taw1126
.333 member
Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas
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Took this Coues white tail in New Mexico's Gila Wilderness last weekend. I knew they were small deer, but they're littler than I was expecting (he’s a mature 4 ½ or 5 ½ year old buck but probably weighed 100 pounds or so live weight...I don’t think the pack animals even noticed that we added him to their load, and he fit in the panniers in halves instead of quarters).
No Boone & Crockett record setter, but 7 points with very palmated main beams, a tattered ear, and several battle scars on his face. All that character and the gray coat should make for a good mount.
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gatsby
.375 member
Reged: 05/09/05
Posts: 862
Loc: inland valley CA USA
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That is a pretty nice Coes. I have never hunted them in NM but in AZ, I like to call it the poor mans sheep hunt. A very small species, Coes don't score much more than 100 to make record book.
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"Recoil is insignificant when there is a tiger on the head of your elephant" The Maharaja of Cooch Behar
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TAP
.275 member
Reged: 25/01/10
Posts: 56
Loc: Az, USA
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Very nice Coues, indeed. Give us some details of the hunt.
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9.3x57
.450 member
Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5561
Loc: United States
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I know nothing about them, but that is an interesting set of horns and Congrats on a great hunt.
Really interesting rack, there. Will look great on the wall!!
Thanks for posting!
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What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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taw1126
.333 member
Reged: 24/07/07
Posts: 290
Loc: Texas
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TAP-
This was one of my shortest hunts. One of the most uneventful too, but I’m happy with the end result.
Day before the season opened we packed into the wilderness about 6 or 8 miles and set up camp. That evening we located a water hole and watched it for about an hour; all we saw that night was a mule deer doe but we decided to spend opening day sitting on that hole.
By 6:45 AM the next morning we were behind a deadfall on a wide ridge between two draws, overlooking a third draw and the water. We expected to see elk, but for the entire day all we saw were Merriam’s turkeys. Hundreds of them, steadily coming to the water in rafters of 12 – 20 birds. Merriam’s are some of the prettiest birds around, but I got damned tired of seeing them and started to wonder if they were keeping the other animals away.
Around 5:50 PM, about the time that it was dark enough to let your mind drift away from hunting and on to warm food, the guide grabbed my arm and said “shoot this deer”. He pointed slightly behind and to the left of us; between the dim light and trying to look through/around the guide I couldn’t see a thing. I finally picked up the deer in my binos but I couldn’t make out a rack at all- only ears.
Normally I wouldn’t shoot an animal without being able to judge it, but I’ve hunted with this guy before and trust him. The deer moved another 50 yards or so and over that distance he got in a more open area with better shooting light and fewer obstructions between us. This is the only deer I’ve ever shot that genuinely dropped when he was hit, like the ground went out from under him, but I was loaded with 180-grain TSX in case we found a big muley and that was significant overkill for this little thing.
This is the first time I’ve tagged out on opening day but I don’t think we’d find a 120-inch 8-point no matter how many days we hunted there (New Mexico doesn’t have the quality that Sonora and Arizona do) and I think he’s pretty nice for a first Coues.
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gryphon
.450 member
Reged: 01/01/03
Posts: 5487
Loc: Sambar ground/Victoria/Austral...
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My NM mate tells me that they are indeed a hard animal to put on the wall. I would be a happy fella with your model anyday.
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Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.
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Ben
.400 member
Reged: 22/08/08
Posts: 1917
Loc: Northern Territory, Australia
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Superb!
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TAP
.275 member
Reged: 25/01/10
Posts: 56
Loc: Az, USA
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Congrats. I've never hunted them myself, yet;). Everybody around here that chases them says that once you hunt for them you are hooked. Am looking forward to trying for them this year, if I don't wind up moving north first.
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