Coues Crazy: Why This Diminutive Deer Becomes Our Muse

Size isn’t everything. If it was, the Coues deer would fly far under the radar of many. Despite their small stature, this tiny deer captures the hearts of hunters year after year. Maybe it’s the unique landscapes they call home? Or maybe it’s their wary, switched-on nature that draws hunters back time after time.

Whatever the reason, they have a diehard following who is willing to get sunburnt, scratched, poked, and glass until their eyes pop out of their heads, all in the name of pursuing what is essentially a dog with antlers. Let’s break down just what makes this diminutive little deer the muse of many.

What is a Coues Deer?

In order to better understand the coues deer overall, we need to talk about their origins and what they actually are first.
 
The coues deer was first discovered by Dr. Elliot Coues back in the late 1800’s. This is actually where they get their name. While Elliot’s name is pronounced “cows,” the more common pronunciation, in reference to the deer, is “cooz.” This is often debated on by coues deer purists which choose to call them “cows deer.”

Coues deer are a shrunk-down subspecies of the very well-known and more commonly occurring whitetail deer. They are a desert whitetail, small in stature but large in tenacity. Unlike the widespread map that the whitetail deer covers, coues deer are only found in Arizona, some parts of New Mexico, and down into Mexico. Much of their habitat overlaps with the mule deer.

Hunting Opportunities

Hunting opportunities exist in all of the mentioned, with Arizona and Mexico offering the most. Arizona rifle tags can be fairly easy to draw, especially the October/November hunts. The later hunts in December are much harder to draw. There are also muzzleloader and archery opportunities there. New Mexico is harder to draw on the rifle front, but easier with muzzleloader and some of the archery hunts. Early archery is much easier to draw than late archery. Mexico is teeming with opportunity, but there are a fair amount of logistic hoops to jump through. Going with a guide familiar with hunting south of the border is highly recommended. You can hunt early or late season. The big allure there is unpressured deer, giant bucks, and the ability to hunt during January (rut) with a rifle.

Coues Deer Size

In terms of size, the coues deer ranges around 65 pounds for does and 80-100 pounds for bucks. They are highly adaptable as well and can be found anywhere from 2,500 ft to 10,000 ft in elevation. This means that they can live in mesquite-covered desert flats as well as up into ponderosa pine forests at the top of mountains. On that note, coues deer have a very small home range of only about 1 mile. During the rut, this may change a bit with the bucks traveling. Bucks will rut from the end of December all the way into February. In terms of inches on antler, a 100″ coues deer is of the same caliber as a 180″ mule deer.

What’s to Love About a Coues Deer?

Little Deer, Big Respect

There is a lot to love in the small package that is the coues deer. The first thing that really hooked me about them was how good they are at surviving. This is an animal that walks around under constant pressure from things wanting to eat it. So, when I’d see a big buck that has survived year after year, of both hunting seasons as well as predators, my respect would shoot through the roof. They are masters of their craft.

The Process of Finding Them

Something else that is quite addicting is simply finding them and keeping an eye on them. Coues deer are nicknamed the “grey ghost” for a very good reason. They have a way of evaporating from eyesight and are visually intertwined within their landscape as much as the rocks and shrubs are. Glassing through high-powered optics is the best way to efficiently find them on a regular basis. When you do, though, do not take your eyes off of them, because they can pull a disappearing act in a hurry. In all honesty, it might just be a matter of them moving over 3 ft.

Coues Deer Meat is Exceptional

Back when I first started hunting coues deer, an old timer told me something I’ll never forget. He said, “Grinding up a coues deer is almost a sin.” I didn’t entirely know what he meant until trying this lovely protein out for myself. There may not be a lot of meat on a coues, but it truly is the best deer meat I’ve tasted. And after taking more than a few for a spin on the dinner plate, I can confidently say that I’ve never had a bad-tasting one. From early-season meat to late-season in the rut, none of it has been off-tasting in the least.

Challenges of Coues Deer Hunting

Locating Deer

The number one challenge of coues deer hunting is one of the reasons I love to hunt them. Spotting these deer is very hard. It is very realistic to be watching a hillside all day long, think nothing is there, and then have a coues deer magically appear that was there the whole time. Optics must be mounted on a tripod with a fluid pan head to effectively glass for coues. This will allow you to spot movement much easier, and when you do, you’ll be able to lock your optics in place to not lose these little deer. The general rule is to put the sun at your back in the morning and in your face in the evening. This will provide a view of sunlit hillsides in the morning and a view of shade in the evening.

Closing the Distance

Once you do find a coues deer, the next challenge is going to be closing the distance as well as relocating them. Because of their switched-on nature, you need to be on your A-game in your approach. I’ve had deer bust me from 1000 yards out before. And because of their ability to melt into their surroundings, relocating them can prove to be a challenge too. Patience is key here, especially if you are bowhunting them. This is one of the hardest animals in North America to spot and stalk with a bow, and if you try, you’ll know why sooner than later.

Coues Country is Not for the Faint of Heart

A coues deer’s environment offers just as many challenges as hunting the deer itself and really adds to the difficulty. It’s loud to walk in and does a great job of essentially protecting the deer from danger. Depending on what time of year you’re hunting them, the weather can be brutally hot. In the early season, 90 to 100-degree temperatures are the norm. Dehydration is a real risk out there, so be sure to pack enough water and electrolytes. And while you’re poking around in the early season, you best be watching where you step, because rattlesnakes are aplenty in coues country. Along with the heat and snakes, you’ll find that a good portion of the vegetation wants to poke and scratch you every which way, whether it’s a cactus or a thorny bush. Cover your eyes while walking through this stuff. Catclaw can grab hold of an eyelid pretty easily.

Coues Crazy

I have exclusively hunted coues deer in Arizona for the better part of the last decade. Yes, there is more meat on a mule deer, which shares a lot of the same country. Yes, mule deer are easier to hunt. But I cannot help being spellbound by the coues and neither can many others. They are small but mighty. They are hard to hunt but worth every ounce of sweat and frustration. And I love this little deer from top to bottom. I am crazy for coues, and after you try hunting them, you just might be too. If you don’t coues, you lose.

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