Got back around 2:30 in the morning on Tuesday morning after driving straight thru from Tucson.

This was one of the most different hunts I have been on. Did see some does, but no bucks. Hunting in 90 degree plus weather and worrying more about illegal aliens/bandits/drug runners adds something to the whole experience that takes away a lot of the more pleasurable aspects.

The good thing about the hunting is that it took place on Public Land in the Coronado National Forest. The bad thing about the hunt was that it took place on Public Land and that lots of folks don't seem to be able to follow good hunting etiquette or published rules.

The basic program for hunting Coues White tails, is to climb on a ridge, then set up and glass as much of the surrounding country as is possible. Here are some pics of the place I set up to watch on the afternoon of the first day of season.





Typical shots on Coues run anywhere from 300 on out. The glassing process takes hours because the deer will bed down in the brush on the sides and near the top of the ridges and basically you have to wait them out and hope they are in range.




The second set of photos is from the place I set up on on Saturday and sunday afternoons. On Saturday I saw 4 does in this draw, 1 I jumped out of its bed, another one, a this years fawn that came over the top of the ridge I was on and got within 50 or 60 yards of me.

I did manage one afternoon before season opened to go out and do some quail hunting, killed my first ever Gambel quail. It is a hunt I would try again, even with the immigration and drug related problems. I did carry a pistol everyday and no matter which route I took to the hunting area, on the return trip each day I had to go thru a Border Patrol check station.

I was very fortunate to have been invited into a couples home in Tucson. I got aquainted with Vince Daigel on another forum based in Arizona and dedicated to hunting Coues deer. He and his wife Cat made me and my traveling buddy feel right at home, really great folks and Martok and I appreciated their hospitality.

First time I have ever seen rigging for quail or deer and the first time I have ever seen a cat used as a rig "dog".

Perry

CHC - Sorry you didn't have any luck with the Coues, but looks like a good adventure anyway. I was in that area a couple of years back and know what you mean by the illegal crap that's going on down that way. Great, scenic area and love to be in it this time of year. Something about the Desert that is really special.

I am leaving today for a Coues deer hunt in Unit 24 of New Mexico. Scouted two weeks ago and found a couple of spots that "should?" have good possibilities. It's dry down that way and will use some existing springs I found to hang out near and hope to catch a buck coming or going.

I'll be in touch when I return and will be leaving for Kansas immediately thereafter. Want to talk about dropping by your place for a hog maybe towards the end of November???? Will try and PM you later.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

CHC,

It looks as if you were in prime Coues country. Too bad you failed to fill your tag. But look at it from the positive aspect that you now have to do it again!!

Is the guy married to the cat or is it his "wive's" cat?



Ski+3

I used to hunt down there as well but gave it up; didn't feel comfortable leaving my camp due to the illegals.

I am hunting next week in MN and the week after I am flipping that around and hunting NM.

quote:

Is the guy married to the cat or is it his "wive's" cat?

I never did ask, but figure Vince's wifes name is Cathy/Katherine or something along those lines and "Cat" is just a nickname.

Tony Many Thanks for the advice you passed along and the information I got from your book. It helped, but the bucks just did not seem to be moving a lot for anyone those days I hunted.

I would like to try the hunt again, but having to pack a handgun and spend more time glassing for unfriendlies than for deer ain't a lot of fun.

I too am one of those folks that appreciates the beauty of the desert and am glad I tried it at least one time.

Here are a couple of pics of the trophy I did get while out there.

Not the most flattering way to view such pretty little bird.


I would not mind going back out there and spending a week hunting these little guys.

Great report and pix!
Thanx

GWB

CHC,

Actually, the more fun quail species to hunt in those units is the Mearn's, especially with a good bird dog. Unit 36B has a bunch of decent coveys in it.



BTW, I just returned from two weeks of R&R at our time-shares in Mazatlan, Mex. My wife and I drove the 950 miles each way with overnights in Navajoa on the way down and Hermosillo on the way home. We didn't even need the bullet-proof vests.

Tony, I was hoping to just see some Mearns. Actually I did the quail hunting north of Tucson on the Rail-X State Trust Land in the Oro Valley area. I have only seen Mearns either in captivity or mounted birds.

As for your comments about you and your spouses trip, I have heard from many sources that once you get past UDMZ along the border, travel in the interior of Mexico is quite nice.

Spent the whole week in 36A across the road from you and it was hot! Did drop to 40 degrees Thursday morning though. Broke down and shot a meat buck in its bed Tuesday afternoon. Then helped glass for my brother Wednesday and Thursday. Way hotter than normal this year.

Only saw two illegals that we jumped out of a draw, but they hustled off without daypacks or water jugs which leads me to believe they had ditched much larger packs nearby to come back and retrieve...

Won't find any Mearns off of Rail x, were there lots of Gambel's?

Mike

I only got after the one covey, never did figure out how many birds were in it. I never saw any illegals, but did see a lot of folks on 4 wheelers.

Yes, I was pretty sure that any Mearns I ran across would be down in the unit I was deer hunting in. Knew they stayed in that type of habitat.

I never saw any illegals, I am sure there were some around, but with all the folks carrying rifles I figure that they were laying low.

I would have been happy with a meat buck, in fact I tried growing horns on every one of the does I saw, but Harry Potter I ain't, don't know the proper spell for growing antlers.

Have hunted quail in that area and the Gambel's were usually pretty spooky.

I wouldn't give up on Coues deer or even the October hunts, this was not typical weather.

Mike

The weather did not bother me. I have hunted deer here in Texas at Thanksgiving and Christmas when it was in the high 80's.

Shooting a coues deer is just one of those things I would like to do. I don't have the funds to hunt everything in North America, but getting a representative animal from most of the species is doable.

The only thing I have killed that I want to kill sometyhing bigger than is Moose.

It would be fun to get a coues deer and a sitka blacktail, possibly a deert muley. Would like to kill a muley here in Texas. Will do another black bear hunt if the opportunity arises. The only animal I would really like a good chance at is a Mountain Lion, but am not interested in doing so uing dogs. I know that is the most sure way of getting one, but i think it would be neat to get one by spot and stalk or by pure dumbass luck.

Nice report! I love the desert pics, what a beautiful place!

I had a cat that loved to go hunting with me. She liked it as much as any dog and knew when I picked up my 10/22 something was gonna die and she would run right along with me. She also would come along when I set snare lines and climb up trees to sit with me when archery hunting. I miss her!

Speakin' of pure dumbass luck.

A while back I had taken a couple guys up to my lease in Reagan Wells. I think we had been hog hunting in the evening. It was dark thirty and we met at a "y" where three roads come together. As usual I make sure I have a few beers in my ditty bag. Well we get off the four wheelers and crack em' open. We're standing there bullshitting when a cat lets out with a scream. The kind that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Sounded like it was 100 yards off. All three of us were carrying side arms, but no flashlights in our hand. Last thing on my mind as I swung into the saddle about 10 seconds after that was shooting that cat.

GWB

CHC,

I'm really surprised you didn't at least bust a covey of Mearn's while traipsing about. If you had, they likely would have scared the bejabbers out of you.

I don't know how many times it's happened to me while hunting deer or javelina in the southern units, but an unexpected covey rise from under my feet usually always made me go skyward. Perhaps I too often associated the wing beating noise with the rattle of a not too docile viper.

BTW, it's a good thing you didn't hunt Mearn's; unlike the Gambels season, which opens in Oct., Mearn's season doesn't start unil the end of Nov.

Speaking of a sitka blacktail, it's the only species I still need to complete my NA deer "slam." I already have the turkeys covered. But the way things are going, I'll probably never get a chance to complete the deer.

I've never been too concerned about personal safety in regards to the illegals. I think the biggest problem with them would be stealing something from an unattended camp. The drug runners might be a bit more of a danger, however. Still, I have always gone about my business without undue concern.

As for driving south of the border, we drive through the area around Cullican, supposedly the heart of the drug trade and home to the large Sinaloa cartel. Few if any incidents have occurred that involve tourists, however. Most incidents happen between the policia and cartel members or between two rival cartels.

For the most part, every Mexican national we have ever encountered over the 35 years we've visited Mexico have been super. Over that span, we have made many friends.

In fact, one reason we went a bit early this year was because my wife wanted to celebrate our 50th anniversary with our friends who travel with us at one of her favorite restaurants in Mazatlan.

We have known the manager and a couple of the waiters there for 20+ years. So as soon as we went to the make the arrangements, the first thing Rene said was, "Bueno, we will have a cake and provide drinks on the house for you."