A fun week of Arizona Coues action
Whitetail Deer
A couple does crossing the road on our way down
A couple does crossing the road on our way down
The stove was a life saver on this hunt
The stove was a life saver on this hunt
In 2015, a few buddies and I went on a Coues hunt in Arizona. Bad weather delayed our arrival and we only ended up with 3 days to hunt. On our final day, I missed a small buck at 43 yards, as my arrow sailed over his back. I’ve wanted to return ever since.
Finally this year, me and my friend Bubs (Brian by his legal name), decided to head back. On the morning of January 2nd, we landed in Phoenix and after buying tags and food, we we’re headed south in our rental. As we got to the area we wanted to camp and hunt, we were greeted by some does and a bunch of snow! What happened to the warm weather Arizona???
We get to our campsite and get the tipi set up and shoot our bows. We hit our sleep pads and await for the first morning hunt.
Day 1. After the last go around with these deer, I was determined to sit and wait instead of stalking. The plan was to scout from a far and then move in after finding some deer. Morning of day 1 found us climbing a ridge above camp and sitting behind binos and the spotter for a few hours. We saw several bucks and does, and a few real nice bucks. One in particular bumped a doe down into the bottom below us and we made a move to get in there with him.
I left Bubs watching a clearing, and went lower into the creek bottom. I found a small bench that connected 2 long ridges with several tracks in the snow and sat down. I grunted a short time later and immediately had the buck we were after headed my way. I range, and he’s at 44 yards so I draw. The next minute or so is best described as chaos. With the snow and sub 32 temps, something in my rest has frozen and it’s not coming up. In total, I attempt to draw 4 times while playing with my rest before the buck gets to 17 yards and catches my wind. Cool, but heartbreaking.
I scurry back up the hill and grab Bubs. We’ve got a game plan now to just sit still.
That afternoon we try to scout another bottom real quick but find minimal sign. We hurry back to where I called the buck in and split up about 50 yards apart. I grunt after a few minutes and it isn’t long before I hear a “Meh” come from Bubs direction and his bow go off. I see a buck flash by me with blood coming from behind his shoulder and he tips over. I round the corner and Bubs victory spikes his bow into the snow and I tackle him in celebration. His first non Illinois whitetail is laying dead and we walk towards it
Blood trail was easy, but not needed
Blood trail was easy, but not needed
I was super excited for Bubba. He’s about as solid of a guy and friend as you’ll ever find and seeing him punch his tag on day 1 made the trip for me. Anything else would just be a bonus.
Days 2 and 3 are slower. I pass a spike on day 2, and we climb higher for day 3 and see a few does close and a couple bucks on the ridge over. As we head down that night, it’s obvious from the tracks in the snow that deer were moving through where we had killed a few nights ago. We plan to return in the morning. That night, we hang out with the other group camping by us. They are some real good fellas, and this is their first big game hunt and first archery hunt. We share some backstrap with them and they feed us New York strip steaks and fried potatoes, not exactly the dinner we were expecting!
Day 4 we wake up to heavy rain. We turn the alarm off and back to the bags. It lets up a bit and we try to head out for a bit but we get soaked after 2 hours and head back to the tipi and get the stove fired up to dry out. I head back out for the afternoon and pass another spike. I plan to be back in this spot in the morning as it just feels like the right area to kill something.
Me bumming in the tipi trying to dry out during the Day 4 rain
Me bumming in the tipi trying to dry out during the Day 4 rain
Looks chilly. You guys are living the dream and kings are jealous.
Day 5 finds us back in the kill spot at daylight. I do a practice draw as I get settled in, and once again my rest has frozen and it fails to come up. We tinker with it for awhile unsuccessfully, and devise a plan that Bubs will flip it up manually as I come to full draw. We try this and I do a practice shot and all seems to work. Still I’m not real confident in my equipment at the moment. Bubs tells me I’m going to kill a buck at 9:45, and I respond with something about him being full of crap. He’s also on rangefinder duty if it’s needed.
At 9:42 we see a doe come running down the hill. It’s obvious she’s being chased. If there’s one thing a couple Midwest whitetail guys know, it’s when you see a doe run by acting like that, you better be ready to put an arrow in something. It isn’t long and we hear a buck grunting as it comes down the hill.
I see the buck as he enters a clearing on the hillside. I draw as he hits a spot I believe is 40 yards. I can hear Bubs whispering something to me but can’t understand him. I think he’s trying to tell me yardagebut he’s actually asking if my rest is up. The buck is about ready to leave the lane so i stop him with a “Meh”. Me and Bub finally sync up on what we’re saying and he says 40 yards. I already had my 40 pin hovering on the buck and I squeeze my release.
We see the arrow disappear into the buck and he runs off tail down and hurting. I lose it as I can’t believe what just happened. A blood soaked arrow can be seen on the hillside and we immediately find bubbly lung blood. It’s 9:46 when I look at my phone.
Bubs hits me with an intial reaction right after the shot
Bubs hits me with an intial reaction right after the shot
Every hunt is better when shared with a good friend. This one was no exception
Every hunt is better when shared with a good friend. This one was no exception
The blood trail was surprisingly sparse. The shot looked perfect and it appears the buck is running a death run and filling up his cavity and spraying it out. We’ll find a good spray of blood in a few spots and then nothing. Bubs stays at last blood as I circle in front. We advance 3 or 4 times like this before I finally spot the rump of the deer laying in the bottom. My first Coues buck is dead and we are tagged out. A lot of high fives and congrats ensues as I take it in. The shot was just a touch high, but it caught both lungs.
We get some photos and get the buck out and back to camp. As we hit the road a guide is pulling in with a client getting ready to head into where we were. Whoops! Real good guys though, and hopefully they connected as the client was in pursuit of his deer slam.
The benefit of their size is they are way easier to pack out than most critters!
The benefit of their size is they are way easier to pack out than most critters!
Once we’re back at camp, I get the buck broken down and start getting the meat into the cooler. We eat backstrap tacos cooked over the fire and by early night, we are packed up and headed back to Phoenix a day early. The hunt was wildly successful and an absolute blast for the both of us. Most around home don’t understand why we would leave Illinois to go chase deer of this size, but these little bucks are a worthy trophy for sure. I’m sure I’ll be back again in the future!
Way to go you two! Great work!
Congrats guys way to go! What kind of rest were you using?
Good for you guys!
Congrats
Good luck, Robb
Congrats!!! It looks like you guys had a great hunt and one you'll remember for a long time. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
Great adventure and hunt!
Thanks for taking the time to share
Congratulations... looks like you guys had great trip.
Looks like an awesome time, congrats!
That's the way to do it. Congrats.
Congrats on what sounds like your hunt of a lifetime. Those coues get into your blood. Im leaving in 2 weeks for my second trip to Mexico for them. They are an amazing animal to hunt. Very goo write up and fun read
Wow, great story. Thanks for sharing, congratulations.
Congratulations to both of you. Cant beat a great hunt with good friends..
Awesome trip guys! This one is on my list to do in the near future. Congrats on a great hunt!
Looks and sounds like a great hunt. Soon very soon I will make this happen. Hunt
Very nice, Scott! Very successful hunt in many ways. Congrats!
WOW.......fantastic trip for you, congrats! I'm also curious as to what rest you use. Thanks for sharing!
The size of these "Grey Ghosts" may not compare to our Midwest whitetails but once you hunt them you definitely get a great appreciation for them and want to go back. Awesome write up and congrats to you both!
pretty cool hunt.. great job on the diy...
Call it beginner's luck or whatever you want, but that has to be a pretty rare double header! Congrats on finding the spot and reading it right, then sticking to the hunch.
Your success is encouraging for some of us other hope-to-be first timers.
Good for you! Thanks for the story. Now I'm bummed that I didn't get to go this year.. Congrats!
Wow! That was a wildly successful Coues hunt. I tried my first Coues hunt this year and it, well, it wasn't as successful.
I worried about my drop away rest also. Which rest were you using?
Thanks for all the congrats, it certainly was a great time.
For all those who are asking, I was using a Hamskea rest. It has been bombproof in the past, but this trip was another story. I have not had a chance to contact them about it yet though.
You are grinding salt into the wound here with an awesome recap lining up with the dates I couldn’t make it! Lol
Congrats again buddy
Congratulations!!! Excellent hunt and bucks! Still trying to get it done here!
Trevor, wish you could have made it man!
That’s so cool man! I’m glad you got it done, congrats! Next time we need to make the meet up happen lol
Congrats to you guys! After a recent trip to AZ, I have decided I need to make better use of my NR hunting license other than for bonus point application.
Glad for both of you. Nicely done. Paul
Awesome! looks like a great time!!!
Mark
Cold hunt!Every year is different here.Great Job Congrats to both of you.See you again next year. dirtclod Az.
Travis, thanks bud and absolutely! We need to make some dates work on another hunt.
Thanks again everyone, these deer are stunningly beautiful to watch in their terrain. It may look a little out of place hanging next to my other mounts, but I’m super excited to see how it turns out!
Spectacular job guys! Congratulations on a great hunt! Any Coues with a bow on the ground is a trophy!
Congrats! How did that tipi rate? I was looking at the same one?
The tipi has been with me on 6 trips now from spring in Alaska, fall in Idaho, summer in Washington, and now winter in Arizona. This was the first run with the stove and it worked great for cold weather camping.
In other applications of warmer weather, I can see where some may prefer floored shelters due to bugs and other ground varmits but I have not encountered either yet.
Good job, and great story ! Congrats to both of you.
Congrats enjoyed your post!
Congrats on a magical hunt. First thing I would do is change that rest out!!
