My first Coues with a bow

[Coues Stew]

This is kind of a late post but better late than never right?.... Last September(2017) I was able to hunt two days for myself. I had decided that I was going to sit water in search of my first coues with a bow. I invited my buddy along to sit with me that way we could take turns napping and not miss anything. Since I had located the spot and created the set up I told my buddy Kyle that he could take any of the smaller bucks that come in and I would only target the big boy, since Kyle was in search for his first big game animal in general he was in on the deal.

 

Day 1

When I first arrived the first morning I could hunt I noticed my camera had been stolen. I was so worried that the thief had not only stolen my camera but ruined my spot as well. The first morning was very slow and VERY COLD!!! It was an overcast rainy morning and the sun did not shine onto the blind until 1 o'clock or so. Needless to say we were way underprepared! However around 2:30 a spike had magically appeared out of the foliage and was drinking at the water. Kyle was quick on the spot and even quicker to get his bow in his hand. We had previously ranged the other side of the tank at 50 and Kyle waited for his shot and let her rip....low. Dangit! The buck is still standing there and presents him another shot at 60. Kyle re-drew his bow took his time on the second shot and the arrow flew true.... however the little buck was on edge and did a full 360 before the arrow even cleared the tank. Darn another miss and the buck took off, however now I am confident that this water was still being used, and not just by deer because about 30 minutes after the spike a very large bear decided it wanted to take a drink as well.

 

Day 2

Kyle and I had only gotten about two hours of sleep in between day 1 and day 2 because it was about a 3 mile hike in and out of the spot and an hour and a half drive from home. Due to our lack of sleep we got out late on day two. The sun was up well before we got to our blind but the best deer activity was mid day anyway. Again the morning was slow, so Kyle decided it was his turn for a nap. Meanwhile I was thinkin are you crazy this is prime time! At about 10:30 I was farting around on my phone while Kyle was snorin away when all of a sudden I heard sneeze and not a human sneeze. I look up to my right and there's a buck on his way with two does following right behind him. I quickly wake kyle up and ask him if he wants to shoot the buck (meanwhile I have no idea the size of him because I only saw profile view of his weaker side. The buck was behind a juniper while Kyle was still wiping the drool off his mouth and when it stepped out and gave me a good view I realized that it was a better buck and decided I was gonna take him (good thing because Kyle was not ready haha). I swiftly drew my bow put my 20 pin on its mark and let it fly. My arrow smacked the buck square in the shoulder and knocked him to the ground, he got up walked up the ridge slowly and disappeared over the top. Alright!!!

 

The Chase isn't over...

Kyle and I waited 45 minutes before we even got out of the blind to retrieve my arrow. Once we got to the site of the shot our attitudes really started to change. We had thought there was gonna be a dead buck just over the ridge but the evidence from the arrow and the blood was proving different. The arrow was only covered half way up the shaft and was broken in half however both pieces were still there??? I had no idea what had happened I knew I hit him in the shoulder but passed through so where was all my blood??? (Later I would find my first shot just passed through one shoulder and his briscuit but missed all vitals). We proceeded on the blood trail with extreme caution, one drop at a time expecting the buck to leap out of the scrub oak at any moment. After another 2 hours of slowly tracking we followed the trail to the bottom of a canyon where there was a thick patch of Gambel Oaks. I told kyle he's either in there dead or alive but hes in there. We started creeping towards the oaks when I heard a cough come out of the oaks. Then I could see grey patches slowly crawling through the overgrown draw. I quickly ranged a lone juniper across the draw at 70 yards and told Kyle when he steps out i'm gonna shoot him again. Kyle didn't miss a beat and whipped out his phone to video the shot. The buck stepped out just a little lower than the juniper I had ranged so I put him in between my 60 and my 70 and made the most confident shot on an animal I have ever made. My arrow hit directly on its mark as the buck blew from jumping my string and he took off only to disappear again. Unsure yet again of how the second shot was we let the buck rest for another hour and a half when a monsoon started to roll in. It was time to go fetch him. Kyle stayed behind to keep eyes for him to jump up and bugger out as I crept in. The blood was a lot stronger after the second shot and roughly 100 yards after the second hit I could see my buck laying in the bottom of a wash tipped over. Tears started to burst out of my eyes as I called Kyle over, I realized I had just harvested my first coues deer with a bow and the 75-80 inch buck I first thought I shot was actually a 100+ inch deer laying right in front of me! What a day it was and one heck of a packout! I can't thank Kyle enough for all of his help and sharing the experience with me. Its his turn next!

 

VIDEO of the shot

 

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[DUG]

Very nice! Congrats!!!

[PelaPapas]

Heck yeah man, great buck! I think this year will be the first time I will head out and sit water down south. It's always too hot for the southern units but bucks gotta drink! Congrats on that great buck!

[CouesPursuit]

Congratulations on a fine buck! Sounds like you made great decisions the entire way. Well done!

[Will K]

Nice buck.

[wildwoody]

Beautiful buck..

[Jimmer Negamanee]

Great buck and great write up! Better late than never, for sure. Thanks for posting.

[BOWUNTR]

Outfrikenstanding... Ed F

[Stallone A.]

Great Story, Thanks for sharing. Hope your buddy got the Coues deer bug...

[Couestracker]

Great hunt and awesome buck! Congratulations!

[thunderbolt]

wow!!! congrats and great story

[Sparkitoff]

Super nice deer! Congratulations!