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Northern Arizona Coues hunt |
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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Posted: December/31/2011 at 21:02 |
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I did not get a tag for anything this year, so I must post pictures of my friends en devours. I got to hunt with him a couple of days, but we couldn't get within range of any worth shooting. For those that don't know, Coues are very small white-tail deer. And getting a tag in December during the rut, a very rare treat in northern Arizona.
Hunting these deer is probably the most optics intense hunting I can think of. They really prefer to hang-out in the open areas, next to really steep canyons. Most days are spent glassing, trying to find the little gray ghosts of the desert.The rut this year started well, with the storms that AZ got in late November through the middle of December. But after Christmas it was pretty well knocked flat because of the really warm weather (temps in the 50's & 60's). We had glassed up a few bucks, a couple of fork horns, and a decent 3-point. But three point was always just out of range...Until this morning! The deer was taken at 350 yards, using a Remington model 600 Mohawk, chambered in 6mm Rem.(This is, by the way, a very handy, little gun, with a 18.5" barrel.) |
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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ckk1106
Optics Master Joined: December/14/2007 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 1439 |
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Really Cool.
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stickbow46
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/07/2009 Location: Benton, Pa Status: Offline Points: 4678 |
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Very nice.How big do those deer get?
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Pearls of Wisdom are Heard not Spoken
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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That is a decent example of a mature Coues. Down in southern Az, and northern Mexico, they get a little bigger simply because the winters are less harsh. Most people agree that a 110" rack is trophy grade. I imagine this one to be about 95".
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Nice buck!
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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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helo18
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: December/02/2006 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 5620 |
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Nice one! Not sure I would want to hunt in that much cactus.
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To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.
GEORGE WASHINGTON |
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Wow that is pretty high standards for a trophy grade buck. Isn't the Boone and Crockett minimum for typical Coues 110" for the all-time book and 100" for the three year awards? Great story and pic.
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-Matt
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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Matt, I really don't know the numbers for the B&C. Honestly I was just using a number that I had heard. I was wanting him to shoot all the little fork-horns running around ... I have always had trophy aspirations, but I am not out there primarily for the horns. Usually my goals are pretty easily satisfied...
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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I just wanted to give your buddy some credit. The deer in the pic looks like a trophy to this mule deer hunter.
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-Matt
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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If I would had my rifle on Thursday, I probably would have got in ALOT of trouble! I seen an absolute monster mule deer...Just hanging out broadside at about 35-40 yards... He was an easy 180-190 buck!
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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westernhunter23
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/17/2011 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Wow great buck. Love those Coues deer. The 100" mark is the mark most hunter try to break when hunting Coues deer.
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azcoueshntr
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/31/2011 Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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I was kind of thinking that buck would score somewhere around 80" which is still a very nice buck. And like mentioned a 100" buck is a stud and 110" is a giant. Coues is by far the most challenging and addicting animal I have ever hunted. I killed a 360" elk with my bow in November on a late hunt and I would trade him for a 110" coues anyday of the week.
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