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View Full Version : Goat hunt north of smithers



captainhooke
11-27-2016, 12:30 AM
My older brother and I grew up in Fort St. James and hunting under our father, however, as my brother grew into his teenage years he began to stray away from it, while everyday I would thrive on it more and more, wanting nothing more than to go hunting.
However, in the summer of 2015 I managed to convince my brother to come on an August backpack goat hunt into the Purvis range north of the Takla Lake narrows. After work on opening day we drove up to 14 (I think) on the Purvis FSR with packs loaded and a quad in the back. we slept in the truck that night to get set for a week in the mountains starting the next day.
Though we had an amazing trip filled with great weather, numerous goat sightings, and a few close encounters, there wasn't anything I thought was worthy of 'my brothers return to hunting'. Though on a different side of the spectrum our hunt was completely and overly successful, we had been able to reconnect with something we both knew and loved growing up, and he hasn't been able to stop talking about our next hunt since!

That's why I'm making this post.

I want to take my brother on another hunt, but something with much harder access, not only for game quality and abundance, but also in search of great adventure. I have been google scouting the range between the Damdochax Protected Area and the Skeena river. The plan I had in mind was to drive as far up the Driftwood FSR as possible, take quads 20-30km up the old rail grade, paddle across the Skeena in inflatable boats, and finally make our way into the mountains. I am hoping to do this the first week of October 2017 as the weather will be turning after that (if it hasn't already), but I want my brothers first goat to be a true monarch of the species, complete with a thick late season coat.
I was hoping someone knew about the area or knew someone that does, or just some pointers or improvements on the plan?
(Also on a bit of a budget so fly-in isn't an option)
Though I have hunted goats in the past (and got a nice one with my horses in Spatsizi a couple years ago) I am not completely comfortable with my goat judging abilities. I know some of the basic 'give aways', horn taper, base size, glans, beard, but was hoping to earn some more from more seasoned goat freaks.

Thanks,
CH

decker9
11-27-2016, 02:04 AM
There is some good goat hunting to be had right where you were, there's another tail not to far down the Rd from pervis that takes you to the other end of the range also. If you have a boat, blanchet on takla has some alright goating too. Sorry it's not the area you were asking about, but I think you were in a good area there.

Sitkaspruce
11-27-2016, 12:24 PM
You won't make it up the rail grade from the Driftwood to the Skeena in a day. It will take a loooong time to get there, 2 days at least as it is approx. 90k one way. Know of guys who tried it just to Minerat and it destroyed their small trailer and the constant bumping on the rail ties shook them up pretty good. Since that rail line has not been used in years, not sure of the crossings. Lastly, it is still private land and you don't want to get caught by the Railway Police!!!

Like Decker9 says, Blanchet is a pretty good area, have seen some great goats on there and although the access is tough, it is worth it.

Cheers

SS