Red Rabbit

AZ Griz- In 5 hunts in 36c, I have not had any problems with illegals. I have usually camped by the entrance to the Elkhorn Ranch. Have you had any personal "experiences"? Doug/Red Rabbit

Is there any link between the coues whitetail and the small carmen whitetail of west Texas? Have any DNA tests been done? Were they once related, but have undergone microevolution due to being isolated populations(like the Abert and Kaibab squirrels)? Red Rabbit/Doug

Travis, I tried the following stabilizers: Trophy Ridge Exchanger, Vibracheck Isolator, 7" Doinker, Sims Enhancer 2000, Sims 3 module Stabilzer, and 10" X-Ring hydraulic with a Sims on the end. The best was the Enhancer in combination with the 3 module, but I thought it was too heavy and threw the balance too far forward. Next best was a tie between the Vibracheck and the Sims 3 Modules. Balance was good-slightly front heavy. Real close to these was the stabilzer I already had on the previous bow-the X-Ring with the Sims on the end. Next to last were the Trophy Ridge Xchanger and Doinker. I thought they removed less vibration and were slightly noisier. Last was the Sims Enhancer 2000 by itself. These are my subjective opinions based on the vibrations felt in my bow hand, and my ears. I did not use a decibel meter to check the noise. Have fun trying out different stabilizers. Doug

Travis, The Legacy is a great bow, smooth and real quiet. I just got a new LX and put a Trophy Ridge Drop Zone rest on it. Check one of these out. Also put on a Dusk Devil fiber optic sight. Tried a handful of stabilizers, but could not discern a major differences in sound or vibration reduction. The Sims stabilizer balanced well on the bow, and took out the most vibration. Maybe I'll bump into you at Clint's Well next weekend. Doug/Red Rabbit

Talked briefly to a friend who had a unit 23 whitetail tag last year(not successful). He said the area behind Roosevelt Lake was hit hard by the drought. Also, the environmentalists have succeeded in having the cattle removed from the grazing allotments on federal lands there. This should help to further reduce the deer population as one of the lions' better food sources have been removed. Anyone been there and have some thoughts or factual input? Doug/Red Rabbit

Allen, just a few more than 4 bases to touch if you really want to hit a slam, huh? Griz, thanks for the research. So many deer, so little time(and $). As I recall, there is someone (with G&F or NAU? ) collecting DNA samples from coues to see about relationships between the mountain ranges. I wonder if he or anyone else has done any work to determine the branching on the whitetail tree. Doug/red rabbit

Tommy, AZ's deadline is June 10. Sorry, I can't help you out with unit 27 info- never hunted it, only know what I've read about it in the mags, and that ain't much. Doug/Red Rabbit

Crazy, Did you happen to put in for the Burros? It was my first choice as a nonresident-looooong odds. Managed to get a gobbler outside of Reserve last Friday- my first gobbler ever. Pretty bird,gotta love those irridescent breast feathers and all-American head. Doug/Red Rabbit

Amanda, Do you have a particular model in mind? With or without a scope? Price range/limitations? I'm just asking in case one appears here in Flag and can forward the info to you. Red Rabbit/Doug

Jeff, I sent in my NM apps yesterday with the Burros as #1 choice. With only 25 permits, and 10% going to unguided NR, my chance is slim. OTC in unit 23 is most probable. Do you recall why the Burros were originally closed? Good luck to everyone else in the draw! Red Rabbit/Doug

Amanda- Guess we've hunted the same area-Horseshoe Canyon. Generally hike an hour or more away from the road and have only met two other hunters in half a dozen hunts. That fenced in property that blocked the old road near the canyon mouth threw me for a loop when i "discovered" it while driving in at midnight one time. Jason- If you want an outlined map of where i've hunted up Horseshoe Canyon, let me know. Red Rabbit/Doug

Jason, I have hunted unit 29 about a half dozen times, the last being around 1996. Hunted the southeast side. Found the east side too steep and brushy for my tastes. Hunted about 5000' to keep out of the denser trees. Scouted once up Turkey creek, but didn't like the huntability and glassibility. Have taken bucks from 82-97". One November hunt, a friend saw 4 bears up in the oak trees, we drew a spring bear tag the next year, but only saw one set of footprints. The area around Paradise is rumored to be good for coues. Outdoor Arizona magazine had unit 29 for its unit of the month a couple of years ago, if ya wanna try to get a back issue. Red Rabbit/Doug

Corkin, Instead of waiting forever for the tag in 27, consider an over the counter tag for unit 23, the Gilas, or Black range. Rocky Mountain Game & Fish magazine has a yearly article on New Mexico deer, which includes Coues. In the "where to hunt" section of this website, there is also a listing of NM units with coues and an e-mail address for the NM biologist. I went to unit 23 last fall and saw a few coues and some muleys in 2 windy days. Red Rabbit/Doug

I prefer the December hunt because this affords the most days to hunt due to my Christmas vacation, there are fewer hunters in the field, and the nights are longer to get that needed rest for all that hiking. I also feel that the deer are more active. A negative is the greater chance for nasty weather, but right before and after the storm are good, active times. I have had November tags, and the temps can be comfortable, or too hot for pleasant hiking. I have seen some good bucks out in Nov. I have not had an October tag, but imagine this requires more preseason scouting to find and pattern the big bucks. But if you get his pattern,... With the shorter hunts, or you can only go one weekend, bad weather can ruin the trip. I can remember one November backpack hunt that it rained 3 straight days and sent us all home soaked and soggy. One member was on the verge of hypothermia. Red Rabbit/Doug

I became interested in 23 when a guy I know killed a 127 about four years ago. He said hunting was in tough, heavy covered terrain. I have also heard that it is a good unit for non-typicals. Three other hunters I know have hunted 23, but none have shot a big one, although one missed an opportunity at a 110, he says. I personally have not hunted 23, as I have been in 29 &36c mostly. Sorry I can't give you any personal experience. Red Rabbit/Doug

I am considering applying for unit 31 or 32 this fall, instead of 36c which I have hunted several times. I have not spent time in either unit, and have some simple questions to anyone who has hunted there. What are any differences in difficulty of terrain and ease of access to public land between the units? Are the whitetail found in pockets due to geography, or are they more evenly distributed in the units? Any opinions? Thanks, Red Rabbit

I just ordered a lightweight backpacking tent, Eureka Zeus Exo, in prep for this fall's hunt. This should save over 5 pounds from the 9# alpine meadows tent. Hiking into the Galiuros sounds like the ticket. Now to get the hiking legs prepped and remember to tape the $100 bill to the back of the application to assure that December tag. Doug

Josh, If you wanted to jump on the Mathews bandwagon, their Ikon or Conquest would be great finger bows. I have an older model Conquest, but have been shooting a longbow for the past few years(a lot more fun and challenging). A friend had an Oneida, but it developed problems on a NM elk hunt years ago. He drew back while sitting in his treestand, then aimed downward and released. The lower limb caught his thigh, and the nylon timing wheel stripped. The bow was then outa action. Doug

I haven't used a 243, but have toted a 260 remington, which is the same case as the 243, but with a 6.5mm bullet instead of the 6mm. The rifle is a remington mountain rifle , stainless with laminated stock. Light, slender grip and forend, 22"barrel, (actually looks good for a laminated stainless). Toted it on a whitetail hunt in 2001, but didn't see the monster buck. Also used it in Utah last fall on an antelope hunt, where the shot was about 385 yards. Used 129 grain Hornady SST's and they did their duty. I like the light recoil of this caliber, coupled with the light, nice handling rifle. I figured the 260 had the necessary velocity(2000fps) for bullet expansion, and energy(1000 ft/lbs) out to 500 yards. A 243 should do as well on coues with a 100 grain bullet (I'd guess out to 400 yards without looking up any ballistics). Doug

I had a 7 mm Rem mag before the 300 WSM I now have. I considered the 7 mm Rem Ultramag. but didn't consider the gain over the regular 7 mag worth it-10% more velocity for 50% more powder. The 300 WSM with 150 grainers shoots about as flat as the 270 Weatherby, which is a fine coues cartridge. Doug

Bret, Those just might be coues sheds and possibly the new world record. LOL. I was gonna tell eveyone my only secret on where to find sheds, but Scott let the cat outta da bag first. Nice set BTW. Doug

Thank you Amanda and Allen for the info and links. Another hunter familiar with the units also suggested backpacking into the mountains of 32. Guess I'll hafta start climbing more than up from the couch to the fridge to get in shape for backpacking. Is the mountain that makes up the picture banner for this website of the Galiuros, by chance? Great site, Amanda! Thanks, Red Rabbit/Doug

In the past, I have used 280 Remington w/ 150 BT, 270 Win w/ 130 BT, 260 Rem w/ 120 BT and 7 mm Rem Mag w/ 140 partitions or 150 BT. Now there is a 300 WSM w/ 180 sciroccos. All have worked well. Red Rabbit/Doug