephen and a great lunch we put a plan together for that afternoon.

 

 

On the Fourth morning, Neil was given another chance. In the same area we had located the 100” buck the day before we located a really nice completely intact 85”-90” buck - this time at only 175 yards. Neil got setup, found the buck in his scope and waited for a clear shot. The buck moved to 150 yards and Neil touched off a round. BOOM!!

 

 

“You missed high. Don’t worry he’s not spooked he’s still coming to the water. He’s going to clear to the right of the big saguaro – 125 yards”

 

 

BOOM!!

 

 

“He’s not hit – I don’t know where you hit.”

 

 

At this point the buck moved off into thick cover and no more shot opportunities were presented. I did what I could to encourage Neil and assured him he would have another chance.

 

 

On our fourth and final afternoon of the trip we switched things up again. Stephen with a buck down took Neil out, Sundevil and I went out to separate locations - with all of us maintaining radio contact. Late in the afternoon, I locate a buck up chasing a doe. I put my spotter on him and after some debate I made the decision I would go after him. I called Sundevil on the radio to let him know I had a buck I was going after and asked him to spot for me. Sundevil packed up and was at my location in about 20 minutes.

 

 

While Sundevil made his way to my location Stephen located a small buck for Neil but it was too late and too far for them to get him.

 

 

Upon arrival Sundevil checked the buck out in my spotting scope and agreed he was a good buck. We discussed the stock and I was off. Given the contour of the mountain and the location of the buck I was only able to close the distance to 375 yards. Having practiced long range shooting nearly every weekend since October I was comfortable at that range.

 

 

I was able to find a location where I could get setup in the prone position. Now setup and with the deer in my crosshairs all I needed was for him to step out from behind a tree. As I waited, I was missing one of the most amazing sunsets but there was no way I was going to take my eyes off this deer. Unfortunately and with much frustration I had to give up for the evening and back out as I no longer had enough light for a clean shot.

 

 

The next morning and the last half day of this trip’s hunt found Sundevil and I back on the same glassing point trying to relocate the buck from the evening before. I started glassing in the area I last saw the buck and Sundevil searched the surrounding areas.

 

 

About 15 minutes into glassing Sundevil spots two deer higher on the mountain and a little to the east. He informs me that based on body size and color he believed it was the buck we were after. I pulled out my spotting scope and was able to confirm it was him. I loaded up and started my second stock on this buck.

 

 

Once in a position I felt comfortable with, I took out my binoculars and attempted to relocate him. Unable to I made a quick call to Sundevil on the radio for guidance. I was told he was approximately 50 yards below a big mudslide on the left side of the saddle – dang! I could only see about 20 yards below the slide as a rock bluff between me and the saddle prevented me from seeing the buck. I evaluated all my options and the only one that had any chance was to find a way over the bluff. At the base of the bluff, I was able to find a small shoot that enabled me to get to the top without too much trouble. Unfortunately that put me about 100 yards from the buck and his doe. As I peered over the bluff I could not locate them. I called Sundevil on the radio for assistance and he told me the doe and buck had busted out – Stalk and trip two was over.

 

 

Back at the ranch house we updated Cramerhunts via the radio on the lack of success we had with this buck. The next day Cramerhunts and Rut was able to locate the buck and take him. Excellent job guys -he's a great buck with great character. Here’s Picture of this deer and a link to Cramerhunts story and post.

 

 

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12331&hl=

 

 

The Third and Final 3 Day Trip

 

 

The third and final trip started out as all the others – filled with excitement and anticipation. This trip, however, had the added feeling of pressure brought on by the fact that we only had two half days and two full days to fill our two remaining tags. Given the fact that all the good bucks we had seen to this point were broken, filling two tags in such a short time would surely be a difficult task. As Cramerhunts mentioned in his story every buck that would go over 100” was broken and bucks that would have gone 110”+ were broken up even worse – we saw some great bucks missing entire sides.

 

 

Blackdog and I arrived at the ranch in time for an afternoon glass. We headed to a spot just above the ranch house where Cramerhunts had seen a good buck cruising for does the week before. Shortly after setting up we started to hear the distinctive sound of deer running around. I looked to my left but saw nothing. I glassed for a while and saw nothing. About ten minutes later I heard it again but this time I spotted a buck chasing a doe around. It looked like a good buck - good main beam, nice mass but wait not a single tine – missing eye guards, missing G2s and missing G3s. Then like Comcast subscribers in Tucson watching the Super Bowl, we were treated to about 30 seconds of deer porn.

 

 

Eager to find a deer with intact antlers, I started to glass another ridge. As the sun started to set behind the mountain I located a deer. I pulled out the spotting scope to examine it more closely. It was just a small buck not ready to have a tag hung on it just yet. With the sun gone we headed back to the ranch house for dinner.

 

 

We decided having only two full days remaining it would be best to split up for the day. I decided to take my quad and go to an untested area. Blackdog took our host’s son Justo Jr. to a one of our favorite location. They found a buck that morning but unfortunately they couldn’t get to him and there was a reason my area was untested - I only saw one doe and these palm trees.

 

 

 

Taking the Palm Trees as a sign that this canyon does not hold Coues deer I made the decision to head back to the ranch house and join back up with Blackdog.

 

 

Back at the ranch house for lunch, Blackdog and I made a plan to go over to another part of the ranch owned by our host’s sister. The area had been hunted hard the weeks before. Despite having trail camera pictures of good bucks in the area, no big bucks were ever seen but we had seen a lot of does so we thought a good buck could have moved in. It was a good thing we did.

 

 

Here’s a couple pictures off of Cramerhunts Trial camera:

 

 

I found myself setup on a glassing rock that had been setup by Rut during the weeks before. I was able to determine it was his based on the pile of sunflower seeds on the ground around it. At around 4:30pm I see a deer moving around a little contoured spot on a small ridge cross canyon from me. With my binoculars I could tell it was a buck but he didn’t look very big. Having seen so many broken bucks, I thought I had better put the spotter on him just in case I was missing something. Once I had the buck located in my scope, my first thought was he was too small but there was something strange about him so I dialed the scope up to 65X. To my surprise, I was looking at the first Double Main Beam Buck I’ve ever seen – decision made – I was going after that buck.

 

 

Having split up, I called Blackdog on the radio to let him know I had found a buck I was going after. I told him where the buck was located and Blackdog started his search while I started my stalk. I felt comfortable going without Blackdog spotting for me as the buck had bedded and he was alone. I made my stalk to a small rock ledge that put me at 352 yards from the bedded buck. I setup my tripod and binoculars to confirm the buck was still bedded. As I looked through my binos my heart jumped – he’s not there. First panic sets in and then a few minutes of cussing myself for not having Blackdog spot for me. After calming myself, I start scanning back and forth with my binoculars. Relief, I relocate him 20-30 yard from where he was bedded when I started my stalk. I later found out from Blackdog that while I was on my stalk he got up and re-bedded next to a different tree.

 

 

With the buck relocated, I re-ranged him at 355 yards - a distance I was very comfortable with. I adjusted my scope’s turrets for that distance and got down in the prone position. Due to the angle of the sun, I was unable to get a clear site picture. A slight adjustment in location, to take advantage of some shade a bush provided, I had a clear site picture. A few dry fires and I was ready.

 

 

Now, I normally don’t shoot at bedded animals but given the circumstances, I felt good about taking this shot. So, at 5:30p.m., at 355 yards, with a rock solid shooting position, I dropped the hammer. My rest was so solid I was able to see the bullet strike the buck. I then heard the WHOOP of success and saw the buck stand and then fold up. Sweet success!!! Double Main Beam!!! I was filled with joy!!

 

 

 

The next morning we were able to find a really nice buck with only one broken eye guard and a broken cheater point for Blackdog to take but I will let him tell that story. As we found out later the buck was not new to us - it was the buck Neil passed on opening morning.

 

 

We all had an outstanding hunt and we very much enjoyed the hospitality our hosts. Most of all I very much look forward to maintaining the newly formed friendships as well as the old tried and true ones.

 

 

On the way home, I told Dave that the last four months have been nothing but chasing Coues Deer – what am I to do now?

[willhunt4coues]

Wow what a story fells like I was there. Congrats on some well earned buck.

[Gr8 White Jr]

Way to go guys! Congrats to all on some great bucks! Thanks for the detailed story, I felt like I was there the whole way through!

 

-Tracy

[Red Rabbit]

Dave and Larry,

A pair of nice bucks for you. That extra beam sure has character.

 

Doug~RR

[Ernesto C]

Yes I agree, very nice bucks Larry! Hey, on the last buck......what's that "mark" around the bucks neck?

 

Again good job and congratulations!

 

Ernesto C

[firstcoueswas80]

Atta boy Larry! Did you use the NBT's or the Accubonds from the 25-06? How was performance?

 

 

Guess all that range time we did paid off!!! Great going!

[scoutm]

Yes I agree, very nice bucks Larry! Hey, on the last buck......what's that "mark" around the bucks neck?

 

Again good job and congratulations!

 

Ernesto C

 

 

Ernesto, Dave hit his deer in the lower neck/upper shoulder. What you are seeing the the blood rolling down.

[cramerhunts]

Wonderful job on the story Larry! I was there for most of it and knew the rest but I really enjoyed the read and looking at the great pictures as well. Job well done! Congrats again on an awesome buck.

 

Phil

[elkhutnaz]

Nice story guys, good job and some nice pics Thanks, Andy

[Coues Archer]

Wow. Those are some nice deer great job.

[lfootmatt]

Dave! I'm glad to see you finally found one big enough to take!

 

Sweet buck!

 

Now we just need to take a few big ones out of 33!

 

Later,

 

Matt