That wasn't his best gift this Christmas, however. His brother, and working partner, Blaine, came home from a Denver hospital after almost dying from a hunting accident. Tyrel Tucker has worked on ranches from Wyoming, to Montana, to Arizona. His older brother, Blaine, rode by his side since they got their own horses, as toddlers.

Blaine Tucker told KULR 8, "I think I was three. Tyrel was two and a half.” But, Tyrel’s been riding alone lately. Blaine was shot in the back in a hunting accident. The bullet barely missed his spine, but broke his pelvis and cracked his hip. It also did a lot of internal damage.

Blaine lost so much blood, he suffered two strokes, and lost much of his eyesight as a result. The night of the accident, Blaine was taken to Powell Valley Hospital, where he was treated overnight and his condition was stabilized. Then he was flown to Denver.

Seven operations, and eleven weeks later, Blaine came back to Northwest Wyoming, just in time for Christmas. He found his brother, Tyrel at his mother's home. And he found him in the December issue of National Geographic magazine. It's a full page tintype picture.

The article defined Tyrel, and Blaine as 21st century cowboys. Blaine was photographed, too. Tyrel recalls a photographer asked for their photograph at a rodeo in November last year. He said, “It was in Amarillo, Texas, during the WRCA Ranch Rodeo finals.”

Both brothers are featured in the article. But, the editors didn’t want to give too much ink to one family, so only Tyrel’s picture made the magazine. Tyrel recalled what the photographer told him. “He said he wouldn’t be surprised if that picture made it. I don’t know why.” In spite of the national exposure, Tyrel says he hasn’t gotten any calls from Hollywood. He hasn't gotten much attention at all. But, then, he didn’t look for any.

He told KULR 8, “I’m more humble about it. I haven’t told anybody that I was in there.” Cowboying is all the two brothers can see in their future. Blaine told KULR 8 he'll be working from the saddle by months end. They both plan to do it until they can’t. Tyrel said, "I don’t get paid a lot. But I get paid to do what I want and I have fun doing it.”

Blaine Tucker says he's grateful for all the support and donations he received from the people of Northwest Wyoming since the accident.