Coues Deer in Alabama hunting regulations.

Coues deer are a small-bodied subspecies of whitetail occupying the Sky Island ranges and oak-juniper foothills of southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. Mature bucks weigh 80-110 pounds with antler racks that look like miniature whitetails. They have a reputation for being one of the most challenging deer hunts in North America — country that opens up to glassing distance, deer that hold tight in cover, and a rut that runs late.

Arizona and New Mexico both run Coues hunts, with general-season archery and tag-allocation rifle hunts depending on unit. The Coues rut peaks in mid-to-late January, driving most of the rifle hunting effort into winter. Glassing from a high vantage with a good spotting scope is the dominant technique; the deer are there, but you have to find them. Texas has a small isolated population in the Davis Mountains region with restricted hunting.