december hunters

[ScottAdams]

I'm back from the morning hunt. We finally located some rutting whitetail. There were 10 or 12 Coues deer just a ruttin' to beat the band, and there was at least one good buck chasing them, however, I couldn't tell how big he was since they were a stinking 2 miles away. There was probably more than 1 buck though, but at that range I could only see horns on one. If there is a receptive doe there, then this may be our oportunity to get on a world class Coues buck. Will find out in the morning.

 

I was able to glass up a very nice bull on the rim. I'll attach a photo here. The deer were just too far out for a picture with any detail.

 

Maybe someone here that knows elk better than I, can tell me what this brute will score. He was a typical 6x6 with matching 5 inch points coming off the G-5's making him a 7x7.

 

 

 

Scott

 

P.S. Tommy you better get well cause things are really starting to heat up!!

[ScottAdams]

Tommy, I tried calling you but got the voice mail.

 

Casey, I'm not "the kid" but I'm not above missing a deer either especially a good one that gives me the ole coues buck fever. I don't know how I got the tag 2 years in a row but I was due since I hadn't drawn the tag since '95!

 

Scott

[mikep35]

Hey guys,

I got back from a hunt in 32 on Monday and we saw about 37 does, and one big 5 by5 on the day before the opening. We also saw a big 5x4 muley with about a 25 inch spread and a 4x3 muler that was narrow but his rack had to have been 24 inches tall! I'll be going back up Christmas afternoon and stay until Sunday. I'm hoping to get my first coues buck; well, my first big game animal period.

Good luck everyone!

[Dodger]

Scott,

 

Thanks for sharing your daily adventures. Its almost like be there. I'm unable to go until January since I shot one in November in 32, but I sure would like to be able to go right now. I've never really spent much time out in the field in December/January, maybe I need to change that.

 

Thanks again

Dodger/Matt

[galiuro mountain man]

Scott, it is hard to tell from the picture, but he looks good. If I had to guess it would be over 350, probably closer to 380. Just remember my rule, when you tell people about it subtract 10" for every hour he has grown in your mind. But it is a very good bull, maybe you can get drawn next year and locate him.

 

Good luck

[Guest Ernesto C]

Hey Scott and galiuro mountain man, save the guessing I'm going to get him next year and once in the ground I will let you know the score

 

Thank you for sharing your adventure and pictures Scott we love it!! I'm sure the next picture it will be of a big buck on the ground with your team smiling and desperate to score him.God bless you.

 

Ernesto C.

[coueshunter]

Scott, great pictures. I heard from a little bird that you might be retiring those huge Docters for a new set...........let Crazy carry those monsters and you use the new Swaro's..........hope you shoot some monsters and share the pictures..............Tommy get well.............AT.........

[ScottAdams]

Well guys we struck out today. The first day in 5 days that we didn't find a Coues buck. But I can live with that. We tried to find that huge group of Coues deer that we saw rutting yesterday with that amorous buck in hot pursuit, but were unable to locate them. We probably walked about 6 miles. As hot as it was today the herd may have disbanded pending the next cool front.

 

I did find the bulls again this morning this time there were 4 of them, all good bulls. I posted a couple of the better ones below.

 

I'm taking off tomorrow to go to church and will pick it up again on Monday. I'll keep you guys informed.

 

Scott

 

 

This bedded doe was the closest we came to a Coues buck. We found 4 does and that was it.

 

 

This is the big bull I photographed yesterday. I thought he had matching cheaters off of his G-5s but it turns out he only had one on his right side. As you can see I was a little closer today.

 

 

This is another 6x7 but not nearly as impressive as the other bull.

[bullwidgeon]

I just got back from 27 and the activity is real spotty. Some days they rut, the next day they disapear. I saw "The Kid" in action with his high shooting gun and it was a text book stalk and my buddy and I thought the buck was a goner for sure but the worm turned for the worse. The next day we saw no coues bucks, lots of does and muleys rutted out of their heads. Then yesterday we made a play on a rutted up 100 incher with an hour of light left to cross two big canyons and by the time we got there we could see all 4 of his does but he didn't make an apearance. Note to self, always have a flashlight and extra battery's when making a 2 canyon stalk on coues deer right at sunset . Good luck to everyone still hunting. Scott check your email.

 

Bret M.

Edited January 1, 1970 by bullwidgeon

[CouesWhitetail]

Sounds like you had fun Bret and Scott. Thanks for posting the pics, it makes it fun. I have a few to share too.

 

I just got back from two and a half days solo backpacking in a great deer spot. But I tell you, it was hard work coming by any deer. It was windy and HOT!!! My thermometer back at camp said it was 64 degrees in the shade!! I was hunting in a tshirt. Whereas a week ago, I was bundled up like an eskimo day and night (you saw those earlier pics...it was cold!). So this time, the deer were very inactive, except right near dark when they came out and I think they fed mostly at night. And during the day they were in brushy shady stuff hiding very effectively from my prying eyes. I did see bucks both days, but nothing I wanted. One of the bucks spent this morning about 250 yards away from me. Here is his pic:

 

 

 

I had to walk past this little buck and his doe he was with. I knew they would hear me walking, but might not see me, so I tried grunting a few times to see what would happen. The buck got up and left! I don't know if he ran from me or my call. But he didn't have his tail up, and he kind of slinked away, looking back now and then. I didn't ever see the doe leave. So I wonder if he left because he thought another buck was gonna kick his butt.

 

Here is a pic of a scrape on a trail I walk to get to my glassing spot. The buck made it between this week and last.

 

 

 

And then I thought I would share with you this interesting water hole that I found. It's on the side of a steep mountain and I never would have found it except that one day when I was scouting in there, it was so windy I was looking for a place out of the wind. It's a great little spot and it's where I am pumping my water from for my backpack hunting in there. Deer are using it heavily, even though there is a spring at the bottom of the mountain. But this is easier access I think. Makes me wonder where there are other water holes I don't know about!

This one is some kind of exploratory mine entrance that they never finished going anywhere with. It's on a north slope that is shaded all day. It's purely rainwater and potentially has water most of the year.

 

 

Anyway, the last two days of hunting really were discouraging. Way too hot, and I saw way too few deer.

I am hoping for better after Christmas!

 

Amanda

Edited January 1, 1970 by CouesWhitetail

[ScottAdams]

Thanks for the update Amanda. Yea I about had a heatstroke yesterday. Man was it hot!! Very little whitetail activity. Still having tons of fun though, just hoping for some cooler weather. Almost forgot, I loved your photos Amanda, it's nice to see a little of what people are talking about.

 

Scott

Edited January 1, 1970 by ScottAdams

[300 wsm]

Hey guys great pics. Just came back from 27 for the day and going back tommorow. I hunted down lower and seen no rut activity. messed up a stalk on a 170 inch muledeer and spotted one whitetail buck about 400 yards out, but never could get up on him. Scott to me the bull looks like he is about a 320 to 330 inch bull but then again it is hard to tell from pictures. If you dont mind me asking where did you see the bull, I seen two down in the lower country also.

[Jason]

I Bow hunted in 23 on Sunday. Seen 4 Mule Deer, 8 Coues Doe, and 2 bucks but one was a small fork horn and the other was a nice 80 inch buck. But 200yrds to far. Set up a trail camera at my new honey hole that i found so we'll see how good it will be.

 

Scott,

I also love hearing your daily activities while your out hunting, Coues Pictures, and the great Elk pictures. Thank You

 

Amanda,

Very impressed that you solo backpacked for a few days and good luck.

 

And Good Luck to everyone who is hunting.

[crazyaboutcoues]

Man this is killing me. Just can't get over this sickness

 

Scott I'm taking the 25th through the 1st off. Hopefully by then this thing will pass.

 

Good luck

[Guest MIKE UDALL]

I SAT A TREESTAND ON SATURDAY. A LONE DOE CAME IN TO MY SALT. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER, A NICE 4*4 WHITETAIL AND A SPIKE CAME IN FOLLOWING THE DOES TRAIL. THE 4*4 HAD HIS NOSE TO THE GROUND AND A THICK NECK. I SHOT HIM THROUGH THE LUNGS W/ MY BOW. IT IS NOT A HUGH 4*4 BUT FOR ME HE WAS A TROPHY. THAT IS MY FIRST COUES W/ A BOW. IS THERE AN ADDRESS I CAN MAIL MY PICTURE TO. I DONT HAVE A COMPUTER AT HOME OR A SCANNER. THE SHOT WAS MADE AT 8:30 AM IN THE PONDEROSA/SCRUB OAK COUNTRY. FROM WHAT I COULD TELL, HE WAS LOOKING FOR THAT DOE AND DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE SALT.