Author Topic: A Trip to Old Mexico (Read 10108 times)

actionshooter · « **on:** February 20, 2022, 07:17:39 PM »

About a year and half ago A couple buddies and I started talking about doing a Coues trip to Mexico. We talked about a DIY hunt with one of the guys who expedite the crossings and ranch access but at the end of the day, going into Mexico with firearms seemed best with an outfitter. Also one of the guys went several years ago, so he already had a contact for a ranch and outfitter.
We met up in Pheonix where one buddy lives and were able to take his truck which was a huge help. The outfitter met us at the border, paperwork was filled out prior, getting through was a little tense, as none of us speaking the language (but the outfitter) and the Mexican military really went through our guns/gear.
A couple hours of rough road and driving through Sonora, we made it to the ranch. I've been to Mexico but only tourist areas and coastal towns for fishing... the areas we drove through were downright poor and the amount of garbage along the roads was unreal.
The ranch was at a nice place, very clean, great food and great people. The daily program was to be up before daylight, eat breakfast and we would split up and go out with one of the ranch hands. The guy I went out with had worked the ranch for years and knew it inside out, the only problem was a lack of communication, he spoke no english and the only spanish I know is useful at a mexican restaurant. It was a week of playing charades, which both of us actually got pretty good at

. We climbed one of the high peaks before daylight and would glass until dark.

Caseknife · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:22:35 PM »

Pretty remote looking country. Would be daunting with the language barrier, just waiting for "Muy Grande".

actionshooter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:32:47 PM »

The higher hills we were glassing from were at 7000ft and it was fairly cold almost the whole trip and actually got snow for a couple hours one day, which I took from the ranch hand, is extremely uncommon. Saw way more deer than I expected with the exception of one day that the wind blew nonstop, we saw 16-25 doe a day and 8-16 bucks a day. The windy day, I think we saw 5 deer total. The hunting reminded me somewhat of hunting mule deer with more glassing and less walking.

I was told by the outfitter to glass until you see a buck you want to put a stalk on, don't take your eyes off of it (or you will never see it again), wait for it to bed down, then put together a plan and hustle.

The picture of this buck is through the spotter using a phonescope at 300yds, 15 minutes into the 1st morning.... SERIOUSLY hard to pass this one up, but wasn't ready to be done.

actionshooter · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:35:21 PM »

Quote from: Caseknife on February 20, 2022, 07:22:35 PM

Pretty remote looking country. Would be daunting with the language barrier, just waiting for "Muy Grande".

Pequeno and grande were the 1st words he taught me LOL

elkboy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:41:42 PM »

Looks like an awesome adventure! More installments of the story (and pictures) to come?

actionshooter · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:57:46 PM »

My buddies were seeing quite a few deer also, but nothing to chase yet. I was seeing probably 2-3 bucks a day that really caught my interest but the ranch hand had shown me some pictures of bucks that he had seen that were crazy huge... I didn't really know what a good coues was going in, I just hopeful that I was going to come across a good representation buck, but the pictures he was showing me were turning me into a trophy hunter

At the same time, I was seeing so many deer, it was getting hard to keep passing them up.

At about noon of the 3rd day, we saw a really good buck at about 1800yds on the rangefinder and decided wait for him to bed down for a closer look, well that only took about 15 minutes. He laid down and we packed up and took off, it took about 45 minutes to get to the closest ridge to where he was bedded. We set up the glass, found him but couldn't get a good look because he was behind some brush. I set up my rifle, just in case and waited........... for like 10 minutes and he stood up. Took one look and couldn't take it anymore, decided this was the one. 365yds shooting uphill (at 26* angle) dialed and then took him w/ my 7RM... yes a little over gunned, but my favorite rifle

Got up to him and was shocked... this trip was the first time I have actually ever seen a coues. They are TINY, I knew they were small, but when you are actually put your hands on one... maybe a 100#? My dogs are bigger than these guys.

A couple pics of other bucks that were passed up..

Dan-o · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:58:25 PM »

Wow, that first one you passed looks like a GREAT Coues buck!

Enjoy!!!!

jackelope · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2022, 08:09:21 PM »

That last buck you posted would be really tough to walk away from.

Timberstalker · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2022, 08:20:52 PM »

actionshooter · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2022, 08:45:26 PM »

Quote from: jackelope on February 20, 2022, 08:09:21 PM

That last buck you posted would be really tough to walk away from.

I do second guess passing on that one, but am happy with the one that I took. There is a learning curve for judging these guys, just their size threw everything off for me. By the end of the 3rd day, my buddies had not gone after anything yet.

actionshooter · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2022, 09:06:28 PM »

On the 4th and 5th days I hunted with one of my buddies to try and find his buck, he was holding out for a good and we saw many more, but not the one he was looking for. The outfitter did tell us that if we saw any javelina or coyotes that they were a go... so there was a little more shooting even if it weren't at deer

My other buddy had an opportunity at an absolute monster (my opinion) that didn't work out and he ended up coming home empty handed also.

All in all, I am not a guided/outfitter kind of guy, but I will say this was a pretty awesome trip, got to hang with some great guys, experience a different culture... it was like stepping back 50 years, and the terrain and animals were a new experience. A couple of us are already talking about going back 2024.

actionshooter · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2022, 09:11:22 PM »

Picture of the buck that my buddy went after before they made a move on it... wished this one would have worked out.
And a pic of some great guys.

grundy53 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2022, 09:27:11 PM »

Looks like a fun time! Dream trip. Thanks for sharing!

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bearhunter99 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2022, 09:59:12 PM »

Good looking buck you got but that last picture was a monster!

I would have had a hard time passing that first buck. Been after them twice with archery gear in AZ. Close numerous times but never connected. We never saw anything of the caliber you posted.

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zwickeyman · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2022, 05:32:45 AM »

Looks like a great trip. Im hoping to go down next year

Did they cook up some Javelina for you? I heard the locals know how to cook it up good

teanawayslayer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2022, 06:42:09 AM »

Thanks for sharing. Looked like a great time! The last buck you posted was a stud imo as well

sjhgraysage · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2022, 03:17:29 PM »

Thanks for posting your hunting story!
Congrats on a really nice looking Coues!

actionshooter · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2022, 06:21:07 PM »

Thanks guys... it was a pretty good time.

actionshooter · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2022, 06:50:18 PM »

Quote from: zwickeyman on February 21, 2022, 05:32:45 AM

Looks like a great trip. Im hoping to go down next year

Did they cook up some Javelina for you? I heard the locals know how to cook it up good

I was hoping to try the javelina but the vaquero's grabbed them and took off, never saw the javelina again. I thought we were going to get some, but I guess not. I wasn't super happy about that but I guess that's the way they do things and it's expected by the locals. I kind of wanted the skull of the big one also, but they language barrier kinda got me there also.

Karl Blanchard · « **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2022, 06:55:30 PM »

Killer trip!!! Congrats on a great buck!

outdooraddict · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2022, 08:08:06 AM »

thats awesome, i dont want to bug you about finances, but what does a trip like that cost all said and done, travel, tags, and the outfitter. That trip looks really fun

kellama2001 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2022, 08:56:21 AM »

What a great adventure! Thanks for sharing your story, and congrats on a stud coues!

actionshooter · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2022, 06:36:25 PM »

Quote from: outdooraddict on February 23, 2022, 08:08:06 AM

thats awesome, i dont want to bug you about finances, but what does a trip like that cost all said and done, travel, tags, and the outfitter. That trip looks really fun

From door to door it was $5900 w/ tips gas, everything

Boss .300 winmag · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2022, 07:24:52 PM »

Nicely done, great story.👍

pianoman9701 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2022, 09:28:22 AM »

Looks like a lot of fun. Congratulations on a beautiful buck. They certainly are a pretty whitetail with big ears, almost like a muley.

elkrack · « **Reply #25 on:** February 24, 2022, 09:45:03 AM »

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a great trip. Definitely perks some interest lol

go4steelhd · « **Reply #26 on:** February 28, 2022, 09:45:27 AM »

Looks like a great trip.

Thanks for sharing

blackveltbowhunter · « **Reply #27 on:** February 28, 2022, 09:59:42 AM »

Congrats on a awesome trip and fantastic buck!!

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #28 on:** February 28, 2022, 11:27:20 AM »

From the little that I know about coues deer, I think you shot an extraordinary buck. Congrats on a great trip. Thanks for sharing with us.

actionshooter · « **Reply #29 on:** March 02, 2022, 07:40:59 PM »

Quote from: Pathfinder101 on February 28, 2022, 11:27:20 AM

From the little that I know about coues deer, I think you shot an extraordinary buck. Congrats on a great trip. Thanks for sharing with us.

From what I could tell, it was decent buck.... but Jesus... some of the pics the vaquero had shown me were unreal. There are some true monsters in that area.

lamrith · « **Reply #30 on:** March 03, 2022, 10:07:05 AM »

Quote from: actionshooter on March 02, 2022, 07:40:59 PM

Quote from: Pathfinder101 on February 28, 2022, 11:27:20 AM
From the little that I know about coues deer, I think you shot an extraordinary buck. Congrats on a great trip. Thanks for sharing with us.

From what I could tell, it was decent buck.... but Jesus... some of the pics the vaquero had shown me were unreal. There are some true monsters in that area.

That is a very good buck for a coues. Congrats!

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ganghis · « **Reply #31 on:** March 03, 2022, 10:18:34 AM »

Awesome write up - congrats and thanks for sharing!

22shtur · « **Reply #32 on:** May 08, 2022, 06:59:42 PM »

Congratulations on your great looking Coues deer and thanks for sharing your hunt.
How many points per side is the minimum to be looking for a good Coues deer?
What was the length of the main beam? What did it score?

actionshooter · « **Reply #33 on:** May 16, 2022, 09:27:44 PM »

Quote from: 22shtur on May 08, 2022, 06:59:42 PM

Congratulations on your great looking Coues deer and thanks for sharing your hunt.
How many points per side is the minimum to be looking for a good Coues deer?
What was the length of the main beam? What did it score?

I don't know... looked "big enough"

lamrith · « **Reply #34 on:** May 17, 2022, 05:34:13 AM »

Quote from: 22shtur on May 08, 2022, 06:59:42 PM

Congratulations on your great looking Coues deer and thanks for sharing your hunt.
How many points per side is the minimum to be looking for a good Coues deer?
What was the length of the main beam? What did it score?

Coues deer are a very small white tail, and arguably the hardest deer to hunt in the US. That one he shot was a very good one.

actionshooter · « **Reply #35 on:** November 16, 2022, 09:45:43 PM »

Quote from: lamrith on May 17, 2022, 05:34:13 AM

Quote from: 22shtur on May 08, 2022, 06:59:42 PM
Congratulations on your great looking Coues deer and thanks for sharing your hunt.
How many points per side is the minimum to be looking for a good Coues deer?
What was the length of the main beam? What did it score?
Coues deer are a very small white tail, and arguably the hardest deer to hunt in the US. That one he shot was a very good one.

I was pretty happy but the outfitter was somewhat disappointed... apparently they like to see bigger..

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Author Topic: A Trip to Old Mexico (Read 10108 times)

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