Coues Hunt in Arizona 6A

[m gardner]

I just got back from my Coues hunt here in Arizona. Eight days in our tent, walking in cactus and sharp rocks, glassing all day. We moved camp 3 times and hunted most of the unit. We know why the tags were so easy to draw now. There are very few Coues deer there! It appears that the unit is managed for elk. We saw hundreds of cow elk and a few bulls. No monsters. The first morning we walked into a tank that I had seen a good buck last fall and saw no deer at all. We did watch two small bulls push each other around for about 5 minutes though which was priceless. It was a friendly match, not the rut crazed fighting they probably did a few months ago. It was fun to watch. They would face off and gently push each other just for fun it seemed. We saw about 100 antelope that afternoon a short ways away. One was surely record book. I've since checked and if I start putting in for the antelpe draw I think I can get a tag by the time I'm 85 or 90. You've got to have goals ya know!! We saw some mule deer occassionally too, and very few hunters which was nice. The fifth day I was glassing a ridge above a tank and watched a large Coues buck stand up just at dark and stretch. There wasn't time to hunt him though. It snowed that night and the next morning my girlfriend entertained me by trying to brush her teeth with Capsaicin cream. It's an arthritis cream made of concentrated hot peppers that you put on inflamed joints when if you get old enough. The bad part is that she used my coffee creamer washing her mouth out. It's that hazelnut stuff that all real men won't admit liking. All we saw that day were bull elk, and mulies. One was an old huge 3 point I'd have been more than happy to let the air out of. Doreen mentioned that he looked like he had huge backstraps! I think she was just still suffering the effects if the toothbrushing incident and wanted to kill something. The sixth day we moved camp again and found an area with few hunters that looked good. Doreen was tired and I went alone the next day. I walked into a little canyon and about daybreak something spooked 3 good bucks and they stood on the other side watching behind them. One had 4 points and brow tines and was outside his ears so I ranged him (I use the old method of measuring with the crosshairs) and shot right over him. In a few seconds another shot rang out a short distance away. Then all the deer were gone. I went to see if I had hit him and jumped up one of them after tracking the group for a 1/2 mile or so. There was no sign of a hit so I went back and found an outfitter with a client looking for the deer they had shot at. They missed too. Seems their deer had got up and run at my shot. He wasn't very happy and wanted to know how I had found his honey hole. I told him I was just old and infirm of mind and had just stumbled into it. To which he replied "You came across that canyon pretty fast for an old man!" His client just laughed and introduced himself. They were pretty friendly and he was actually nice for an outfitter. We hunted there for two more days and we saw 7 more bucks, one I probably should have shot but looked at too long before I made up my mind. Saw javelinas there too. I haven't been here in Az too long so everytime I see a pig I think it's a bear. Old habit I guess. Anything black was always a bear. Doreen thinks it's funny and is telling everyone I saw a herd of bears!! That's about the extent of our Coues hunt. We had a great time on a hard hunt. It was bad enough that I wore holes in the arch of my Danner boots and had to repair them with shoe goo. Here's a few photos. We didn't hunt with our bows but we always take them just in case, that's me practicing with mine.
Mark

[AGCHAWK]

Thanks for taking the time to "tell the tale" Mark. Although it didn't produce a buck, it sounds like a great time none-the-less.

[6x6 bull]

Great story Mark. Sorry that you didn't get a buck but it sure looks like you had fun trying. Camp looks great also.l

[MuleyMadness]

I love the optimism and the experience in your posts! No matter the result, you always seem to find the positive.

[sneekeepete]

Thanks for sharing such a good story and some great pics!!!!!

[m gardner]

We'll be going on another weeklong hunt for a cow elk for Doreen starting Dec. 1st. It's an area with few elk but it's always good to get out. We'll have the stove cranking on that one for sure!
Mark

[waynedevore]

Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like you had a great adventure.