Success in 23

[Guest AZ>NMcouesaddict]

I'm not sure how many pics. each post can hold so I'll break it up. First of all, I found a big buck about four weeks ago while scouting in the northern portion of the unit. My wife and I could not count points from the distance we were watching him. Matter of fact, I was arguing with another fella that was after the huge bull that lived in the same drainage about whether it was a coues or muley. I let him win the argument in hopes he would not tell anyone. I made it back the day before the season started and located him about 300 yards away from where I first found him and I was able to close the distance to about 1000 yards. Close enough to judge him better but not to close to scare him off. I watched him for close to two hours until he bedded then backed out. I'm not the best scorer but my guess was at least 100". His inside spread was beyond his ear span, great tine length, and long main beams. My only fear was the country this dude lived in. He spent majority of the time in the pines and brush and only crossed the open hillside to get to his bedding area. The problem was trying to get close enough for a shot. To be on the same hill as him would put me in too thick of brush to find him. There were just not any good spots to be. Anyways, opening morning found my brother and I glassing in the same spot. About 15 minutes later my brother picked him up, unforturnately he was heading the opposite way. He acted as though he knew something was not right. We just watched him head to his hideaway that was unhuntable due to the thickness of the drainage. I spent the rest of the day in the pines on the backside of this ridge. I was able to jump several deer including a massive buck that I only got a split second look at. We did not want this buck moving over the hill so we spent Sun. along the N side of the San Fran. All we could turn up there was does and spikes. We did watch a beautiful full curl ram with four other sheep and we watch a coatimundi get his hair ripped out by three other coatis. Those little dude were kicking the #$?@ out of the other guy. On Monday we returned to the honey hole and found the big buck with six other bucks. Some of the other bucks were very nice but once again they knew we were there. There was nothing we could do but watched them all head into there hiding spot. On Tuesday we went south of Mule creek and only found does and two beautiful muleys but no bucks. Wednesday found us in the same spot waiting for the bucks to come out of the pines. I was able to glass to seperate bucks near the top of the mountain. My only chance was to move fast and close the distance before they were able to crest the ridge. Well, it worked and I took one of the smaller bucks that was with the big guy. It's a small buck but I can't remember being so glad to harvest a deer. This was one of the most difficult hunts I have been on, primarily due to the steepness and thickness of the country these deer were living in.

 

Here's a photo from a long ways off, free handed through the binos of the deer we were chasing. It only gives you an idea of his frame. It's to blurry to see points.

 

Here's the mountain that we chased these deer around. It looks small and gentle in the pictures, but due to the steepness, thickness, and the loose rock, it took my brother and I 2.5 hours to hunt to the top.

 

Here's the end result.

 

I think everyone would be more successful if they had a brother as dedicated as mine. I was ready to give up after the third day, but he kept me going.

 

 

 

 

The pack out

[jamaro]

Dude.. Great job...

 

Jason

[WFGinNM]

That is great, I really like how having the pictures give you a better feel for the hunt and add to the feeling of being there. I'm dying to head back south and at least do some antler hunting just so I can be back in coues country. Maybe I'll find some time to pack up the dogs and head south to do some lion hiking.

 

Congrats,

--Bill

[shortpants]

Congrats on a well deserved buck. He may not be the big one but he's got some character on the right side.

[fatfootdoc]

Congratulations!!

Nice buck you got there! At least you know that big one will probably be there next year! AG

[COOSEFAN]

Very nice buck, nice character! That pic of your big buck looks like he's a toad! Go get him next year! JIM>

[Ron G.]

Congratulations on a great buck. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

Ron

[Jordan H.]

congrats on the buck looks like you had one heck of a hunt

[ScottAdams]

Way to go!! Unit 23 is not the easiest of Coues units. In fact it's a very difficult area to hunt and you did well. I'm glad your brother was able to keep you motivated. A very nice buck even if you do consider him a consolation prize. Sweet!!!!

 

Remember: Never Give Up!!!

 

[Guest AZ>NMcouesaddict]

Thanks for all the comments. Thanks for the advice Scott. I'm already trying to decide if I want to apply for 23 next year. I do like the rugged thick country and I know it hides some whoppers, I think I get so excited for hunting season that I wear myself out to fast. I usually hike the tallest, steepest, thickest mountain I can find on the first day, which usually blows my legs for the next two days. I was excited about unit 23 because I had seen some good country while hunting in AZ unit 27 last year. I thought the area I hunted last year was tough, but it didn't hold a candle to this year. But I do know that big one is there and I hope to be able to turn him up next year. I do fornate that I was able to harvest this buck and consider him one of my top trophies for the effort it took to get him. Best of all, I ruined only a couple ounces of meat so there was plenty left for the table.

[azcouesandelk]

Very nice deer. Sounds like you saw a lot of bucks and had a great time with your brother. Congrats man.