Need some expert Coues glassing advice

[twigsnapper]

Hey guys n gals, I've got a general question more about theory than anything. I've just recently been bitten by the Coues bug. So here's my question. We were out hunting the "sunburn hunt" this weekend and saw a ton of does every morning and every night but we only saw one small spike, no bucks. I spotted 14 different does just Sunday morning. Spotted them in the open, found some down in the bottom of draws, found a few in some really thick cover. We were glassing what I would say was close to roads but not right next to them. We walked in about 45min in the dark on Sat morning and had the same result, lots of does, no bucks. If you had this same situation what do you do? Stick with same area and keep hoping for a buck, move a couple ridges over? Also, my cousin has the same unit but for December. So with that in mind do we stick to the area where we know the does are and hope for a buck or do we move to the next spot? Thanks all any input/theory is apprecaited.

 

I got to use my 12x50 swaros this weekend for the first time and they are great but I'm fearfull they are tuned to only find does. Thinking about sending them in for a pair that will find big bucks.

[double lunger14]

Keep glassing....bucks are there!

[Coues Sniper]

In my experience, bucks are in small bachelor groups this time of year and may or may not be around does. If you've seen bucks in your spot in the past this time of year or during scouting - stick it out. They are likely close. If not, I might try a new spot. It's sometimes just a morale boost to look at some new country, and can give you and your eyes that spark you need to get out of your "doe rut". If you find the same problem where you move to, go back to your original spot - with a refreshed attitude .

[sidwynder505]

yup i have to agree with double lunger14 the bucks are there! this last weekend was a bright moon that was out until 3:30 am !they really do bed before sun comes out!! then you have to shift to glassing from bush to bush on shady side looking for an ear flicker or some kind of movement! buck are very lazy at this time of year! an they get up two maybe three time's to strech before the afternoon or before dark

! hope that helps!

[Guest akaspecials]

The bucks are there, they are just harder to find for obvious reasons (bucks are more solitary, more nocturnal, get shot at more, etc.). I'd definitely be back in the area with does for the rut hunt in December if you don't have any other leads.

 

Also remember that there is a low buck to doe ratio in most units in AZ. I don't know the exact ratio that game and fish tries to manage (I've heard 3 bucks:10 does but I'm sure it matters on the unit and I have no evidence), but I typically only see 1 or 2 bucks for every 10 does.

[Evan]

Patience behind the glass pays off big time, if your seeing does there are bucks nearby. This saturday when I shot mine I looked through glass all day, started seeing some does early afternoon and then saw my buck. Same thing the next day for my brothers buck. Lots of hours and patience! Good Luck!

[GJMauro12]

I've had the same problem. Been trying to score on a coues deer for several years now. Wen't up to 24a to help a buddy on his hunt this weekend and seen 25 does and he ended up taking the single buck we seen (Small 2x2). I have the early December tag for the same area this year so maybe this will be the year I can tag out on a coues. I am starting to see where all the hype of coues hunting comes from and its slowly sucking me in. I know once I finally find success I will be hooked for good.

[Snapshot]

With a few exceptions, the better bucks won't be around the doe's this time of year. They could be just over the hill, or a few ridges away? I like to move to different glassing spots in the same general area, often. Gives me a chance to view the terrain from different angles, and elevations. You just might find that buck under a tree, that you couldn't see from your first spot.

 

When it's warm out, bucks will often bed up early before the doe's do.

[pwrguy]

I saw bucks every day of the hunt. They were never with does, and seldom did I see them before 11:00 AM. Glass North and Northwest sides of the hills, that means you are usually sitting in the sun

[loco4coues]

Very interesting, I know it is not very common but both the bucks we took were with does. Glassed mine at 3:00 pm with a doe and a spike. Glassed my brother's at 9:00 am with a single doe. My brother's buck went 112 and was eight years old so you just never know. Also, we saw a ton of other does all over.

[twigsnapper]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it.

[HuntKaibab]

Theres always an exception to the rule, just when you think the big boys are all huddled up in the nastiest thickest country you will see one standing 20 ft off the road at 12 in the afternoon. They are wherever they are,

 

-Mike Seivert

[THOR]

Opening day of this hunt in October I was two ridges from my Dad, I glassed up 11 bucks and not a single doe, my dad glassed up 20 does and not a single buck. The bucks are in pockets but the spot with does will be great come December. I have also noticed that some times they meet in the middle. I would try some thing new but not too far away.

[trophyhnter]

I think you are close. Move to different ridges in the same area or an adjacent canyon! At first light, I glass ANY slope I can see as the deer are where they are. As soon as the sun crest the horizon, look at the sunny slope! That low angle light make the deer glow in the binos but I have to force myself to slow down my glassing because Im so excited about seeing that unmistakable glow of the body and sparkle off the antlers! As the sun get higher I start looking hard at north northwest facing slopes and especially any cut that is thick and stay shaded (dark) around 9ish (that was when most if not all the deer bedded in my area). You should find a buck those areas! Lastly, the pactience it takes to find deer in dark shaded thick brush is understated! I watched a fork from about 800 tp 900 yards away feeding on the face of a canyon in and around a large bush/shrub. We watch him for 30 minutes and amazingly I would lose him in the same bush. I like to stand will I glass off the tripod (back hurts) but I had to sit down and pull my eyes a half inch or so from the binos so that my field of view was just that bush. Thats when i would see his anters or ears move in the bush or the limbs move that he was eating!