Treestand Hunting Coues Deer

Treestand Hunting Coues Deer

by Darren Choate

It’s hard to hang a treestand on a Saguaro!

When one dreams of hunting Coues deer in the Desert Southwest, they likely imagine themselves sitting on a high peak glassing through high-powered optics–searching for the elusive deer. In fact, that’s how most Coues experts hunt; spot and stalk with the aid of expensive binoculars and spotting scopes. To that point, I have spent thousands of hours behind my 15x Swarovskis, scouring the landscape for a worthy Coues buck. But, there are a few times each year where–in the right location(s)–treestand hunting Coues deer can be applied as an effective tool for a successful harvest.

1. High Country: Although the majority of Coues whitetail inhabit what most would likely refer to as a desert, a large portion of the Coues’ population throughout their range (at least in Arizona and New Mexico) lives near the Mogollon Rim, either just above or below. Here, Coues deer are patternable during the early season (August/September), temperatures are cooler, and a treestand hung over water, travel corridor or mineral site is an effective method to harvest a velvet Coues buck.
2. Sky Islands: The majority of Coues deer habitat (Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico) is found in desert mountain ranges. Here, mountain peaks commonly reach to 7,000 feet above sea level, and some even higher. The majority of the upper reaches of this habitat is less likely to be hunted effectively by spot and stalk, simply because it is either too steep or the vegetation is to thick to find and monitor a buck long enough for a stalk to be made. However, during the late archery season (December/January, where open), a well-placed treestand in combination with deer vocalizations works as an effective means to harvest a rutting Coues buck.

A word to the wise: don’t just think you can hang a treestand anywhere in Coues country and expect results right away, scouting and patience is key. I have sat in a treestand for 100s of hours waiting for that opportunity of a lifetime. My advice, find a treestand that is lightweight (can be packed in, if needed) and is comfortable so that you can sit all day. This past year, I put a Big Game Treestands treestand to the test, and it was top-notch. above all else, think safety first and wear a harness!

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