Fawning, Rubbing and Antler Growth & Shedding

[CHD]

Here are some questions for you southwestern guys and gals. At what dates or range of dates (assuming a normal moisture year) do Coues deer in Arizona and New Mexico do the following:

 

Complete the growth of their antlers (the large bucks)?

 

Strip their velvet?

 

Drop their antlers (the large bucks)?

 

 

 

 

Being mainly a muley guy (and a Colorado one), I am quickly running out of things to contribute to this forum. However, realizing this is a Coues forum, here is a fairly decent muley tip if any of you are interested. If you are looking for a GIANT Rocky Mtn muley in a unit that is somewhat drawable and CLOSE TO HOME, try the Zuni Mountains (unit 10) in New Mexico. Top end Zuni bucks are as big as large strip and Kaibab bucks, with heavy 200"+ frames and mid 30's spreads. Lots of nontypicals. THIS IS NOT WELL KNOWN! Not many in the book because they tend to grow just a few kickers. The unit is RUGGED and THICK with a low deer density. Lots of great country. I'm sure the drought has hampered antler growth here as in most places. Any of you guys that think a 7-year-old public land muley is dumb and easy will certainly bring back at least a 34" 9x8 scoring 220, right?

 

Chris Darnell

Edited January 1, 1970 by CHD

[hawkeye]

Hey Chris,

Being a muley hunter for about 30 years I am new to couse hunting. I have been hunting large mule deer in what people think is great couse deer areas. The larger mule deer bucks that get a lot of presure find that if they move to the more rugged and thicker areas they are mostly left alone. That is what lead me to hunting coues. I found that when glassing for the large mule deer I was seeing a lot of 100 point coues. I find that hunting in December for coues is a more enjoyable hunt because of the colder weather. Most mule deer hunts in Arizona take place when 90 plus temps. are common.

Thanks for the New Mexico tip. I am looking for an out of state place to try.

 

as for your question on coues antlers. I have found that things take place about the same as with the mule deer. I have found that when archery hunting both mule deer and coues deer in Aug. and Sept. are still in the velvet so I asume the antler cycle is about the same.

[Guest Ernesto C]

Hey CHD go to "LIFE STAGES OF THE COUES" on this web site,in there you will find the answer to your questions,thanks for the tip in NM. And I personally I know mule deer aren't dumb and aren't easy to hunt,specially the mature bucks.Thanks and God bles you.

 

Ernesto C.

[CHD]

Yep, there it is Ernesto, right before my eyes. I had found the fawning info after I posted (and subsequently deleted my question), but I must have scrolled right past the antler stuff. Maybe toooo much whiskey last night?

 

I am trying to get a handle on the timing of key things for Coues deer in order to gain a better understanding of them. It is very hard for me to get into the mindset of key events being about 2 months later than northern deer. Northern deer (whitetails and muleys) fawn mostly in early June, reach peak antler growth about the first week in August, rub in the first half of September, rut beginning about Nov 1 and peaking about Thanksgiving, shed in January-February, and start growing noticeably in April or so.

 

Based on the Coues info on this site (and it is a good one!), I would say that the velvet turns from green to brown (the end of the growth period) in early to mid September. Is this correct?

 

Do the desert muleys in southern AZ & NM follow the same timing of life cycles as Coues? Hawkeye says so.

 

Is there any evidence that Coues deer in the northern reaches of their range in AZ have life cycles a little earlier than the far southern AZ Coues deer?

 

Any input will be appreciated, particularly yours Amanda. Thanks.

 

Chris Darnell

[CouesWhitetail]

 

 

I included that graph to show you the range of dates and peaks of antler polishing, antler shedding, fawning and breeding for Coues deer. I know it's a big image, but it's easier to read it that way I think and I didn't want to take the time to shrink it down.

 

That graph is from the Coues deer life stages section on this web site. If you want to read more, click on this link: Coues Life Stages

 

 

I just posted those links for easy access to those who have not yet read that section.

 

CHD - yes everything really is about 2 months later than northern deer. And it does take some getting used to. Antler polishing takes place in Sept/October, shedding antlers takes place in April/May. I always hate having to wait that long in the desert to get some sheds because it is so darn hot by then! Peak breeding is late Dec to mid-Jan. Mule deer tend to peak their breeding in Nov/Dec. As always, nutrition strongly influences the dates that things peak in any given year. Peak fawning for Coues tends to be in August.

 

I am not completely sure how much different the desert muleys are from the more northern mule deer in terms of antler growth and breeding. Maybe some other people on this forum know better than I do.

 

And yes, the Coues deer in the northern part of their range start breeding a little earlier than in the southern part of their range. So deer in Mexico rut a little later. Maybe some of you guys that have hunted Mexico have some experience to share with regard to this.

 

Amanda

[coueshunter]

Last year was the only time I have been to Mexico hunting. The rut had not kicked in full swing, just a few bucks looking rutty and I was there the last week in December. If my memory serves me, some of the ranch hands said it was a late rut but I would bet MX coues rut later than other coues...