AZ December Rifle Coues tactics advice

[HANGum HIGH]

I was lucky and drew an Arizona Unit 29 coues rifle hunt for December, this is my first crack at coues deer. I have no experience with coues deer other than I've seen them a few times here and there while mule deer hunting in southern NM. Is there any make or break advice that you guys would recommend as to tactics for these little ghostly bucks? I know the obvious of glass, glass, glass, and I'm capable of hiking wherever, but just curious if there is make or break stuff avid coues hunters have discovered? Also, if anyone has any great reading material recommendations on these deer I can look into I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks in advance for any advice or learning I can gain.

Not sure if you have listened to Jay Scott outdoors podcast? If not, they have covered quite a bit on coues deer hunting. Check it out if you haven't already.

 

[TheCougar]

I think you need to buy a spotting scope, preferably a Swaro, and make sure you have it in time for mid-October! Bwahaha! Glass fast early when they are up and about, then once mid-morning hits you need those 15s to look for bits and pieces of them. I’m always looking for tines, bits of an ear, etc. once they bed down you can only see parts of them sticking up above the grass or bushes. Mid-morning is always the toughest because they aren’t getting up for a while. Early afternoon you will see them get up, stretch and maybe move a bit and re-bed. I’d have a lion tag in my pocket too... they are thick in there. See you in October (with the spotter, right?)!

 

[RyanG505]

No problem, Ryan. And to answer your question about whether or not they eat much of that bear grass, the answer is no. Their diet pretty much consists of mahogany, acorns, cholla, scrub oak, "buck brush", various seeds, mushrooms, and what few forbs they can find. During the month of December, they'll predominantly be feeding on mahogany.

I appreciate it Maverick, il keep all that in mind.

 

[RyanG505]

I don’t know what Glass you’ll be running but for coues it’s probably more important than any other aspect. Them things are hard to find bedded and often on that early hunt during the day you’re gonna find them bedded especially if the temps aren’t cooperating or like last year on the first December hunt we had to deal with the super moon which made it even harder.


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Huntstrong il be running 15x Swaros and I love to glass so my plan is to just cover ground and glass hard all day

 

[RyanG505]

Ryan, Coues deer are the masters of hide and seek, and can appear out of nowhere at times. As stated above glassing is your greatest tool. Stay out all day as they tend to move or reposition a lot between noon and 3 pm due to the changing sun angles.

The best advise when glassing for coues is to not look for a deer shapped items. Learn to use your peripheral vision to look for ear or tail flicks. When glassing into cover, start in the very center or thickest part. Coues deer will often bed up in the nastiest areas of a hillside to seek refuge from predators.

Unit 29 has a lot of bear activity as well so the deer in certain areas may be a lot more weary to changes in the enviroment i.e. hoards of hunters coming into an area.

The last tip is to be on the move, don't get hung up in one area waiting for deer to appear. If you are glassing somewhere and only seeing does, leave that area. Bucks will still be solitary or bachelored up on the early hunt. They tipically won't start looking for does until the end of December or beginning of January in a good year.

Good luck to you guys and if you have time stop by the shop and we can talk more about the hunt!

Thank you, Jake.

Thanks Jake, Il have to hit you up and talk some more about it. I will be running my swaro 15x so my plan was to glass and stay mobile glassing as much stuff as I can pick apart exhausting that area and moving on.

 

[RyanG505]

I think you need to buy a spotting scope, preferably a Swaro, and make sure you have it in time for mid-October! Bwahaha! Glass fast early when they are up and about, then once mid-morning hits you need those 15s to look for bits and pieces of them. I’m always looking for tines, bits of an ear, etc. once they bed down you can only see parts of them sticking up above the grass or bushes. Mid-morning is always the toughest because they aren’t getting up for a while. Early afternoon you will see them get up, stretch and maybe move a bit and re-bed. I’d have a lion tag in my pocket too... they are thick in there. See you in October (with the spotter, right?)!

hahah I aint buying the 95 this year but it would be nice! thanks for the insight I will be glassing hard as usual to see what I can turn up. All the advice has been pretty consistent. Looking forward to October!

 

[RyanG505]

Thanks for all that offered up advice on tactics and what not. Did pretty well for my first Coues I think...

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[alyuaz]

Nice buck!!!

 

[MMB1]

Get the best glass and tripod you can afford. Let your glass do the walking. Focus on the northwest slopes and they will appear and disappear before your very eyes. When they bed, work to get into shooting range. Good luck!

 

[.270]

Great Coues deer!

 

[weekender7]

Really fine buck, for first or last.

 

[Fitzwho]

Looks related to mine with the longer G3 on the right and short g3 on the left. Has another year or two on him than I let mine get though.

 

[nguerrero5]

No problem, Ryan. And to answer your question about whether or not they eat much of that bear grass, the answer is no. Their diet pretty much consists of mahogany, acorns, cholla, scrub oak, "buck brush", various seeds, mushrooms, and what few forbs they can find. During the month of December, they'll predominantly be feeding on mahogany.

what about late Jan? Jan 16-31 per say