Backpack Hunting for Coues Deer - 7 Day Gear List

It’s the end of December right now at the time of typing this. We’ve been soaking up the holiday season together in our home and enjoying every second of it with our 3 year old. I love the month of December dearly, but I also lust for January. It’s archery deer season in Arizona at that time. The bucks are rutting and it’s one of my favorite times of year backpack hunting for coues deer.

Given our unique environment, and an odd time of year, knowing what backcountry gear to bring along is a question that I get asked on a regular basis. So, I’m going to break down here what I am bringing along on a 7 day backpack hunt during the month of January for Coues deer in Arizona.

Well, I’m gonna more leave it to a video I made down below, but I’m going to touch on some things first and I’ll leave links to gear items a dig down below.

The Weather

The weather during January can range from lows in the single digits to lows in the 30’s depending on where you are in the state. Northern Arizona is much colder than the rest of the state. Rain showers, and even snow, are not entirely uncommon this time of year either. Snow will mostly be cornered to the higher elevations, but I have hunted through the snow in the desert before too. All of that said, you need to make sure you have a clothing system that can handle a wide range of temperatures and situations. You also need a sleep system with the same capability.

Without rambling too much more, check out the video I did down below where I go through everything I’m bringing along with me. And below that you’ll see a list of gear items with links. Enjoy and happy coues’n!