36A Success

[coueselk]

I'm back from taking my daughter Alex on her hunt in 36A. We left Thursday afternoon for the 3 hour drive down to the unit from Safford.

 

Before going on with the story, I would first like to thank my best friend and hunting partner Rusty for coming down to help us and bringing his 5th wheel trailer for the kids and us to stay in. The kids really enjoyed it.

 

Friday morning, started with some heavy glassing of the surrounding mountains and hills. We saw numerous does, but nothing with any horns. Around mid-morning, I happened to be glassing a ridge very far away and I caught movement in the bottom of my binos. It was a nice buck. He was a 3x3 and looked to be around 85-90". The only problem was that he was in the flats. We watched him for about 5 minutes before he disappeared from our view into a wash.

Alex wanted to try for it, so we made our way around and came over on the small ridge that we had first seen the buck. I glassed under every single mesquite tree I could see. No buck to be found. Rusty had made his way to a high point on one of the surrounding hills. So we decided to try and bust the buck up. Hoping that if we missed the shot, maybe the buck would be pushed out of the flats into more favorible hills. As Rusty watched, we began to methodically work our way down the wash and then turned and went back up a different wash. Walked down a small ridge and back up another. No buck emerged. The gray ghost had vanished. My 7 year old boy was complaining of hunger by then, so we decided to call off the search.

This is a picture of the buck before he disappeared, not a good picture as he had his head down.

 

We then decided to try some other hills to the west, since the eastern portion of where we were hunting had numerous other hunters there already.

 

As we were driving along a road, we kicked out a couple of coues does and some muley does. No bucks. We came around a saddle and decided to do some glassing from that point. It took me about 3 minutes and I located this buck bedded under a tree 700 yards away.

 

I showed Alex the buck through the spotting scope and she wanted to try for it. I told her that it was a 2 point, but she didn't care. It was her tag so no arguement from me. Rusty would stay at that point and watch the buck as we made ourself toward shooting range.

As we neared the point we would shoot from, Rusty had found another buck bedded under a tree 30 yards from the 2 point. He couldn't make it out good enough to know how big it was. I got my spotting scope on it, but there was an ocotillo right in front of him from my view. I could see antler, but not how big. We elected to wait for the bucks to get up, then decide which one to take. Rusty would make his way to a different vantage point in hopes of seeing the other buck better.

 

To be continued.....

[coueshunter84]

Ya know your killing us with these " to be continued" posts. I have been letting my 11 ( 12 next week) read these posts, to get her a little excited about hunting. we got to the end of this one and she about knocked me out of my chair. LOL..

 

 

She is anxoiusly awaiting your next post.

 

 

Shane

[coueselk]

Continuing....

 

30 minutes had gone by when the mystery buck got up and started feeding. I could see that it was a small 3x3. I showed Alex both bucks again and that the 2x2 was larger. She still wanted the 2x2, so we waited patiently for the buck to get up.

 

The buck finally got up and began to feed. I instructed her to wait for a clear shot. There were numerous ocotillo and mesquite branches out there, so we waited and waited.

Alex was really getting nervous as the buck neared a opening, she told me she was shaking. I told her to take deep breaths and relax, with the same words being echoed by her brother. As the buck stepped into the opening, I gave her the ok when she was ready.

The shot rang out, I saw the buck hump up and take two steps forward then fall back onto the ground. I noticed that she hit it a little far back. But the buck wasn't wanting to get up. We hurried across the canyon as dark was coming and got to within 50 yards of the buck. With a firm rest, she made the finishing shot. This is her 3rd coues buck. Not her biggest, but she wanted this buck.

 

 

Here was the whole hunting party.

 

 

Well in less than a month, Rusty and I are off on our late hunt. So expect a few more stories before the end of the year.

[CouesWhitetail]

Congratulations Alex on your fine buck!! And thanks Danny for sharing the story and taking your kids hunting!

 

And nice CouesWhitetail.com hats the kids are wearing!!

 

Amanda

[daryl_s]

Thanks for sharing that really nice story. Congratualtions to Alex also. Hope you keep the good streak going in December.

[ScottAdams]

Ka-ching!! Man you're on a roll Danny! Give Alex a pat on the head for me and tell her we're all proud of her; following in her daddy's shoes.

 

 

Scott

[coueselk]

Thanks to everyone from Alex. She's on a role for getting her buck on the 1st day that she is able to go hunting the last 3 years. I told her that the luck will run out sometime, but to enjoy it while it lasts. I tried to video it, but missed the actual shot.

My son Chase can't wait, he is tired of just being there to watch. I take them on every trip that I can. They don't care how far we go, they just keep following along.

Again, thanks to everyone. Especially Scott for giving the idea for these posts.

[coueshunter84]

That will work, Guess I caught you in the middle of the second post. LOL

 

Thats enough to get mine up and ready. Maybe if I keep showing here these posts, she will try a rifle..LOL..

 

Congrats on keeping the little ones interested, and successful. And congrats to Alex on a nice coues. You folks already able to get your little ones out this year, have me envoius. I cant wait, until Jan

 

 

 

Congrats again,

 

Shane

[Shiras]

Incredible job Alex (and dad). There is nothing in this world like watching your own child take a deer. It gives me 10x the thrill of shooting one myself. Congratulations, a job well done.

-Shiras

[Redman]

Great story as usual, and congratulations Alex. Dad you deserve a round of applause for taking your kids hunting (as with all other parents that do). I can't wait until next year when my son can hunt.

 

Redman

[ScottAdams]

Thanks Danny.

[az4life]

Super deal! Sort of like Christmas when the adults get the most joy from the kids opening and enjoying their gifts!

 

Thanks for the story, pictures and excitement.

Congratulations Alex!

[BRYCE CANYON]

Great story and pictures once again!

[DEERSLAM]

Fantastic, 3 days of hunting and 3 bucks, Dad you must be doing you homework.

Congrats to Alex.

[Arizonabowhunter]

Congrats to all, and a job well done to keep the kids interested. I have a 12 yr old who had a November tag but did not put it too use. Tell me your secret to keeping the kids interested, I must be doing something wrong???