POk3s

Good to read a follow up, even if it’s not rainbows and unicorns. It paints a pretty good picture of what a first time coues trip is like. To make you feel a bit better, I tried the OTC archery a few years ago. A buddy and I went to where we hoped was a bit of a sleeper unit and away from any of the big cities. That part we got right as we didn’t hardly see anybody, but coming from Montana and Wyoming we did the same as you. I had glassing spots pinned and all we found were mule deer in the lower desert, glassable stuff. I had read that the coues are typically above the mule deer and with only a 5 day hunt, up we went on day 3. We found snow, a few pines, junipers, and coues. It was where you’d expect to find Mule deer in any other state, but there were the coues. Not a ton, but it helped us out tremendously. Of course they were tough to glass up in that country and we never really scratched the surface because of the allotted time we had and how late we found the coues. But you can read as much as you want and you’ve still just gotta go do it before you get any kind of feel for it. I hope you enjoyed the time with your dad and I pray he sees some improvement!

I figured that was the case. Good year for border coues…bad year for the country!

Hope no one minds if I bump this back to the top. With the hunts almost over for 2023 I would be very interested in hearing from those who hunted the border units, and what kind of activity they saw this fall.

I’ve decided to tuck my tail and ask for help on trying to narrow down a unit. Many years ago I had posted on here that I was going to do an October hunt in one of those great units so I could cross it off the bucket list. I never did. I took advice from this forum and went bowhunting instead in 2019 (I think). Actually found and stalked some bucks so I considered it a win. Saw nothing big and didn’t like the unit as much as I thought I would. Fast forward to now and I’m sitting on 11 nonresident points going into this years draw. This site seems to have been slowly phasing itself out from where it was 10+ years ago when I started lurking and then joined. Even as of 5 years ago everything has seemingly changed as far as hunts and units and not much knowledge to be gained from folks talking less. You guys are doing a good job at staying pretty quiet ). Anyway, I was all but set to use my points on “SIX A” late December hunt but the success rates and lowering of tag numbers has me a bit scared. I don’t want to use my points on a unit that is currently in a down cycle. I have an email out to the biologist, but no response yet. I liked it because if it’s proximity to Wyoming. I could be there in a quick 10 hours but I’m not going to sacrifice a crappy hunt for that. Judging by the success rates and the tag numbers being lowered, it just screams that something is going on there… unit “thirty 3” I had pretty much marked off the list as I had seen enough chatter on this site about how overrated it was and how over hunted but looking lately they have lowered the tag numbers a lot the last few years, making it a real viable option in my mind again. It also has much higher success rates. It’s not a set deal I’d draw that late December tag. Beyond that, there is basically the southern units. They all seem like a great deer hunt. Also a long ways from the house. I’ll be hunting solo and although you Arizona guys have grown accustomed to the border ridiculousness, I haven’t. I compare it to me hunting around grizzly bears all the time where you guys wouldn’t be accustom to it. It makes me feel uncomfortable with the situation and I’m not sure it’s a “great idea.” To wrap it all up, I’m looking to chat with one (or ten) coues deer gurus to help me with my choice and my decade+ worth of points. A little bit of chatter with a local or two goes a long way in my confidence in choosing the right area. Thank you all, and please don’t hit me in the head when you throw your rocks 😂😂

Thanks Kev, I seem to have gotten that vibe from others as well. It’s not an easy choice. A closer hunt to home where I can easily drive home for Christmas, etc or probably a more enjoyable hunt down south where I’m much more committed and uncomfortable.

Yotebuster, I appreciate the reply but I hunt muleys a whole bunch. Living in Wyoming gives me that opportunity. I’m probably one of the few that would rather burn my points on a coues deer hunt than mule deer 😂 . I also can’t draw 23 and don’t think I want to chase it. I’m pretty committed to coming this year. Wife doesn’t know that yet so that might change things but that would be it hahaha!

I guess that’s what I needed to know. I’d see a a few things thrown out like “there must be a decline in the deer herd for them to be lowering tags this much.” Or “lions must be a real problem with the success rates.” Makes a guy real apprehensive to spend points with chatter like that.

Speedy...we’re waiting I enjoyed going through this and reading all your adventures. Hoping you had a little different end result this time!

Great job! Excellent coues!

I love it! Congrats young man!

I’ve been there plenty newlyminted, and it still doesn’t specifically answer the questions. The LACK of answers made me fairly certain I was correct in my thinking, but I wanted to ask the folks who live it and breathe it every year.

Hey guys, myself and a buddy are coming bowhunting in a little under a month but have a few logistical questions that I’m sure you guys can answer quickly. I’m almost positive that my lack of finding it on the internet answers my questions but need to be sure. Yes I understand I can call but sometimes I hate bothering the game and fish and would rather bother you guys! 😂 1) it says you can buy tags at any vendor which include a bunch of places. Walmart included. That’s our plan after my plane lands in Phoenix. My Colorado buddy is worried that we can’t buy tags after the season begins because that’s how Colorado is. I land on the 4th and he picks me up. There shouldn’t be any problem driving to Walmart and buying our archery tags on January 4th correct?? 2) Is the tag you purchase unit specific, or is it open for all units that it’s currently open for archery OTC coues?? It’s only a 5 day hunt but if we can look through a second unit on our glorified scouting trip that would be cool! thank you!

Understood. Thank you guys for clearing up what I already thought was the case!

Great job! Tracking wounded deer / looking for sign of a hit comes with experience as well. It’s tough for a first timer to go find a deer they aren’t sure they hit! Great job!! To add to your skill set, the only thing I would add is to pick out landmarks. It’s obviously a lot easier said than done, but when you lose sight of a deer, elk, duck, anything. Immediately try and pinpoint that location the best you can. It’s so easy to be in a hurry, be excited and want to get over there, but in that, you may miss some important clues! Again, great job!!

Great to see somebody report back! Nice job!!!!

This morning I bought my plane tickets to arrive in Phoenix on January 4th and depart on the 8th. Up until now I was kind of in the planning stages but it’s really set in that I’m going coues hunting!! I tried to take everybody's advice about going on a hunt before burning my points. Well it worked out that way because I struck out on drawing a late December rifle tag that I had great odds to draw. I figured that was a sign that I better go bow hunt, figure out the unit for a few days, and go back next year. Luckily I’ve got a buddy that lives in Colorado who wanted to go down and give it a try too. He’ll drive down and pick me up while I fly from Wyoming. It’s going to be a great adventure and hopefully a nice break from the northern winter!

It should be. Like I said, if nothing else it’s good to get out of the winter weather. I think the high has been about 10 degrees today and supposed to dip into the negatives the next two nights. Insane for late October! I will PM you the unit number.

Some of you might remember last year that I decided I was going to go coues deer hunting this year (2019) and was asking for a broad range of help. Well I’ve now dissected every unit up and down, back and forth, side to side and have basically settled on two very different units and very different hunts. The last piece of the puzzle is the success rates for 2018. When do the success rates get published? Is it before the application deadline or am I wasting my time waiting for that? My other question is do you guys think the late December rifle season has lost its flare in a lot of units? Looking on paper, it appears that the addition of earlier rifle seasons in some units as well as slowly increasing the number of late December rifle tags has hurt the success rates on these hunts. It could just be those hunters drawing them are being real picky and going home empty handed instead of filling their tag on a “lesser buck”??? It’s hard to tell from 1,000+ miles away. PS I have 6 nonresident points with that magic loyalty tag I had no idea I was getting. It puts me in the game on a lot of late December tags, and I believe 100% for every other unit and season. If anyone wants to PM me and tell me what they’d do I’m all ears. If not, that’s fine too!

I understand fully that it’s not a “gimme” hunt” or a late hunt. That’s just one of the many reasons I had for not wanting to wait. But like I mentioned, if I don’t get a tag this year, I’m just fine with going on a scouting trip with my bow in hand. Snakes dont scare me as bad as that garbage going on on the boarder. I’m sure some of you guys love that NR’s are scared of that. Just like I’m glad when NR’s won’t hunt certain areas because of grizzly bears .

Okay. You guys have made up my mind to apply for only the late December hunts since I’m this close. Probably a 10% type odds for first choice and a 40-50% for second choice. If I don’t draw I’ll go down in January, scout around, and try to send an arrow through one.

Very cool! Awesome job on a great buck!

Hey guys do the success rates from the previous year come out before the application deadline? I’m waiting to see 2018’s success in certain units but don’t want to be waiting for nothing!

Great work!

Great job. Love the mass on him!

Now THAT was awesome. A fine write up sir.