az_shooter Report post Posted October 31, 2012 This year started off just like any other year, with big dreams and even bigger anxiety. I've only been hunting Coues for three years, this year being my third, but I fell in love with it from the first tag i drew, that i ended up not tagging out. I started out hunting a buck that i glassed up while scouting but thing weren't going well. I found a real nice 3x3 the evening before the hunt but three days into the hunt I was left feeling confused and worried that i wasn't going to find him. The canyon that he was in was being pounded by hunters, including myself, and i just felt he moved out or maybe even worse, already killed. So the fourth day of the hunt i decided to start fresh and go deeper into a different canyon where I soon realized I was about to make the biggest mistake of the whole hunt. I glassed up three nice bucks at first light but one of them was just amazing, he was laying in the grass between two dead oaks and all i could see was horns moving around above the grass, and what a mess of horns they were, my heart went through my throat the second I found him. I was too far for a shot but when I tried to get in closer all three made thier way over the ridge and out of the canyon. I quickly decided to hike all the way around and get to a good spot to where i think he went. after about an hour of glassing for him again I wasn't having any luck. But ot of no where another hunter came over the ridge and was walking around through the brush occasionally lifting up his binos to look for deer. Luckily for me he spooked up the three bucks and he didn't even see them so I waited just long enough for the bucks to get up canyon from him before setting up for my shots. No need to embarrass myself with details but I missed the shot and the buck ran off never to be seen again, I was so frustrated with myself. On the fifth evening i found myself in a new spot again but still thinking about that beautiful buck I missed the day before. I was sitting under a tree glassing up the canyon when I found another buck, I couldn't tell how big but I knew he was a buck, so I started up the drainage being sneeky and hoping to get a chance to redeem my self. When I got to my shooting position I picked out from my glassing spot, I realized he was not anything close to the buck I missed the day before but still bigger then my first buck I shot last year. When I got all set up he was 330 yards and walking away so I let out a whistle, he stopped and turned to look and I squeezed the trigger. He dropped right in his tracks and I quickly grabbed my stuff and went to go see my second Coues buck. I didn't make a perfect shot but it was still good enough to get the job done. I'm already looking forward to next year and a new adventure, hope the story wasn't too long but I had quite an eventful hunt to share, hope you enjoyed it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZhunter03 Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice Buck! Sounds like you still had a great hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OpticNerd Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice looking buck. Congrats on your second coues deer! Looks like we both like to hunt in the same general area. Sucks about the miss on the big one trust me I know how you feel. I got the 2nd hunt in there starting on the 9th hopefully there'll be a few big boys left in there for me to chase around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice buck, and good write up! Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az_shooter Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Thanks! here is a picture of the head close up after I skinned it out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mathews Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Still a good buck, congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice buck Justin. Congratulations! Looks like you had quite a pack out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeredMD Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice Buck! What Unit were you in? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az_shooter Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Thanks Robert, i have a new found respect for people who do it by themselves every year, what a task! JeredMD; that was in 35A Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willyhunts2 Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Nice buck and good write up. Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted October 31, 2012 Congrats on a nice buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trophyhnter Report post Posted November 1, 2012 Great job and sticking with it! Great buck! We used to hunt that unit in the 90s near sunnyside(?) canyon. Man there were a lot of deer then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az_shooter Report post Posted November 1, 2012 Great job and sticking with it! Great buck! We used to hunt that unit in the 90s near sunnyside(?) canyon. Man there were a lot of deer then! Sunnyside Canyon is still a good canyon, its just gotton so thick that its almost impossible to glass in a lot of areas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trophyhnter Report post Posted November 1, 2012 I have a lot of good memories hunting that unit. I think it was the first unit I hunted whitetail in! The canyon was not that glassable before. We would walk in to the area in the dark and after the sun can up we would "sidehill" it about a quarter to half way down and glass the opposite side to find deer. The biggest bucks we would see bedded in the thick north facing slopes and we would do a drive with my dad doing the push with his favorite rifle in hand (lever action 30/30 open sights). Great times! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BurlyBear Report post Posted November 1, 2012 Great Buck! I hope I'm as lucky for my Nov-Dec hunt coming up in 35a. I have goose bumps just thinking about it. This will be my second coues hunt ever. Last year I got a little fork, but it was a blast. I'll have to share the story on here sometime. In fact, I think it was in that same location. Fun hike huh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
