Big and Wide, Wifes 2012 Buck

[mklong40]

After years of putting up with my hunting vice I talked my wife into her first whitetail tag this year. I think she will have a slight misconception of this hunting game after yesterday.Short version; sat through some real nasty weather yesterday morning waiting for a break in the rain. As soon as it stopped we immediately starting seeing deer. I glassed up 2 small bucks. Sitting in this weather I told my wife to shoot. First hunt, no shame in a small buck. After 20 min of arguing I gave up. She would, under no circumstances, shoot a small buck.....her words. We relocated and at 930 my hunting partner Chris glasses up this toad. He had just stood up and was on the opposite ridge walking up and dead away from us. We determined it was a shooter....she finally agreed. I got her set up on the tri clawps and she located the buck at 350 yards in the scope. She followed the buck up the hill and Chris and I were nervous he was going over the top. We informed Holly if she was going to shoot, she needed to shoot. She replied, " I will not shoot until I have a perfect broadside shot, period." So we watched, reluctantly as this buck gets to the top and disappears behind trees. After waiting about 5 min, this buck steps out broadside on the other side. I range it at 455, crank the 7mag to 7.5MOA and let her know she is ready to shoot. About 15 seconds goes by and she squeezes. We watch the buck do the butt to face manuver but immediately gets back up and hobbles behind the tree he stepped out behind. Chris and I determine its a hard hit but slightly back. After 2 hours we hike down and up to get to him. At 15 yards he stands up and with a full pass through turns and runs. To say we were devastated would be an understatement. We decided to back out. On the way out we run into other hunters and they volunteer to help track the deer. It was a team effort and we found him piled up under a tree about 70 yards where we spooked him. Such an unbelievable group of hunters to help out. They, in that 2 hours, confirmed what the human spirit is all about.

 

My wife was a trooper. We put on about 4 miles into the back of this canyon, she never complained, not once about the hike, the terrain, rain, nothing. Incredible. We quickly scored the buck (we are not professionals) and he taped out at 106"-107". He has a 19" inside spread...........now she has all year to try to figure out was she will do for her second ever hunt next year.

 

Good luck babe,

 

Matt Long

[papa]

Very nice Buck! love the width. Congrats

[GreeneMachine]

Congrats Holly. Way to make this hunting thing look easy! Good to know that if stuff hits the fan, there's at least one shooter in the Long family to put meat on the table! Incredible buck!!

[loco4coues]

beautiful buck! love big, wide typicals. Congrats to you and your wife and thanks for sharing.

[bigorange]

Wow! Awesome buck and a great start to hunting. Hopefully not ruined for life. Congrats!

[Millhouse]

Oh my!

[Couzer]

Woaha!!!!! Awesome buck!!!!!

[trophyhnter]

Great buck! WOW! Congrats to your wife! That buck will be hard to beat!

[Jimmyc]

Holy moley! Congrats doesn't sum it up, not even close. Some people hold out for years to shoot a buck like that. I guess Holly got it out of the way up front.

Fantastic shooting.

[reganranch]

Thats an amazing first time buck! Congrats to your wife.

[Coues Sniper]

I deem that buck "Frame-a-licious". Great deer.

[lucky2hunt]

Gorgeous buck! Congrats!!!

[randyolson]

Fantastic!! Super Deer!! Great story!! Great shooting!! Thanks for sharing!!

[SilentButDeadly]

Matt,

 

That buck is the mirror image of mine from last week! Awesome job. Glad to know you're on CW!

[bojangles]

glad to see that it's the deer that's big and wide, and not your wife.

 

 

congrats!