Good Ol CHIP

[HD55]

Good Ol Chip

 

New rifle in hand and bags all packed I arrived at my cousins house. We threw everything in the truck and hopped in and headed on our way. Little did we know that we were in route to one of the best hunts either one of us could ever imagine. The hunt was the UNIT 21 general Coues Deer in October. We arrived in camp where were met up with my cousins father-in-law. We set up camp and hung out by the fire before hitting the cots to lay in bed sleeplessly all night sleep anxious for what the light would bring. Early Early we woke up and hit the mountains to glass. My cousin from his scouting had seen a particular buck he was after. Our morning glass session was all doe and a (rather large) bobcat. After lunch we headed back to the same mountain were my cousin spotted a buck of which he was about to let me shoot until I told him that it was his buck that he had seen. I watched my cousin stalk and while keeping an eye on his buck (Cactus Jack). He narrowed the gap from about a mile away to 450yds where he took a shot of his knee. I was ecstatic after I see the buck drop after hearing his shot. My cousin gutted him and we meet about half way where we traded carrying this massive buck back to the quads the long way (we didn’t know at the time). In camp we caped him, as he was surely going on the wall.

Another night of little sleep for many reasons… in the following days we did some more glassing in the same area as we had seen Cactus Jack. During one glassing session I spotted a couse skull across a deep canyon directly across from me. I decided to traverse the treacherous canyon to get this skull, have been fascinated with collecting skulls since I was a little boy, so the massive amount of energy this took was well worth it.

 

We decided that for the evening we would try a different area so we drove through a wash, our camp neighbors told us would take us all the way over to where we wanted to go much faster. It was a ways to another area, but it was know to produce some nice bucks. Once in this new area we glassed several hillsides and talked to a few other hunters who had tagged out during that day. We continued on in this area until my cousin spotted a this draw in the distance, of which he told me “that draw is going to be detrimental to a bucks health!” That being said we flew down the roads and hiked up the mountain opposite of this draw. It took all of 15 minutes of glassing until my cousin said the magical phrase I that never gets old, “There’s One!” He directed me so that I could find them. Then he told me to grab my gun and leave my other stuff, as I proceeded to empty an entire box of bullets into my side pocket, to ensure I had enough to get the job done. My cousin laughed at me and had me empty my pocket due to the fact that I sounded like I was wearing sleigh bells (adrenaline will have you do some crazy things). We stalked in a little closer to make my shot about 300 yrds. Using his pack for a rest I readied myself in the prone position and took a few breaths. With the buck in my crosshairs I squeezed the trigger and with the sound of the shot my buck dropped and with I follow up shot I grazed the top of his head doing a number to his eye guard. Through this whole process he also managed to CHIP off the tip of one of his points (that’s where his name came from CHIP). My cousin taught me how to gut a deer and then I had the pleasure to pack him out.

Luckily the pack out was an easy downhill hike to the wash were we followed it to the road. I stayed roadside with my first ever deer as my cousin went to grab the quad. In the mean time a group of hunters passed by congratulating me as well as a family who stopped to take pictures with me. I was on cloud nine and felt like a celebrity. Back in camp I learned how to skin a buck. This was one of the most memorable. He was definitely going on my wall being my first deer ever and a respectable one at that. What an amazing hunt! To tag out and to do it with family means more than anything.

[SO I HUNT]

Nice bucks and story... Thanks for sharing

[bobbyo]

Congratulations on your first deer. It is a real rush. Congratulations to your cousin too.

Bob

[lucky2hunt]

Congrats on your first deer! I like the skull too, that's an awesome 'find'.

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on your first buck and he is indeed a very respectable buck. Congratulations to your cousin as well on a bruiser of a buck!

[JLB]

Congratulations on your first deer. Every Coues is a trophy, but you will always remember the first one !!!!!

[Arizonahunter]

Cool story and write up. Great job...

[wbyfireman]

Very nice

[AzPacknHorns]

Congrats on a cool buck...Good to see you on here.

[DBArcher]

Congrats on a good looking buck

[CouesWhitetail]

Congratulations on your bucks!! Don't forget to enter your bucks and story into the Coues buck contest. for info on how to do that, visit: http://www.coueswhitetail.com/Coues_Buck_Contest_2011/coues_buck_contest_2011-12.htm

[bigorange]

Nice bucks. Congrats! Cool skull too.

[BABBITT_BOYZ]

Ben this was truly a awesome hunt!! We got to spend some much needed cousin time in the great outdoors together. What the hunt lacked in chow was made up for in humor and on top of all that we both tagged out! truth be told all 3 of us should have but.............. ha ha ha