coues convert

coues4life · Feb 2, 2013

hey guys Im a die hard coues hunter but this january I decided to hunt mullies with my bow. Boy was I in for a treat. Being that Ive only ever taken one mule deer buck in my years of hunting (20+) I found a couple of large bucks for the area I was hunting and after watching these guys for days and not being able to put one down I decided to put in for muledeer this year. My question to you guys is in arizona what units woud you put in for that is relatively easy to draw but has good bucks? I hunt 24a for coues and this is where the bucks Ive been watching are, but dont like hunting this area for muledeer during rifle due to the amount of hunters. I just want one good mature muledeer for the wall before I go back to coues deer does anybody have any info theyre willing to give a first timer?

coues4life · Feb 3, 2013

wow I cant believe that no one on this forum has anything to say. anybody?

AZBuckSnort · Feb 3, 2013

"My question to you guys is in arizona what units woud you put in for that is relatively easy to draw but has good bucks?"

Depending on your definition of what constitutes "a good buck"...there isn't an answer to your question, hence the lack of responses.

Good luck in the drawings!

Jim

littlebighorn · Feb 3, 2013

"relatively easy draw with good bucks", is an Oxymoron Those places no longer exist.

ArizonaBuild · Feb 3, 2013

24A only has 300 mule deer tags with 40% plus chance of drawing. That's about as good as it gets in AZ. There are 1100 plus coues tags in the unit. If you know where good mule deer live in 24A, then apply there...

coues4life · Feb 4, 2013

I love 24a for coues dont get me wrong but for mullie not so much. There are some good bucks in there but not alot that top 140" yes there are only 300 tags but all the hunters or most congregate in one area, plus I am also looking to branch out and learn some new units that have the potential of me seeing some 160"+ bucks.

AZ4life · Feb 4, 2013

I'm starting to think that this is a joke, coues4life. Just about every unit in Arizona that has any mule deer at all will have a 160 buck if you put in the time to find him. Study the regs and results reports over the last few years and throw some darts. At the same time, there is no unit with high draw results with plentiful 160 bucks around every corner.

Good luck.

coues4life · Feb 4, 2013

this is no joke I guarantee that, Im just not a mule deer hunter so I dont know alot about where they are at and such. I know 24 and as stated I am looking to branch out and learn some new units, glad this seems like a joke to you unfortunately this website is not at all what I thought it would be and damn sure not at all like some of the other sites where people arent afraid to offer advise to a guy looking for some help.

WHT_MTNMAN · Feb 4, 2013

The problem with AZ is that there is not a single unit that produces quality mule deer bucks with decent chances of getting drawn. By that I mean 1-3 years. If you are willing to wait for 5-8 years there are a few more units that open up. Mule deer #'s have been on a steady decline for the last few years and as such is becoming harder and harder to draw.
If you are serious about getting a tag and having the best chance at a mule deer buck, I would stick with what you know. If you are willing to wait for a few years put in for 3a/3c, 27, 22,23 and all the units down south and really start to learn the unit. If you are willing to wait along time and want a quality tag like many of us want, put in for the 12's and 13's
The reason there are so many of us die hard Coues fans is because many of us were sick of waiting years for a mule deer tag so we started hunting Coues until we realized they are a much more difficult and worthy adversary.

coues4life · Feb 4, 2013

See thats what im talkin about thanks wht mtnman! Im all about drawing a quality tag lol if i can keep from puttin in for coues! That would give me time to try and get a first archery deer waiting for a quality mule deer tag!

sremim · Feb 4, 2013

If you want a chance at a 160" buck in AZ without going north of the ditch stick with Dec/Jan archery. As mentioned, most any unit will have a buck like that, but it takes a lot to find it. Its not that nobody wants to help you, there is just not much to say.

I can tell you 4 or 5 units I've seen bucks bigger than 160" in the past couple years, but does that mean they are easy to find and you'll have a decent chance? No. They are few and far between. It takes a lot of dedication, time, and mostly, luck.

Pick a unit that interests you then start doing research on that unit. Go explore it. Ask specific questions about it. Then you may get somewhere. But to expect people to just offer units out of the blue on where its easy to draw and find a 160"+ buck, well, that is as few and far between as the buck you are looking for. 24A is open for the Dec/Jan archery hunt. Give it a try if you've already seen bucks that big there.

coues4life · Feb 5, 2013

im not looking for handouts or secret spots guys im looking for recomendations on good units that hold pretty decent bucks as a starting point that is all, i really dont know all that much about mule deer hence the asking of advice. im not afraid of doing the home work and putting in my time in the field at all just looking for a good starting point.