100%DIYazCOUES Report post Posted January 1, 2015 I was lucky enough to draw a late coues tag this year after only bow hunting for the past few years,so I spent a lot of time scouting areas more suitable for rifle hunting this year.I found a few remote areas I liked and impatiently waited for December. I focused on one particular area for 9 of the 11 days I hunted,made the hike in every day before light,glassed all day and hiked out after dark.I saw a ton of deer every day,usually 4-6 bucks a day,mostly small to medium bucks at first.it was neat to watch the rut progress day by day,from young bucks poking around then chasing by around Christmas,to the more mature bucks starting to appear after Christmas. I'd never seen it every day like that,very cool. I am not a trophy hunter,and especially with a bow,any buck with a decent fork or bigger is a shooter to me.but I decided to take the next step in my hunting and really go for a bigger buck this year with the tag I had.I passed on literally dozens of opportunities over the first week of the hunt including a few bucks I wouldve usually shot,the biggest being about an 80" 2x3.then one morning I glassed up a nice 3x4 bedded down in a great spot.It was the opportunity I'd been patiently waiting for and I went on the stalk.I got within 200 yards but before I got set up for the shot the doe he was with got up and moved off and of course he followed.I had no choice but to take a crouching offhand shot...miss...miss...and off he ran.what a letdown! I spent the next few days kicking myself for blowing it.i was still hunting hard but glassing up only small bucks didnt help me forget. On the 28th I made a stalk on a buck but got busted as I got close. I decided to go to a different are the next day. The following afternoon I found myself a few ridges further in then I'd ever been in that area.about 2 I glassed deer a couple more ridges in.I moved in for a closer look and saw a good buck pushing does probably 1000 yards away near the top of a rugged,cliffy ridge.I moved in to 230 yards,got set up and as soon as I found him in my scope he skirted the ridge.I decided to go up and over the ridge to try to cut him off.when I got there I found myself on a sheer cliff on a nasty rough hillside.almost immediately I picked him up about 250 yards away looking at me.I used the top of an 80 foot cliff as my rest and shot down about 50 degrees at him.he went down,got up and stumbled to a rock and bedded down.he did the head nod for a minute then laid his head down.it was getting dark so I went,got my pack,and went to find him.he was gone! I could not believe it.i was absolutely sick.I had no choice but to start the long hard hike out in the dark. I didn't sleep that night. The next morning my dad and I went back in.couldn't find him.I was just starting to lose hope when at about 2 my dad whistled and pointed down.he had moved down hill and piled up between a ledge and a big rock.I am so lucky that we found him,I've never been so relieved in my life.the many mile hike out with a heavy pack was great!he's not a monster,but he's my best buck so far,and he was hard earned. I'm not much into scores but he taped at 96 even for those who are interested. What a great,challenging coues hunt! I love it! Sorry for the long story....I'll post some pictures in a minute. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
100%DIYazCOUES Report post Posted January 1, 2015 I have a few more good ones but I gotta get them from my camera to my phone...the first 2 pictures are how we found him 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 1, 2015 Very cool buck. I hate the thought of losing a buck, I'm glad it worked out and you found him. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4Falls Report post Posted January 1, 2015 Very pretty buck. Good work. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AverageJoe Report post Posted January 1, 2015 "I had no choice but to take a crouching offhand shot...miss...miss...and off he ran" I thought you said you absolutely dont shoot unless you know you are 100 percent sure you will hit the heart or lungs? Sorry But I had to give you some crap over that one...lol that being said, nice buck for sure! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues29 Report post Posted January 1, 2015 Beautiful buck! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
100%DIYazCOUES Report post Posted January 1, 2015 Yes average Joe I missed.I am never 100% I'll hit heart or lungs but I felt pretty good about it at the time.looking back it wasn't the best shot I've ever decided to take,but I always appreciate when people write about their mistakes and failures,not just their successes and good decisions,so I included my own mistake in the story. Looking back I should've just let him go and maybe tried to find him again.but I didn't.live and learn. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottAdams Report post Posted January 1, 2015 Very nice buck!! Cool story!! Congratulations!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cola Blanca Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Congrats, that is a nice buck and a great write up! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Green Bullet Report post Posted January 2, 2015 beauty! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madx250 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Great write up and beautiful buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huntinfanatic Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Great buck! Glad you stuck with it until you found him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MULEPACKHUNTER Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Very interested on how the meat was? Just want to know for future reference. Hope it was cool enough you didn't lose any? Also congrats great deer and outcome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Congrats again on a great buck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
