loco4coues Report post Posted October 19, 2017 My son Tanner (15) and my nephew, Zach (13) were lucky enough to draw the Unit 22 any antlered deer tag. The boys were excited and so were their fathers. We divided the available time we had between scouting trips and shooting trips. The boys were shooting well and we discussed repeatedly the importance of controlling their breathing and slowly squeezing the trigger to ensure hits on target. Scouting trips had not yielded many deer but we had located two unique bucks that we decided would be our targets for opening day. The bucks we coues deer and each sported a typical 3 point frame on one side and a spike and drop club points, respectively, on the other side. At first light on Thursday morning (day before the opener) we were in position, perched above the saddle and bowl that our target bucks frequented. After only a few minutes behind the glass, my brother located the two bucks as one of them stood from his bed. The bucks fed below is at just over 400 yards and as the sun rose the bucks fed to the west and into the thick brush and shade. We were excited to have located the bucks but I was a little apprehensive regarding our plan of attack. If the bucks cooperated and reappeared where they had been this morning, then they would be in a good position for us to close the distance and get a shot. If the bucks did not reappear in the saddle or in the bowl then we would not be able to see them from our vantage point. The rest of the day yielded a few does and fawns. With no better options we planned to be sitting above the saddle on opening morning. Long story short, the bucks did not appear. We moved locations and attacked that area from multiple angles and vantage points but to no avail. Only does and a massive mountain lion were located. The lion was on the move and over a mile and a half away. We called a buddy and after discussing some options, we decided to hike off the mountain and go to another location for the evening hunt. Several hours later and in a completely different part of the unit, we found ourselves driving into some great country that we had not hunted for a few years. We were excited as this area holds both mule deer and coues deer and we hoped that would increase our odds. We had not yet parked the truck, when my dad spotted some deer on a nearby ridge. We scrambled from the truck, grabbed binos, packs and guns and worked our way down the ridge to sit down and relocate the deer. I quickly spotted two mule deer bucks across the ravine. One bedded and another feeding only yards away. The bucks were ranged at 425 yards. We got the boys set up and were hoping for a double. Tanner shot first at the feeding buck and missed just high over his back. Zach took a deep breath and hammered the bedded buck; the buck never stood up. Tanner fired two more shots at the standing buck before he slowly moved over the ridge top. The excitement and adrenaline rush was high. Tanner was disappointed but also excited for his cousin for making such a great shot. While taking care of Zachs buck and hiking back to the truck we all told Tanner stories of the many times we had missed bucks and our other silly mistakes. We assured him he would have another chance and that he would make it happen when the chance came. The next morning we circled way around and positioned ourselves to glass the opposite side of the mountains we had tasted success on the night before. It had only been light for 30 minutes and we had already located 17 does and 12 Javelina. No bucks. We kept behind the glass and continued to search all the little finger ridges and hiding places below and in front of us. At about 7:30 AM, my brother informed us he had located two coues deer bucks. The bucks were way down low and only about 100 yards from the canyon bottom, but they were up and feeding in the sun. We grabbed our gear and headdd straight for the bucks running down the slow sloping ridge we were on. We stopped and I ranged the bucks. 778 yards. We kept moving. Range them again. 525 yards. We kept moving, dived into a small canyon to the east and started creeping up the little rise that would allow us to see the bucks. Again, the adrenaline was flowing and we had been moving quickly. I told Tanner to start taking some deep breaths and focus on making a good shot. I told him the bucks would be in shooting range. As we crawled over the rise we quickly located the bucks. The bucks knew something was up and started moving up the ridge at a quick walk. Tanner got down behind the gun and located the bucks. He said he was on the lead buck and ready to shoot. As soon as the buck stopped, Tanner let it rip and hit the buck. It looked like the hit was a little far buck and the buck worked his way up the ridge a little ways before stopping again. I told Tanner to take a breath and kill the buck. Tanner shot again and the buck whipped around to the right and crashed in a bush. He didnt move again. 448 yards. It was awesome! Redemption was definitely sweet and Tanner was so excited! We had a great time and it was cool to fill tags with both species of deer. 14 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Right on. Big congratulations to both of the boys on some mighty fine bucks. Got to love some redemption! Way to go fellas. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roosevelt Mark Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Outstanding. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heat Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Way to go guys! Great bucks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldfinger78 Report post Posted October 19, 2017 Awesome congrats!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted October 20, 2017 That's awesome - Huge congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHALE Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Great job Liked the write up 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaton Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Good job boys! Also good job dad for getting them out there good looking bucks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COA Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Congrats! I always look forward to your camps 22 success stories. Well done. Good luck on your other Hunts this year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will K Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Awesome.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RackTracker Report post Posted October 20, 2017 What a great hunt! Congrats all the way around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Great job guys!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted October 20, 2017 Awesome! Huge congrats to both boys! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loco4coues Report post Posted October 25, 2017 Tanners buck all cleaned up and sitting next to his buck from last year for a comparison. Such a fun and exciting hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted October 25, 2017 Outstanding job guys! Congrats to them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
