zoominjr
09-20-2011, 10:23 PM
It had been 12 years since I shot my last billy. Since then I have had other opportunities but had been a little fussy, so this year I thought I was due to pull the trigger. So on one of those blue bird sky weekends I planned to end the drought. I recruited a couple buddies and off we went. I had always wanted to go back into this particular drainage. I had seen goats back there on a few previous recon missions. I had also been draw for the area a few times but for one reason or another the hunts never materialized. Finally it all came together.
We pushed our way back to a strategic spot for our camp where we were better positioned for a number of hunting options. On the way in we saw two lone goats down the valley and after setting up camp at noon went to see if we could be lucky enough to sneak up on one of them early in the hunt. We quickly lost site of the closer goat as he went down into the timber and into some cliffs. The other goat was still there but he was further off regardless we thought we would at least try and have a look. We got about half way to the goat and soon realised we had lost sight of this one too. After waiting about 30 minutes to see if the goat would show itself again two of us pushed a little closer while one guy stayed back at a spot where he had a good vantage point. We cut the distance in half again and looked for a signal from our partner to tell us if the goat had reappeared. After waiting another 45 minutes and no sign of the goat, at 4:15 PM we abandoned this attempt and headed back up the mountain and toward camp.
We crested the peak and from there looked into two different drainages. What spectacular scenery, jagged peaks, glaciers, green meadows and alpine lakes. It is a wonderful country we live in. From here we did some early evening glassing. We spotted a few more goats and one looked like a promising billy but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. He would have to wait until tomorrow. Back at camp as we settled in the moon came up full over the jagged peaks to the east. In the tent it was like someone had forgot to turn the lights off before they went to bed.
We woke to a cool windy but sunny morning. Only a few steps from the tent we could look and see the place we had last spotted the goat we tried for earlier yesterday afternoon. Sure enough it was bedded in the exact same dirt patch as the day before. A short discussion ensued. We had seen that other billy late yesterday but we couldn’t see that spot from camp and we weren’t even sure we could get to him. So we thought one in the hand is worth two in the bush. So let’s make a play on the one we can see. Just before 8 AM we set off to make a second attempt on this goat.
Employing a little different tactic this time we came in from higher up, keeping the goat in our sights almost all the way. The goat was sunning itself in a nice dirt bed just below tree line. Part way through the stalk the feet of one of my partner’s started to give him trouble. At this point he decided he needed to give his feet a rest. So he stayed behind while two of us pushed on down toward our target. We briefly lost sight of the goat before we snuck over the ridge to find the goat still lying in the same dirt patch. Getting in to position we ranged the goat at 380 yards. He looked like a decent billy but he was a little too far away for my comfort and with a bit of a cross wind I didn’t want to take any chances. Moving around a rock bluff and to another closer vantage point we managed to close the gap by another 100 yards. The goat was almost directly below us and facing our direction. I got my 30-06 into shooting position on its bi-pod and waited for the goat to stand up.
My hope was that the goat would turn to our right and go up hill because if he went left it was not far to the cliffs below where we would likely lose him. We waited less than ten minutes and the goat stood up. Taking his time he finally stepped to our right and gave me a broad side view. At 10:09 AM I squeezed off a shot and immediately chambered a second shell but the second shell for some reason didn’t load. In the split seconds while I was trying to figure out what was wrong my partner assured me I hit him good but also told me he had lost sight of him. I soon figured out that the original shell hadn’t ejected and therefore I couldn’t get the second shell into the chamber. During those frantic seconds after the shot we saw no sign of the goat. We waited a few more minutes and decided we better move to a different spot to get a better look and find this goat. We didn’t have to go far to see past a clump of trees blocking our view and to see the goat had only gone a few feet and fell over. One shot was all that was needed. We went back and waved our partner down to join us.
After photos, skinny and loading up the meat and hide it was 2 PM. We headed for camp. Arriving back at camp at 5 PM we decided to pack up camp and push out to the truck that night. Fighting the fierce black flies and mosquitoes and darkness we arrived at the truck at exactly 9 PM. We were very tired but back safe and sound. Thanks to TSW and JB for all the help and good memories. I’ll have to help you pack one out one of these years. Much appreciated.
Details:
· Shot: 283 yards
· Rifle: Browning A-bolt 30-06
· Bullet: Federal Power-Shok 150 grain Speer-Grand Slam
· Goat horns: 9 ¼ inches long and 5 ¾ inch bases
· Goat age: 7 ½ years
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_31.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_5.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_11.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_4.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_2.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
We pushed our way back to a strategic spot for our camp where we were better positioned for a number of hunting options. On the way in we saw two lone goats down the valley and after setting up camp at noon went to see if we could be lucky enough to sneak up on one of them early in the hunt. We quickly lost site of the closer goat as he went down into the timber and into some cliffs. The other goat was still there but he was further off regardless we thought we would at least try and have a look. We got about half way to the goat and soon realised we had lost sight of this one too. After waiting about 30 minutes to see if the goat would show itself again two of us pushed a little closer while one guy stayed back at a spot where he had a good vantage point. We cut the distance in half again and looked for a signal from our partner to tell us if the goat had reappeared. After waiting another 45 minutes and no sign of the goat, at 4:15 PM we abandoned this attempt and headed back up the mountain and toward camp.
We crested the peak and from there looked into two different drainages. What spectacular scenery, jagged peaks, glaciers, green meadows and alpine lakes. It is a wonderful country we live in. From here we did some early evening glassing. We spotted a few more goats and one looked like a promising billy but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. He would have to wait until tomorrow. Back at camp as we settled in the moon came up full over the jagged peaks to the east. In the tent it was like someone had forgot to turn the lights off before they went to bed.
We woke to a cool windy but sunny morning. Only a few steps from the tent we could look and see the place we had last spotted the goat we tried for earlier yesterday afternoon. Sure enough it was bedded in the exact same dirt patch as the day before. A short discussion ensued. We had seen that other billy late yesterday but we couldn’t see that spot from camp and we weren’t even sure we could get to him. So we thought one in the hand is worth two in the bush. So let’s make a play on the one we can see. Just before 8 AM we set off to make a second attempt on this goat.
Employing a little different tactic this time we came in from higher up, keeping the goat in our sights almost all the way. The goat was sunning itself in a nice dirt bed just below tree line. Part way through the stalk the feet of one of my partner’s started to give him trouble. At this point he decided he needed to give his feet a rest. So he stayed behind while two of us pushed on down toward our target. We briefly lost sight of the goat before we snuck over the ridge to find the goat still lying in the same dirt patch. Getting in to position we ranged the goat at 380 yards. He looked like a decent billy but he was a little too far away for my comfort and with a bit of a cross wind I didn’t want to take any chances. Moving around a rock bluff and to another closer vantage point we managed to close the gap by another 100 yards. The goat was almost directly below us and facing our direction. I got my 30-06 into shooting position on its bi-pod and waited for the goat to stand up.
My hope was that the goat would turn to our right and go up hill because if he went left it was not far to the cliffs below where we would likely lose him. We waited less than ten minutes and the goat stood up. Taking his time he finally stepped to our right and gave me a broad side view. At 10:09 AM I squeezed off a shot and immediately chambered a second shell but the second shell for some reason didn’t load. In the split seconds while I was trying to figure out what was wrong my partner assured me I hit him good but also told me he had lost sight of him. I soon figured out that the original shell hadn’t ejected and therefore I couldn’t get the second shell into the chamber. During those frantic seconds after the shot we saw no sign of the goat. We waited a few more minutes and decided we better move to a different spot to get a better look and find this goat. We didn’t have to go far to see past a clump of trees blocking our view and to see the goat had only gone a few feet and fell over. One shot was all that was needed. We went back and waved our partner down to join us.
After photos, skinny and loading up the meat and hide it was 2 PM. We headed for camp. Arriving back at camp at 5 PM we decided to pack up camp and push out to the truck that night. Fighting the fierce black flies and mosquitoes and darkness we arrived at the truck at exactly 9 PM. We were very tired but back safe and sound. Thanks to TSW and JB for all the help and good memories. I’ll have to help you pack one out one of these years. Much appreciated.
Details:
· Shot: 283 yards
· Rifle: Browning A-bolt 30-06
· Bullet: Federal Power-Shok 150 grain Speer-Grand Slam
· Goat horns: 9 ¼ inches long and 5 ¾ inch bases
· Goat age: 7 ½ years
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_31.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_5.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_11.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_4.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Goat_2.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)