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Although Melanie Long of Stanley, Virginia has been hunting for more than two decades she had no expectations on Tuesday morning November 10, 2015 other than spending some quality deer hunting time with her husband Craig in a deer blind that they had positioned between two wooded areas on her family farm in Fauquier County.
The Long's awoke that morning to rain and they contemplated even going, but since they would be hunting in a weather protected blind Melanie made sure the opportunity wasn't missed.
The first few hours were spent watching rain drops and conversating untill about 8:30am when Melanie noticed some movement in the distance. Craig grabbed his binoculars and without hesitation said "that's the big one"!
This buck had become part of family lore over the past five years, appearing on trail camera pictures and seen periodically in headlights, but managed to avoid all hunters. Each year the story and the buck grew bigger. Melanie recalls "I didn't even really have time to get nervous it all happened so quickly".
Craig told his wife to get ready and when the buck got to 80 yards away it presented a quality shot. Melanie fired a round from her 50 cal Thompson Center muzzleloader and when the smoke cleared so did the buck. Due to health issues Melanie elected to take a seat in their truck while Craig sat out on foot after this big buck that had so successfully eluded fate all these years.
A short time later, Melanie's phone rang and it was Craig with the great news "the big one is down". Melanie wasted no time in driving the truck to where Craig had located the Virginia giant. Melanie told me that it wasn't until she actually walked up on the buck that she started getting buck fever, "I really didn't realize how big he was until I actually got my hands on him" Melanie said.
Melanie kept her buck a secret until showing up at the latest Eastern Regional Big Game Show in Hampton Sept 10-13 where she took first place overall scoring 192 7/8" under the B&C scoring and 235 9/16" under Virginia's scoring system.
The buck has 16 scorable points and weighed nearly 200lbs. It has a 26 7/8" outside spread and was also determined to be 7.5 years old through jaw bone examination.
Hunting is a family tradition for Melanie and this buck will serve as a great reminder of what passion, family and fortune can equal.
Melanie's 16 point buck won both the Eastern & Western as well as the overall State Big Game competitions, marking the first time a female has taken top honors in the state. Melanie stands alone as Virginia's top buck ever taken by a female!
I enjoyed my interview with Melanie and could tell by our conversation that she is a humble hunter, and how very appreciative she is to have harvested this beautiful Virginia buck of a lifetime!
Jeff Phillips
Although Melanie Long of Stanley, Virginia has been hunting for more than two decades she had no expectations on Tuesday morning November 10, 2015 other than spending some quality deer hunting time with her husband Craig in a deer blind that they had positioned between two wooded areas on her family farm in Fauquier County.
The Long's awoke that morning to rain and they contemplated even going, but since they would be hunting in a weather protected blind Melanie made sure the opportunity wasn't missed.
The first few hours were spent watching rain drops and conversating untill about 8:30am when Melanie noticed some movement in the distance. Craig grabbed his binoculars and without hesitation said "that's the big one"!
This buck had become part of family lore over the past five years, appearing on trail camera pictures and seen periodically in headlights, but managed to avoid all hunters. Each year the story and the buck grew bigger. Melanie recalls "I didn't even really have time to get nervous it all happened so quickly".
Craig told his wife to get ready and when the buck got to 80 yards away it presented a quality shot. Melanie fired a round from her 50 cal Thompson Center muzzleloader and when the smoke cleared so did the buck. Due to health issues Melanie elected to take a seat in their truck while Craig sat out on foot after this big buck that had so successfully eluded fate all these years.
A short time later, Melanie's phone rang and it was Craig with the great news "the big one is down". Melanie wasted no time in driving the truck to where Craig had located the Virginia giant. Melanie told me that it wasn't until she actually walked up on the buck that she started getting buck fever, "I really didn't realize how big he was until I actually got my hands on him" Melanie said.
Melanie kept her buck a secret until showing up at the latest Eastern Regional Big Game Show in Hampton Sept 10-13 where she took first place overall scoring 192 7/8" under the B&C scoring and 235 9/16" under Virginia's scoring system.
The buck has 16 scorable points and weighed nearly 200lbs. It has a 26 7/8" outside spread and was also determined to be 7.5 years old through jaw bone examination.
Hunting is a family tradition for Melanie and this buck will serve as a great reminder of what passion, family and fortune can equal.
Melanie's 16 point buck won both the Eastern & Western as well as the overall State Big Game competitions, marking the first time a female has taken top honors in the state. Melanie stands alone as Virginia's top buck ever taken by a female!
I enjoyed my interview with Melanie and could tell by our conversation that she is a humble hunter, and how very appreciative she is to have harvested this beautiful Virginia buck of a lifetime!
Jeff Phillips
Although Melanie Long of Stanley, Virginia has been hunting for more than two decades she had no expectations on Tuesday morning November 10, 2015 other than spending some quality deer hunting time with her husband Craig in a deer blind that they had positioned between two wooded areas on her family farm in Fauquier County.
The Long's awoke that morning to rain and they contemplated even going, but since they would be hunting in a weather protected blind Melanie made sure the opportunity wasn't missed.
The first few hours were spent watching rain drops and conversating untill about 8:30am when Melanie noticed some movement in the distance. Craig grabbed his binoculars and without hesitation said "that's the big one"!
This buck had become part of family lore over the past five years, appearing on trail camera pictures and seen periodically in headlights, but managed to avoid all hunters. Each year the story and the buck grew bigger. Melanie recalls "I didn't even really have time to get nervous it all happened so quickly".
Craig told his wife to get ready and when the buck got to 80 yards away it presented a quality shot. Melanie fired a round from her 50 cal Thompson Center muzzleloader and when the smoke cleared so did the buck. Due to health issues Melanie elected to take a seat in their truck while Craig sat out on foot after this big buck that had so successfully eluded fate all these years.
A short time later, Melanie's phone rang and it was Craig with the great news "the big one is down". Melanie wasted no time in driving the truck to where Craig had located the Virginia giant. Melanie told me that it wasn't until she actually walked up on the buck that she started getting buck fever, "I really didn't realize how big he was until I actually got my hands on him" Melanie said.
Melanie kept her buck a secret until showing up at the latest Eastern Regional Big Game Show in Hampton Sept 10-13 where she took first place overall scoring 192 7/8" under the B&C scoring and 235 9/16" under Virginia's scoring system.
The buck has 16 scorable points and weighed nearly 200lbs. It has a 26 7/8" outside spread and was also determined to be 7.5 years old through jaw bone examination.
Hunting is a family tradition for Melanie and this buck will serve as a great reminder of what passion, family and fortune can equal.
Melanie's 16 point buck won both the Eastern & Western as well as the overall State Big Game competitions, marking the first time a female has taken top honors in the state. Melanie stands alone as Virginia's top buck ever taken by a female!
I enjoyed my interview with Melanie and could tell by our conversation that she is a humble hunter, and how very appreciative she is to have harvested this beautiful Virginia buck of a lifetime!
Jeff Phillips
