#55 JOHN MCPHIE Top 100 Santa Rosa Island Mule Deer Bucks
#55 JOHN MCPHIE
John was a member of the Brasher contingency. He came on this hunt with his two of his brothers-in-law Rob Brasher (#90 from 2006) and Jeff Brasher (#61, from this same hunt) Notice the swath of blood under his right eye. Since this was John's first mule deer buck (crazy!), I felt it was incumbent to place that badge of honor on him. I had cut the tongue out for photography purposes, and while he wasn't paying attention, got him with the tongue. Makes for a great picture if you ask me.
We had seen this buck from a ways off, and it took off into another portion of the Island. We tracked it to the best of our ability, but couldn't find it again. The next plan of action had Rob Brasher serve as a bird dog and work the little ravines that the buck may have been hiding in. As always it seems, in the last little brush patch was left, this buck jumps up. When we first saw him, we didn't think it was the same buck. In a profile view, you couldn't tell his width, and his nontypicals were in-line with his frame, so he wasn't that impressive. Finally he turned a little bit, and we realized this was him! After a few tense minutes, John had his buck, and we had just made a new mule deer hunter a very happy person. G. Long
