USA: Coues Deer Hunting In Arizona

[Green Chile]

We don’t hear a lot on this forum about Coues deer hunting so I wanted to share some thoughts from a hunt that took place back in November 2018. There are 2 main areas that you can hunt Coues deer from…old Mexico or the border states. Coues deer in old Mexico are a different subject, which I don’t have experience with yet. When you hear about Coues deer hunting in the US, the main area will be Arizona. Yes there are some Coues in New Mexico and very few in Texas but the majority of the US hunts take place in Arizona. While there are some over the counter non-resident Coues tags available for archery, you will have to apply for the draw to use firearms for Coues as a non-resident.

I worked with Tim Winslow who owns Arizona Trophy Outfitters to apply for a tag. Tim is a Coues deer nut and has a LOT of experience with them as well as lots of experience with elk, bears in Alaska, etc. When I followed Tim’s advice, I was able to draw a tag the second year of trying. Some areas will require many years (20+) to draw but Tim knows the units and has some serious scouting time invested to get clients into good areas sooner than later. I know some guys love the DIY approach but it is a challenging hunt regardless and I was really glad to go with Tim.

Tim is an interesting guide in that he grew up playing competitive baseball with his dad as the coach. His dad got him into hunting and now Tim hires his dad to run the tent camp and cook and then hires a lot of his dad’s baseball players as his guides. These guys are already in great shape but then in their off-time, they love scouting for Coues deer year around. We had 4 hunters in camp with individual guides but as clients became successful, those guides would jump in to glass for the other clients until everyone was successful. It is so helpful to have numerous guides glassing all over the area and covering different mountain ranges. Then when we would find some interesting bucks, several guides would focus on that general area and pick it apart looking for those trophy bucks. With that kind of effort, it’s just a matter of putting in the time and you will eventually get to stalk a nice buck. However, seeing them doesn’t mean you are taking them home!

Camp was in comfortable tents with cots and then a cook tent and a simple portable shower. Simple but comfortable and besides, we never really saw camp in the daytime. We would leave camp at least 2 hours before light and I never got back to camp before 10pm. There might be a way to base out of a hotel but you would lose so much time every day getting to glassing locations that it wasn't really feasible for our area.

This is big country!

 

[WAB]

I am totally addicted to Coues and the borderlands they live in! I hate to think how much money I’ve invested in the specialty gear I use for this hunt.

 

[Green Chile]

We will get into that subject for sure!

 

[Altitude sickness]

The Coues deer is named after Dr Elliot Coues, a naturalist and Army surgeon who was the first to scientifically describe the species in the late 1800s:

Coues was stationed at Fort Whipple in Arizona Territory from 1865–1866. He pronounced his name "cows", which is the correct pronunciation of the species' name. However, "cooz" is more commonly used today.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I've gone twice, DIY right on the border in 36b back when you could even get leftover tags.
Diving a little Chevy cobalt and camped in a tent right on the side of the road. Lol
Border patrol and others in high numbers every day.
Successful both times albeit with bucks most would pass up.
Had a great time and super happy with the experience.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Beautiful country

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I've gone twice, DIY right on the border in 36b back when you could even get leftover tags.
Diving a little Chevy cobalt and camped in a tent right on the side of the road. Lol
Border patrol and others in high numbers every day.
Successful both times albeit with bucks most would pass up.
Had a great time and super happy with the experience.

I used to hunt 36B. Took a deer or two down there. Tons of mountain lions. Unfortunately tons of illegal immigrants too, amongst them a few bad actors. I quit hunting there as it just became a bit too dangerous in my opinion.

Driving a Chevy cobalt in that country? That was brave. Get much past Pena Blanca lake and those roads get rough.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I used to hunt 36B. Took a deer or two down there. Tons of mountain lions. Unfortunately tons of illegal immigrants too, amongst them a few bad actors. I quit hunting there as it just became a bit too dangerous in my opinion.

Driving a Chevy cobalt in that country? That was brave. Get much past Pena Blanca lake and those roads get rough.

I don't even remember the names of places but I was right outside of Nogales. Something motorway? Always thought strange as it was a dirt road.
I drove over 14 hours to get there

 

[WAB]

Swaro SLC 15x56 on a Peak 44 tripod. Just a small sampling of the investment.

 

[JimP]

I found that hunting coues deer can roll all the emotions of hunting all up into one and all in the same hunt.

I have gone after them twice. The first time I used a bunch of points for a late hunt in 36c for the late December hunt. Hunted hard and got rained out but did manage a shot at a nice buck.

The next year I just put in for the draw on a whim, thinking that I'd never draw the tag with just a loyalty point, to my surprise I drew the late December hunt again for the second time in a row.

I missed a buck on the first day but we hiked into the same canyon that I had taken a shot at the previous year. My buddy asked me what kind of buck I would settle for and I said a respectable one. A few minutes later he came back to me and said that he had found my buck. After a hour or so of trying to get closer I got off a 420 yard shot with my .25-06 and I had my coues.

He was shot in the same canyon where I had missed the year before and is possibly the same buck

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The Coues deer is named after Dr Elliot Coues, a naturalist and Army surgeon who was the first to scientifically describe the species in the late 1800s:

Coues was stationed at Fort Whipple in Arizona Territory from 1865–1866. He pronounced his name "cows", which is the correct pronunciation of the species' name. However, "cooz" is more commonly used today.

The correct pronunciation, "cows", has lead to some unintended and sad consequences. Like the time a dairy herd, just outside of Tucson, was decimated after a guide said, "shoot the cows!" The newer pronunciation, "cooz" was implemented to avoid confusion and another bovine tragedy.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I found that hunting coues deer can roll all the emotions of hunting all up into one and all in the same hunt.

I have gone after them twice. The first time I used a bunch of points for a late hunt in 36c for the late December hunt. Hunted hard and got rained out but did manage a shot at a nice buck.

The next year I just put in for the draw on a whim, thinking that I'd never draw the tag with just a loyalty point, to my surprise I drew the late December hunt again for the second time in a row.

I missed a buck on the first day but we hiked into the same canyon that I had taken a shot at the previous year. My buddy asked me what kind of buck I would settle for and I said a respectable one. A few minutes later he came back to me and said that he had found my buck. After a hour or so of trying to get closer I got off a 420 yard shot with my .25-06 and I had my coues.

He was shot in the same canyon where I had missed the year before and is possibly the same buck

Wow that's a nice Coues!