Arizona Coues hunt

[Prairieghost]

Im on my way home, stopped for a night to get some rest in a comfort inn. The hunt has staretd off as a nightmare, which is ok with me. The hunts that I have had in the past that started off as nightmares ended up being the best hunts, So I love this stuff, Im sick
To start it off I was on my way into my hidey hole which has more coues deer in it than I have ever seen in one basin. So Im on my way going to do it the right way, stop in and try to buy a san carlos indian permit to "cross" the small piece of indian land leading into my hidey. Im informed I cannot get a permit becuase they stopped access two weeks ago. WHHHHHHHHat!!!? Im so mad. I call the indian G&F and even spoke to a warden who is a buddy of a friend of mine. He tells me my truck and guns and everything will be siezed if im caught! So IM not a happy camper I have waited 6 years for this tag and they do this.
Two days later i find a way to it. 20 miles of the worst road. in 4 low all the way! 3 hours drive. we get there and its 930 am. Shouldve been there at day light. lots of deer 6 bucks none big enough for me. The does were by themselves still NO RUT!
6 does today and one shooter of a buck but as my luck is running he jumps onto private land just as I throw the scope on him and a vehicle coming down the road. This was as we were on our way out and I wasnt going to pass up a gift buck. I dont road hunt.
These grey ghosts are so tough and shy it is my favorite hunt. When they appear in your glass it is awesome and kinda takes your breath away for a second. Mine anyways.
So I have the last two days of the hunt off and Im comin back. Rut should be on, fingers crossed.
My 11 year old son was with me this is his first time being with dad and his buddies on a dads deer hunt. He shot his first deer last year and I felt he was ready. He told me today as we were driving out " dad im wore 0ut" I love that kid! I said yeah me too. We stopped and had dinner and I said I would get us a hotel room to rest instead of going all the way home tonight.
SO that is the readers digest version. Hopefully on Dec 3`1st I will have a great New YEars buck to show. Thanks to Buschy for showing me this site. and good hutning to yall and Merry Christmas from the mountains of Arizona.
p.s. forgive my grammar IM really tired and my fingers are not working .
JD

 

[Spitz]

Best of luck to you. I'm looking forward to the pictures.

 

[AZ402]

Good luck out there, some good ones are starting to hit the dirt. That includes a dandy from a OYOA/HT regular.

 

[Moosie]

PraireGhost, If you're Bushy's friend we wouldn't expect any better grammar anyways... so no worries

Good luck to ya and looknig forward in hearing the rest of the story !!

 

[upper deck]

JD

Thanks for the update and I'm sure you will get the deal closed. Good luck

 

[Big Fin]

Go get 'em JD. They don't know it, but one of those bucks is on a short track to your house. Look forward to seeing the results when you are done.

 

[Buschy]

JD,

Thanks for the update and I's looking forward to call and pics in a week or so. Go get'em!

 

[Prairieghost]

I tell you it was really frustrating. Why they would close access without even publishing it two weeks before a trophy hunt is beyond me. SO im back to the planning stages and kinda bummed out. I found this spot I hunt years ago by doing alot of walking etc. Now I dont know where to start this late in the game.
If anyone has any help they can afford to bestow on me for this area I would greatly appreciate it. I would like to finish my coues quest for at least a 90 inch deer. GUess i will be pouring over maps again.
Merry Christmas to all.
JD

 

[Buschy]

JD,

What unit? There are some guys on here who might be able to help.

 

[Prairieghost]

Sorry I did not get back here till now. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I am hoping to leave tomorrow night after work. This time im going in Hard, light and fast. I will get this done I just hope the stars are in my favor for a decent buck. I have an 85 inch deer im lookin to top him. I love hunting these deer they are a great challenge no matter your capabilities or gear.
I hope to have pics and a story for all who may be interested. I am hunting unit 31 in AZ. It is no secret really and all the units in AZ that have coues can produce B&C bucks.
This is my conquest this year. I have helped so many tag out this year it is my turn I hope I can get it done. Stay tuned.
JD

 

[Buschy]

I am posting a picture of Prairieghost's coues deer for him. He can fill us in on the details. Congratulations JD

 

[Prairieghost]

Thanks Greg. Obviously not the buck i was after but the season was nearly done and I had my son with me this time and he really wanted to see dad go to work in the field. He got his chance.
Story goes like this. We ended up getting to mny little spot on the earth I like to hunt coues in. Saw several does and some baby bucks. Clay, My son, told me he wanted to see if we could get close enough for a shot on the little forkie we glassed and I said sure. We moved in and at about 30 yards I set up and watched the buck through my scope as he lay in his bed. I didnt pull the trigger and clay walked around the boulder I was resting my rifle on and the little buck spooked, jumped up and left the county.
I smiled at Clay who is 11 and explained how these little whitetails are in tune with their surroundings that the slightest noise or movement will set them into motion.
I turned around and put my Swarovskis back upt to myt eyes and spotted two more does. I swung to my left to glass a distant hillside and immediately had a buck in the eyepieces. I saw a main beam that looked decent and curved upwards I dropped the binos to mychest and told Clay I saw a buck and he was a shooter this late in the game. I felt the buck had to be a three point with the main beam I saw and decided to go after him.
We closed the 3/4 mile distance to a ridge line across a canyon from where I last saw the buck.
I had mentally noted a landmark of boulders and a crack in the granite ledge above where the buck had been. I once again looked through the binos and found the buck. He was facing uphill at what I judged to be about 400 yards.
I threw my coat on an ocotillo plant tree that had died on a rock and was now just a skeleton of spines, I peered through the leupold varix2 scope and found the buck still facing uphill. I removed the elevation turret cap from the elev knob and dialed 11 clicks up or about 2.5 moa.
Again I looked through the scope, I lost him! I started to panic somewhat then told myself to calm down and kept searching. Anyone who has hunted these deer know why they are called the grey ghost. Alas I found him once again and waited for him to present himself so I might make a decent shot. When the buck turned to the left he was broadside and I squeezed the trigger lightly. The recoil surprised me and I mentally told myself to keep the scope on the deer as I pulled the trigger. I watched as the 140 gr Barnes TSX bullet slammed into the buck high on his shoulder. The buck dropped instantly and rolled once coming to rest against a mesquite tree.
My son was ecstatic having been there with dad. We ate mtn house food, slept in the back of the truck on straw and had a great hunt! Like I said this wasnt the buck I was after but my son asked for a euro mount of him for his room which I will do. It turns out the buck is a trophy after all, for it will be remembered for many years by my boy and me as well.
BTW The rifle is a Rem 700 7mm rem mag. Brake by Don Goliembieski who owns Kodiak Precision arms. It is glass bedded and Don also did some trigger work on it. The scope is a leupod vari .x II 3.5 -18 x40 with target turrets. It really shoots nice with my handloads. Barnes tipped tsx 140 gr on top of 62 grains of IMR 4831.
Thanks Greg for posting the pic. I will send one of my son with him as well if you can put that one up too Thanks.
JD

 

[Oak]

Nice job! That's a big forkhorn. Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[AZ402]

Congrats on the buck!

 

[BuzzH]

Nice work on the deer, they are incredibly difficult to see and hunt.

The guy that helped me out with the area I hunted made a very true statement about coues deer..."finding a good buck is one thing, getting it killed is another whole issue."

They dont come easy in my limited experience.

Congrats on your success.

 

[noharleyyet]

Congrats on the coues & thanks for including the rifle info...nice piece.

 

[mohunter]

nice buck. I can't wait to chase those deer someday. Congrats.

 

[Prairieghost]

This was a good year for my family. My wife, daughter and I all drew tags for something. The two girls drew elk tags and as you know I drew the deer tag. We were all successful in filling our tags. This was quite a year really. We have really been blessed.
I am going to head down south again with my bow and hunt a muley buck down and see how it works out. I have to repair some fence so my cows dont get out but after that hopefully I will be able to sneak away. I had about 200 head of elk in the 3y acre pasture the other night and man can they damage fence!
Now if I can just draw that strip tag this year! hahahahahaha
JD

 

[WFGinNM]

Coues' are amazing, thanks for sharing you hunt and experience with us. Probably my favorite animal to hunt.

Congratulations,
--Bill

 

[Buschy]

Here is another picture of Prairieghosts's son with his deer.