My brother and I drew a coues deer tag in NM unit 24. I have no experience hunting coues deer, and I am not familiar with the area. As you can see, we have a lot of work to do to get prepared for this trip.

If anyone has hunted this area, or has any good coues hunting tips, I'd love to get your advice.

Thanks
Robby

Go to a site called Coues Whitetail .com

This is coming from New Mexico so there is plenty of info there.

quote:

Originally posted by blaser93:
Go to a site called Coues Whitetail .com

This is coming from New Mexico so there is plenty of info there.

I will second that!!

Good optics are a requirement - "Good" set of binoculars - and I mean "Good". You will be glassing through them for hours every day. cheap optics = Headaches. Also a good spotting scope to use after you spot that deer 1 mile away - you want to see if it is worth the stalk (no use stalking a doe) and a good tripod to use with both.

Now go find a high ridge, sit down and start hunting.

Oh Yeah, and a rifle that you have practiced with alot out to 300+ yards.

You might find one closer but do not count on it.

Look at that web site and get a feeling for how large (or should I say small) the racks are on a Coues deer. Any coues buck is a trophy.

one final thing - a coues buck weighs under 90 lbs usually - my dog is bigger. A typical midwest buck measures 18in deep, top of back to chest. But a couse deer measures about 11-12 inches - this means the vitals are much smaller than a normal whitetail.

I'm no expert - this is just a list of my mistakes to date

Also as much water as you can carry.

PS: I hope you are not out to fill the freezer with this deer. We boned out a buck 2 seasons ago and filled 4 one gallon Ziplock bags with meat and 1 bag for Heart & Liver.

I am no expert but have hunted Coues in AZ and Mexico quite a bit. I have hunted NM for Coues, but not that unit. A few suggestions.
As the previous writer said hunt with binoculars......15's are not too much.
Do not try to glass by hand holding, you will not be steady enough. Use a tri pod. Hunt by glassing from a high point and glass from about midway up to the tops.
They should be active for the first hour +\- or so of light and the last hour or so +/- at end of day. If your hunt is during the rut (mid to late December), there wil be more activity. Remember these are small deer. Your shot will be a long one - in all liklihood. My last two Coues (in Arizona) were 387 and 395.
Call NM G&F for suggestions as to likely areas. Plan to scout a few days.
Good luck.

Hey RedRaider, your best bet in 24 is go high and glass,glass,glass!!!!!!!!!!! You can also call SantaFe and find out who the district officer is down there and he might help you out a little. Good luck.......wapiti7