Coues densities in 24A, then and now

[bowsniper]

Hey guys,

 

I have been studying the coues distribution/density map on Amanda's site (great website, Amanda!). Do you think that the high density areas indicated on the 1990 map of the coues distribution areas in 24A is still reasonably accurate? The reason that I'm questioning it is that the current G&F coues harvest objectives for 24A don't really indicate a high density population for that unit , so much as other units like 33, 32, or 34A. Those units are indicated on the map as high densities, and also currently have a large G&F harvest objective (400+). But 24A only has a harvest objective of around 100. What do you think?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

 

PS:

 

I am new to the forum. I'm a fairly inexperienced bow hunter, with no coues kills, rifle of bow. I have spent the last few weeks reading almost all of the archives on the forum. Wow, what a great source of knowledge! I have learned more about coues in the last few weeks reading your old posts than I probably could ever learn on my own in a lifetime. Anyway, thank you all for educating me about Mr. Coues. I was also impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone on the forum. I must have read a hundred "newbie, where to hunt?" posts in the archives, and every time you guys patiently direct the guy to the G&F website. Dimondbackaz, I must have seen your patient answer post "It is difficult to give you the advice on where to hunt since ........" over a hundred times!

 

I spent 8 days of the August/September archery hunt sitting a tree stand in 6A and only saw a button and a couple of does. I'm sure that I did a lot of things wrong, but probably the worst was not being where the coues were. So for the rut hunt, I started studying the deer density map, converted that to a unit map, (not easy with only county lines) and compared it to the info on the G&F website and the G&F harvest objective numbers. I'm hoping this will get me to good densities. I'm not so worried about getting the monster since this would be my first coues, just density. From there I've been hitting the tire rubber and shoe leather. I was down in the Galiuro Mountains last weekend. Galiuro Mountain Man, I would love nothing more than to hunt down in your neck of the woods, but the place is 5 hours and $60 in gas away from me, and I decided that I just didn't have the time and money it would take to really get to know the area well. That's why I'm looking at 24A, it's a lot closer for me to get to every weekend. I should probably start archery deer hunting by chasing carp, but I just can't resist the coues!

 

Thanks again for the great forum!

[Rembrant]

Mr Sniper,

I like your attitude. Where do you call home?

Mike

[More D]

Sounds like you ahead of the game and are going to do well and have a great time doing it too!!

 

 

I am sure some one hear has already but, WELCOME!

 

 

 

[bowsniper]

Thanks! I live in North Phoenix, so that's why I was hunting in 6A. I still think 6A has coues potenital, but there is no archery rut hunt, so that's why I'm headed south.

 

Mark

[TAM]

I've never hunted 24a so I can'g give you much advise on the area. What I can tell you is that the majority of archery hunters that consistently harvest coues deer with there bows will usually do so by hunting over water during the early hunt, or treestand hunting over salt or scrapes during the late hunt. Go scout the area and find some good pockets where deer activity is high and dump some salt in a secluded spot with a good tree. Once the deer start hitting your salt get a trail camera and set it out over the salt and you can see what's coming in. Don't worry if only does are coming in that will usually change once the rut starts. It's awful late in the year to be starting a salt lick that will be productive for this year, but it's never to early to start one for next year. Once you have a good salt lick going keep tending it and you will have a productive area for years to come.

[CouesWhitetail]

Bowsniper,

 

I live in 24A and have spent a fair amount of time hunting around here. There is an excellent density of Coues deer. In fact one of the areas I hunt I call "the deer farm" because I see so many deer. It may not be as high as in the early 90's but it is still doing well. As far as the number of tags available, you should note that 24A only has a Dec rifle hunt for Coues whereas the other units you mentioned have additional hunts in Oct and Nov. I like that 24A is only a Dec hunt and I guess I figured that a wildlife manager set it up that way to preserve some of it's trophy potential, but I don't know the history of why there is only a Dec hunt here. Anyone else know?

 

Amanda

[Rembrant]

Region VI has the stratified hunts because the deer herds can handle it. This is because this part of the state gets more rain, has better fawn recruitment and stronger numbers consistantly.

Region V is more North and West in the state, does not get quite as much rain as Region VI, and does not hold the strong numbers of whitetail as well.

The Dept to date has not held the stratified hunts in Region V.

I am not Game and Fish, but I have herd that sometimes the Dept has kicked around the idea of opening up Region V to more hunts and that (you are right, Amanda) the Wildlife Managers have fought this to maintain the quality in the units they are responsible for.

Mike

[KGAINES]

Welcome to the site Bowsniper,

I have to add one thing about 6a since you mentioned it, I was talking to a guy at his job( I am a field service tech.) about hunting and he said that his boss had some of his trophies at work, we went into his office and he had two walls full of deer and a couple of elk, he had several very nice coues racks, he asked if I had been drawn and I told him I had a21 dec. tag, he said he had one too, and then he asked if I had any spots that were good, I said not yet but it looked like he did, he told me he had taken all his coues in 6a in pretty much the same location since the early 80's until now, so don't give up on 6a.

Good luck and God bless

[az4life]

Welcome to the forum. I also appreciate a "newbie" that does thier legwork viewing the old posts before jumping in. It sort of gets you aquainted with the group members and the Tone of the board before you jump in.

 

Definitely a good group here, and wish you good luck on your 24a hunt

 

By the way, 6a for coues... HMMM seems like I've seen a bunch of them in and around the west clear creek wilderness area. N and S of the highway.

 

See YA

[bowsniper]

Thanks for all your comments. I'm headed off this weekend to find my sweet spot.

[bowsniper]

My eight year old and I had a good day scouting in 24A. Not only did we find lots of whitetail sign, but we found Amanda too! We were driving down a dirt road when we came up behind a SUV with a CouesWhitetail.com decal. I pulled up along side to talk to them and it was Amanda and her husband. Small world! Anyway, I set up one game camera and started one salt lick, although from what you guys said, it maybe too late for this season. Anyway, scouting and hunting near Globe gives me an excuse to hit my favorite Mexican restaurant every weekend!

 

Later

[az4life]

Indeed A Small world it is!

 

Hope you had a good chat! Amanda arguably knows more about these deer than almost anyone and she shares her knowledge. She even set up a website for it.

 

OOPs I guess that is what you call a full circle!

[Rembrant]

I like eating at Del Rey.

Mike

[CouesWhitetail]

Yeah, it was great to have someone pull up and say "hey you on the forum? I am bowsniper". Of course I knew who it was immediately since we had just posted about 24A.

 

Anyway, I always enjoy meeting people who frequent the site, so if you guys ever see me out somewhere, stop and say hello! Even if it's just leaving a note on my car.

 

Amanda

[bowsniper]

Hey Mike,

 

would that be "El Rey", a shabby looking place on the North side of 60 about midway through town?

 

Mark