Bowtechian84

Every couple of years I draw my December tag. It’s somthing I look forward to, preparing online maps and comparing previous hunts. I set off in the low country glassing along the way. My dads always been big on not walking past one just to get where you wanna go. But I knew exactly where I wanted to be, as most of us do by now. We know what tags we wanna draw , where we want to hunt and most importantly where those better bucks should be. It was December 12th and it was hot. The clouds we’re starting to form overhead and the wind had picked up, making the sun beating down a little more bearable. About then a small 3x3 had started working across the ridge next to me , exposing himself on a rock out crop he paused and looked back over his shoulder. The big fork showed himself, I could see his crown was tall. I almost immediately made up my mind. Thinking to myself “ are you really gonna shoot a fork?!?! But at 540 yards I could see his main beams coming around the front and his eyegaurds were as good as they were ever gonna be. I set up my phone scope, and dialed my rifle . The wind was picking up, confidence in my gear I settled into my rifle. The buck stopped broadside and I squeezed it off. Jumping to my phone I replayed and confirmed I made a good shot. My bullet had drifted forward, but it was in the shoulder and he was down. I’m awfully proud of the decision I made to take this old buck. I honestly tried talking myself out of it at one point but in the end he’s a trophy like no other I now have! The taxidermist has him at 6-8 years old and he went 93.25. it’s a passion I couldn’t imagine living without, Merry Christmas Coueswhitetail members , Happy New Year and God Bless! IMG_7259.MOV

I just apply in 2 different units, both for the late hunt. I draw a year miss a year usually.. I used to still get to hunt on leftovers but no more.

I’m not sure why the pictures are sideways or how to fix it … nonetheless enjoy

Yea, I’d do my homework .. have you read up on the regulations, available tags/units ect.. Tryin make a call to a Branch for availability.. (they've always been good to me) , depending on what is available..go grab an archery tag from A Department Office .. sounds like a lot but it’s not.. hunt starts before ya get in the truck if you wanna be successful right.. tell ya what if you guys are that motivated for some Javis I’d be willing to head out and hopefully get ya guys on some... ‘‘tis the season’ right good luck and keep updates or message

Hey guys, I just realized little brother had a thread going .. I was jumping on to thank Jay Scott Outdoors .. I no sounds cheesy... but I work a lot of hours and I had to of listened to every pod cast related to Colorado or high country Muleys at least twice, my brother had ta’of gotten sick of me calling acting like I knew what I was talking about , only because I’d been getting pointers from the man himself and some of his awesome guests, the things that they share is nuts .. not how my old man was when I was growing up , we kept to ourselves, but times have changed and I think it’s pretty cool , so much info to our hunting community can only help for trips like the one I just got to take with my brother. Once it was a dream, Now just another awesome memory of what we love to do in spending our time off from work and family In the beautiful outdoors.. Gods Country.. Huge thanks to Jay and his podcast guests , If you’ve never listened to his podcasts I highly recommend. To answer your question Outdoor Writer we stayed up on top between 10.5-12,000 feet. Despite what the locals were saying we were in does, forks and spikes every day along with lots of does with fawns... We just couldn’t leave them knowing the bucks had to be close. It snowed and rained daily .. highs of 14 degrees and the wind blowed what felt like 30 mph literally everyday, all day .. but.. we stayed after it cause that’s what ya do right?? never slept in and hunted till dark everyday. Drove back to the camp daily though , I wasn’t sleeping on the hill, my Phoenician butt was froze all day everyday. By the 5th day the locals were popping up on top and we no longer had it to ourselves.. little brother was tagged out quick, he don’t mess around .. he really is modest , guys a killer .. I’m was so frikn proud of him .. it wasn’t the first hour of the first day when I got word he smoked A solid buck.. one an done .. so FF now it’s been on me and the weather was trying to get to me .. we’re on day 6 now when all the sudden the wind just stopped, first light.. I’m hiking into a spot I had a hunch on , it was exactly what I’d been hoping for so I hustled to where I wanted to be and sure as heck threw up the 15s .... 5 bucks , 2 shooters 400 yards and I was dialing... the wind picked up just as quick as it had stopped . I needed to move . The bucks were headed back down to bed as soon as it picked up , I dialed to 300 and thought if I can get to 3 I can make it work.. Started to crawl so I wasn’t exposed to the three small bucks still up higher, with the wind covering my noise I was able to flat move , got a range.. I was right at 330 yards .. good enough set up and had a tight hole where the 2 better bucks were working towards, the crabby 4x stepped in my lane and I Poleaxed him .. I was done , it happened so quick and I watched the big 3x3 run up the hill to the other 3 small bucks ... questioning if I’d shot the right buck , he was solid .. not real tall but had some mass , but , it is what it is and I couldn’t be happier with our first Colorado hunt .. my first rifle mule deer tag I’ll add. So I’ve been hunting with my dad since I was aloud to tag along .. I was 9-10 I guess .. it’s been something inside of me I haven’t been able to control since I was a boy and I hope It's always that way .. My dad doesn’t hunt mule deer , never has and has no desire to he’s a whitetail deer hunter .. just how he is and how I was raised, not that I never got an itch for a muley I’ve chased them with my bow but I just couldn’t ever pass hunting WT .. just not worth it to me , I flat out live for my coues hunts every year.. so when we got this idea to draw outta state muley tags and still get to hunt coues, I could give that a go.. and honestly I hunted these high Muley’s same as I’d hunt our deer at home .. hike and glass... so our whitetail hunt kicks off after thanksgiving and starting to get pumped!! Sorry for the novel fellas but it was awesome experience.. oh and to be honest he eats great! Happy hunting friends and congrats to all the guys done already .. I’ve seen some toads this year hoping we can add to that bone pile god bless! 👊🏼😎

Happy new year guys, just wanted to share a quick story from opening morning . My brother had gone out to do some predator control, with the rain letting up he'd decided to make a stand and had gone with a high pitch hand call our cousin had given to him years ago. Hit the call for 15 seconds stopped for 30, hit it another 15 and before he could grab his rifle had this 100lb lion right on top of him. So mind you he was sitting on his butt when he had started to call so he was in a bad way. Within seconds he saw movement as She was lunging in such stride towards him she was covering 20 feet in each leap. Stopping in such a rush she actually stepped back with amaze at what he might be..they were now starring each other in the eyes for what lasted for about 10 seconds.. just giving him enough time to point and shoot!!.. just hit the safety ..point and shoot.. she was just inches from the end of his barrel. In the pik his shooting sticks hadn't moved, he set his rifle on his right side as he got up. Luckily that was that. and everything ended up ok. I think he might need some new boxers. One less deer killer in the desert, very proud of him for handling the situation like a champ!!

Well the day had finally arrived and the boys hunt was here. We were watching some smaller bucks starting to bed when Shane says "I got a good buck for Owen" we watch the good buck as he went into his bed and after making a plan we had decided our only option was to get in close. We decide to split up and me and my son made the 1000 yard stalk and got to the spot we wanted to be. We set up and I told my son it was going to be a long wait, but we were there, and once he stood up it would get real exciting ..real fast. Wind was blowing hard in our face and we were 85 yards from the buck. The wait was on from 8:30-3:30 I was so proud of my son. He was going on hour 7 when I looked up hill and the buck was up, I said okay buddy he's standing there, get in your gun. Like all 11 year olds I said do you see him in your scope and he said ... "no". Now mind you I'm looking Into the eyes of a stud coues less than 100 yards up the hill from us and calm as could be my son says.." I see that cactus we were practicing on" I zoom him in to max power and he says dad there's a deers head oh wait he has horns.. dad there really big horns!!.. I'm heart pounding, don't look at his horns (smiling from ear to ear) .. you got him son now just wait and he'll step forward. I hear the safety click he said dad Im perfect on him. Ok just wait and right then that buck stepped towards us exposing his whole body. I look to my son and said go ahead when your ready and before I could look back to my binos the shot was off. The buck didn't go 20 yards, piled up In the rocks he was bedding in. The excitement kicked in ..we were laughing ,hugging, highfiving ..he had done it.. what some may never get to experience in there whole life.. in walking up on one of these old brutes... I have been hunting these deer since I was his age and may never shoot a buck of this caliber and that's fine cause the look in my young boys eyes, when it was over .. was well worth it. well after the dust had cleared and pictures were done, we set off to fill my nephews tag. He loved this young velvet buck and was proud to have him. My nephew had put in work as well, shooting this deer on a follow up shot, the buck stopped at 270 yards and clay smoked him. I was very happy with the way these boys hunted. All in all we had a successful season and the boys are hooked for life.

Ya I no first thing Grandpa said lol Fantastic Buck and story. Just curious - was the buck bedded in the shade or sunlight the entire time you were waiting for him to stand? Great question!! The buck was in the direct sunlight from 10 till he stood and it was hot

Ya I no first thing Grandpa said lol

Still available? P.m. sent

I got my Eastmans bow hunting Journal magazine last night and it had a good write up on coues deer.. I probably have my user names on here mixed up I just assumed that was the story you were talking about

Coues in EBJ = Awesome!! Congrats on all around great job Bonecollector777

Tags are filled , Dad killed a good buck early November. My hunt started the day after Thanksgiving and it didn't take my brother long he smoked a good one on the 2nd day. Wind picked up almost everyday, all day after that. On day 9 after not seeing the one I was after, was running out of time. I glassed up this Lil buck at 10:30 in the morning and decided to wait him out. My buddy who also only had a day left was going to make a move on a buck I'd glassed up on another Ridge on down the canyon. The cards fell in my favor and I filled my tag. This year we put some good bone on the wall, cant wait till next year. Very proud of this year's bucks we worked hard for them.

For the first time in a long time I'm not to worried if I draw. It's my son and nephews first year putting in and I'm praying for youth tags.. Good luck everyone

Spent the last week in Colorado with friends and family, probably the best week of trout fishing I've ever had. My oldest boy learned how to set a hook, and the fight of big trout. I may of spoiled him a bit but it was worth it. The pictures do no justice to these big guys. What a trip and a early father's day we will never forget

Ok here's the honey hole but let's keep it in CW

Thanks guys, we were up there just north of Durango on Columbine Lake by Purgatory fishing on the bottom with nightcrawlers. We hit the areas close to the beavers and it seemed to work

That's awesome.. I was at the Sonoran Sun all weekend, nice fish

Always a good feeling.. I found this one last weekend

Fingers crossed, hoping for my first out of state tag

+1 Ross Outdoors .. worth the drive

What a find.. that's really cool

Got hit .. first tag since 2010 I'm excited.. good luck everybody

Keep 27 on there.. great unit I'd like to draw as well.. I have access through skeleton

Congrats.. great buck