Recently I've fallen in love. I've fallen in love with Arizona Coues Deer hunting. My dad and I have been lucky enough to draw tags for GMU 31 the past two years in a row. This past year we hunted the early October hunt. We had a very exciting hunt. Opening morning found me slowly stalking through the oaks and junipers working the ridges with the wind in my face. I spotted a little spike buck and had a difficult off the shoulder shot. I had brought my brand new Remington .300 Ultra Mag for this hunt. I shouldered my rifle and tried to keep the cross hairs trained on the vitals but it wasn't meant to be. I jerked instead of squeezing the trigger and watched my tender steaks run away. A couple more days of hunting turned up just some does and some playful Coati, though Dad did spot two bucks but never had a shot. Dad had to get back to work so I reloaded my rig and set off alone to chase the "Grey Ghost". My first morning I slept straight through my alarm and didn't start on my trail to a ridge I planned on hunting until about 6AM. While walking down the trail I spotted the BIGGEST coues buck I've ever seen. He was at 90 yds and had me pegged. I raised my rifle like I was in a trance and shot. I saw the tree limb behind him explode and knew I missed clean. I was devistated. I will admit buck fever had alot to do with that miss, but you gotta push past it and keep diggin. I was unable to fill my rifle tag but had a great hunt regardless. Actually I don't think I have ever really had a bad hunt, maybe just unsuccessful, but that's hunting. I have named the behemoth I missed "The White Whale" because like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick I feel a pull to coues' country to battle wits with this particular animal. It's the spirit of the chase that drives me onward and usually upward too. I've been back to coues' country this December to chase "The Whale" with stick & string this time. With archery equipment any coues deer is a trophy. The brutal terrain and the elusive nature of Arizona coues deer make it one of the toughest beasts to hunt. If I couldn't find "The Whale", any legal buck would be my target. My second day bow hunting found me once again by the same ridge I had missed the behemoth during rifle season. At about 11:40 AM I spotted a flag (white tail of a coues deer) ahead of me. I hit the dirt fast! I saw two deer through the scrub brush and greasewood. I slither to about 20 yds and I see that one is a little buck. It was kind of like being in a movie when everything slows down and a second feels like hours. I waited for the buck to move behind a bush so I could draw my bow. He was headed for an opening that would likely give me an easy 10-12 yd chip shot. As I drew my bow the buck spotted me and stopped. He stared me down through the brush, not sure what I was as I had perfect wind direction. He had stopped at about 18 yds but the only shot available was through a very, very small gap in the brush. I wanted to anchor him with a neck shot but there were too many little branches to try to sneak an arrow through. I put my 20 yd pin at the shoulder as he was quartering towards me ( Not the best angle for an arrow but @ 18yds....). I released the arrow with the deer staring right at me. After the shot the deer spun and vanished. The bucks companion, the doe, kept me hunkered down for about 20 minutes before she decided to boogie. I checked for blood and after hours on my hands and knees was unable to find a single drop. However, about two hours into my search I busted a few deer from their beds. I almost fell over when I saw that one of the deer I busted was "The White Whale" in full rutting regalia. Massive swollen neck, his muscle rippled, actaully rippled, as he kicked rocks up the canyon. Well, at least I know " The White Whale" made it through rifle season. The next day I worked zig-zag patterns all day around the entire area I took the shot from with absolutely no sign of blood or my deer. Sometimes we have these moments where it just seems futile to try anymore, you had your chance and you blew it. I have had more of those moments than I care to admit, but I always push on. I have found that once you push on confidence builds with each step and I look to my suroundings for inspiration and find it instantley. I'll be back to chase "The White Whale" again in January. Stay tuned. I posted a couple of pics of coues country as well as my first Arizona coues deer I killed hunting with my dad in the 2009 Oct. rifle hunt.
