“Dos hembras, a la izquierda del pino mas alto, juto debajao de la cresta, en linea recta!” whispered my guide, Zurdo. I had seen them as he started speaking, two Coues whitetail does nibbling on oak leaves just below the crest next to the tallest pine on the brushy ridge we glassed on the huge Durangueno Ranch in Durango, Mexico. We had left ranch’s extremely comfortable headquarters in the dark well over an hour earlier. Using my Stealth Vision 8x40 range finder binocular, I knew they were exactly 321-yards away.
We soon spotted our first buck, a young forkhorn. He like the two does blended into the background so well he was nearly impossible to see. Moments later we spotted a single doe, which thankfully was profiled, standing in a small opening, against yellow grass. After several minutes of not seeing any other deer, sitting in a raised blind, Zurdo suggested we walk canyon rim to our right.
My walking was slow. I live at an elevation of less than 100-feet above sea level. The Durangueno Ranch’s elevation is in excess of 8,500-feet. Quite a difference! Years ago doing research on getting into shape for mountain hunts I visited with numerous doctors who specialized in heart and lungs. When asked what exercise I could do to prepare for such an elevation change, their answers were the same. “There is no exercise you can do specifically for such. Get in the best shape you can, then get to the hunting area at least three if not five days before you start hunting. That’s how long it takes your lungs and circulatory system to adjust and adapt to such changes in elevation levels…” I had told Zurdo, who like all of the Durangueno Ranch are extremely adept at what they do, “Tengo casi 78 anos y vivo a una altura baja. Cuando caminemos, tender que caminar my despacio y detenerme a menudo.” Which equated to I was nearly 78 years old, live at a very low elevation and would be walking slowly and stopping often. He smiled…
Track of a mature Coues whitetail compared to a Hornady 6.5 PRC Precision Hunter cartridge.
On our walk we spotted 7 does, 2 fawns and a young 8-point buck. After completing our walk, we headed back to the vehicle, then drove from one glassing point to another. Doing so we spotted five more does a couple of fawns and another young buck.
What I failed to mention was the wind blowing a steady 25-mph with gusts to 35-mph and more, from the south. Deer were tucked in close on the leeward side of the wind.
Back at camp over lunch I visited with Travis Wright, owner of Heart of Texas Outfitters (Facebook @heartoftexasoutfitters). I had hunted with Travis several times and had nearly a year earlier asked him to help me put together a Coues whitetail deer hunt in Mexico. He mentioned a couple of ranches in Sonora. I had hunted Sonora several times in the past and taken some outstanding bucks. Then he mentioned the Durangeuno Ranch, owned by Alonso Ayala Grimaud, in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of Durango, where the elevation was comparable to hunting the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico. I had hunted in numerous Mexican states, but never in Durango. Travis soon booked five other hunters who would accompany us. I’ll share some of their stories in future blogs and articles.
Prior to heading to Durango for Coues I procured a 6.5 PRC Mossberg Patriot Predator (www.mossberg.com) which I topped with a Stealth Vision SVT 3-18x44 Illuminated scope and had the professionals at Stealth Vision (www.stealthvision.com) run my rifle through its paces using Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X. I also had them build a custom turret for the 8,500-feet elevation where I would be hunting. Once I got to ranch I confirmed zero at 200-yards. With that combination I felt comfortable shooting out to 600-yards, but hoped for a much closer shot.
Ours was a seven-day hunt. Daily Zurdo and I headed into the mountains. We saw lots of Coues deer, often as many as 30 or more per day. In years past I had taken three really nice Coues in Sonora including a 135, 112, 110 (gross B&C scores), and a unique “cactus buck”, meaning the buck was a “velvet-horn”. Thus I was a picky and knew I could be because of the high quality of bucks on the property and the number of deer were seeing. Thankfully the owner is more concerned about wildlife than anything else on the property!
I passed numerous nice bucks, having decided either take a really good buck, or, go home empty-handed.
Night before our last day, after having passed numerous bucks, Travis suggested he and Alonso, the guide who he had been hunting with, accompany Zurdo and me to an area where two days before he had photographed an extremely good buck at long range. Having hunted, as mentioned with Travis several times, I knew he has a special knack for not only finding big bucks, regardless of where he hunts, but being at the right place at the right time. “Larry the buck I saw in the area we should hunt is a good one. Even though he was a long way away I could see he has four points on his left side, his right side looked like it is palmate with probably 4 points on top, plus his brow-tine. He’s really impressive! He’ll likely gross 115 to 120 B&C. We need to see if we can find him!” I agreed!
Next morning, we left camp well before first light knowing we had a long, rough road to get where we planned to be when we could see to glass. That morning we saw several nice bucks including a couple that were really tempting and a nice 8-point I simply screwed up on. Following the latter, we headed to camp for a quick lunch, ate, then headed back to the mountains. After encountering a small herd of javelina as the afternoon wore down we headed to where Travis had seen the buck we hoped to find.
We walked into the canyon, saw but a single doe, then walked back to the vehicle and drove to the bottom. Soon as we got there, “Get out, get out, get out! Big buck to the left, half way up the ridge, to the right of the tallest pine.” Blurted Travis.
Stepping out of the pickup I chambered a 143-grain ELD-X Hornady round, moved to where I had a solid rest, found the buck standing broadside at about 300-yards. I got the best rest I could, pushed the Mossberg’s safety to fire. Took, a quick deep breath, let it all out and settled the crosshairs right behind his shoulder and squeezed the trigger. “He’s hit!” said Travis.
At the shot the buck moved to where I could not see him, thankfully Travis to my right was on him with his rifle. “If you can see him, put him down!” said I.
“Don’t think he’ll go far!” responded Travis.
“If you see him, put him down!” I said again not wanting this one to go anywhere but eventually back to Texas! I knew my shot had been in the vitals, but the deer had not yet gone down. Travis shot, the deer fell. I’m a firm believer in putting down an animals as quickly and humanely as possible, even if it means asking a friend to help do so.
Larry and Travis Wright with his truly unique Coues whitetail buck.
Thankfully Zurdo and Alonso crawled up the rugged, rocky mountain face and dragged my buck to the bottom. Once I got to my buck’s side I was totally and pleasantly surprised how big the buck’s antlers truly were. I had seen he was big before pulling the trigger, at his side his antlers were even bigger than I had first thought.
Unfortunately, since he had first been spotted two days earlier, he had broken off all his primary points, save his brow tine, and his main beam on his right beam. After many congratulations, a few prayers of thanks and photos, we loaded my buck and headed back to camp, well over an hour away.
That night there was a celebration in camp. All hunters save one, who had arrived late with a very limited amount of time to hunt, had taken a buck. More about those and a management Coues deer at another time.
That last evening over a most delicious meal, one of many, we talked about hunting Coues deer on the Durangueno during mid to late January in 2026. I can hardly wait to return! Should you want to hunt the finest Coues whitetail deer ranch possible, the same time I will, please let me know by sending me a message on my Larry Weishuhn facebook page and I’ll get you in touch with Travis Wright to reserve a spot. You might also try to get in touch with me via my www.larryweishuhn.net website where you can access my weekly “DSC’s Campfires with Larry Weishuhn” podcast, many blogs, and purchase my last three books, among other things! Or private message Travis at his “Heart of Texas Outfitters” Facebook page, and tell him you want to hunt the Durangueno Ranch the same time I will be in camp. I would love for you to join me on that upcoming hunt!
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