35B October hunt

[Ingy Creedmoor]

I got drawn for antlered whitetail in 35B for the hunt that starts the 25th of October.  I have never been on a big game hunt before, new to hunting in general.  I have a few friends I'm trying to pick things up from and doing as much online research as I can on 35B and Coues hunting in general.  Everything I can find online about Coues in 35B specifically is 5-15 years old.  

I went to scout this past weekend in 35B and didn't see much.  About 5-10 does and a fawn but no bucks.  This was my first time scouting for deer and my first time in 35B so I'm not sure if this is what I should expect or what?  Anybody got any good suggestions on locations to look at with a higher concentration of bucks?  Are they just harder to find because they stay bedded more than the does?  Any suggestions on good locations to scout or techniques would be very helpful.  I've heard the glass, glass, glass suggestion so no need to repeat that.  Glassing is pretty much my only technique so far, lol.

[Quagmire]

Try getting more scouting trips out there until your hunt begins to get yourself familiar with terrain, roads etc. This will also get you more practice on glassing and getting to know what these deer like to do at different times of day. With more time out there, you will find bucks!

[Ingy Creedmoor]

Thanks, yeah I plan on making it down there as much as I can before the hunt.  Last weekend I was between the Patagonia mountains and the Nogales airport.  Thinking of trying a little further south next time (east of Kino Springs), then the east side of the mountains after that.

[AZAV8ER]

Lots of bucks between the Canelo hills and the Harshaw RD south of Patagonia and north of the Valley.

 

[yotebuster]

If you’re seeing does and not bucks you need to look in the same type of country but get further off the road.  Bucks that live by the road have a short shelf life.  Most people think bucks are smarter then does but it’s more that they just get killed when they live by the road and they don’t when they live a ways off the road.  

[Ingy Creedmoor]

6 hours ago, AZAV8ER said:

Lots of bucks between the Canelo hills and the Harshaw RD south of Patagonia and north of the Valley.

 

I will check that area out, thanks.

 

6 hours ago, yotebuster said:

If you’re seeing does and not bucks you need to look in the same type of country but get further off the road.  Bucks that live by the road have a short shelf life.  Most people think bucks are smarter then does but it’s more that they just get killed when they live by the road and they don’t when they live a ways off the road.  

Yeah, I was a ways off the highway, but not too far from the dirt road I was on.  It was my first scouting trip to the unit so I mainly just glassed a couple tanks that were near the roads and drove around a bunch to get a feel for the area.

[CatfishKev]

Are you glassing with a tripod? 

[NewlyMinted]

It's my first big game hunt this October too, in a different unit. 

I first drove all the roads and 4x4 trails I could find to get an idea of the landscape and build a map with my favorite GPS app.

I marked all the water and noted any hills (near and far) that would give me good views in a lot of directions.

I poured over the USGS maps of the area and came up with specific hikes to take on the weekends to this hills noting proximity to roads and trails beyond my approach

I'm still making mistakes but am finally (after months) seeing bucks and no evidence of people.

It's a lot of fun out there! Enjoy it and post updates of the stuff you find!!

Ed

 

[Eagle mountain ranch]

1 hour ago, CatfishKev said:

Are you glassing with a tripod? 

^^^ this ^^^ 

[Ingy Creedmoor]

I have a tripod and a pair of 15x50 viper HD’s.  The one time I was in the unit I was with my wife so I didn’t spend hours glassing or anything.  We mostly drove around to get a feel for the area, only spent 30 min or so glassing the areas around some watering holes I found and a couple other spots with good vantage points.

I plan on doing some 4x4ing tomorrow to get more of a feel of the different areas and check some more of the places I marked in my online scouting.  I’d like to find 2-3 good spots so when the hunt comes I can go to different places if one of my spots is already occupied.

Once I have some spots I will probably do more camping and hiking in to see if I can find some good spots away from the road.  Lots to do before October.

[CatfishKev]

Sounds like you are on the right path.  Read up on some threads on glassing and good luck.