My First Coues Hunt - 27/28

[wannahunt]

This all began 2 years ago when I started putting in for the Unit 27/28 December hunt; I was determined that I would make this hunt my first coues hunt. Well I was able to draw the hunt for the 2013 hunting season, and a happy man I was. Now I knew that there was a lot of work to be done if I was going to shoot myself a nice buck.

 

I started scouting, looking at maps and asking a few people that had knowledge of the area. Scouting led me on long hikes and hours looking through the optics, though I hadn't really seen too many of the elusive coues deer.

 

Here are a few pictures of some of the smaller bucks that I saw when I was out scouting.

 

 

 

 

 

I saw a few out on my first scouting trip which were nice and I kept that area in mind. Hunting season was just around the corner and I had finally decided where to set up camp and the general area that I was wanting to hunt. I invited my father along to share the experience with me.

 

It was decided that we would arrive at the camping location two days prior to the opening day to get set up, and spend the next day seeing what the deer are doing, and then hit opening day hard. That was the plan anyway..

 

 

So here is the camp, we were prepared for some cold weather.

 

 

 

 

So we got set up and my dad wasn't feeling well the next day. He opted to stay at the camp and I would head out and check on some areas that were of interest to me. I wasn't seeing much and decided to check out another spot. I thought that I should check up on ole dad, I sent him a message and he was feeling better and ready to check out some of these deer. (he is from NV so there aren't coues deer up there).

 

We hopped in the truck and did a little roadside glassing. Saw a few coues and a few mule deer, as the day progressed into the evening the traffic was increasing with trailers and hunters. The next day we came back to the last area that we saw deer, and we went on a long rough hike. Kicked up a few doe, did some serious glassing. Hiked back and called the day kinda early in the evening.

 

While at camp we were liking what we were seeing during that hike, and thought it would be wise to return there, though maybe find a different way in. We found a different way in and it was a long hike as well, though there was not as steep terrain on this section. As we had hiking in there we found that we were sitting on the mother load of coues deer. There was doe running around and smaller bucks everywhere;

 

 

where were the big ones though??

 

After moving to get a different view point of what we were glassing, my dad had finally spotted what I have been looking for! These deer were at the least a mile out and through some pretty rough terrain. We noticed that there were a few nice ones in there, and came to the conclusion that it was too late in the day to go after them at this point. We came up with a plan which detailed our over to there.

 

The next day we started our hike in, kicking up little bucks on the way in. Deer everywhere!! Though my focus was set on getting in where these larger ones were. We had spotted the deer and we had hiked in with hopes of taking one of these monsters down. They had other plans though and decided to get out while they could.

 

Needless to say we spent the rest of our time (1 week) up there hunting these deer and couldn't seem to get to a vantage point to where I could take a shot. Time was coming to an end and we had to head home, it was a blast having my dad there with me.

 

My dad headed back to NV, and I had a few days of work to attend, christmas after that. I plead my case to the wife after christmas. I knew that I had to head back out there and see what these deer are doing and maybe shoot one. Just maybe though, they are tricky animals...

 

The wife gave in and out I went for another few days of hunting. I thought that I would pick up right where I left off.

 

 

 

 

After my first day out I had noticed that there were not as many of the smaller deer running around through the area. I was still on a mission for a nice buck, though I was having a hard time finding them, I only had three days to hunt so I was hiking in early and hiking out late. I had spotted them, they were moving in closer to where all the doe were at and probably had pushed the smaller bucks out.

 

Still not being able to get close to these animals I had a half day of hunting left. My last day would consist of the morning hours being hunted and then driving back to phoenix.

 

I hiked in in the morning and decided to take a different route to my normal glassing points. I made it to the first glassing point where I could view a pond and 2 ridges, I glassed there and turned around and clipped the pack nice and tight was ready to continue my journey.

 

As luck would have it... I was then staring right at a nice buck that had no clue I was a little less than 50 yds away. I drew the gun, aimed low, released the safety and squeezed a round off. I had done it!! I dropped my first coues dead in his tracks. I walked over to it and just smiled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to quarter this buck, and pack him out... alone.

 

 

This was surely one of the finest hunts I had been on. I am glad that I was able to spend so much time out there and spend it with my dad. I wish he could have been there for the kill and especially the pack out. Haha.

 

The deer scored 107 3/4.

 

I took the deer in for the Euro Mount, this is how it turned out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trphyhntr]

cool looking area to be hunting in. great buck too

[Kaffer62]

Wow. Great job!!

[Couestracker]

Very very awesome hunt, story and deer! Huge congrats on a fantastic buck.

[trophyhnter]

Great writeup! Congrats on a great buck! What luck.....two years to get a December tag and a great buck 50 yards away! Sounds like you really earned this buck....next time your dad will be with you!

[CouesPursuit]

Fantastic write up and first Coues! Great job!

[bonecollector]

That is a great buck and nice write up along with all your pics.

[ScottAdams]

Great story and buck! I love that hunt and just knowing it was around here makes it that much more interesting. You have set the mark high for yourself with a 107 inch buck right off the bat! Stop by next time you're through Morenci.

[OpticNerd]

Congrats on your first coues. You did extremely well for your first buck. Love the G3s on that bad boy!

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations again Jeff on an awesome buck! Even though it was your first coues you did your homework and worked hard for your buck. It's nice to have some good luck on your side once in a while but it wouldn't of happened if you weren't out there pounding the hills. It will be fun trying to top your buck and that journey will be a blast.

[280REM]

Congrats!!! 107 inchers are rare enough but to get one that is a 4x4, well that is just incredible!!!

 

next step is a non-typ!

[Apache7mm]

Wow! Some serious g3's, way to get it done.

 

DAN

[papa]

Super nice buck! along with a great story.

[bowelk341]

Congratulations, nice buck.

[Coues Kid]

Great story and pics awesome buck congrats.