Unit 25 Coues Deer

[Aunt Jemima]

I thought I'd follow up on this thread with my experience in this unit just incase somebody ever does a google search for it like I did looking for info.

 

I hunted mulies out there for 6 days. January 10-15. This is obviously not a quality deer unit and anyone applying should know that going in so deer sighting could quite possibly be very low to non existent. I knew this and even at that was very surprised at how little deer I saw. I don't think I've ever covered more ground with boots, tires or glass. Total deer sighted were 15 if I remember right.

 

On the last day of the season I found 10 deer, one of which was a nice 3x4 buck hounding a doe. The other 8 were spotted before the sun came up and were only seen with binos. There was just enough moonlight to make out shapes and with this I didn't see anything I could turn into a legal buck. I watched them move into a massive, thick mesquite patch, this is also where the buck and doe went. Long story short I didn't kill that deer. I was just excited that I had finally done enough to just see a mature buck. I did find an old, small coues deer shed in the Victorio mountains so at least at one time there was at least one buck in there.

 

I spent 2 days scouting in December as well as the hunt I was on. During that trip I saw 2 small bucks and about 15 does. I never saw those bucks during the hunt and I think the does I saw were the some of the same ones I saw hunting.

 

For what its worth I covered ALOT of ground during midday and during the scouting trip. I looked at any and all water holes I could find. Some being very remote. Through all this I only found deer tracks around 2 water tanks. That was very surprising. If you still choose to use this as a application choice you might want to consider a rifle to make the most of the only shot you might get and be prepared to hike and glass ALOT! I'm strictly a bowhunter so I won't be going this route.

 

Something else of note is the illegal activity. Seems almost every crease in the landscape from Hwy 9 north to Hwy 10 has been used or is currently in use as a staging area. At one point I was hunting the Carrazarillo mountains. These mountains stradle the border and you didn't have to get far off the road to start seeing all the signs or illegal traffic. The farther you go obviously the worse it gets. On the way out I was stopped by Border Patrol on the border road. When I told the officer where I was hunting he visibly cringed, asked if I was alone, then told me that was not a good place to hunt solo. He also told me I'm lucky my truck wasn't vandalized or stolen. I don't know if he was being over dramatic but I thought about it and it makes sense. You don't know who those people are, how long they've been there and how desparate they are. They might start to think they've come all this way and now this gringo is going to turn them in, there's nobody around, he's got a set of wheels and maybe some cash...now I'm being overdramatic but you just never know.

[aaronjo2324]

I'm surprised that you didn't see more deer in the Carrazarillo Hills....I hunted javelina there a couple years ago and I saw over 10 deer and one monster buck in only about 2 hours of being out there. I had the same experience with border patrol though. In one of the saddles that I crossed over I saw make shift campsites with tons of empty water bottles and empty cans and got a bit uneasy. By the time I got back to the truck, there was a border patrol agent waiting there and he told me the same thing, that I shouldn't be out there alone, etc. I thought about going back and hunting it for deer but after I saw how much illegal traffic was in the area I decided against it.

[BRYCE CANYON]

I thought I'd follow up on this thread with my experience in this unit just incase somebody ever does a google search for it like I did looking for info.

 

I hunted mulies out there for 6 days. January 10-15. This is obviously not a quality deer unit and anyone applying should know that going in so deer sighting could quite possibly be very low to non existent. I knew this and even at that was very surprised at how little deer I saw. I don't think I've ever covered more ground with boots, tires or glass. Total deer sighted were 15 if I remember right.

 

On the last day of the season I found 10 deer, one of which was a nice 3x4 buck hounding a doe. The other 8 were spotted before the sun came up and were only seen with binos. There was just enough moonlight to make out shapes and with this I didn't see anything I could turn into a legal buck. I watched them move into a massive, thick mesquite patch, this is also where the buck and doe went. Long story short I didn't kill that deer. I was just excited that I had finally done enough to just see a mature buck. I did find an old, small coues deer shed in the Victorio mountains so at least at one time there was at least one buck in there.

 

I spent 2 days scouting in December as well as the hunt I was on. During that trip I saw 2 small bucks and about 15 does. I never saw those bucks during the hunt and I think the does I saw were the some of the same ones I saw hunting.

 

For what its worth I covered ALOT of ground during midday and during the scouting trip. I looked at any and all water holes I could find. Some being very remote. Through all this I only found deer tracks around 2 water tanks. That was very surprising. If you still choose to use this as a application choice you might want to consider a rifle to make the most of the only shot you might get and be prepared to hike and glass ALOT! I'm strictly a bowhunter so I won't be going this route.

 

Something else of note is the illegal activity. Seems almost every crease in the landscape from Hwy 9 north to Hwy 10 has been used or is currently in use as a staging area. At one point I was hunting the Carrazarillo mountains. These mountains stradle the border and you didn't have to get far off the road to start seeing all the signs or illegal traffic. The farther you go obviously the worse it gets. On the way out I was stopped by Border Patrol on the border road. When I told the officer where I was hunting he visibly cringed, asked if I was alone, then told me that was not a good place to hunt solo. He also told me I'm lucky my truck wasn't vandalized or stolen. I don't know if he was being over dramatic but I thought about it and it makes sense. You don't know who those people are, how long they've been there and how desparate they are. They might start to think they've come all this way and now this gringo is going to turn them in, there's nobody around, he's got a set of wheels and maybe some cash...now I'm being overdramatic but you just never know.

Thanks for the update. Not sure what is going on with New Mexicos deer herd but you hear a lot of reports like this all over the state.

[Benbrown]

I thought I'd follow up on this thread with my experience in this unit just incase somebody ever does a google search for it like I did looking for info.

 

I hunted mulies out there for 6 days. January 10-15. This is obviously not a quality deer unit and anyone applying should know that going in so deer sighting could quite possibly be very low to non existent. I knew this and even at that was very surprised at how little deer I saw. I don't think I've ever covered more ground with boots, tires or glass. Total deer sighted were 15 if I remember right.

 

On the last day of the season I found 10 deer, one of which was a nice 3x4 buck hounding a doe. The other 8 were spotted before the sun came up and were only seen with binos. There was just enough moonlight to make out shapes and with this I didn't see anything I could turn into a legal buck. I watched them move into a massive, thick mesquite patch, this is also where the buck and doe went. Long story short I didn't kill that deer. I was just excited that I had finally done enough to just see a mature buck. I did find an old, small coues deer shed in the Victorio mountains so at least at one time there was at least one buck in there.

 

I spent 2 days scouting in December as well as the hunt I was on. During that trip I saw 2 small bucks and about 15 does. I never saw those bucks during the hunt and I think the does I saw were the some of the same ones I saw hunting.

 

For what its worth I covered ALOT of ground during midday and during the scouting trip. I looked at any and all water holes I could find. Some being very remote. Through all this I only found deer tracks around 2 water tanks. That was very surprising. If you still choose to use this as a application choice you might want to consider a rifle to make the most of the only shot you might get and be prepared to hike and glass ALOT! I'm strictly a bowhunter so I won't be going this route.

 

Something else of note is the illegal activity. Seems almost every crease in the landscape from Hwy 9 north to Hwy 10 has been used or is currently in use as a staging area. At one point I was hunting the Carrazarillo mountains. These mountains stradle the border and you didn't have to get far off the road to start seeing all the signs or illegal traffic. The farther you go obviously the worse it gets. On the way out I was stopped by Border Patrol on the border road. When I told the officer where I was hunting he visibly cringed, asked if I was alone, then told me that was not a good place to hunt solo. He also told me I'm lucky my truck wasn't vandalized or stolen. I don't know if he was being over dramatic but I thought about it and it makes sense. You don't know who those people are, how long they've been there and how desparate they are. They might start to think they've come all this way and now this gringo is going to turn them in, there's nobody around, he's got a set of wheels and maybe some cash...now I'm being overdramatic but you just never know.

Thanks for the update. Not sure what is going on with New Mexicos deer herd but you hear a lot of reports like this all over the state.

It's the ongoing drought. If it ever starts raining again for a few years in a row, the mule deer will come back and the whitetails will increase in abundance, as well. Judging by the Climas reports out of the U of A, I may not live to see it, though.

[naturebob]

Was watching some national news today, and some scientists are saying theres a great chance for El Nino next winter. I only hope. Should be good precip. with it. Hope critters thru out the southwest make it till then. Need an early monsoon too......BOB!

[Aunt Jemima]

The Carazarrillo and Tres Hermanas are great looking places for desert mulies. I didn't hit the Tres Hermanas until my javie hunt but thats a place that deserves a better look.

 

I wouldn't mind another go at the Carazarillos some day but I'd definately do it with a sidearm and partner. Chances are nothing happens but, it only takes once.

[hogs]

Anyone hunted the east side of this unit for mulie?

Looking at getting a leftover archery tag but 2013s harvest was a dismal 5%

The other options I'm looking at are 21 for Mulies and 24 for coues only tag. This will be my first year bow hunting so I would like to stick to the easier mule but 24 had a 31% whitetail harvest for 2013, though some does we're taken. Is there a lot of white tail in that unit or something? Any tips on my options?

Thanks for your help