AZ coues whitetail

Share and Showcase your hunting success stories.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
AfootTrack56
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:32 am
Status: Offline

AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:49 am

I’ve been trying to get a coues whitetail with my longbow for a few years now. Despite all the coues hunters I know telling me it’s impossible to get one within 20 yards, I kept grinding on. I’ve had many close calls up to this point, but could never get that perfect opportunity. My sweet spot seems is 12-15 yards, but can shoot well out to 25. Only shooting 40 pounds at my draw length, I decided to not shoot over 20 yards. Needless to say, it has costed me many trophies that I could’ve had with my compound for sure.

Fast forward to 2020, even with the world falling apart, I was more driven than ever to get it done this year. Coming into the summer with a terrible drought, I knew deer would be close to the remaining water. I set my sights on a spot I’ve been watching for about 5 years. Only hunted the area twice and it produced sightings of big bucks.

A month before season opened, a miracle rain blew through, I ran out in the rain to super speed scout, hang a camera, and see if there was any water holes that still had water. To my amazement, the closest water hole to my spot had water, not much, but it was water. Although the tracks were plenty, it was very obvious, I wasn’t the only hunter around. Several sets of lion tracks were in there too. It’s usually pretty tough sledding when the cats move in. The deer are on edge, really on edge.

Watching the weather every day before season wasn’t helping my confidence. The winds were super light, and 100% the wrong way. On top of that, no rain. The water I seen when scouting will most likely be evaporated before I can hunt it. I prayed every night the water would hold out til opening day and that the wind would switch direction and blow steady enough to trump a sketchy thermal. The night before opening day I checked the weather, and the wind was gonna be exactly what I needed to hunt this spot. Not knowing if the water was still there I decided to go in anyway and hope for the best.

Alarm goes off at 2:30 and I head out. I hike toward my spot and check the water hole along the way. And like a miracle, it has a puddle of water about 5 foot across, and the rest was mud. This was gonna be my day I could feel it. Although I could see fresh lion tracks, I had no other choice but to try.

I moved up the mountain a ways to a transition line of a thick mesquite wash and an ocotillo forest. These deer work this edge religiously. I figured they’d be less on edge up here rather than right at the water. I set up my stand in the only scrub tree I could climb. I was only able to use two of my beast sticks to get me about 10 foot to the platform of my stand. It was super low, but the cover was great, and these deer never get hunted from above.

The first deer came by at 10:00. Two small bucks, I could tell they were nervous about something, but my approach and current wind was perfect, so I knew they had no clue I was there. I assumed they could smell the big cats. They came by me at 15 yards and I sent an arrow. The shot was perfect, but the buck wasn’t there when the arrow got there. These little guys are fast. Nocked the next arrow and the wait was on again. 11:00, two bucks worked by at 15 yards. Another shot down range. Swing and a miss. He jumped string and was gone before the arrow got there. Had multiple does come by and three other bucks, but they didn’t offer the shot I needed. At 2:00 I see a deer coming from about 200 yards out. When I seen his body I knew he was a shooter. Then I seen the headgear. Definitely a shooter. He took over 30 minutes to close the last 75 yards. He patiently waited for three does to go ahead of him. The does were hanging out right in front of me at point blank range. He worked in to 15 yards and gave me a good quartering away shot. I drew, hit my anchor, and sent the arrow for his far side leg. This time the deer didn’t duck. I watched the white fletching disappear on the spot, and he jumped twice, covering only 10 yards and went down. It has finally happened, I achieved my goal and put a 104” buck on the ground. He is my first velvet buck, and the very first coues whitetail with a longbow. This one will be hard to beat, but it was an awesome journey. It’s funny, I haven’t heard a peep from any of those doubters... haha. If you have a goal you want to achieve, no matter how big or small, or how trivial it seems to someone else, go for it!! Don’t hold back, you’re in it for you, not me, not anyone else. I hope everyone has a great season this year. It’s not too far off.
256BFADE-6BAF-4819-B0B9-B6096433F72D.jpeg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Stringstalker03
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:02 pm
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby Stringstalker03 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:15 am

Awesome deer!
User avatar
JakeB
500 Club
Posts: 993
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:33 pm
Location: Louisiana
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby JakeB » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:16 am

Wow congrats! And he’s a good one too!
User avatar
AfootTrack56
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:32 am
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:20 am

Thanks guys!
PaPublicLandHunter
Posts: 473
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:08 pm
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby PaPublicLandHunter » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:21 am

That’s awesome man, congrats! :clap:
User avatar
seazofcheeze
500 Club
Posts: 3860
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:13 pm
Location: Billings, MT
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:22 am

Pretty incredible to get a coues deer with a longbow. Great buck to boot, congrats! :dance:
User avatar
Arrowbender
500 Club
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 4:39 am
Location: Minnie!
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby Arrowbender » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:26 am

Congrats !
Way to “stick” with it!

He looks wide! Very nice!
User avatar
AfootTrack56
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:32 am
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:58 am

Arrowbender wrote:Congrats !
Way to “stick” with it!

He looks wide! Very nice!


He’s 16” inside. It’s crazy how 16” on these little guys looks so much wider than 16” on a midwestern buck. I have to say it’s definitely easier dealing with these little deer once they’re down. Haha.
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Aug 25, 2020 8:04 am

Dude that is a toad. Way to go.

People often confuse their own inabilities with impossibilities.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
AfootTrack56
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:32 am
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 8:18 am

PK_ wrote:Dude that is a toad. Way to go.

People often confuse their own inabilities with impossibilities.


Thanks PK! I think most people are afraid to fail. It’s much easier with a super long range rifle and high power optics, but they’re missing out on something special when you are right in their wheelhouse. There is nothing like it.
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Aug 25, 2020 8:26 am

AfootTrack56 wrote:
PK_ wrote:Dude that is a toad. Way to go.

People often confuse their own inabilities with impossibilities.


Thanks PK! I think most people are afraid to fail. It’s much easier with a super long range rifle and high power optics, but they’re missing out on something special when you are right in their wheelhouse. There is nothing like it.


Yea man, over the years I have deliberately tried tactics that I was told ‘couldn’t work’, and it is a great feeling to accomplish what you set out to do. One day I will actually hunt with my long bow, just haven’t worked up the courage. Lol
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
NYBackcountry
500 Club
Posts: 918
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:22 am
Location: Upstate NY
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Tue Aug 25, 2020 8:34 am

8-) 8-)
User avatar
AfootTrack56
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:32 am
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 8:50 am

PK_ wrote:
AfootTrack56 wrote:
PK_ wrote:Dude that is a toad. Way to go.

People often confuse their own inabilities with impossibilities.


Thanks PK! I think most people are afraid to fail. It’s much easier with a super long range rifle and high power optics, but they’re missing out on something special when you are right in their wheelhouse. There is nothing like it.


Yea man, over the years I have deliberately tried tactics that I was told ‘couldn’t work’, and it is a great feeling to accomplish what you set out to do. One day I will actually hunt with my long bow, just haven’t worked up the courage. Lol


I highly recommend trying the more simple way of hunting with a trad bow. It’s so fun. You won’t regret it. I was nervous about my setup. I did a lot of testing on rabbits and coyotes to build confidence. My arrow was only going 130fps. High FOC, razor sharp Tuffhead, and perfect flight zipped right through. I was gonna use my 50 pound longbow, but I shoot this one better and have better control over the bow. It’s a blast. You should practice with it and take it out for at least one hunt.
User avatar
Cchez
Posts: 344
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:14 am
Facebook: codiechesney is my Instagram
Location: NE Mn
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby Cchez » Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:21 am

Awesome buck! Thanks for sharing your great story with us!
User avatar
john1984
Posts: 4708
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:08 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: AZ coues whitetail

Unread postby john1984 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:40 am

:clap:


  • Advertisement

Return to “Kill Zone”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Applebot and 18 guests