I work a lot of cattle all over the western US. A lot of my work is done in the dead of winter and oftentimes outside with little to no protection.

When you have a big day of working cattle that seems to go on and on and especially in bad weather, one of the best sights to see is when the crew that's been bringing cattle up and loading the tub/alley all day comes forward to the chute. Whether they are horseback and ride up to just watch the last few go through, or the crew walks up with their flags and hotshots and sits them down, it is a great sight because it means you are about done.

Anyone else get that? Have that same experience and feeling?

I was on the ground, one of the flag guys, back in October.

I was kicked in the upper thigh by a Charolais cow, half way through the sorting operation.

When it was over I when straight for the Black Seal Rum.

I hurt for a month.

Yes I was glad it was over.

Agreed.

I like watching the last cattle truck leave.

Yes.

Same feeling; different situation.

Getting to the last square bale that will get us through the winter.

I'm happy to feed round bales with the little tractor now!

The old gag is, the last bag, bale, or whatever is the one you were looking for a along.

I never thought that I was looking for the last bale, because I never was looking for the first damned one!

The same can be said for watching the last truckload of turkeys moving out.

Yep. I use it every time.

THERE'S the bale I been looking for!

Butte, Montana in your rear view mirror...

Yeah, I've been there a time or two.

It's magnified if you've been up half the night for a couple days with emergency work!

The last box in a 53' trailer, anywhere it is 100 degrees.

Doc, always good to see you post.

That's a BINGO!

Long time clients of mine from the Mississippi delta that relocated into Texas had a grandfather that would always exclaim, "That's what the shoemaker killed his wife with..... The Last". When the last bull or heifer hit the chute.

Up here in Montana and Nebraska, when I say that, people look cross-eyed at me.

Used to be common here to hear, "That is the one the shoemaker killed His wife with." miles

Looks like I was a little slow. miles

The grandpa I referred to was from Arkansas, so it makes sense. I've never heard it anywhere else in my travels and many up here don't know what a shoemaker's last is.

I have only till now, heard that quote in a Scrooge McDuck comic. Written by Carl Barks.

I remember picking up, hauling and stacking bales, the 50+ pound rectangular ones, as a high school kid in the 60s.
When we got to the last bale in the field the farmer always said “that’s the one we’ve been looking for”
The good old days, a friend and I split a nickel per bale. On a good day, we’d make $20 or so each.
And at the end of the day the best farmer would hand us a couple beers and say, “ you boys have a good evening”
We were 15-17 years old at the time.
Suppose he’d go to prison today for giving us beer.

That sounds familiar. Except the part about the 50# bales and the 2 beers. Never learned to like picking up, loading and stacking those damn things.

The best way I've found is to have a big enough crew and be the driver!

Pulling in the last set after going hard, non-stop, for 20+ hours on a long liner feels pretty damn good.

I bet it would. Especially if you had a good catch.

We branded 500 and some yearlings at a neighbors place this year and you are right, when the guys pushing them into the tub and down the alley come in pop open that beer it makes you happy as a mud covered guy giving shots and ear tagging can get.

Most we ever did in a day was right at a thousand calves in 2 different groups. Definitely nice to see that last drag of calves put into the lot for the guys to rope and drag out.

That one really brings back the memories. One farmer would drive up and say "you guys want a cool one" then he would hand us each a hot Raineer from behind the seat of his pickup.
We were only 15-17 also, and looked around like somebody was going to see us!
Truly the good old days.