1 of 2 tags filled part 2…last day buck

[Shooter McGavin]

Got to work this morning at 0700 and was contemplating maybe doing an evening hunt since this was the end of my hunt. I was talking to my Chief around 0845 and my hunt came up and he asked why am I still here? He said, you need to leave now…this is an order, I want to see you drive out of the parking lot. You don’t have to tell me twice. I get home and changed, loaded up my gear and headed out to where my son shot his deer because we saw “the bruiser” disappear before he shot his. I new it was still alive and maybe I had a chance. I made it out to where my son shot his around 12 and got set up. It started to get breezy and I new the deer would be bedded and out of the wind. I started glassing the north facing ridge and trees knowing there should be some bucks bedded. I immediately find a bedded spike and think this could be the same spike we saw with the “bruiser” on Sunday. I range it at 68 yds. I start to get excited and scour the area for other deer. For the next 2 1/2 hours I keep looking at the spike thinking, last day buck…why not, but then if I do shoot it surely the “bruiser” will appear. I then recall another CWTer talking about shooting a Coues with a handgun. It was 68 yds, I could sneak in and do this with my 9mm, how cool would that be, but then again it’s a spike. I go back and forth for the next 1hr. I finally talk myself out of it. The spike stands up and starts milling around so I think this it, the “bruiser” will surely get up too. As I scan around the spike I notice something jet black under some bushes and ocotillos. I think it’s a nose of another deer. I get my 15’s to verify and low and behold it’s a nose. I instantly get excited thinking it’s the “bruiser”, while I’m trying to figure out if this a doe or a buck it’s head turns and I see horn. Now this horn is way bigger than the spikes, so game on. I remove my 15’s from the tri-pod and position my rifle on top of the tri-pod. I range the face of this deer and it’s at 67 yds. I can’t believe I’m this close. I settle the crosshairs just under its face and squeeze the trigger. Rifle goes boom and the spike hauls butt down hill, my deer isn’t moving, but I can’t see it either. Now I’m shaking beyond belief right now, I don’t know if this the “ bruiser” or not. I slowly walk up to the spot and can see a deer down but the antlers are covered by all the foliage. As I inch closer and closer I start to see antlers and unfortunately this buck is not the “bruiser”. I am still tickled pink with my last day buck, I would have shot this on day one. I shot this just past where my son shot his and now I’m thinking, great this is going to be long drag out. After about 10 minutes into dragging and not having my son to help, I decide to cut the deer in half and make 2 trips to get my deer back to the truck. Just under 8 miles, Can’t wait till next year!!!!!!!

[DUG]

Congrats! Cool Boss you have, too! That buck was in 30/30 range! Lol

[Chef]

Congrats on your success!  

Here's to you taking the big buck when he's bigger next year.