My Personal Best

[Faster Daddy!]

After discovering my son and I had drawn late whitetail tags, I became a lurker on this site and I have to say that I am impressed with the number of dedicated Coues hunters that reside in Arizona. I have enjoyed reading ALL the posts since I joined a few months ago. I must say, many of the members have taken some really outstanding bucks and seeing those photos provided a little extra motivation for us to get ready for our December hunt.

 

My son works part time and is in school full time and would be taking a class over the Christmas break so he only would be able to hunt the first weekend. I had convinced him that we should not waste a late December tag on anything less than a decent 3x3 and I would help him glass during that weekend in hopes he could fill his tag. I didn't even take my rifle because I was really interested in helping him tag a deer before school started. We glassed from sun-up to sun-down the first weekend and saw very FEW deer. What a depressing start. He did have a shot at a Spike and elected to hold out. I have to say that is even a tough decision for me especially when the freezer is running low on venison. After two days of hunting, his hunt was over but our time together in the field was priceless!

 

Now it's time for me to focus on my hunt. As a Tucson Native, I have had the opportunity to glass and hunt some nice Coues country and have witnessed the increased activity during the rut. Knowing this, I decided that I was going to focus on the days following Christmas in hopes the rut would begin. Since I didn't have much time to scout I did go out a few more days before Christmas with more depressing results (a few more spikes one decent two point and very few deer overall).

 

I hunted hard the 27th thru the 30th glassing my eyes out with no improvements in locating deer or seeing any signs of the rut beginning (did I mention this is NOT my favorite unit to start with and not seeing anything is only confirming this). I go out yesterday knowing this is my last chance. By now I am ready to put some venison in the freezer period. I glass my first location, nothing but Javi's. Second location, seven Mule deer with a spike and a two point definitely in the rut. Third location, just setting up the 15's on the tripod when I very faintly hear rocks moving. See a doe moving slowly moving away at about 80 yds. Quickly grab my 8 power binos and see a buck behind her also moving away. Grab the 270 WSM, BANG, the hunt is over. Back at home my son and his friend helped me skin the deer and take it to Lippert/Doyles Taxidermy.

 

The gun is a Win Model 70 Classic that I added a Boyds Stock. Made some aluminum pillars to go in the new stock. Bedded the action and pillars with Devcon redeced the factory 6 lb trigger pull to 2 lbs and was very impressed with the results. Sighted in for dead on at 300 yds and made a 90 yd shot (go figure).

 

FASTER DADDY!

 

Sorry, but I don't see my photos in the preview. Any help for this newbie would be appreciated.

 

[Red Rabbit]

The last day definitely gave a reward to you. But it sounds like a frustrating hunt with the reported deer and buck numbers. The buck's face gives the impression that he is an older gent. Did you have the chance to look at his teeth?

 

RR

[Coues Archer]

That is one big coues congrats to an awesome buck. Great job.

[Faster Daddy!]

I did not look at the teeth. When I took it to the taxidermist, he made several comments on the size of the body. He was in excellent shape with respect to battle scars on his face and/or split ears (none) but I agree with your comment. I was just happy with the antlers. Dean Lippert scored him for me at 106 and 1/8 gross.

[palivs2hnt]

Congrats! Way to get it done on the last day. I would agree with RR, that buck looks very mature. Way to be patient and persistent...sorry your son had to eat tag soup! Well done!

[Coues Sniper]

Congrats on a great buck!

[firstcoueswas80]

Nice buck! Good job being persistant!

 

What bullet from the 270 wsm?

[Faster Daddy!]

140 gr Nosler Accubond over 63.5 grains of H4831SC. Between that load, my bedding and pillar job and trigger adjustment it is shooting lights out. I have never had one that has shot this accurate for a just slighty modified off the shelf gun. Less than 1/2 MOA at 100 yds and very consistant 1 MOA at 300 yds. I also have the exact same gun in 300 WSM and I intend to do the same work on it (and it needs it).

[Chef]

Great buck.

Very nice looking rifle.

[lionhunter]

Congrats on a great buck!! Is is just me or have there been a ton or 4point and 5 point bucks killed this year??

Nice looking rig as well, (270 wsm is my favorite wt rifle, at least for this week)

Congrats again.

Whitey

[desertmafia21]

Nice buck! Im sure Youll be happy with the mount. Are u getting a shoulder mount done? My uncle does great work

 

 

 

[Faster Daddy!]

Thanks for the comments guys. I think the 270 WSM will be a favorite of mine for a long time to come. I worked up the load based on some comments from someone else on this site or one of the other sites, can't remember. Also double checked the load in the new Nosler manuel. I'm glad I saw that recommended load because it saved me a lot of time and it is a good one for this round and this gun. Started with 60 grains going up in .5 grain increments to 63.5 looking for signs of pressure. Primers just started to flatten a bit so now that I have more time I will work my way back down in .2 grain increments and see if the velocity and accuracy still hold up.

 

I am having the shoulder mount done at Lippert/Doyles Taxidermy here in Tucson. They are not the cheapest but I know they have been in business for many years and have a reputation for doing quality work. Having the head mounted looking right with the outside ear "alert" and the inside ear more relaxed and slighty back (exactly the way he was last looking at me to retain the memories).

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on a great buck! Sweet looking rifle as well, it sounds like it should be a beautiful mount.

[WadeNAZ]

Well Done Sir. I am glad it all came together for you ultimately. Contrats on your success it is good to see your persistence pay off. So what Unit? (Since its not your favorite)

 

May your 2010 be great!

[Faster Daddy!]

No secret spot here (at least for me). We drew unit 34B. We looked and hunted every available access into the Whetstones with very few WT deer glassed. Besides the deer I finally tagged, I glassed 20 WT with 4 spikes and one decent two point, 18 Mule deer with 3 bucks, 30+ Javelina that seemed to be unusually dark in color (very nice looking), 4 Coyotes and 12 UDA's being escorted out by BP agents. All of the Coyotes were on the Las Cienega Ranch or Empire Ranch. There were Coyote tracks and scat everywhere you looked. I think they need some serious thinning out. If I knew how to use a varmit call that would be where I would start. I ended up taking my deer in the Empire Mountains not the Whetstones.