2011 Rifle Coues

[gotcoues]

I have to start off by saying thank you to Cody Whiting AGAIN! He took me into one of his spots and put me on this buck.

 

 

I bought a left over tag in 36a a couple weeks ago. Archery deer didn't go well this year for me, but I did have a great time spending time with family and friends. Also it was my son Dillon's first archery hunt and he ended up missing a forky due to extreme buck fever.

 

 

Didn't do a lot of scouting for this hunt due to the fact I just wanted to fill this tag with a mediocre buck, have fun and put some meet in the freezer. Also, the family and I got drawn for a lot of top notch hunts and a family man can only spend so much time in the woods. Opening day my good friend Hank and I found ourselves struggling to hold our binos down in extreme windy conditions. We found pigs, does and very small bucks. Day two my son Dillon and I went out. Again we could only find does, pigs and small bucks and an abundance of road hunters driving around like rats in a maze while we glassed. Dillon and I tried again on Sunday and on the drive out I told him, "If you glass it up, then I'll shoot it!" Wouldn't you know my boy has a buck in the first half hour or so. Only problem is it was the world's smallest whitetail at less than 300 yards. I just couldn't do it and we kept glassing to Dillon's dismay. Although we glassed tons of deer in every direction we just couldn't find anything bigger than a forky.We decided to head home and I took the family out to Texas Roadhouse since I obviously was failing in my duties to bring home the bacon.

 

Sunday night I posted up asking if people like 36a and how things were going for me. I received a PM from Cody (CodyWhi) and he asked if I was going to hunt anymore. When I told him yes, he replied with an offer I couldn't turn down. He had a spot that he had permission to hunt and he thought we might be able to get on a buck. He also said he had been in the same area Dillon and I had glassed and they didn't find any bucks either.

 

 

I got off early today and grabbed my boy Dillon from school, then we headed over the meet my buddy Harvey. We grabbed some food and waited to meet up with Cody. Cody hopped in the truck with us and we were off to the races. As we were putting on our packs, Harvey glasses up a fork and again I opted to pass to give Cody's spot a chance. We started glassing a little late, it was already 4 by the time we set up. We glassed til about 5 with only finding does and a javelina. We decided to make a mad dash to another vantage point. Within minutes Dillon is whispering "I got bucks". It took no time to realize we had a decent buck and we grabbed up the gear and made a beeline towards the bucks. The sun had already set and I knew time was fading fast. I set up at 425 yards and settled in on the buck. First shot was a hit and he hunched up but just stood still after turning around. He laid down and it took quite some time to reacquire him in the scope. A bedded coues at 425 halfway behind a bush is a tough target when heart is POUNDING! My second was high and I lowered the crosshairs and ended up shooting right under him. At this point I was a complete mess and pretty upset at myself. I was able to finish him off where he lay but it wasn't my finest hour behind the scope. I was struggling to gain my composure after the first shot and found it incredibly difficult to finish the deal.

 

 

There was some serious ground swellage on this buck, we were blown away at how bad a@!ss this deer was. We never got a good look at him because we bum rushed him as soon as Dillon found him, no time to waste!

 

 

I feel truly blessed to be so dang lucky and to have a complete stranger offer to help and take me into a spot that hadn't been over run by other hunters.

 

 

Thanks again Cody, I owe you one or maybe a few... and to my buddies Harvey and Hank. Also to my boy for glassing up this monster for his Ol Man! Life is good

 

 

 

The Lucky Duck Buck..... A 5x5 107 inch 108lb field dressed coues

 

 

 

 

 

[bonecollector]

Thats an awesome buck Justin, Congrats. Seems like your boy Dillion has some glassing skills to find you the bucks.

[C.O.U.E.S.]

Man..he is a thumper 4 sure...congrat's

[firstcoueswas80]

Thats a rowdy buck for sure!

 

Cody.... Yeah, I dont know if I'd let him walk! I might just for the fact that hes 108 lbs field dressed!

 

 

Awesome job guys!

[Pine Donkey]

That's a real stud, congratulations!

[Apache7mm]

What a beauty!!! congrats.

 

DAN

[Coues&Bass]

4x4 how sweet and hard to find, congratulations!

[olmos1010]

Very nice, Congrats.

[Couzer]

Wow nice buck! Great write up!

[azcouesfanatic]

Dude that is a great buck, especially out of 36A. Did you put a tape on him.

 

Congrats

[.270]

dang good buck. good job. Lark.

[SunDevil]

wow - that buck is a stud for sure.

 

Cody needs to publish his cell phone on the site so everyone can call him up and get help being put on bucks like that.

[gotcoues]

Thanks everyone. Ya, Cody deserves the credit on this one. I actually asked if I could put his name in the story cause I didn't want to be responsible for people asking him for help. Cody's definitely a cool guy who has the passion we all share. Haven't scored him yet, but I will tonight. If anyone has a guess, throw it out there. It's a little hard to tell but he's actually a 5x5 Coues&Bass

[AZwest16]

Justin that is a stud buck man. Even better that your son glassed him up. Congrats to you guys and what does that beast score?

[John O]

Nice buck. Love all the points. And yes, I still really like 36a (maybe a little more now). I think you need to make sure Jim sees this one.