Arizona OTC Archery Coues Deer Hunt

Hunting the elusive grey ghost, the Arizona Coues deer. An over-the-counter archery deer tag in my pocket, seeking a trophy class Coues buck, hunting the lower creek bed areas within this Arizona national forest unit.
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ABOUT: Year 2023 is my 20-th consecutive year in a row, bowhunting as a non-resident in Arizona. I enjoy and love the archery pursuit of Coues and desert Mule deer so much...it opens my mind, enhances my heart & enriches my old soul.
Next Video to Watch: • Arizona Coues Deer OTC...
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FEEDBACK: if you have any questions, drop or note into the COMMENTS, and I will answer.
Please keep in mind that my videos focus on when, how, suggestions and tips....
...but never exactly where...
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MORE ABOUT: Many things, good & not, are occurring during this 2023 Christmas season holiday. Primarily due to a relative, my mother-in-law, is in the process of passing away. I'm hanging around the house with my wife's family, trying to help out anyway that I can in this tough life-death situation. Not my usual late December OTC archery deer hunts, as I'm not camping out the week before Xmas Eve and the week after Christmas until December 31st.
However, I find a day here and there to do some 1-day hunts for Coues deer.
Drive out to one of my past favorite areas, spending the day hunting, spotting and stalking a couple nice Coues bucks. It is an area & zone that I know so well, having taken several nice bucks here over the years. Yet I realize that prior to January, there is a late December rifle permit tag in this unit too, at the same time as OTC archery.
The prior week I was hunting here for 2 days in December prior to Xmas Eve Day.
In those 2 days, I encountered 5 rifle toting hunters in the area, out away from their trucks hunting the woods & hills. I thought hunter orange was a requirement for rifle hunters in AZ, they were NOT wearing any orange vests etc... not even an orange hat!
My plan for the day was to hike the high ridgelines, spot & stalk. Usually, I glass from the top ridgelines, spot bucks and stalk downhill within range.
However, these rifle hunters are focusing on those high ridgelines, so I change my tactic to working the lower areas for the day. Hoping the rifle hunting pressure on the ridges pushes some bucks to the brushier lower ravines and creek bottom. Passing on a couple small bucks, spike and 2-point, I hold out for a better trophy buck. My usual dedication on these late season hunts is seeking P&Y class bucks.
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Thank you for watching, appreciate your comments and helping out this old outdoorsman with my little TH-cam channel that my grandsons (4) enjoy so much. If you like a video, please click the thumbs up icon. To stay tuned for new video releases, click or as the younger generation says, SMASH the red SUBCRIBE button.
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#couesdeer
#archeryhunting
#overthecounterhunting
#OTCarchery
#bowhunting
#arizonahunting
#deerhunting

[@timbow50]

Back before all this video equipment was around I bow hunted Coues. Can’t imagine doing the video stuff and hunting them sneaky little ghosts. I usually killed a buck each year but most times it took 2 or 3 trips to there to get it done. Beautiful rugged country. Which unit? I agree 100% about 99.9% of the weekends warriors do NOT have the skills to make some of those long long shots. Hell, most of the people I’ve seen over the years at different shooting ranges don’t even know how to mount or sight in a scope. IMO, it’s sad that people like that are allowed to go hunt. 👍👍

[@MavHntr]

To be honest, i have lost shot opportunities this year trying to get shot on video. Darn hard to film & hunt solo these little "grey ghosts"!

[@ArizonaRealtorSergio]

This is beautiful area. What unit? I am gonna do an OTC this year for elk since I didnt get drawn. Would love to connect

[@MavHntr]

Thank you for watching. The unit is located in central Arizona.
Where exactly I cannot reveal, for obvious reasons. In the past, I would list or indicate a unit number in my videos but received too much flack, negative comments and dis-LIKES (Thumbs Down) from the YT world for doing so. So now my vids focus on When, How-To, Suggestions on Tactics, Hunting Tips.....but never WHERE...

[@MavHntr]

I hear ya, regarding elk. I didn't draw either but being non-resident status is a challenge to draw an archery bull elk tag....even with 16 points!

[@hugoNOwhere]

It would be awesome to come out there with you to get some experience.

[@MavHntr]

just get a map, or map app, like Onyx these days, and get out there in the great outdoors. Internet mapping research 20% and 80% boots on the the ground will give you a great start. Or stay tuned, my future videos will be to educate, share more hunting tips.

[@bobmcmahan9144]

I have never understood why game departments co-mingle rifle and bow seasons. Creates unnecessary risks.

[@MavHntr]

Yes but in regulations, states seem to always lean toward the more popular rifle hunting. I'd fear AZ would just close units to archery and keep it open for rifle permit hunters.

[@dad3562]

Ever have any luck by sheep bridge area?

[@MavHntr]

Never tried that area. Mostly due to having my special places which I like to hunt.

[@dad3562]

@@MavHntr true. Yeah that area gets hammered with off-road vehicles. Holy smokes.

[@MavHntr]

That’s AZ, lots OHV traffic on roads, designated trails. Sometimes in areas that don’t allow OHV!