Learn me About Coues Deer

[trophyhill]

So if I were to hunt Coues Deer with my bow, what do I need to know? Talk to me

 

[ttmannan]

With a bow? Sit water. OTC tag in AZ in August - hot as heck but opportunity and coues in velvet are beautiful. Get drawn in NM early archery (beginning of September) in 23 and 24 - same. Sit water. NMGU 23,24 and 27 late archery (January) spot and stalk is a tough hunt but people do it with extremely low success rate (3% in 23, 12% in 24 and 19% in 27). Sit a blind in a field you know they frequent or on a path to water or over water. Finding that take scouting and glassing.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Arizona in August or January. Go back through and listen to Jay Scott Outdoors podcast, everything you’d ever need or want to know about coues deer hunting.

 

[ttmannan]

Arizona in August or January. Go back through and listen to Jay Scott Outdoors podcast, everything you’d ever need or want to know about coues deer hunting.

Jay Scott's Q&A's on instagram stories is loaded with info as well. I am not sure he covers much archery in his podcasts but Turkeygetpwnd39 is right - he's a wealth of coues knowledge in general and there's so many of his podcasts you can probably find something. I hunted in Mexico with him in 2020 and he was very opposed to archery hunting coues but I did see him pimping some Mexico coues archery hunts in 2021.

 

[trophyhill]

Jay Scott's Q&A's on instagram stories is loaded with info as well. I am not sure he covers much archery in his podcasts but Turkeygetpwnd39 is right - he's a wealth of coues knowledge in general and there's so many of his podcasts you can probably find something. I hunted in Mexico with him in 2020 and he was very opposed to archery hunting coues but I did see him pimping some Mexico coues archery hunts in 2021.

Why would anyone in their right mind oppose hunting Coues with archery tackle?

 

[ttmannan]

Why would anyone in their right mind oppose hunting Coues with archery tackle?

His exact quote is "I hate archery for coues. Completely inefficient and ineffective." I had to go back and find the text because I wanted to make sure I didn't misspeak! I have taken an archery coues OTC in AZ and it was a blast. He's a beautiful buck too. I encourage anyone to try it.

 

[TxxAgg]

Coues pronounced cowz

 

[trophyhill]

His exact quote is "I hate archery for coues. Completely inefficient and ineffective." I had to go back and find the text because I wanted to make sure I didn't misspeak! I have taken an archery coues OTC in AZ and it was a blast. He's a beautiful buck too. I encourage anyone to try it.

I saw Tom Miranda take a Coues with his bow on the film he made. I believe it was called Adventure Bowhunter. I thought it was awesome and a feat I would love to accomplish. And here is why.

I recently was hunting with the intention of taking a rutting mule deer buck with my bow. I LOVE trying to sneak past 10-30 does trying to kill that 300 lb mule deer buck.

I had glassed up 2 deer with my cheap azz Nomad spotting scope at well over a half mile when they stood up long enough to reposition onto the shady side of a juniper. Couldn’t tell what they were because it happened so fast and they were back down and out of site that fast. Blink of an eye. And my eyes were already hurting from continuous glassing for several hours.

And No I am not bashing Vortex here because that cheap azz spotting scope has given me more opportunities at “trying” to kill monster mulies than anyone should be lucky enough have the opportunity to try to kill. Notice I said “try”.


So anyway about 3:30 or 3:45 I jump in the truck and make my way over there. My plan was to set my tent up further past where I saw the deer. So I get out of the truck at my eventual camp spot, grab my bow and my pack, and start still hunting in that direction right from camp.

When suddenly I am looking at a 4x4 beautiful Coues buck at about 80 yards. He had a doe. When I saw that white flag go up, my heart started pounding just as bad as it does when I’m closing in on a big mule deer buck. Then he took off.

I fumble for my range finder and finally get it out of my chest pocket and range a juniper tree at 56 yards and low and behold when the buck clears that tree, and stops broadside looking right at me. I draw back and guess 60 yards. As I see my arrow spinning on its way to a perfect shot, the arrow falls short and the rocks destroyed my GoldTip. That juniper tree was bigger around than I anticipated. And he stopped further behind that tree than I thought.

Then I watched them run off. But I got a serious rush out of that and maybe have a new obsession lol

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I'd not rely too much on e-scouting and water. 2020 was brutally dry and there are a lot of empty tanks that perennially have water.

Deer are under enough pressure due to severe draught conditions that sitting water should be avoided. That is my personal take and folks can do as they please.

Glass them up and go from there. You can potentially pseudo-pattern the does. May take a day or three but you'll likely find them taking the same trails again. Depending on the circumstances, you can initiate a stalk. But always be ready since they can pop up any time and any place (just like what TrophyHill said).

 

[trophyhill]

Coues pronounced cowz

I prefer Cooze. When I think of cows, I think of elk back straps

 

[trophyhill]

I'd not rely too much on e-scouting and water. 2020 was brutally dry and there are a lot of empty tanks that perennially have water.

Deer are under enough pressure due to severe draught conditions that sitting water should be avoided. That is my personal take and folks can do as they please.

Glass them up and go from there. You can potentially pseudo-pattern the does. May take a day or three but you'll likely find them taking the same trails again. Depending on the circumstances, you can initiate a stalk. But always be ready since they can pop up any time and any place (just like what TrophyHill said).

My escouting allows me to half ass visualize the lay of the land. But be forewarned that the maps no matter what app don’t prepare you for what the terrain is really like. You won’t know that til your boots are on the ground.

For instance I had never been in this unit before and started pinning glassing spots into likely areas. There was this one spot in particular that I had high interest in getting too. The canyon didn’t look impassable or anything on OnX. But let me tell ya, I kept cliffing out and never did get across that canyon. I had still hunted up on 3 Coues does on the rim which was cool too.

I also had several water tanks pinned that show water on the OnX satellite view. Bone dry when my boots are on the ground. OnX if you are listening, update your Ariel views! Very annoying that y’all can’t get recent pics up! I don’t care about last years or the year before that photos!

So yeah, you have to take the escouting with a grain of salt at times fo sho

 

[NMYeti]

My escouting allows me to half ass visualize the lay of the land. But be forewarned that the maps no matter what app don’t prepare you for what the terrain is really like. You won’t know that til your boots are on the ground.

For instance I had never been in this unit before and started pinning glassing spots into likely areas. There was this one spot in particular that I had high interest in getting too. The canyon didn’t look impassable or anything on OnX. But let me tell ya, I kept cliffing out and never did get across that canyon. I had still hunted up on 3 Coues does on the rim which was cool too.

I also had several water tanks pinned that show water on the OnX satellite view. Bone dry when my boots are on the ground. OnX if you are listening, update your Ariel views! Very annoying that y’all can’t get recent pics up! I don’t care about last years or the year before that photos!

So yeah, you have to take the escouting with a grain of salt at times fo sho

Nobody has mention NM unit 21..hidden gem for coues. I like that unit especially the January bow hunt because it offers a ton of tags and it is any forked buck. So if you aren’t finding a coues you may find a really nice muley. Here is the kicker gotta know where to go where you can find both. Fortunately I guide and hunt all that so I got the 411 on them. With all that being said I’ve taken a 108” 119” and my biggest was a 127” he is currently at the taxidermist. It’s tough country and also water is key for them. The rifle hunt is good but the muzzy hunt is by far one of the best for coues in that unit. Mild weather with few hunters chasing the little critters. Not many people hunt for them in the unit and they are pretty laxed when you find them. Make sure you get a bear and lion tag if you go because you will see at least on of those predators during your hunt.

 

[NMYeti]

Nobody has mention NM unit 21..hidden gem for coues. I like that unit especially the January bow hunt because it offers a ton of tags and it is any forked buck. So if you aren’t finding a coues you may find a really nice muley. Here is the kicker gotta know where to go where you can find both. Fortunately I guide and hunt all that so I got the 411 on them. With all that being said I’ve taken a 108” 119” and my biggest was a 127” he is currently at the taxidermist. It’s tough country and also water is key for them. The rifle hunt is good but the muzzy hunt is by far one of the best for coues in that unit. Mild weather with few hunters chasing the little critters. Not many people hunt for them in the unit and they are pretty laxed when you find them. Make sure you get a bear and lion tag if you go because you will see at least on of those predators during your hunt.

The biggest buck was a muzzy kill. The others where with bow. 38 yards and 62 yards. Spot and stalk with some key ambush and still hunting thick saddles and pine stringers. Find a good game trail and set up on a pinch point and wait.

 

[trophyhill]

Nobody has mention NM unit 21..hidden gem for coues. I like that unit especially the January bow hunt because it offers a ton of tags and it is any forked buck. So if you aren’t finding a coues you may find a really nice muley. Here is the kicker gotta know where to go where you can find both. Fortunately I guide and hunt all that so I got the 411 on them. With all that being said I’ve taken a 108” 119” and my biggest was a 127” he is currently at the taxidermist. It’s tough country and also water is key for them. The rifle hunt is good but the muzzy hunt is by far one of the best for coues in that unit. Mild weather with few hunters chasing the little critters. Not many people hunt for them in the unit and they are pretty laxed when you find them. Make sure you get a bear and lion tag if you go because you will see at least on of those predators during your hunt.

I’ll bet that is a great hunt. Bears in January?

 

[NMYeti]

I’ll bet that is a great hunt. Bears in January?

No bear hunt in January but if the quota hasn’t been reached and closed by October yes definitely bear. Big bears too.

 

[NMYeti]

No bear hunt in January but if the quota hasn’t been reached and closed by October yes definitely bear. Big bears too.

Honestly the bear quota closes always by mid October as NMDGF have to many units in on area counting as one unit. We have so many bears here on the Gila it’s pretty crazy. I see about a bear a day when guiding elk hunters during either bow or rifle. I’ve seen up to 6 different bears in one day. Insane the numbers we have.

 

[Tanner W]

Don’t, unless you want to forget about all other hunting and have a big budget for optics

 

[ttmannan]

Nobody has mention ..hidden gem for coues. I like that unit especially the January bow hunt because it offers a ton of tags and it is any forked buck. So if you aren’t finding a coues you may find a really nice muley. Here is the kicker gotta know where to go where you can find both. Fortunately I guide and hunt all that so I got the 411 on them. With all that being said I’ve taken a 108” 119” and my biggest was a 127” he is currently at the taxidermist. It’s tough country and also water is key for them. The rifle hunt is good but the muzzy hunt is by far one of the best for coues in that unit. Mild weather with few hunters chasing the little critters. Not many people hunt for them in the unit and they are pretty laxed when you find them. Make sure you get a bear and lion tag if you go because you will see at least on of those predators during your hunt.

And you shouldn't mention it either unless you want everyone who googles "NM unit coues" for the rest of the life of the internet to read your post and apply in that unit. Maybe edit it to say "There are some nice hidden gems of units in NM for coues..." without being specific. Or not.

Regardless, congrats on the huge coues bucks! Let's see them.

 

[trophyhill]

I’ll bet that is a great hunt. Bears in January?

Honestly the bear quota closes always by mid October as NMDGF have to many units in on area counting as one unit. We have so many bears here on the Gila it’s pretty crazy. I see about a bear a day when guiding elk hunters during either bow or rifle. I’ve seen up to 6 different bears in one day. Insane the numbers we have.

 

[passinggas33]

Here’s been my experience in the form of an example...Look really hard at the yellow picture and find the really small yellow thing in the middle of it. Oh look, it’s running. Now eating. Now sleeping. Oh, now it’s running again. You still can’t see it? What’s wrong with you? It’s right there!! I’m just kidding. But this is what coues deer hunting was like for me. For me the biggest learning curve was getting my brain adjusted to what I was looking for. Then again, maybe it is just me and I’m not a good hunter.