ryanb
11-14-2015, 08:43 AM
This year I had planned to shoot a goat. One way or another. Ever since I went on my first goat hunt 10 years ago, I had wanted one. Over the years I have had a number of oportunities to take one. Sometimes they have not been the targeted species, sometimes they have not been what I was after, and lots of times they just eluded me the way goats can...in plain view, in range and INACCESSIBLE.
When the LEH came out I was happy to see that I would be hunting an area familiar to me.
Opening week I fought with miserable conditions, alternating rain and snow, poor visibility and apparently scare goats. The only billy seen was a young 2-3 year old, and it wasn't what I wanted.
Took a few days off to spend with the family and came back the next week.
Headed into my area first thing in the morning. After a hike of 3 hours, I was into the area I wanted to scope out, but scudding clouds had me socked in 90% of the time, every hour or so I'd get a break in the clouds to glass, but nothing was showing. After a bit the clouds began to consistently sock in so I lay down on a knife ridge and had a nap. Usually when I nap in the mountains, when I wake up I'm oriented. When I woke up this time from what was apparently a deep slumber I had a moment of panic as I forgot where I was for a few seconds and it's a bit disconcerting to wake up to a 1000' drop right next to you.
Having scared myself, and it getting onto mid afternoon with no sign of the clouds breaking I decided to begin the hike out. As I made my way out, about 45 minutes from my vehicle I spotted him...on the other side of valley. Out comes the spotting scope and yep it's a nice billy, grazing below a cliff band. I can see that once I get to the bottom of the valley I will have good cover to begin the stalk, but there is no way to get to the bottom in cover. So I cross my fingers and head down, I keep checking on him every few minutes and he appears to be watching me make my way down, but hasn't spooked. Finally at the bottom, I can tuck into a draw that hides me from his sight. A final check shows me he is still there and I range him at just under 1000 yards. I hustle my way up the draw popping my head up over the edge every couple hundred yards to check where he's at and range him. 800 yards....600 yards...470 yards (I want to be under 400 with my pidly .308)...finally I poke my head up behind a rock at 370 yards.
At this point I've covered about 1000 vertical feet down and then about 800 feet up in 1/2 hour and am panting pretty hard. Takes me a bit to slow the breathing and heart rate...the billy is unaware I am there and just stands there the whole time looking out at the beautiful view (or so it seems) perfectly broadside. Finally with a good sight picture I let fly...the billy doesn't flinch. He just keeps standing there. Slowly he seems to realize he should move and trots down the hill 20 yards and stops, showing no sign of a hit. I hit him again and this time he is quartering towards me and goes down instantly sliding a short ways before thankfully hanging up on a rock. Turns out the first shot was a perfect double lung pass through and second shot front should to back hip.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0147.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0149.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0145.jpg
With 2 hours of daylight left and an extremely precarious spot he died I had to work quick. I had no choice but to cape and debone on top of the rock he hung up on, and finally made my way back down the hill by headlamp with my pack weighing 130lbs.
When the LEH came out I was happy to see that I would be hunting an area familiar to me.
Opening week I fought with miserable conditions, alternating rain and snow, poor visibility and apparently scare goats. The only billy seen was a young 2-3 year old, and it wasn't what I wanted.
Took a few days off to spend with the family and came back the next week.
Headed into my area first thing in the morning. After a hike of 3 hours, I was into the area I wanted to scope out, but scudding clouds had me socked in 90% of the time, every hour or so I'd get a break in the clouds to glass, but nothing was showing. After a bit the clouds began to consistently sock in so I lay down on a knife ridge and had a nap. Usually when I nap in the mountains, when I wake up I'm oriented. When I woke up this time from what was apparently a deep slumber I had a moment of panic as I forgot where I was for a few seconds and it's a bit disconcerting to wake up to a 1000' drop right next to you.
Having scared myself, and it getting onto mid afternoon with no sign of the clouds breaking I decided to begin the hike out. As I made my way out, about 45 minutes from my vehicle I spotted him...on the other side of valley. Out comes the spotting scope and yep it's a nice billy, grazing below a cliff band. I can see that once I get to the bottom of the valley I will have good cover to begin the stalk, but there is no way to get to the bottom in cover. So I cross my fingers and head down, I keep checking on him every few minutes and he appears to be watching me make my way down, but hasn't spooked. Finally at the bottom, I can tuck into a draw that hides me from his sight. A final check shows me he is still there and I range him at just under 1000 yards. I hustle my way up the draw popping my head up over the edge every couple hundred yards to check where he's at and range him. 800 yards....600 yards...470 yards (I want to be under 400 with my pidly .308)...finally I poke my head up behind a rock at 370 yards.
At this point I've covered about 1000 vertical feet down and then about 800 feet up in 1/2 hour and am panting pretty hard. Takes me a bit to slow the breathing and heart rate...the billy is unaware I am there and just stands there the whole time looking out at the beautiful view (or so it seems) perfectly broadside. Finally with a good sight picture I let fly...the billy doesn't flinch. He just keeps standing there. Slowly he seems to realize he should move and trots down the hill 20 yards and stops, showing no sign of a hit. I hit him again and this time he is quartering towards me and goes down instantly sliding a short ways before thankfully hanging up on a rock. Turns out the first shot was a perfect double lung pass through and second shot front should to back hip.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0147.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0149.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rbumali/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0145.jpg
With 2 hours of daylight left and an extremely precarious spot he died I had to work quick. I had no choice but to cape and debone on top of the rock he hung up on, and finally made my way back down the hill by headlamp with my pack weighing 130lbs.