wifes first deer hunt
- Thread starter slamdmini
- Start date
not sure why the story didnt post, but here it is
let me start by saying my wife did not grow up a hunter. matter of fact she and her sister were pretty much anti-hunters when we started dating (her sister still very much is). i got her into fishing and shooting first which she really enjoyed. about 10 years ago i convinced my wife to take her hunter safety so she could hunt upland birds with me which she also really enjoyed. i told her id put her in for points so once she felt ready we could draw a tag. having kids and life delayed it a few years but this year she decided it was time. she drew a tag in an area my dad, grandpa, and i have hunted a lot so we know it well. after many days at the range she felt comfortable with the gun and ready for the hunt. my parents live nearby so we decided to bring our 8yr old daughter with us and she could stay with grandma on the days she didnt want to come out. opening morning found my wife, my daughter, my dad, and me in an area we have hunted many times with much success. we found a bunch of does and one small buck but nothing to write home about. we moved to a different area where we have had success in years past and found absolutely nothing. not a single deer. we decided to move to a different location where i have archery hunted and always found deer, but normally move out of the area by the time rifle season rolls around. we got up high on a ridge to glass and immediately started spotting deer including a handful of bucks. they were out of range so we hung back to glass and watch what the deer did. early the next morning she had a close encounter with one of the bucks, but wasnt able to get a shot off before he bounded off. she explained to me how beautiful he was and that he was her buck. the next day she had an opportunity on a small 2x3 but because of circumstances outside our control, i told her to hold off. i was a bit disappointed but she reminded me that he wasnt her buck anyway. the next few days were more of the same, out of range or out of time. day five we were back on top of our glassing ridge. we spotted a bunch of does way off and feeding away from us. my wife spotted some deer deep in the thick stuff but we couldnt tell what they were before they quickly disappeared. we kept glassing the area searching for bucks but could only turn up more does. just as the sun was setting the deer finally fed out into the open and i quickly noticed not one but 2 bucks, but they were once again way out of range. this was going to be my dads last night with us as he was heading out of town, and i knew how much he wanted to be there to see my wife get here first deer. i knew it was a long shot but i told my wife if we bail off now, we might be able to get there in time. she was shocked as she didnt think there was any way we would make it off the mountain and in range in time, and without spooking them, but she was game to try. so we circled around and got down off the ridge as fast as we could. we got down to the bottom faster than i ever thought we could and i started glassing and quickly found the bucks about 300 yds away well within her effective range, but i knew we could get closer. we put some trees between us and the deer and crept our way closer. after we got as close as i dared i ranged them again, 200yds. with only minutes left of legal shooting light i told my wife "its now or never, if you want him, take him". she got down, using my pack as a rest and squeezed the trigger. i think she went through just about every emotion imaginable as we made our way over to her first buck, and as she got up to him she said "this is my buck, i told you, he was meant to be mine." my dad came down shortly after and gave her a huge hug. as we got to work all she could say was how beautiful he was, and how awesome he was. the icing on the cake was getting to show our daughter and see her excitement. she even helped us with the skinning later that night. this will be one hunting trip thats hard to beat.
let me start by saying my wife did not grow up a hunter. matter of fact she and her sister were pretty much anti-hunters when we started dating (her sister still very much is). i got her into fishing and shooting first which she really enjoyed. about 10 years ago i convinced my wife to take her hunter safety so she could hunt upland birds with me which she also really enjoyed. i told her id put her in for points so once she felt ready we could draw a tag. having kids and life delayed it a few years but this year she decided it was time. she drew a tag in an area my dad, grandpa, and i have hunted a lot so we know it well. after many days at the range she felt comfortable with the gun and ready for the hunt. my parents live nearby so we decided to bring our 8yr old daughter with us and she could stay with grandma on the days she didnt want to come out. opening morning found my wife, my daughter, my dad, and me in an area we have hunted many times with much success. we found a bunch of does and one small buck but nothing to write home about. we moved to a different area where we have had success in years past and found absolutely nothing. not a single deer. we decided to move to a different location where i have archery hunted and always found deer, but normally move out of the area by the time rifle season rolls around. we got up high on a ridge to glass and immediately started spotting deer including a handful of bucks. they were out of range so we hung back to glass and watch what the deer did. early the next morning she had a close encounter with one of the bucks, but wasnt able to get a shot off before he bounded off. she explained to me how beautiful he was and that he was her buck. the next day she had an opportunity on a small 2x3 but because of circumstances outside our control, i told her to hold off. i was a bit disappointed but she reminded me that he wasnt her buck anyway. the next few days were more of the same, out of range or out of time. day five we were back on top of our glassing ridge. we spotted a bunch of does way off and feeding away from us. my wife spotted some deer deep in the thick stuff but we couldnt tell what they were before they quickly disappeared. we kept glassing the area searching for bucks but could only turn up more does. just as the sun was setting the deer finally fed out into the open and i quickly noticed not one but 2 bucks, but they were once again way out of range. this was going to be my dads last night with us as he was heading out of town, and i knew how much he wanted to be there to see my wife get here first deer. i knew it was a long shot but i told my wife if we bail off now, we might be able to get there in time. she was shocked as she didnt think there was any way we would make it off the mountain and in range in time, and without spooking them, but she was game to try. so we circled around and got down off the ridge as fast as we could. we got down to the bottom faster than i ever thought we could and i started glassing and quickly found the bucks about 300 yds away well within her effective range, but i knew we could get closer. we put some trees between us and the deer and crept our way closer. after we got as close as i dared i ranged them again, 200yds. with only minutes left of legal shooting light i told my wife "its now or never, if you want him, take him". she got down, using my pack as a rest and squeezed the trigger. i think she went through just about every emotion imaginable as we made our way over to her first buck, and as she got up to him she said "this is my buck, i told you, he was meant to be mine." my dad came down shortly after and gave her a huge hug. as we got to work all she could say was how beautiful he was, and how awesome he was. the icing on the cake was getting to show our daughter and see her excitement. she even helped us with the skinning later that night. this will be one hunting trip thats hard to beat.
mxracer317
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2020
- Messages
- 1,178
So awesome! I feel that my wife is on a similar path too. Hopefully one day she can get behind the trigger and get “her buck”. Great job dad bringing your daughter along too!
Brad W
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2021
- Messages
- 207
Great story! It sounds like she got the full hunting experience of tough days and close calls but persevered and found success. Congrats to all.
utah400elk
Well-known member
Very cool story. Congrats to you and your wife.
pabearhunter
Well-known member
CONGRATULATIONS on a great buck.
BradA
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2021
- Messages
- 1,027
Congratulations
