Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: SilkOnTheDrySide on June 24, 2011, 08:45:48 PM
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Anyone have any experience chasing a Couse in Arizona or NM? I'm interested in getting one of these guys!
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Moved up from az a few years ago. Hunted them for about 17 yrs. They are fun to hunT, but you better be in the best shape of your life. I have hunted them with a rifle and bow. Never actually shot one with a bow though. It is rough country. First question is what do you want to hunt them with. If rifle, then you have to draw a tag, if bow, then you can hunt them during the rut over the counter in january. However, your success rate drops significantly with a bow. I am planning on going down this january to hunt them. They are a small deer, but very rewarding, because not everyone can do a couse hunt.
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Coues is tough, they are so skittish and aleart to your every move... most coues are small bodied and have small racks, not like traditional white tail. I had a great hunting plot going in Unit 23 in AZ... with lots of buck coming in over the last 3 years or more... then I moved in December to WA. over the counter tags in AZ are archery only and most units open mid/early August and December and January for rut hunts. I've been in tree stands with coues under me, only had one shooter ever come into range and as i released the arrow, the skitso dropped a foot and bolted so fast, i grazed his back and he got away. Spot and stock is really only achievable during the rut - with a bow anyway... if you get a rifle tag then you just need good eyes. you may find some leftover tags for the southern units in AZ... and I'm sure you can get on some 80-110" coues... check out http://www.coueswhitetail.com/ (http://www.coueswhitetail.com/) thats the big site in AZ to use... hit me up if you want to talk more details...
i attached a photo of one of the little guys still in velvet under one of my tree stands...
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One of the little guys?... That is a real nice coues! Love the mass on him.
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I absolutely love coues deer hunting. It is by far my favorite deer to hunt. They are called the "grey ghosts" for a reason, be ready for a quick shot and more than often a long shot. I agree with DBZona in that you better be in the best shape of your life. Those bucks like the roughest country available to them, and will tend to hang out at the base of cliffs. I have hunted them in Arizona, New Mexico, and Chihuahua, Mexico. Chihuahua is my favorite. I have a nice coues buck mount hanging on my wall.
