I was fortunate enough to draw a 2011 Arizona December Coues Rifle tag at the suggestion of a good friend. Of course when the time came to hunt everyone that said they would help all of a sudden got too busy.
Through a mutual friend (hunting networks are awesome) I got in touch with Jay Lopeman of Mossback Arizona. He said come on down the day after Christmas and he would point me in the right direction. Within an hour of meeting Jay and two of his hunting buddies (Ronnie Michael / Aka: Cowboy Outfitters) from RutNHard.net and (Heart-break Collin Steiner) we were watching a buck that we guessed was 98" or so.
I was only 250 yards away. I had never killed a Coues before and I knew it was a big one, but I wanted to hunt just as bad as I wanted to kill. We got some great video and I opted to pass. The boys figured we could find him again as he was with a doe in heat. We spent the next 2 days looking at a lot of deer (@10 bucks per day) but didn't see anything bigger. We started to second guess our first hour decision as we watched the video and thought he might be closer to 105". We went out on morning #4 to a spot were Collin and Ronnie had previously scouted. Collin had recently went exploring one day to this area to take his mind off a relationship he was in. Well thats where the "Heart Break Buck" got his name. Collin agreed to let me hunt him and I was thankful.
Pictures Collin was able to take during that day scouting.
The pictures werent good enough to tell exactly what he was so we wanted to get a better look at him with the idea that we would go kill that first buck in the afternoon if the "Heart-break" buck didn't show himself. Jay and I hiked up to a mountain ridge where we could make the shot if the "Break Up Buck" showed himself as he previously had. Ronnie and Collin with there Big Eyes stayed back and glassed. 15 minutes into first light Ronnie had found does and shortly after Collin had glassed up the "Break Up Buck" that was pushing the does.Even as rookie as I am, I could see this buck was a shooter. We got into position at 349 yards and put the Gunwerks 7mm on the Triclawps and made short order of the buck. We had 2 cameras rolling and the shot was perfect (due to the gun not the shooter). As you can see from the pictures, I couldn't wipe the smile of my face. I was fortunate to have some great help on this hunt. It is a type of hunting that I was not used to. I don't know if I would call those coues deer addicting, but I know I will hunt them every year from now on.... This buck taped out 109 4/8....
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