Buck groups?

[BowFly]

Hey guys,

 

I have been checking trail cams for over a month now, and have not seen any mature bucks. I have seen a TON of does, yearlings, year and a halfs, spikes, button bucks, etc. but no mature bucks.

 

I am relatively new to Coues deer hunting, but I am guessing that Coues are like other deer in general in that bucks and does live seperately, for the most part, until the rut.

 

If I am correct in this assumption, can someone tell me when they start to mingle before the rut, and roughly when does the rut get into full swing in Southern AZ?

 

 

[BML]

If you are getting tons of does on your cameras right now, be patient. Those big mature bucks will show up when the rut kicks in. Typically, during the summer months an early fall, the bucks do travel in bachelor groups. I am no expert by any means, but I think the really big mature bucks like to be alone all the time. In my experiences, even during summer scouting and August/October hunts the biggest bucks are either alone or with just one other buck.

[Guest borderboy]

I'm with BML. Most if not all of the really big mature bucks I have seen have been pretty much solitary. They might have been in the same area as other deer but not reallly with them. Maybe another buck or 2. I did see 3 big bucks once in 30A. I was able to take my pick. The rut is a totally different ball game though. Suerte.

[Coues Archer]

border boy you should show some pics of your coues and or mulies you have killed in the past. I hunt in 30A but mulie have never gone whitetail i think i will go for coues next year.

[Coues Sniper]

It very much depends on the time of year. All the way up until about the 1st or 2nd week in December the bucks will usually be in small groups. In my experience this also includes big bucks as the 3 biggest deer I have killed were all with at least one other buck when they were shot. But this was well before the rut when they were still in their summer routines. Once the rut hits, usually bucks will only be in close proximity to one another if there is a hot doe nearby. When the rut actually hits has been argued to death around here, but in my experience douesn't really start till after January 1 in AZ, and January 10 or later in Mexico. If you have a lot of does in your area, bucks should start coming around to check them out a couple weeks before things really get started. Once the rut is over they will slowly become buddies again and group back up. This is just what I have found to be mostly true in my experience, and things can be different from year to year. Good luck to you on your hunt .

[Guest borderboy]

Coues Archer I've taken a few nice deer. I only have 2 mounted and after that I just kept the skull. I had most hanging on my shed. I left town for a while and the house was pretty much unattended. Somebody liked them more than I did and took most of them. Some were dad's too. He was highly irritated to say the least. I have some photos of deer and I still have the 2 mounts inside. I gave my biggest to a friend of mine who passed a few yrs ago and I'm triying to find it. Either way I'd like to share what I have, and will, as soon as I am able. I don't have the "right stuff". Peace bro.

 

[BowFly]

Thanks Guys!

 

I was thinking Coues acted like other sub species of white tail. I just wanted to verify. Wow... I knew the rut kicked in later here, but I didn't realize it hit that late in the year. That's good to know.

 

borderboy - sorry to hear about your mounts being stolen. Man that's just wrong...

 

Thanks again guys! I appreciate the info.