By Nate Remington
Coues whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) is a subspecies of the jap whitetail that stay within the southwestern United States and Mexico. Their identify comes from Dr. Elliot Coues, an Military doctor who was the primary to scientifically describe the subspecies, which is why they’re known as the Coues deer. This subspecies will not be identified for big racks or huge physique measurement. They’re very small in stature, usually no more than 30” on the shoulder, and usually below 100 kilos in weight. These small deer have captivated the minds of hunters, who typically describe them as the toughest huge sport animal to chase as a consequence of their skittish nature and the way nicely they mix into their environment.
Beneficiant Supply
I’ve been enamored with Coues deer from a really younger age and have needed to hunt them for simply as lengthy. I work within the searching trade, and thru work, I met a person named Blaine Mathews and his son, Brandon Mathews. Blaine lived in Arizona, and each time he got here to my office we talked for hours about searching, extra particularly Coues deer. When Blaine and his sons weren’t searching, they had been serving to information for G3 Outfitters in Arizona and New Mexico. He very generously provided to take me out if I ever drew a Coues deer tag, so I began making use of and gaining factors to take him up on the provide.
Sadly, Blaine handed away in an extremely tragic accident in 2020. Kyle Mathews, Blaine’s oldest son, reached out to me to present me the dangerous information and to let me know the provide was nonetheless on the desk if I needed to return down and hunt with them. Realizing how unimaginable Blaine was, I knew that his household can be identical to him of their generosity, kindness, and total love of searching. I talked with Kyle for some time and advised him that I’d keep in contact, and once I draw a tag, they might be the primary ones I known as. It lastly occurred this yr; I drew an Arizona Coues Deer tag, and considered one of my dream hunts was formally on the calendar. Brandon and Kyle had been ecstatic, and we started planning dates and areas the place we might hunt.
First Look
When my airplane landed in Arizona, it hit me that my dream of searching the “Gray Ghost” was changing into actuality. It was lastly right here. The primary morning, we headed to a terrific glassing knob and I had no thought what was in retailer for me. It was round 9 AM that I lastly glassed up my first Coues – a doe and two fawns. I shortly set my recognizing scope and took an image; my pleasure was by the roof. Over the following few hours, we discovered a number of extra does and fawns however we had been but to discover a buck. Kyle, who had been glassing a unique space, relocated to the place Brandon and I sat. The second he sat down he discovered two bucks over a mile away. I frantically searched the world by my binoculars to attempt to see my first Coues buck, however I couldn’t discover them for the lifetime of me.
After Kyle elaborated additional on the place they had been at, I used to be lastly in a position to spot them, and I used to be in awe of how actually onerous they had been to seek out. Later that day, Kyle discovered a number of different bucks, considered one of them large enough to make a stalk on. Brandon and I took off to see if we might get in vary, however we had been about 30 seconds too late, and the buck topped out over a ridge. We stayed there till darkish, however nothing else developed. I used to be smiling the complete hike again, for I couldn’t imagine I made a stalk on a Coues; it was all surreal to me.
Coues Rodeo
The following morning, we hiked as much as the identical glassing knob because the day earlier than. Kyle shortly picked out the buck from final evening in the identical space, and the hunt was on. Brandon and I took off once more, following a unique route that might put us a bit nearer to the place the buck was. We snuck as much as a outstanding rock and climbed as much as the highest, discovering an ideal place to put down and arrange for a shot. After a couple of minutes, we couldn’t discover the buck we had been chasing. Nevertheless, Kyle, from 1,000 yards behind us, was watching three bucks come over the ridge in entrance of the place Brandon and I had been arrange. Rapidly, Kyle texted us and tell us that there have been extra bucks to the left of the place we had been trying initially.
In that point, the bucks bedded earlier than Brandon and I might find them. After dissecting the world, we discovered a smaller buck and the shine of an antler behind it, and the wait started. Laying on a rock in an uncomfortable place, within the scorching solar for over an hour, taking a look at a bedded buck describes how loopy and die-hard Coues deer hunters are. After what appeared like without end, the larger of the three bucks stood up. My relaxation was excellent, I had already dialed my scope to the yardage, and I let the primary shot go – miss… Brandon was additionally in a clumsy place, and couldn’t see the place the shot hit, so I shot once more – miss…
At this level, we knew the buck was large, and I began panicking. I shot once more, missed, and the buck moved down and out of sight. Thank goodness Brandon was there, for I used to be out of my thoughts with what was occurring. I couldn’t imagine I had missed the shot. Realizing the buck would transfer again into sight, Brandon arrange his tripod so he might see the place the pictures had been hitting. After a brief pep speak, the buck stepped out again into our discipline of view, and this time he was about 50 yards nearer. I re-ranged and moved the scope two clicks down, then I bought again on an ideal, useless relaxation.
I requested Brandon the place I ought to goal as a result of I had no thought the place the gun was hitting. Brandon instructed me to goal behind his shoulder and that he’d watch the place the bullet hit so I might shortly get one other shot off. The buck stopped, and I let one other shot go. He went down instantly. Brandon grabbed my calf and advised me that he dropped, and I assumed he was mendacity to me. I requested him a number of instances if he was pulling my leg, and he frequently stored saying, “He dropped.”
In Shock
In the meantime, Kyle noticed the buck go down, so he gathered all his gear and the gear that we left with him and made his approach as much as us. Throughout that point, Brandon and I moved nearer to the buck so we might have eyes on him whereas we had been ready for Kyle. After watching the buck not transfer for about half-hour, he stood again up, and I went right into a full panic. I laid down and bought inclined as soon as once more, placing two extra pictures into the buck till he was down for good. A couple of minutes later, Kyle bought to the place we had been ready, and collectively, all of us made our approach to the buck.
Strolling as much as him was every thing I dreamed of and extra. He bought larger as we bought nearer, and the conclusion of how actually large he was set in. Brandon, Kyle, and I all reminisced in regards to the rodeo it was to get this deer whereas watching him for a couple of minutes. We talked about how Blaine would’ve had the most important smile on his face and the way a lot he would’ve loved this hunt and having me come down and hunt with him and his household. We took a number of photos, and bought him out of there; then we met up with a number of different associates and guides for G3 that needed to see him.
All of us sat across the buck that evening for a number of hours. All of us had been in shock, and a few had by no means seen a Coues deer that huge with their very own eyes, together with me. After I first dreamt of experiencing a Coues deer hunt, the outcome was nothing near this. This hunt ended higher than I might’ve ever imagined and was greater than I deserved. I do know that this buck didn’t simply stroll into our lap with out another power being at work and my fourth shot lastly connecting, so I do know that Blaine had issues working for us from above. I take into account myself extremely blessed to have the ability to expertise a hunt like this, and I can’t thank Brandon and Kyle sufficient for letting me come down from Utah to hunt with them. I additionally wish to thank G3 Outfitters for letting me steal two of their guides throughout searching season to take me out! I’ll without end be indebted to all of them!
