Last minute whim I decided to join my buddy Jack on his backpack coues hunt. He had drawn a New Mexico tag, talked with mudhen, who connected him with a rancher for local info. Jack had different folks lined up to go but one thing after another and he was faced with going solo, so I went.

5 1/2 hours of driving, the last bit nasty stuff. We park in arizona, pack into NM, looking into old mex on the south.

It was warm in the 90s, mosquitoes eating us up even with spray, knee high grass after 8 inches of rain in september. Classic coues country and beautiful.

We set up camp on a large flat where we could glass multiple areas.

Breaking the binos out, pretty soon Jack say's, there's a lion, no two... I swing over and there's three. Probably a mother and two adult cubs, they were all the same size.

We never did glass a deer in that basin, which shocked me in such perfect habitat. But with a record amount of grass, water in pockets everywhere and the lions, the deer didn't need to be in there.

We decided to move up higher above the lions and glass a higher basin, we finally bumped one deer in a saddle but it went over so fast we couldn't ID if it was a buck.

Found a cave up close to the lions, looked like illegals may have used it a time or two, we weren't killed by the cartel, buzzed by an army green hilo twice, no markings, we donated to the local mosquito blood bank, sweated gallons of water and were chitty deer hunters.

But got to explore new country, test my leg that gave me such trouble this summer and had a great time.

Kent

Looking back from camp to where were hiked in.





lions were up high by the white bluff





Looking back to where we camped on the flats...



The cave was at the base of that bluff in the trees and Old Mex in the background.

Sir, this is not fair, it just isn't

Glad to hear you're doing better - and getting around that well.
Kudos from "The Warden" and me.

How did the leg do? I guess if you were not packed out, it did fine. If it were me, not killing a deer in that country would be a good thing. miles

Leg did fine, though the pack seemed heavier... or I'm just older...

Kent

And the older I get, not packing a deer out is as good a thing as packing one.

Kent

Did you get nervous checking out the cave? When me and my buddies found a brown bear cave high atop a ridge on Kodiak Island we were a "little" apprehensive. None of us would go inside.


I've been having issues with my right leg but on my mulie hunt this year I "walked it off." It's hell getting old.

Nice lookin' country and Thanks for the pics.

Looks like it was a good time. Glad the leg is better.

Glad I ain't the only one with knee/leg issues.

Is this just a 50-something thing or what?

I killed a medium size doe the other day. I could loan you a little meat. I pack mine with an ATV. miles

I used the last of my elk meat from last year on jerky for this trip... I'm going to have to get serious on some later hunts.

And Mike, yes it's a 50s thing... unless you're ingwe, then it won't hit you till the 200s...

Kent

What sorta' Tonk sign in the cave, Kent ?

GTC

If you look close you can see a plastic 1 gal water bottle at the entrance. Which signaled alarms, but I looked in and didn't see anything else close. The cave continued in farther and Jack said not to go in and it was sound advice.

Not far I found a few tuna and bean cans that were rusted with expiration dates of 2014.

Otherwise there was little illegal evidence. Talking with the rancher on the way out he was surprised as the BP told him there was a lot of traffic. He also said illegals weren't leaving the trash as much hiding their movements. But with that much grass, all the trails were covered and obviously not being traveled lately, we were bending the grass down noticeably, easily trackable and obviously the only ones in there recent.

Kent

Sorry to hear that you guys didn't get a deer. That is some of the best country that I know of on public land, and very few people get that far in.

Thanks for the photos! Makes me a little homesick...

It's great country and definitely worth hunting. We just didn't have a lot of time, the perfect storm of grass and water throughout that country, lions and having to commit to one spot packing in didn't work this time. Laying on my bedroll, looking at the stars bright because of a new moon... I felt at home and slept great with a slight breeze keeping the bugs off, it was great. Thanks amigo.

Kent

great photos, really enjoyed them


so when you're hunting in "illegals" territory for deer, what's the weapon of choice?

AR with a few 30 rd. mags?


so hard for me to fathom factoring that into hunting

really makes me angry with our gov't

This was a muzzleloader hunt, that's all Jack could have for long guns, I had my kahr 45 and extra mags. I didn't have a NM license and didn't want to cause any confusion if checked by having a rifle.

Now where we camped on the flats was about on the state line, no fence so it's just best guess and GPS. Also this area is hard to get to and doubt any GW would check it out from either state.

But I'll hunt america and to hell with illegals keeping me out. I'm just on alert when returning to the truck, that's the best chance of getting jumped.

Kent

Kent, sure pleased to know that your leg is so much better and that you got down there to roam that country.

Thanks for your account and photos. Very recognizeable country, and some of it IS tough to get into. You sure brought back lots of memories from the 60s through 80s and those Coues east and south of the Chiricahuas. Did you get down into Guadalupe Canyon?

Enjoyed the photos and words. Very pretty country. Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, great story and pics.

Thanks for the post Kent! BTW I think I have 8 deer points

Thanks for the pics and story.
Great that your leg is doing better.

I had my quarterly doc visit Thursday. When I was leaving the nurse handed me a prescription and the filled out forms for a handicapped tags.

I'll have to get some of pack trip "fix" thru you guys.

We were just south of Guadalupe mountain, new country to me. I've hunted the Chiricahuas on the west side before. I have a chiricahua tag for the thanksgiving hunt.

Kent

8 points will get you some nice december coues hunts, probably not 33 as a NR but for sure the central and southern units.

Kent

I've hunted the area north of Douglas in Oct. 32 I think? partener shot my buck after I missed at 630 across the canyon.

Probably 30A where we just were or 29 chiricahuas. With 8 points you have the choice of many units. Last year a NR needed 10 points to have a chance at a 33 tag but that unit is an exception, not the rule.

You can pretty much pick your year and where. Of course I have all the necessities, just get your ass down here.

Kent

Interesting story. What do you do if you run across some illegals?

Depends on what you run across them with?

Kent, pretty country, good tales. I'm dazzled that y'all have skeeters out there. Really.

Dan

Depends on reading their attitude.

I've had them lay on the ground face down pretending I can't see them to aggressively asking where my truck was. I've told them to keep calm I'm just hunting to not saying a word, staring them in the eyes while walking by.

This is my country, my habitat, I have the advantage and fire power if someone wants to get aggressive.

I used to call BP if I could, but for them to send out an agent taking hours in this rough country when they are gone and miles away, it isn't worth it. I finally figured it out when no one ever showed up. Not a bash, just reality.

Kent

We've got record rains the last couple months with almost none the rest of the year. Mosquitoes go crazy when they can, we've had them here at the house so bad I can't take the granddaughter outside to play.

Kent

Good news that your leg is better Kent.

That way if I draw a WMAR elk tag next year you can carry me around.

Your skinny now... but would still need to lose some weight...

Kent

Man it is late Oct and I had to water my lawn today.

True,I'll try and get some weight off.For instance,instead of 5 rounds in the rifle I'll carry 4.

Rancher said they've gotten 20 inches of rain this year and 8 last month. He couldn't ever remember so much before. That country is lush and his winter range, he has feed for a couple years, and good for him.

Kent

You get one... make it count...

Kent

Then you better have that elk tied to a tree!

You'll only need a knife then... see, you've lost a whole rifles weight already...

Kent

Prefer an axe or a spear. I'm not Ingwe,I'm not that tough.

Live a little.....

Knives for wild hogs...

.38 specials for leopard....

Fine,what knife would you suggest for a elk?

Model #1 Randall, 7 inch blade.

Gotcha.

Kent we have the same issues with skeeters at our house, hard to go out in the back yard because of them. My wife found some elastic things you wear on your wrists or ankles that are full of that citronella stuff skeeters are not suppose to like, for what it's worth. I can see them helping with a young kid particularly.

I'll be wearing camo,the elk won't see me.

I'll check it out, thanks.

Kent

never the less, I'm selling tickets...

Kent

Split 50/50.

Count on it brother!

Skeeters rank here too

been using this...

link: http://www.farnam.com/view_press.php?id=100834

try it, it's better than most anything I've used.

gtc

Might even get Dennis, Enrique and Casey to get off their asses.

Kent

Hey Kent,
Get me off my ass and take me fishing lol
Depending what unit he can draw and work and family, i'm there!

Kique

Good looking country Kent -

Bummer about the lack of deer -

Buddy, the smallmouth have been going apechit, my brother caught one close to 5 pounds yesterday, I'm hitting the lake this weekend... move your ass...

Kent

Greg, I've never been in such good country and not glassed a deer. Grass was so high I'm not sure I could see a deer standing and eating. But I really glassed the saddles and chutes hard looking for movers late and early. Saw no tracks or sign either.

I think with these record rains and grass, their environment shrunk to 100 yards or less in thick pockets. My friend only had a day and a half. I'd hunt there again with no reservations.

Kent

I hear you on grass kent. We got some good video if some big bucks bedding this past weekend in the stuff. Can barely see them standing!

But no tracks or sign is concerning. That stuff doesnt lie. Maybe you were in lion country like whats happened to the rest of southern new mexico. And sometimes good looking country has no deer!

Ya, that's the deal in that basin, packing in we were limited to whatever was happening there. Deer haven't been there for a few weeks at least, I'd like more time to get higher and farther. Next time.

Kent