The Cave and the Heartbreak: a 10 yr old boys first goat hunt

Even though there are so many negative issues going on in this province it still offers some amazing outdoor opportunities that no other place in the country can compare with. I moved here from Ontario last July and it has been one adventure after the other. I am so grateful to live in this province. So, I'll share a hunting story from this August that hit both ends of the emotional spectrum.

After a great bear hunt in the spring (find the story here: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showth...hunt-Bear-down) Josh drew a goat tag for an area nearby. Here is the story that ensues from our quest to fill that tag.

The Cave and the Heartbreak: a 10 yr old boys first goat hunt

Looking into a black hole in the side of a mountain brings about many emotions. Maybe it's the stories of monsters and trolls you were told as a kid or the thought of a grizzly or lion den or maybe it's just the unknown in the darkness that causes a shiver to run up your spine. Whatever it may be one thing is for sure our curiosity drives us to them and our fear halts us in our tracks. When I looked up into that cave on a recent goat hunt it captured my attention for more than a minute. It was only 40 yds away but up a 60 degree slope. Man I wanted to look inside it but it freaked me out. Besides I was looking for something else, I was in search of a mountain goat. But lets rewind to the day before when this goat hunt began.

Tuesday August 14 was another beautiful northwestern BC day. The morning air was crisp and cool and the sun was beginning to fill the valley floors as my son, Josh, and I were headed out on our first mountain goat hunt. Josh is only 10 years old but upon moving to BC a year early he jumped at the chance to take his hunter ed course and get the qualifications to begin his hunting career. Josh was lucky enough to draw a goat tag for an area nearby so we were pumped to begin hunting out west. In the spring Josh put to use years of his range practice and killed a beautiful bruin. Then on opening day of sheep season I harvested a gorgeous stone sheep on a solo hunt. We were ready for this goat hunt.

There was no prior scouting done (we had bought a house in the spring that needed renovations) so we hit a FSR in the draw area and headed to a spot chosen from a map. We pulled the Jeep over and glassed our intended target and BAM goats. Truth is, every hike I have been on around here I have spotted goats. I was expecting to see them. My concern was figuring out how to get through the thick dense forest and find a camping spot with water. We studied the map looked at the terrain and made up our minds on an intended route.

Off we go.

Down a steep bank, over blow down and across the creek and we find a grizzly trail, old scat and some scent marking trees but nothing fresh. It is going our general direction so we follow it for 1 km. Time to turn off and bushwack again. We cut to the creek and follow up and up to the drainage we want to hunt. The blowdown and fallen trees from a roaring creek in the spring are death for Josh. His little legs just don't get up and over like mine do.

http://i.imgur.com/d86H7Mgh.jpg

8 km and 7 hours of grinding and this boy is done. I'm so proud of him, it was not easy for a grown man to get back here. He never complained the whole way.

http://i.imgur.com/V7s6NHOh.jpg

One last climb to get to the only flat spot we can find and it's not even flat.
http://i.imgur.com/75pnbh1h.jpg

"Dad, super please."


http://i.imgur.com/pYdWmJbh.jpg

"Ok, that is why we came here. Hey! those are goats up there" a nanny and kid were sharing this basin with us.

http://i.imgur.com/ZtmFA9gh.jpg

Spaghetti, a warm coat, and hat, and a comfy place to sit are all that's needed to bring total euphoria after a long day. Josh is learning how important the simple things in life really are, out here you gain a new perspective.

Josh climbed into his bag while I glassed until dark. At 10 pm a billy appeared on a cliff 800 yds away. He went in and out of sight a few times then left our drainage.
http://i.imgur.com/oqqjVR0h.jpg

Unfortunately, I had no phone with me, an Iphone cannot be submerged in a river when salmon fishing (just so you know), and I forgot my watch so no alarm. I slept in till 5:45 am but Josh was tired anyway, regardless of a lack of an alarm there wouldn't have been a 4 am wake up this morning. None the less, I unzip the tipi and poke my head out and there are the nanny and kid in the same spot (in the cliffs safe from everything but a fall). As I scan the drainage BOOM goat much lower and close. Grab the binos and man that looks like a billy, range him at 350 yds. Set-up the spotter and yup he's a billy and he looks great.

http://i.imgur.com/61rO2zFh.jpg

Josh is too tired to get excited at the news of a billy close by. He says "cool" smiles and watches it from his bag then dozes off again. My eyes are glued to this billy as I try to put together a plan to kill him. He's in a spot we can climb too but he will see our approach. No way to get around or do anything but watch. BUT he is close and I am scared too much movement will spook him. I make oatmeal hot chocolate and coffee and climb back in the bag to enjoy with Josh while we watch the billy. He finishes feeding and beds down, it's 8:45 am and there is no chance at a stalk.




The billy can be seen as the tiny white speck bedded on the grassy slope in the middle of this pic.
http://i.imgur.com/aK0dpzVh.jpg

We are geared up and ready for a stalk but we have to wait for the billy to move. Finally, at 9:50 he gets up and feeds to a new area then beds at 10:10 am. DECISION time. Option 1: We can do a loop below the billy and approach up the slope on the right-hand side. We can keep eyes on the billy and we will have a shot at him when in position. BUT the wind is going up with the thermals and if we can see him he can see us. Option 2: head straight to the spot he was bedded before. We can set up on a knob close to where he is now bedded. BUT we will lose sight of him and we will not be able to see him when we get up there, we will have to hope he feeds back to us or out to a spot we can see. I discuss with Josh and we weigh the options. I am afraid of the wind and him seeing us so we choose option 2.




In the picture below the billy is bedded at the WHITE spot. We are going to make our way to the YELLOW spot and set-up and wait him out. We will be able to see him when he feeds down to the RED spot.
http://i.imgur.com/SXnr9h5h.jpg