OMG. I drew one of the best Coues Deer Units in New Mexico- advice?

[swavescatter]

Obviously OP means well and is excited, but...

As a resident that hunts this unit, I'd rather not turn this thread into a honeypot.

 

[TalusHunterCA]

Yes, I'm excited. I read the "Terms and Rules" in the footer and didn't see anything there where I would be going agaisnt any rules. Is there more rule info somewhere else that I should look at? I did not share any specific unit info- no locations, general info & tips only and PMs for any other insights.

I did EDIT my previous posts to not confirm or deny any unit. There are arguably 6 units with multiple seasons for Coues in NM that could be considered "one of the best..." Lord knows that I have tried to draw all of them over the years and have been unlucky for over a decade. My time finally came.

 

[Slick8]

Best of luck to ya.

No coues experience but I've hunted southern NM mulies a few times. While not a ghostly as the coues they are hard to spot.

I'd go with 15x quality glass and a really good tripod. A spotter is a great option as well.

I've changed things around a couple times from cheap and light to modest priced and light to a little more money and weight. I'm happy with the latter as it offers the most functionality and stability. As a bonus with an Acra rail I can shoot a long long ways from the prone to standing positions.

 

[JohnJohnson]

I've changed things around a couple timed from cheap and light to modest priced and light to a little more money and weight. I'm happy with the latter as it offer the most functionality and stability. As a bonus with an Acra rail I can shoot a long long ways from the prone to standing positions.

I'm a horrible example since I just don't care about weight at all for these types of hunts. The tripod I used coues hunting was a RRS TFCT-34L + Anvil head which comes in at about 5.5 pounds. It's as stable as you can possibly get for shooting though, plus my rifle was 13#. Having an ARCA rail on the rifle stock makes life so much easier too.

Next time I hunt coues (2025) I'll have a 15# rifle. And for my antelope hunt in eastern CO this fall I may very well be hauling a 19# rifle.

 

[TalusHunterCA]

Best of luck to ya.

No coues experience but I've hunted southern NM mulies a few times. While not a ghostly as the coues they are hard to spot.

I'd go with 15x quality glass and a really good tripod. A spotter is a great option as well.

I've changed things around a couple times from cheap and light to modest priced and light to a little more money and weight. I'm happy with the latter as it offers the most functionality and stability. As a bonus with an Acra rail I can shoot a long long ways from the prone to standing positions.
View attachment 703580

That looks like a great set up. I don't have an ARCA rail on my current rifle; only picatinny. May I ask what tripod and rifle clamp set up you are using? Looks like it would really work well. Feel free to PM me too.

 

[Slick8]

It's a gunwerks revic. I'm not a genwerks fanboy but they do have good stuff. This thing was sold where I live which allowed me to test drive it plus support a mom and pop store, although my business certainly won't make or brake that particular store.

One thing I really liked is there's no screw in or telescopic center post for stand up glassing. It's all leg to the base making for a more stable platform.

The ball head comes with the tripod.

 

[JohnJohnson]

To elaborate a bit on what he said, a center post on a tripod absolutely wrecks stability for shooting. I can't recommend getting a good shooting tripod enough. It will enhance basically all of your hunting. If you do end up getting an actual shooting tripod, I made a PDF awhile ago of some guy's posts about how to properly use shooting tripods.

 

[GhostHunters]

Binos on a tripod to glass. Get comfortable shooting at 300-500 yards. That includes shooting from various positions other than prone. Best of luck!

 

[TalusHunterCA]

To elaborate a bit on what he said, a center post on a tripod absolutely wrecks stability for shooting. I can't recommend getting a good shooting tripod enough. It will enhance basically all of your hunting. If you do end up getting an actual shooting tripod, I made a PDF awhile ago of some guy's posts about how to properly use shooting tripods.

I'd be very much interested in reading that PDF. Please PM me.

 

[Corkinit]

Please PM me- I just drew one of the best Coues Deer units in NM! Love to learn more about hunting them if you've drawn a good tag before and have actual kill experience.

Thank you

Make sure you get your glass on a tripod. Doesnt need to be a big heavy tripod. You want to be comfortable and glass into the sun and wind. It's tough but it pays off. Also, get yourself a little butt pad as the country you will be in will have jagged rocks and things that stick you. Watch as many coues hunting videos as you can. Meat eater has two great videos on coues hunts. Hes a great teacher and isn't afraid to ask questions of others. Worth your time watching them. best of luck. Coues hunting is an addiction!!

 

[StraightTequilaNight]

Please PM me- I just drew one of the best Coues Deer units in NM! Love to learn more about hunting them if you've drawn a good tag before and have actual kill experience.

Thank you

Best of Luck! I live in SE Arizona & hunt them regularly. I started hunting later in life & learned most of what I know the hard way. LOTS of help from lots of others, so I'm always happy to help others. Too often we tear each other down or try to protect "our" spots, when there are lots of people that are just trying to learn without the help from family or friends that so many others have had. Feel free to reach out. If you're not too far from me, I might even be available to go help glass for a day.

My typical setup:
1. 10x on the chest. I've tried without.. I've tried with 15x... I wouldn't hike anywhere in coues country without 8x or 10x on the chest. Too many times you have to pull up & find a spooked deer & judge it quickly. I've had cheapy 10's & they are fine for hiking. I now carry a more expensive pair of 10x and use it a LOT on a tripod as well.
2. BTX on a tripod. If you have a good set of 10s, the 10x & BTX combo is AWESOME. BTX is basically worthless for anything under 500 yards (too small a field of view) and really not ideal for spotting inside of 800 yards. But outside of that... they are awesome. A spotting scope could be good too... I just can't stand looking through one eye for hours on end. I use my 10x on a tripod to scour everything close & then switch to BTX for the long stuff. Obviously I'll use BTX to judge anything that merits a closer look.
3. 15x on a tripod. I keep a pair in the truck & will use it instead of the BTX / 10 combo when convenient. If I'm w/ a buddy, he's always got a pair of 15s & the 10 / 15 / BTX combo is great.
4. Javelin bipod w/ a 20x or higher scope. I like the bipod setup much more than any tripod I've used for shooting. Shooting prone off a bipod is my preferred for me, my wife, kids, etc. The Javelin is awesome because I have the mount on all my guns & then just need to buy one set of legs that can be used on any of them.
5. STURDY boots. Coues country is rough country. I've torn through lots of pairs of boots. Kenetrek & Crispi are my personal favorites... each lasting 3-5 seasons of lots of hunts in rough country. I don't like anything that's waterproof as it just holds in the sweat & doesn't breathe as well on hot, rough hikes.

I personally carry two tripods with me to all glassing spots (even if several miles in). I like the heavier tripod for the BTX or spotting scope & a super lightweight carbon tripod for the 10x or 15x. Once I spot one I'm going to close the distance on, I'll leave the heavier tripod & optics & go light up to the shooting spot. Helps to have a lighter pack for the initial pack out as well.

GET AWAY FROM THE ROAD. I firmly believe that if I'm willing to hike 1/2 mile from a road to glass, I'm leaving 90% of coues hunters behind. 1 mile, probably 95%. It's amazing how just getting in a little way can open up entire new country that you didn't know you couldn't see. BE PATIENT. I have to constantly tell myself to slow down... keep my field of view for several seconds longer than I think I should before moving on. If you're looking for the best ever glassing advice for coues deer, look up Duwayne Adams... he's the OG.

Pardon the long post. Hope you find yourself surrounded by gray ghosts!

 

[Boarmaster]

I dont have any advice but good luck and enjoy the hunt.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Look up the Jay Scott Outdoors podcast. He has more information specifically on coues than any other source. He easily has 20+ hrs of detailed coues specific information and strategies.

Plan on glassing all day, 15s are priceless. Spotter to really check those shade pockets mid day and trophy potential. Practice and be comfortable with cross canyon shots, most of time getting on the same face as them and getting a shot just isn’t possible. Assuming you have the later hunt you might catch a bit of rut, but the big boys will still be hanging back in the nasty stuff. Go dig one out!

 

[TrackerG]

This post has already violated rules maybe?

No unit specific info.

Lol the mall cop has called it

 

[swavescatter]

Lol the mall cop has called it

If you think unit specific information and detailed post hunt information should be openly posted in forums, I think you might find a different forum suits you better…

 

[TrackerG]

If you think unit specific information and detailed post hunt information should be openly posted in forums, I think you might find a different forum suits you better…

The fact of the matter is, there is a TON of information to help hunters decide what units. Someone mentioning what unit they drew isn’t going to change anything. The state still issues the same number of tags. The deer population will be fine, you just may need to actually get out of the side by side and hunt a little. Or I suppose you can blame your lack of success on “people blowing up your unit”

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Just FYI for all involved here.......Nothing in this thread has broken any rules yet, just for clarification. If it had it would have been reported already, and either edited or locked.

Good luck on your hunt to the OP!

 

[swavescatter]

The fact of the matter is, there is a TON of information to help hunters decide what units. Someone mentioning what unit they drew isn’t going to change anything. The state still issues the same number of tags. The deer population will be fine, you just may need to actually get out of the side by side and hunt a little. Or I suppose you can blame your lack of success on “people blowing up your unit”

The post I quoted early in the thread from OP was an offer to post detailed, recent info, AKA spot burning. This is frowned upon and poor form, period.

Who is complaining about lack of success here? Spot burning, unit specific info, etc. are not OK. End of story.

 

[azsugarbear]

Coues are very skittish - more so than your typical whitetail. They are nervous all the time as they tend to be hunted by many different predators out here in AZ. Shots tend to be taken at longer distances, so practice your dialing for distance and wind.

Bring the best optics you can. Mount your bino's on a tripod. You will be spending a great part of your time glassing for bedded coues. You cannot rely on your spotting scope for searching as you will get eye fatigue after an hour or two. Bino's are your friend. Spotters are for confirmation.

Use a grid search method for picking a hillside apart. You will not be looking for coues deer, but rather visible pieces of a deer such as an ear twitching, a tine visible above the brush, a hoof sticking out from underneath an oak, etc. There have been many times that I have glassed an entire hillside and not found/seen a single deer. Then as the shadowa grow long in the evening - they just magically materialize out of thin air. Turns out, they were there all along. Just couldn't see them.