2025 Early Coues Hunt Success

[CWpredator]

Sitting in my elk camp now around the fire dealing with the last 3 days of being rained on chasing a few bulls around with my bow got me missing the warm southern weather. I started the season off with killing a solid buck on the opening morning. I found this buck on the 2024 late December hunt helping my dad. We opted to not shoot him last year as he had half an antler broken off. I kept tabs on the buck from February on. Opening morning I went to where he had been frequently spotted and never turned him up. About 9:30 with not seeing much I decided to change spots and go look for my backup buck. To my surprise the first buck I found in the new location was the buck I was initially looking for. I had never seen him in this area. After watching him bed I snuck in and shot him at 227 yards. Hit him mid body. Slightly panicked I scrambled to reload the muzzleloader. Shot again in a rush and made a bad follow-up shot knocking a chunk out of the top of his back. He went and laid down and I watched him expire about 5 minutes later. My apologies on sub par pictures as I’m not good at solo photography deal. Went over and quartered the buck packed him out and all was wrapped up before 1:00pm opening day. Following that 2 weeks later I took my Mom on her whitetail hunt who turned 66 on opening day. It was slow. Didn’t see any mature bucks. We hunted 3 more days until one of the bucks I was looking for finally showed up. Nice 100”ish type 3x4. We played cat and mouse with him but he unfortunately disappeared on us. A while later my mom found a nice little 3x3 across the canyon that she said she would be more than happy to take. We snuck in to position and set her up 290 yards from the bedded buck. After 3 1/2 hours the buck finally stood. She heart shot the buck and he dropped where he stood. She was extremely happy as this was the first coues she had taken in the last 10 years. She’s taken a lot of time off hunting to help take care of family and grandchildren so this ment a lot to her. Couldn’t of been more proud of my mom. it was a tough 4 days on her hiking the hills getting after it in the October sun. Currently still a busy season going on as I am on a late archery Bull elk hunt and my 10 and 12 year old kids have rifle bull hunts after thanksgiving. We have one late December whitetail tag left to fill this year and can’t be more excited for it.  

[wildwoody]

Very cool, congratulations 

[Flatlander]

Very well done. That velvet buck is amazing! Your mom is a baller to be out there getting it done at that age.

[dsotm]

Dang that velvet buck is a beaut!

[Will K]

Awesome Job!

 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Thanks for sharing!!! I know too many people use this site to buy and sell things and I for one sure miss the days of sharing a few details and pictures. Some great bucks! and looks like a great time. 

Good luck with the rest of your season

 

[Chef]

Fantastic velvet buck!  Wow!

Best of luck with the rest of your season.

[AZbowhntr]

Those are both great bucks.  Keep it going!

[tontotom]

Both excellent bucks and stories. Thanks for sharing.

[bonecollector]

That velvet buck is sweet lookin buck. Congrats

Impressive your Mom is still out there getting it done. Congrats to her

[Ed67]

Great bucks and write up. Congrats 

[catclaw]

Great bucks. Yours is really cool