In January, my father and I embarked on our annual adventure south of the border to pursue the elusive Coues deer of Mexico. This was my fifth trip and my dad’s ninth trip all done with Brad Fulk and Rio Sonora Outfitters. There are many reasons we hunt with Brad – he is well organized, we have never had any problems crossing the border, he is well supplied, there are always reliable side-by-sides and four-wheelers in camp, he scouts extensively before and during the season, and most importantly, my father and I always have a good time in camp. The food is great, and the company is even better.
I took my first trip to Sonora, Mexico in January 2015. Having never hunted Coues before, I was anticipating a new challenge. We hunted a rugged “little” ranch of approximately 100,000 acres. My dad scored first on a 110" buck. Two days later, I glassed up and stalked a rutting buck and made a 300- yard shot on what turned out to be a 120" 4x4. Naive about trophy Coues, I asked my guide, Victor Almada, if he thought it was big enough for me to shoot. He emphatically said, “Oh yes!” My first deer was a deer-of-a-lifetime.
In 2016, we went back to the same ranch. Conditions were very different than the previous year. We suffered high winds, torrential rains, and a last day snowstorm. Unfortunately, my father was unsuccessful. I, however, got lucky and shot a 130" 4x4.
In 2017, neither my father nor I had the opportunity at a deer we were interested in shooting. We ended up going home with a lot of good memories but no deer.
Brad suggested we try a new ranch in 2018. We trust his judgment, so in January, we headed off to Chihuahua. Like all of the properties RSO hunts, Brad develops a relationship with the cowboys who work the land every day. They provide invaluable information on deer locations and movement. It was a cowboy coming in for lunch that tipped Brad off to the location of a grande buck chasing does down the trail by the ranch house. Lunch was quickly forgotten. Rifles and binoculars were gathered, and Brad and my dad set out in search of the grande buck. The does were quickly spotted feeding on the hillside, but there was no sign of the buck.
Finally, antlers were spotted blending with the branches of a mesquite tree. The buck was bedded down at 400 yards, watching his does. My dad got set up on Brad’s custom 260 rifle and waited for the rut-crazed buck to end his rest and continue his pursuit of the does. It did not take long for the grande buck to rise from his bed. When he did, my dad made a lethal shot. Walking up to his buck, the very rare phenomenon of ground growth occurred. My father had taken a heavy 3x3 with good brow tines, two stickers, and great mass. He ended up scoring just over 122". I was lucky enough to score on a very heavy 115" 3x3.
This brings us to January 2019. My father, Brad Fulk, guide Seth Dosser, and I headed back to Chihuahua. After a bone-jarring ride on roads deeply rutted from the previous week’s rain, we arrived at the ranch house with enough light to sight in the rifles. After ringing steel out to 500 yards, we enjoyed a good meal and retired for the night.
Our first day of hunting turned up a lot of deer. The only downside was it looked like the rut was almost over. The bucks we did see were pretty busted up from fights for dominance. We saw two bucks that if intact would score between 110-115". Early on day two, I glassed a buck with my Leupold 12x50 that warranted a closer look. Seth looked him over with his Swarovski BTX85 scope and determined that he was a solid 110" buck. I got on the gun and made a solid 500-yard shot. We had our first buck on the ground.
The next two days were spent covering a lot of ground and seeing a lot of deer. One day was spent glassing the hills around a waterhole where a trail camera showed images of deer, bear, mountain lion, and a jaguar. We were down to the last day of the hunt. We split up to cover as much ground as possible. Brad went north with the two other hunters in camp, while Seth took my dad and me south. We were looking for one of the broken antlered deer we had seen earlier in the week to reevaluate our decision to pass on him when we received a garbled message from Brad telling us to head his way.
After a few wrong turns, we met up with Brad and he excitedly told the story of Lalo, the ranch manager, and Arturo, a cowboy, finding a grande buck. Before Brad’s hunter could pull the trigger, the buck moved up and over the ridgeline and out of sight. We devised a plan to surround the ridge, hoping the buck would present someone with a shot. Brad kept watching the south slope. Lalo and Arturo glassed the east slope. Seth and I hiked with my father about a mile up the valley to glass the north slope.
We made it to a vantage point in an ocotillo patch and started glassing the north slope. We had only been glassing for a short time when eagle eye Seth spotted the buck bedded directly across from us. He was looking in our direction but did not seem alarmed. My father quickly got into shooting position with his chair and tripod. I ranged him at 464 yards, and Seth dialed in the scope. During our preparations, the buck stood up from his bed and was staring intently at us. We were concerned that at any moment he would flee into the thick oaks above him. Then, we noticed the doe bedded by the buck and we knew as long as she stayed he would stay. My dad waited for the big buck to turn broadside, got steady, and squeezed the trigger. It looked like a good hit, maybe a little back. The muy grande buck took two steps and lay down in the same bed where we had originally spotted him. He still had his head up, so my dad put one more shot into his shoulder. Seth wanted my dad to stay on the gun until he hiked over to the deer. When he laid his hands on that buck, we could easily hear his celebratory shouts. By the time we had gathered our packs, Seth had carried the deer off the ridge to the trail. My dad always said, “You either have to be smart or you have to be strong.” Thank goodness Seth is strong.
When my father saw that buck for the first time up close, his eyes lit up. Neither one of us knew how massive he really was. He was a heavy 3x3 with good brows and a 7" drop tine. He scored just under 132". We all gathered together and started a marathon photo session.
I do not know of any person who has killed a 120" Coues deer and then the very next year shoots a 130" buck, let alone a father and son team.
My father got me into hunting at a very young age. I would tag along with him on grouse hunts in Pennsylvania when I was not even old enough to hunt. I would carry the birds until my arms got tired and then my dad would put them in his game bag. If my father did not hunt, I still might have become a hunter, but I do not think I would enjoy it as much without him. I cannot think of a more deserving person to have hunted this great buck. I guess being a Huntin’ Fool is in our blood.
Thank you Carolyn, my loving wife. Thank you Dolores, my loving mother. Thank you to all of my children, Heather, Matt, Lily, and Sophia. Without an understanding family, a lot of my hunts would not happen. Thank you Brad Fulk, Seth Dosser, and all of the guides from RSO. Without your hard work, these hunts would not be possible. Thank you Lalo and Arturo for keeping your eyes open. Most of all, thank you Dad.
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