Goat hunt

[kitnayakwa77]

The weather looked promising for a weekend hunt with clear skies and decreasing temps and I had a goat tag burning a hole in my pocket. A hunting partner couldn't make it and I wasn't feeling super motivated but knew that if I wanted a goat I should get out while I could. So after a bit of a drive and a hike, I found myself glassing a huge alpine bowl. I spotted a goat about 2km away but couldn't tell if it was a billy or a nanny, but it was by itself so I guessed billy. I contoured around the bowl and popped up around 200 yds from where I thought I saw it. I started creeping along real slow until I just barely could see a white thing. I glassed it and it turned out to be a rock, next to a bunch of other white rocks on black shale. I wandered around and then thought maybe I should take another look at those white rocks, which turned out to be 7 goats bedded. I was busted and they all were staring at me. I sat down to watch them through the spotter and I initially thought they all were billies until I finally saw a kid bedded next to one. That started me second guessing my ID and although I was pretty sure there were billies in the group I wasn't 100% sure. So I watched and watched but they just kept staring at me head-on not giving alot of clues. Eventually I decided to howl like a wolf and see if they would stand up so I could ID them better (I had done this earlier in the spring and it worked well). As soon as I howled, all the goats stood up and sprinted out of there, giving no shot opportunity but not before I had confirmed a couple billies. They ran out of sight and I sprinted after them up into some shale cliffs. I figured they had gotten away but I poked through the shale cliffs anyway and saw 20+ goats streaming through a bowl up into escape terrain. I guessed they were about 300yds away and I confirmed a billy (I had already decided that the first decent billy was going down as we needed meat in the freezer). Some hasty and not great feeling shots later and he was down. Not the hugest goat horns but I am super happy with him and he tastes great, will have lots of good meals off him as he was pretty fat!

[kitnayakwa77]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/DSC01031_2_-_Copy.jpg


Deboned him and packed up, walking until it was dark. Slept until light then started the descent. Looking on Google Earth when I got back, looks like it was around a 400 yd shot to get him....so much for my internal rangefinder! Nice to get the old Savage 99 out for a walk in the hills.

[warnniklz]

Is this the first goat story? Deadly work! Keepin it classy with ye ol' 99.

[Salmon Belly]

What a pic! Congrats. What caliber is your lever action?

SB

[two-feet]

.308? .300? I fricken love those things.

[Bear Brawler]

Awesome! Stay motivated and it pays offs, great goat.

[kitnayakwa77]

its a .308 win. Love that gun.

[Junorr500]

So how does goat taste? Dark meat? I'm very likely to be getting one in the okanagan this year so wondering if I should be doing roast or steaks sausage etc

[HarryToolips]

Nice goat man! Love the lever action gun..

[ydouask]

Well done , should be good eating this early in the season.

[kilometers]

Nice skeena goat. My goat tag is starting to burn a hole now.

[Skull Hunter]

Thanks for sharing. A solo goat is a solid accomplishment!


So how does goat taste? Dark meat? I'm very likely to be getting one in the okanagan this year so wondering if I should be doing roast or steaks sausage etc

Goat tastes good. A big old billy can be pretty tough though. I had goat backstrap for dinner tonight from a big 6 year old billy I shot last year. Even cooked to medium rare it's still tough. I had most of mine made into smoked chorizo and breakfast sausage which are great, so I would suggest going that way, but always hanging onto a few choice cuts. Just my opinion though.

[warnniklz]

I highly recommend goat heart... just saying.

Got a grampa goat November 8 last year. I'll admit he was a little tough... but flavour was excellent. I think if I had waited a few more days my opinion would be different.

[180grainer]

Good job. Lots of goats bunched up together this early means nannies and kids. Good on you for glassing hard first.

[Caribou_lou]

awesome! im heading out tomorrow. Hope to see one similar to yours!

[604redneck]

Haven't had a tough goat yet maybe I've been lucky

[Sitkaspruce]

Congrats!!! Any goat is a good goat!!

Thanks for posting!!!

Cheers

SS

[BCHunterTV]

Congrats on the goat! Myself and Co Host tagged two Billies ..one the 16th and the other on the 18th

[markomoose]

Good job 77!cool picture/great story!

[Fisher-Dude]

Great to see you rockin' the 99! Congrats on a really nice billy!

[ElliotMoose]

Nice billy and great accomplishment on the solo goat. Thanks for sharin! Also nice boom stick

[ryry4]

Nice goat.

[kennyj]

Awesome job! Nice goat.
kenny

[epicZERO74]

Congrats! Nice goat!