Sonora Coues Deer Outlook 2026

[buzzy]

Anyone have any clues on how the upcoming Coues deer season is looking? Heading down to Sonora next week. Will be driving across at Auga Prieta I believe and following the outfitter about 2 hours across the border to the ranch. Hoping the rut will be kicking in but it may be a tad early.

 

[HuntFishCamp]

Nobody running star link in the Sonoran hills?? Ill be crossing the border Tuesday. Can update when I get back next week.

 

[Trial153]

My buddy been down for about 7 or 8 days says it’s it been slow.

 

[buzzy]

My buddy been down for about 7 or 8 days says it’s it been slow.

What part of Sonora? I’ll be in the northern part just a couple of hrs across the border.

 

[Trial153]

NE of Hermosillo

 

[ChasinDoes]

Interested as well. Will be crossing the border on monday at the same place as OP

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[JoeB]

When is usual peak rut down there? Im looking at booking for next year

 

[ChasinDoes]

When is usual peak rut down there? Im looking at booking for next year

When i was down there 2 years ago we had really good rut action and that was around the 20th of January

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[Nick Muche]

This will be the slowest year in quite a while. You'll see rutting activity starting in early January and increasing throughout the month.

 

[Blockcaver]

All reports I've had out of MX were super slow...worst year in memory. Parallels my experience in southern AZ. Couple good rains around New Years and Jan 6. But coming out of a three year drought that has impacted deer and quail.

 

[ChasinDoes]

Why will this be the slowest year?

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[Nick Muche]

A lot of rain later in 2025, tall grass, green grass all over, deer don't need to move as much.

 

[HuntHarder]

Deer are very "spread out" because of the late rains and water/feed everywhere. It will give the illusion of a "bad/weak" rut.

 

[ChasinDoes]

Well not what I wanted to hear before Im about to hunt for 8 days there. Hopefully we turn up a few bucks at least

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[Nick Muche]

I can't imagine it having a huge effect on rifle hunters, but bowhunters focusing on water/bait have and will likely continue to struggle with far less deer sightings than years past. For reference, two years ago, I shot the 38th buck I saw, at noon, on the first day. That same ranch this year my friends saw 1-2 deer a day, or none, that same week. Patience and time in the blind allowed them to kill bucks this year, but they didn't see very many!

 

[ChasinDoes]

Ahh gotcha, did not realize you we're bowhunting. My hat is off to you getting one with bow, they are hard enough to get with a rifle sometimes.

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[Nick Muche]

I've been down there 4 of the last 6 years and always found success, a lot of that has to do with the quality of ranch we are on. But I am kind of glad I decided to stay home and ice fish this winter instead!

 

[ChasinDoes]

Do you go through an outfitter? We go through Jay Scott

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[buzzy]

We are seeing a lot of deer on the ranch we are on. We got a real nice 102” buck this am and missed one that was a solid 110” and another close to it that we lost in the brush. Several does being chased by bucks. The rut is kicking in but it is on the warm side.