This month, I will cover five outfitters who specialize in hunting Mexico's Coues deer. They all specialize in spot-and-stalk hunting, often using high-powered optics mounted on tripods, and they are set up to handle the paperwork and licenses for their clients. They also go out of their way to help clients bridge the language gap. Perhaps most importantly, they offer hunting on carefully selected leases, many of which are managed for big deer.
Let's begin with gunsmith Patrick Holehan, owner of Gone Huntin'. He is perhaps best known for the superb rifles he builds, but his Coues' deer experience is also extensive. He offers a seven-day hunt that includes one day on each end of the hunt for the drive between Tucson and the ranches. He takes 20 to 25 hunters a year and produces bucks for about 90 percent of them. Often the unsuccessful clients have held out for an outstanding buck. Holehan says it is realistic to expect a buck scoring 100, give or take five points; however, he has produced three bucks ranging from 121 to 127 points for his clients.
A 1 x 1 hunt costs $3,850, plus $450 for the paperwork. A second buck is $2,400. He also has an optional service called a "personal packer" at a cost of $650. The packer will carry all the hunting gear for older hunters so they won't tire as easily and will enjoy the hunt more. Holehan speaks Spanish, and his guides speak some English, but he provides a hunter's dictionary with common Spanish........(continued)
