coueselk

Will do Scott. Everything going well over here. Made 1st copper a few weeks ago. Just can't wait to get a vacation. 7 more weeks to go then the kids and I are off on another African hunt for 10 days. Will be a well needed break out of here.

Well, didn't get to hunt AZ this year due to our move to the Congo to work. But the whole family got to see parts of the world we've never been. The kids and I did have time to do a little hunting in Africa though this year. Was a little difficult for the kids, not being able to practice shooting months or weeks before the hunt started. But they did alright. We started our year off with a trip to Victoria falls. This is the whole clan at the bottom of the falls. Here is a happy young fisherman after a half a day of trying to catch a Tiger fish on the Zambezi river. A shot of the family watching the zebra outside of our hotel room. Next trip was our hunting trip. My daughter Alex's pride of the hunt. She also did well with this fine impala. She took a second one not 20 minutes after taking this one. Then called it quits. Chase, my son, took his first big game animal ever. I would have loved it to be a coues, but have to get what we could get. A fine steenbok. His second animal was the winner, at least to him. You can see it on his face as he sits behind his warthog. I was able to connect with a steenbok as well and this blue wildebeast. I then had a nice fishing trip to the Lower Zambezi for Tiger fish. This was my best of the trip. A sunset pic from our last night on the river. After that, no more hunting or fishing. But we did get to see Paris and Italy. And of course, if you go to Paris, must go to Euro Disney. Daughter and I at our hotel in Tuscany, Italy. An old castle. Finally, after a whole year. I was able to return home for a whoppin 9 days. No time to any serious hunting. But was able to put a few rounds through what Santa brought me. Then had to return it to the safe for another year or longer. My last night in Arizona again, for who knows how long. The sunset shot December 31st in Douglas. (We left on January 1st back to Congo) All in all, was a good year for the Howard family way over here.

I will certainly agree that AZ is the place to be. It has been 11 months and 1 week since I've seen AZ and I still have 6 days to go until I do see it. Weather in the Congo isn't too bad right now. Except for the monster rain showers everyday now. Temp has been running in the 80's with 100% humidity. Wife and kids are already on their trip back. They will land in Phoenix on tomorrow evening. They are excited to beat all to finally get some Mexican food. Heck, I can't wait for a big fat juicy cheeseburger and some cool wintery type weather. As we don't have either way over here in the middle of Africa.

Well all, I know it isn't Coues hunting, but it is all we can do over here. I just got back yesterday from a weeklong hunt with the kids over here in Africa. It was exciting, as well as tough. My son got his first big game animal. It wasn't a Coues, but it was a fine steenbok. We won't mention the missed shots to get this. I also took a steenbok. Mine was a 1/8" bigger than his. The hunt was intended to be for the kids, but my son allowed me to also shoot this wildebeast. My daughter was able to take two fine impala within 30 minutes of each other. Her finest hour though, is when she was able to finally connect with a Kudu bull. Since it may be a while before she ever drew a elk tag. This is the next best thing. She hunted hard for it. Took 4 days of sitting in the same blind. The highlight of the hunt, was when my boy connected with a warthog. He was so excited to get it and it was a good one. After some missed attempts on other game, he finally got what he really wanted. It was fun. Maybe not quite as fun as the coues, but was nice to take some game. Hope you all enjoy.

Hello all, Here are a few photos I have taken the past few weeks. Family and I are getting along pretty well over here in the Congo. Really didn't even miss hunting season too bad. Anyway, here are some photos of our house we are still waiting for contractors to finish. This is looking off the veranda. Here is my daughter Alex standing next to our banana trees. Boy the bananas here put any we had in the States to shame. They are way better right off the tree. Here is a pic of our new German Shepherd guard dog, Jabari, we got from South Africa. My son Chase and Jabari. This is what I do on the weekends. Your looking at the number 4 green. Yes, we have a nice 18 hole golf course in the Congo. Now at last, this picture was taken last Sunday while walking from #8 green to the #9 tee box on the golf course. My first sighting of a snake over the last 5 months. Around an 8ft cobra. It didn't stick around too good and I didn't think my golf clubs where long enough to try and give chase. This is about all the pics I have taken. I have taken a few of flowers and trees, but nothing around the city yet. It really isn't allowed, as some of the Congolese still think that taking pictures is spying. Hope you all enjoy.

Amanda and all, Here are my only hunting pictures to be posted this year. Since I have relocated to the Congo for the next 3-4 years and Africa doesn't have the coues. Well, I decided to take my wife on a 4 day safari so we could make plans for what species of African game would look good in the house that is already full of coues. These are just a few of the 1,183 pictures that I took over those 4 days last week on our visit in South Africa. Lots of youngin's running around, as it is spring over here. We were able to see 4 of the Big 5, just missing a glimpse at a leopard by 5 minutes. I'll post a few more pics as the days go by. The internet over here is really bad and it has already taken me almost an hour to get this post updated.

Well to answer many questions. I'm not getting any younger to pass up on a chance to start a new mining operation from the ground up and the experience that this will give my kids was just too much to pass over. Mining copper in AZ was ok, but to see all this green copper over here on the ground is just unbelievable. I will admit, it is going to be tough for all of the family for a while, but I think we will make the best of it and come out with a great experience. Anyway, here are a few more pics. This is a picture from the Congo.

Congrats on a great buck Amanda!!!! I will really miss coues hunting the next few years as you know. I never really got to say goodbye before heading to the Congo. Well, I'm here now and it is the rainy season. Sort of like our monsoons, but with a tad bit more rain. Anyway, good job on a successful hunt. Enjoy that venison.

Bill, Sounds like you had a good time. I may be interested in some information. The family and me may be relocating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to work this fall for a couple of years. I won't know until the middle of August, but the wife and I are headed down there the first of August for our familiarization visit. If it goes well, then we should be gone by November. No coues hunts this year. We just bought bonus points. I would really be interested in my kids taking some of the African game, since this will be one of their greatest experiences. Any information that you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Danny

Here is my designated corner of the house. My son saved my lion rug from the closet. It hangs in his room. He will soon have a bear in there also.

Here is a pic of a critter that burned all my pictures up on my camera in two days.

This is a picture of my daughter that she will want me to get rid of in a few years. Her first turtle from the Gila river. I think she drank some of the water.... Can't wait to show this to all the boys. This is my boy an hour later with another one. My daughters 1st Coues. 2nd Coues 3rd Coues 4th Coues

To all, Alex wants to thank everyone for her prizes. She was very excited and is looking forward to doing it again this coming year. She also won the Southeastern Arizona Sportsman Club contest. So she really cleaned house this year. It is getting harder and harder to compete with her. I'm about to start dropping her off and letting her find her own deer. I also want to thank everyone involved. It was fun. I think we need to get this going again this coming year. Doug (aka Red Rabbit), I want to personally thank you for getting all this done. You did a fantastic job. Chris (aka Sundevil), Alex got the package today and was excited all over again. By the way, on the package my wife recognized the name. She went through every page of the pictures on the website until she found your New Mexico picture. She said you still look the same. She even dug out the yearbook to compare. Anyway, Kori (Wilharm) Howard says hi and thank you. Thanks,

Ernesto is having computer problems, so here is his story on Mexico. Once upon a time, in a land South of Arizona, was a great hunter named Ernesto. He started his hunt on a Saturday, only to have a very, very hard wind blowing. Trying to glass from many different places, he and his brother just couldn't find a spot to get out of the wind, nor were they seeing any deer. Finally they did locate a lone doe and later toward evening a small buck. No muy grande. This very cold blowing wind continued on Sunday with no let up and still no muy grande to be located, only two does found. The wind continued into Monday, they were able to glass up a small buck following a doe, but no muy grande emerged. Finally on the forth day they awoke to no wind at all. So the real story begins....... Ernesto and his brother worked their way up a small mountain ridge before sunrise, to get to a good glassing spot overlooking a small valley. Ernesto started glassing toward the area where he had seen the doe the previous day. Not seeing anything at first, he then spotted movement through the trees. It was a very nice buck coming down a trail. He could see that it was the muy grande he was looking for. However, the buck was around 800 yards away and moving away. Ernesto, not wasting any time, started moving to get above and ahead of the buck. After an hour long stalk to try and get in front of the buck, he was feverishly trying to locate it and there he was. Only, the buck was looking at him too from 400 yards away. Ernesto could clearly see now that this was the buck he wanted. The buck, showing its maturity, took off at a full run not offering any shot. Ernesto, not wanting to loose this buck, packed up his gear and took off after the buck. Walking and even running at times to get ahead and above the buck again, he finally made it to the top a small mountain that had a canyon the buck was going towards. Again, he was feverishly trying to locate the buck. Finally, he saw the buck walking up an opposite ridge, nearing the top. Knowing if the buck went over, he may not find him again. Ernesto sets up for the shot. He fires, only to have the shot go underneath the buck. Low!!! He chambers another round, but now the buck is running full speed toward the top of the ridge. Just as the buck reaches the top, Ernesto touches off another shot and the buck disappears. Ernesto, unsure if the second shot had hit its mark or not, instructs his brother to look for sign of a hit. Guiding him to where he had last shot at the buck, Tony started yelling that he had got him. Ernesto was overjoyed to finally get a buck over 100". As a matter of fact, his buck scores around 106". Congratulations Ernesto.

I guess I always wanted a coues that had a rack the size of an elk. Really it was due to my two favorite big game animals. I guess if I ever draw a sheep or goat tag and love them, I might have to change it.

This is what Safford looked like this morning at 4:00am and it is still coming down.

To all, Ernesto says quote "Thank you very much for the comments, that I really appreciate them and glad everyone liked the buck." He also says the hunt was "a do-it-yourself-hunt" or "self-guided", that the mountains of Sonora are 100% coues habitat and the low country is 100% mule deer. He was hunting in Trincheras Sonora. He also wanted me to tell everyone that the G1's are just shy of 5 inches and that the G2's are a little over 7 inches and the G3's are 6 inches. Here is another angle of the buck. PS: Ernesto's computer really isn't broke, he just forgot how to speak or write English

Once upon a time, A dad and his daughter happen to draw the same late whitetail hunt. The dad tells everyone that he will get his daughter a monster of a coues this time. But not just any coues, the 13 year old wants a 4 pointer. Not a big 2 point or large 3 point, but a 4 point. So the story begins...... Numerous scout trips to find that 4 point. Just found these couple of lazy boys under some trees. Opening morning December 15th, girl in school, so dad and his friend out hunting together. Find this boy way in the distance. Was a 3x3 that we estimated around 90-95". Decided to let him pass, since opening morning. Later that day find these fellas up feeding. Let these boys go as well. December 16th, out with the kids. Small bucks in the morning and nothing in the afternoon. December 17th, out with the kids for a real quick morning hunt. Daughter thinks she would like the big 3x3(lost focus on a 4 point), so we look for him. Find him at 8:00am, scraping trees like crazy. 9:00am, stalked to within 348 yards, he is still making scrapes. But as luck would have it, the young boy couldn't keep still. Buck spots movement and sneaks away. We decide to leave and not push any further. December 18th, kids back in school, dad and friend head out to a different area. Day was uneventful, lots of does and no bucks. December 19th, Kids still in school, dad and friend hit new area. Storm moving in with lots and lots of wind. Find this young fella, but nothing else. December 20th, kids still in school. Dad goes to morning school program and gets late start. Afternoon arrives and finds a small 2x2 chasing does. 4:30pm, bored, tries to setup to take a picture of the 2x2. While setting up spotting scope, notices 2x2 displaying an irregular head movement. After a closer examination through the spotting scope, notices a large set of forks moving through the trees. A big buck emerges. Throwing all thoughts of his daughter needing a big buck away. He attempts a shot at the buck before light runs out. Misses, buck runs into a ravine and doesn't come out. Dad attempts to find buck in the thick trees, but only finds a bear emerging from where the buck ran into. Time runs out. December 21st, kids still in school. Dad goes to look for big buck again, still greedy for himself. See's another small 2x2 chasing does, see's two bucks way off in the distance, but looses them in deep cover before can put spotting scope on them. Finds a couple more 2x2's and 1x2's. Then finds this fella late in the day. December 22nd, Kids on the hunt again, but Dad doesn't take them to where big buck is. So, nothing but does did this day give us. December 23rd, Dad and kids on the hunt. Same as day before, does and does. December 24th and 25th, no hunting allowed or get into big trouble. December 26th, Dad takes quick morning hunt by himself to look for big buck again, greediness just can't be overcome. Still no big buck, finds a small 3x3 chasing does, but big buck doesn't ever come out. December 27th and 28th, no hunting allowed, family in town from out-of-state. December 29th, late start after breakfast, dad goes to try to find big buck one more time, still filled with tons of greediness. Arrives at location and starts glassing. Finds a deer below him, but can't see a head. Thinks it is a doe, but decides to put spotting scope on it. Stares for a few minutes and see's a distinctive fork that he had seen a week and a half earlier. Determined not to miss this time, gets a really good solid rest, ranges the buck at 350 yards, puts the crosshairs on it and squeezes the trigger. Buck runs 50 yards and expires. Dad is happy for himself, but now sad at the greediness in not bringing the kids along and allowing the daughter to make an attempt. December 30th, kids on the hunt. Really windy and cold this morning, go to area to find the big 3 point that snuck out on us earlier in hunt. Locate does and more does. Really, really windy. Kids want to go back to truck because they are really cold. Call friend on radio to let him know we are leaving. He tells of small buck across from us. We locate and daughter says yes to trying to get it. (Cold sunk in and she wanted to get it over with) We get to within 40 yards of buck, but no shot. Wind swirling really bad and buck runs off. Rest of day, small forky off of road(now that warmed up, doesn't want a small one) have to pass. Last Day, finally take kids to where big buck was, before greedy Dad shot it. Cousin goes with us. Locate a monster 2x2 in the morning. Watch buck for almost two hours, but buck wouldn't bed. Finally had to come to reality that the buck was truly too far away for the youth to go after. Around noon, locate the fella that took pictures of on the 21st. Just a 100 yards from where he was at on the 21st. Sneak down to with-in 208 yards. Buck is bedded now and don't have a clear shot. Attempt to grunt to get him to stand up. Nothing. Cousin varmit calls from mountain top. Nothing. Cousin and son rolling half the boulders down off of the mountain top. Nothing. This goes on for an hour and a half. Finally, when we just about to give up. Up he stands. Daughter is shaking like crazy and says, quote "Dad, he is soo biggg". Dad tells her not to look at the head, but concentrate on the body. Tells her to put the crosshairs on the shoulder and shoot whenever she was ready. She shoots. The .22-250 Nosler Partition drops the buck in his tracks. We hear screaming from the mountain top, she is jumping up and down because she got it with one shot. (Last few years have been a couple of shots.) She is extremely happy, it's not the 4 point, but it is her biggest 3x3. She now has 4 coues bucks under her belt in as many years. Someday when the Dad isn't as greedy with the big ones, she may get her shot.

For those inquiring minds. I got my buck scored tonight at a local taxidermist and he came up with a 105" even gross for mine and 83 1/8" for my daughters. Thanks for all the pats on the back. My daughter was really excited with hers.

This is the first bear I have ever taken. I shot it yesterday just before the rain came. Took me 7 hours to get her out.

Ok everyone. I believe everyone probably has a couple of different calibers of rifles. This is a thread for safety awareness. On a recent bear hunting trip this past week, we had a very close call on somebody getting injured really bad. Here is the scenario, one member of our hunting party was shooting a 7mm mag. Well, we found a bear and proceded to set up to shoot it. There were 3 of us, two with rifles and me as a glasser/caller. We were spaced roughly six foot apart. Me on the far right, one with a .25-06 in the middle and the 7mm mag holder on the far left. The first shot was with the .25-06, which barely missed the bear. The bear disappeared into a brushy ravine and then reappeared going up a rocky bluff. The next shot was from the 7mm, which sounded like a canon going off. Then there was a guy on the ground holding his face and saying that he got some blow-back from the rifle. Then being the dedicated hunter he his, telling the other shooter to shoot the bear. I got up to help him and noticed he had indeed taken blowback from the rifle. Here is a picture of his face a few minutes after the shot. It's hard to see, but he did get hit in the eye with some fragments. Here is the story, he had picked up a leather belt case of shells, that he had thought were 7mm mag shells. Not checking them, he loaded them into the gun. They happened to be .270 win shells. Since the .270 is smaller than the 7mm mag, it fit loosely into the chamber. When he shot, it blew the casing apart and sent tiny fragments of brass out from around the bolt, back toward his face. The scope shielded most of his eye. It also blew the magazine baseplate open on the bottom of the rifle. The force also sheared the pin somehow that keeps the bolt from coming all the way out of the rifle. As when we opened the bolt to remove the casing, the bolt slide all the way out of the rifle. Here is a picture of the casing. He went to the eye doctor the next morning and they removed a lot of tiny brass splinters from his eye. He went back later that afternoon for a follow-up after getting x-rays of his eye for any deep penetrating slivers. The doctor said that he was already 80% healed. We got lucky and I do mean LUCKY, that this wasn't a lot worse. This is why I'm passing this on. I know a lot of us use shoot a couple of different calibers, like a primary rifle and a backup. I know that I only have one carrying case for shells, so I swap the shells out when I go. But it is easy for me to tell the difference between my .270win and my .270wsm shells. But for those of you that have like shell calibers, be sure to check your ammo. Everyone has the ablility to take it for granted that you have the correct stuff. Just double-check. By the way, the happy ending was the shooter is ok and we got the bear.

Here are my newest members to my corner of the living room. This is a buck I took in AZ in 1994. This is my daughters first buck that she got 3 years ago. This is now how my designated corner looks. Getting really crowded now.

The B&C certificate is for the coues in the top middle, he grossed 118" and netted 107 4/8". He had been featured here on one of the guess the score contests. I never had the muley offically scored. I put a tape on it once real quick and came up with 168 3/8". If his back forks would have been bigger, it would have been a whopper. It's hard to tell in the picture, but he has drop tines off of both main beams on the end. You can see the one side pretty good. Also the stickers off of his left antler were almost identical on the right, except the right side stickers didn't grow out. They are only about 1/2" long. The coues on the lower left grossed 99" and netted around 96". I had this buck mounted because it has a special place in my heart. It is known as the "Search & Rescue" buck. Since I shot him right before dark and packed him out half the night. My hunter partner thought I got hurt since I didn't return to the truck shortly after dark. I met the search and rescue team on my way out at around midnight. I also blew up my rifle barrel that night. Was shooting signal shots throughout the night, trying to get my partners attention to my location, which was a different canyon than what we had started hunting. Had a winter storm rolling through, so he didn't hear the shots. The last time I took a rest from packing, when I picked up the buck onto my shoulders, I got some snow packed into the end of my barrel. Therefore, the next shot was lots of flying sparks and a warped, bubbled barrel. The coues on the lower right grossed 101" and netted around 92". I took him within a mile of my monster coues. Since he had the same general make-up, with the extra point coming off of the right G-2, I think he may have been my monsters distant offspring. My daughter's first buck on the upper right is unscoreable. They don't make a tape big enough for it, if you know what I mean.

Nope, just strike one for unit 31, have two more strikes before it will close.

It was Arizona. My bad, I was in hurry to go to town and pickup a couple of my coues mounts that just got finished. Clicked on the wrong topic.