Fall 2018, I was lucky enough to draw a coveted late season mule deer tag in the same unit that I had killed my first ever Nevada mule deer, so I knew this hunt would be special. The first thing I did when I got the news of my tag was call my hunting partner, my brother, Tom. We found out later that my sister, Ashley, drew the same exact tag too. We were all really excited for this hunt to kick off.
Tom and I couldn’t get on the mountain fast enough, so we loaded up and headed out for an early scouting trip around the end of July with our sons, Hunter (age 3) and JT (age 5). We weren’t able to turn up any big bucks on the scouting trip, but it was still memorable as both boys had a blast seeing all the wildlife and sleeping on the mountain under the stars for the first time.
Before I knew it, opening day was here and I was off to what would turn out to be a hunt-of-a-lifetime. When I arrived at the spot I wanted to hunt, I didn’t waste time setting up camp as I wanted to stay mobile. I hit the mountain solo with my pack and my gun. I was turning up does all over and only a few smaller bucks. I hunted hard and covered a lot of country on the first five days of the hunt, but I didn’t see the buck I was looking for. The bucks didn’t seem to be rutting as I had hoped, and the weather was not cooperating. I was hunting in a t-shirt most of the days.
I went home for a quick shower and to pick up my family. My wife, Jody, our twin 5-year-olds, JT and Julia, and I got to the mountain to hunt. This was their first big game hunt in Nevada, and they were excited. I set up the camper, and we saw a few decent bucks. Beginning signs of the rut were starting. However, I was starting to feel a panic set in as the season was half over and there was still no sign of the buck I was looking for.
As the season was winding down, I called my trusty, lucky sister who was hunting the same unit and decided to hunt the last few days with her. We had a couple great days, and it was amazing to see how much she enjoyed and loved unting. We found some average sized bucks but nothing I wanted to hang my tag on. There were only two days left in the season. Time was ticking and my sister decided to take the afternoon off to stay home with her family, so I went out to a totally different spot to hunt just how I had started this adventure, solo.
Less than 48 hours to go, I was feeling discouraged and beaten. Before I got to the spot I wanted to hunt, I threw up a quick prayer to the man upstairs as I often do, “Please God, give me this opportunity for a giant buck!” The canyon I decided to go up was pretty barren with some rim rock. I put up my binoculars. I saw a little doe, and another, and then a small forked horn with some more does. I ventured up the steep canyon, and a couple miles in, I saw a flash of fur out of the corner of my eye across the canyon almost to the top of the ridge. When I turned to look, all I saw was his wide frame and deep back forks as the sun was glistening off of his amazing rack. I didn’t pull up my binos as I knew I had found the one. He was the shooter I was holding out for. Thank you, God.
A quick range with my rangefinder showed 550 yards. I quickly dialed my turret and settled in only to see the tips of his tines going down the skyline. I would have no shot! I grabbed my gun and ran as fast I could down the steep canyon and started up the other side when, to my right, stood the other does that he had appeared with. Then, 300 yards ahead of me stood the forked horn that was with him too. Where did he go? I was almost in panic mode as there was only one day left to hunt. The deer circled me and were all looking back behind a rock outcropping at what I assumed was the buck I was after. I was pinned by the forky and the does, so I set up my rifle, dialed the turret back to 300 yards, and waited for my buck to step out with his group of does. I waited for what seemed like an eternity, and as the last bit of sunlight went behind the mountains, I was not able to see anymore. I was beyond disappointed.
On my way back to the truck, I remember playing it all back in my head. Did I make the right move? Was there another way to get a shot off? Then I remembered my prayer. Hey, thank you God for that amazing opportunity. At least I saw the buck I was looking for. I knew he was in here. Out of breath, defeated, and disappointed, I got back to the truck, and once again, I called my hunting buddy, my brother, Tom. I told him about the biggest buck I’d ever seen on the hoof. He said he would drive right then from his Colorado hunt where he had just tagged out and would be there in the morning before sunup.
Tom arrived at camp at around 3 a.m., got a couple hours of sleep, and we hunted together on the last day of the season in hopes of getting on that massive buck again. We went to the same general area I had found him in and only found small bucks and does. We hunted the entire day and glassed until we were exhausted. Then we glassed some more. Still nothing.
It was late afternoon by now, and I hiked?back down and met my brother at the truck. I was defeated, to say the least. Up to this point, I gave this hunt everything I had and I was down.
When I got to the truck, my spunky brother piped up, “Hey, you know that tight draw we were glassing from the top? Let’s give it a shot!”
With only a few hours of the hunt left, we took off up this tight draw. About a half-mile up, we spotted a doe, followed by another doe, and off to the right was a small but familiar looking forked horn.
“This is the group!” I said.?I lay down prone with my rifle and got the best rest I could.
“265 yards,” Tom said.
Just then, here he came, running out in full rut pose – head back, lips curled, right up on a doe.
“Shoot him!” Tom said.
I took my time and got the best rest I could. Even though 265 was a chip shot, my heart was racing. I had a little buck fever. Boom! My .300 RUM went off as I gently squeezed the trigger. Whack! The celebration and high fives commenced. As I walked up to him, I was speechless. He was everything I thought he was and then some. I thanked God one more time for answering my prayer and took pictures.
I will never forget this hunt as I hunted with my entire family throughout the season and hunted up to the last second. Best hunt ever!
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