AZKendog

Congrats Jason! My father-in-law and I spoke to you a week before your hunt started. You were on your way to scout another area. Glad everything worked out for you. Great buck!! Ken

Good luck to everyone. Can't wait to see the pictures. I'll be in 23 also, but going after mule deer. I'll let you all know if I stumble across any good coues. Ken

Never posted a picture before, so hopefully this will work.

Here's the story - I glassed him up about 8:30 am feeding by himself, about 1000 yards away. Saw him go into a juniper and not come out. Debated with myself for a few minutes on how to sneak on him and finally decided the longest walk around the backside of the biggest mountain and to come at him from the top would be best (he was about 1/2 way up it). I took my time, hiked down from the top of his mountain to where I thought he was bedded (was by myself so a little harder to get the exact spot). He finally got out of his bed at 30 yards, turned broadside, I took the shot, he went 10 yards, and fell over. 10 am when I shot him. What made it real tough was I was by myself, so I was never 100% sure which tree he was under, or if he would still be there an hour or so later. I was very lucky, but I've been unlucky a lot so I guess this evens it out. I knew what his basic rack configuration was when I glassed him, but his mass was better than I thought. His two point side has really good mass. Regardless, my biggest buck to date by far!! A friend gross scored him at 146 or 149 (can't remember). Would have been pushing 180 if he matched the 5 pt side. Definitely a "what if" buck!!

Guess it didn't work. I just tried attaching the file, but will try something different later. Sorry!!!

Scott - Very nice deer. I definitely would have taken him. Thanks for posting the pictures. I'd like to move over and give Coues a try next year but want to see if the area I hunted this year holds anymore nice muleys. Congrats again!! Ken

Scott - That looks like some great country. Keep the pictures coming. I sent you a PM asking about the area. What part of 23 is that in? Hopefully you can give me some advice on what to expect in that area of NM. Ken

I'll be out in NM Unit 23 over Labor Day to do some scouting for a muley hunt in Nov. Will post what I see, as I know a few of you are probably hunting NM as well.

I've archery hunted down there for 4 or so years and finally took a little two point muley in Jan. Bret is right about the Buenos Aires. That's where we have always hunted and always see muleys. Then again, that was in January when the bucks start showing themselves more. Could be tough to find bucks when they aren't in the rut.

Chalk up another shutout! Congrats to all those that drew. Definitely jealous! Ken

I'm one of the ones that put in for muley/carp in NM Unit 23, but not because I favor muleys over coues. Actually, my AZ coues hunts have been more exciting and productive than my muley hunts. However, I was told that coues are in tiny pockets in the unit and that I would probably be seeing more muleys than coues. With this being my first time hunting in NM, I thought I would have a better chance getting into the carp (especially hunting by myself). Thanks to all those that have given me some help. I really appreciate it. I'll be sure to post info on how the hunt went (assuming I get drawn). Ken

Fatfootdoc - Yeah, you're probably right about the hunts, but I'm just not seeing it in the regs. Once you get me away from the AZ regs and into any other states, it seems like they are written in Chinese or something. I will ask the NM G&F guy about it when I talk to him. Thanks again for all the responses. Ken

Any of you Arizona boys have any information on New Mexico? Figured I would try the Arizona forum first; not sure NM residents would want to give out any info to a nonres. Anyway, I'm done in AZ for 05, as I took a small forky with my bow in January, but am looking for a place to go in NM in the fall. Haven't hunted there before so I'm just trying to find out which units have the most public land, and if anyone has any recommendations on which units (or which ones to avoid). I plan on calling the NM game and fish to get some information, but it would be nice to have a starting point before talking to them. Thanks!!

Thanks for the information everyone. In looking at the regs, it appears that of the units mentioned, only units 23 and 24 have separate mule deer and whitetail hunts - meaning the hunts in units 16, 21, 22, 26, and 27, a hunter could harvest either one (as long as it met the antler restriction). That might be the way to go on my first NM hunt.

Any reports from 32 this weekend? Haven't heard anything yet, although it sounded like the weather was perfect! Will probably be blazing hot for my Nov hunt. Just my luck. Ken

My .300 Win Mag seems to work pretty well if you can handle the kick. Never notice it when I'm shooting it at those coues though!!

As of Tuesday, I still haven't received my elk/deer tags in the mail. I also haven't received any e-mail notifications from game and fish that I was or wasn't drawn. My credit card received the funds request on the 29th, and it actually posted yesterday. Starting to get a little nervous. May be time to call the game and fish.

I usually wear an orange hat for my rifle coues hunt. I would wear a lot more if I was hunting in the pines. I mostly wear it so that my dad can see me from a mile away when I'm trying to tell him where I'm at over the radio. You can see that orange from a long way.

Got my second choice - November WT in Unit 32. Know a guy that drew permit #1 for the Nov 12A-W hunt. Lucky dog!!

Deer: 12W-late, 32 WT Nov, and 32 WT Oct; Elk: 5b-S Archery Bull and Cow

I saw 5 bucks on one ridge, all within 100 yards of each other, but that was in mid October. I assume they were together. All were feeding in the same direction and all topped out at the same spot.

I've got a Unit 22 tag. Only scouted once so far. Haven't figured out where to hunt yet, but more of where not to hunt. Will be scouting out more over Thanksgiving weekend and then the weekend before the hunt.

Anyone hunt for coues in Unit 22 north of Payson? I hunted some for muleys around Sunflower and Gisela, but never for coues. Thinking about trying the north end of the unit. I figure that the spots between Control Road and the Rim may hold a few bucks. What about the area west of Strawberry? Anyone backpack into the Wilderness Areas? Any starting points would be appreciated. This will be my first time hunting this unit in December. Thanks, Ken

I went with the 12-AW Late, 22 WT Dec, 32 WT Nov, and 32 WT Oct. Ken

I've never been drawn for the December hunt yet, but have hunted both the Oct and Nov hunts. Did get snowed out of one Oct hunt in 32 a few years back. Don't like that hunt due to it being only 3-4 days. November hunt not too bad. Could be warm or cold. Like that you have two weekends to score one. Hopefully this will be the year I pick-up a December tag!!