Recent Scouting Trip

[BML]

Spent the day scouting for my coues hunt in unit 21 this October. I am fairly new to this unit, even though I live pretty close to it. Last year was the first time I had hunted it for deer and, somehow, I was lucky enough to draw the December tag. I spent 7 days scouting before the hunt, but could only hunt the first 5 days of the hunt. In those 12 days, I saw a total of 8 deer. I passed on a little spike on the 5th day of the hunt. I had him in the scope at a mere 75 yards, but just couldn't pull the trigger. They don't get to be big when you shoot 'em that young! Needless to say, the deer won big time last year.

 

So far, I am not having much luck this year either. Today, I made my trek into an area that I didn't make it to last year. The fact that it's 36 miles on a dirt road just to get there has been a big deterrent! I didn't see a deer one, but I imagine they are there somewhere. Here are a couple pics.

 

 

 

 

You can't really tell, but there are two nice canyons in this pic that separate the ridges. There wasn't any water in the bottoms, but behind where I glassed from there are a few tanks with water in them.

 

I am open to suggestions on how to hunt this area. I am no coues expert, but it looked like good coues country to me. Any thoughts??

 

 

I still have one more area that I am going to check out, but it will be between those two spots come opening weekend.

[azryan]

I love the look of that country...I would def be hunting that if I had that tag. As far as the deer in the area...there has to be plenty in there..but it could be one of those great looking spots with very little deer...I would keep trying that spot if I were you....good luck

[wklman]

i'd glass right below them rocky bluffs on those furthest mountains. bucks tend to bed below them in the shade.

[bmf1321]

looks like good country and sounds like it could be productive with water being nearby. Hike the canyon and glass every drainage on the way around. You will find something.

[GreyGhost85]

maybe try to glass some of the higher country....those pics look great, but may be a little bit low for coues...especially with as hot as it still is....try glassing the higher, more shaded draws...

[SilentButDeadly]

Walk to those tanks, look for prints. Go walking in those shaded cuts, you might find a bed, scat, prints, or even a shed.

 

Keep your binos around your neck, and your head up, watch for little white flags 200-700 yards out ahead of you bounding over the next ridge. I 'jump up' probably 90% of the Coues I find just hiking through the hills.

[NRS]

I have found more whitetail at the higher elevations of unit 21, usually where they have more permanent water in areas like Pine Mountain Wilderness, and Cedar Bench wilderness. With that said, I have also seen them near Black Canyon City in the canyons below Perry Mesa. Every thing in between is pretty much carp country.

[TwoGuns]

BML, I will be taking my brother into unit 21 on the 26th of oct. and looking for some bucks as well. what will you be driving? maybe we wii run into each other.

[BML]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I appreciate it. I will be back out both of the next two weekends before my hunt. Hopefully I will have some scenery pics with deer in them!

 

Two Guns,

 

We will either be in my black Silverado Crew Cab or my dad's black Dodge Quad Cab. More than likely, my truck since my dad's truck is such a rough ride. What will you be driving?