A Big Billy for my Buddy

[kootenayelkslayer]

Two friends and I made our way to my old stomping grounds in the Kootenays in search of a couple of billies. My one friend had to return to work in a week, so it was decided that he would have first crack at a goat. We spent the first day driving around, glassing goats from a few different FSRs. We saw several nannies and kids, a few small billies, and one billy that had a bit of potential.
The next day we made a grueling hike up towards where we had seen the decent billy the day before, only to be turned around after a five hour hike by blizzard-like conditions. Like most goat stalks, there were river crossings, thick bush, steep slopes, and bad weather involved:
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After a punishing day, we woke up the next morning to relatively clear skies, so we made a drive down to a valley that I'd hunted previously. After looking over a few different goats, we found two billies way back in a steep valley. One billy was clearly a shooter. We started the long hike and made it into postion under the billy around 4 or 5 hours later:

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As we got directly below the billy, the wind shifted and started blowing straight uphill. The goats started moving up the mountain, but my friend was able to anchor the big goat at 350 yards. He came sliding down the mountain, and the finishing shot was put on him at a couple hundred yards away. We took photos, caped and butchered the goat and started the 3 1/2 hour hike back to the truck in the dark. It was an 11 hour round trip from the truck, we were tired but pumped by the time we got back!

[kootenayelkslayer]

Here's me with my friend's the went 10 3/8". Not real heavy, but scored out at 49 5/8".

[Bighorn hunter]

Great Goat!!

[fireguy]

Nice Billy sounds like a fun hunt

[Hombre]

Nice Billy ! Congrats to you and your buddy.I always enjoy your pictures, and stories.

[d6dan]

Solid Goat!. Congrats to you and your hunting buddy..That goat scores close to mine from the EK. Great pics and story. Thanks for sharing...

[Allen50]

such beautiful weather to hunt in, nice goat thoe,, congrats,,,

[coach]

Wow! There's the inspiration I needed. Congrats on a really nice Billy. Great pictures and story. Sounds like a well earned trophy for your buddy.

[whitetailsheds]

I'll second the well earned trophy....thanks for posting Mike!

[muleychaser]

Great job! Congratulations on a nice Billy.

[Caribou_lou]

Great photos! any lengths?

[Caribou_lou]

I see the lengths now! Very good billy.

[Buck]

Nice goat good to see you young guys livin well.

[JDR]

Very nice billy, congrats to your buddy!

[nature girl]

That is a really nice goat and nice scenery. That water sure looked cold.

[kennyj]

Thats an awesome billy. Great story and photos.
kenny

[Rubberfist]

Awesome pics as always Mike, and that goat is a beaut: 10+ and awesome hair. Makes me wanna go again dammit!

[BCHunterTV]

That's a great Billie!

[180grainer]

That's a beauty of a goat. Congrats.

[Sideofabarn]

Nice going Mike! Looks like you figured out which way the horseshoe goes this season. Why was I half expecting to see Kris' goofy mug?

[Rattler]

Congrats on a dandy billy. Your buddy should be happy...

[ThinAir]

That's a great goat. Nice pic too! Congrats

[kootenayelkslayer]

Nice going Mike! Looks like you figured out which way the horseshoe goes this season. Why was I half expecting to see Kris' goofy mug?
PGK wouldn't have made it 10 feet from the truck on this hunt ;)


Congrats on a dandy billy. Your buddy should be happy...
Thanks, ya my friend is pretty happy with his first goat. Feels good to be back in the Koots for the next few weeks.

[tristanmac]

Great goat, nice country, congrats to your friend!

[Duk Dog]

Great looking goat. Looks good all haired out like that. Congrats.

[PeachlandHunter]

what is the black thing on its leg? a wound?

[325]

Wow, that's a cranker!

[swampthing]

Good effort guys. Nice billie

[Fosey]

Nice goat and a good hunt. I have been just sitting around and relaxing since I saw you last. I am completely worn out from the season but am starting to get interested in Island Blacktails

[BCbillies]

Will look really nice on the wall . . . a great first or last goat!

[bosca]

Wow! That is some very impressive terrain. Great shots and nice trophy....congrats.

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

I think i reconize the area 4-40 ?

[moose2]

Nice looking goat guys congratulations.
Mike

[Wild Images]

Nice Billy , sweet cape on that boy, now go find a bigger one for yourself

[Call of the Wild]

Sweet late season Goat hunt. An other one to a great season.

[gerrygoat]

Nice billy, those late season goats sure have nice coats.

[markt308]

wicked job. i love the pics

[Andrews]

great goat!

[kootenayelkslayer]

what is the black thing on its leg? a wound?
Just from rubbing in the dirt.


Nice goat and a good hunt. I have been just sitting around and relaxing since I saw you last. I am completely worn out from the season but am starting to get interested in Island Blacktails
Right on. Ya I feel like I've been going non-stop since July. Need to take a couple days off here and regroup...then I'll get back at it.


Nice Billy , sweet cape on that boy, now go find a bigger one for yourself
That's the plan!

[Twig-Chaser]

Right on, congratulations!

I love the Long Coat, next time I go i will definetly wait till later in the season for a longer coat!

[tomahawk]

Great goat!!

[Brez]

Wow, nice pictures. I got my first billy 20 years ago, in the crotch of the creeks in your first picture. Crossing the creek is fun, isn't it! brings me back. Thanks for posting the pictures.

[TheProvider]

Nice billy

[cavebear]

still my dream hunt congrats :) on an awsome harvest

[kootenayelkslayer]

Wow, nice pictures. I got my first billy 20 years ago, in the crotch of the creeks in your first picture. Crossing the creek is fun, isn't it! brings me back. Thanks for posting the pictures.

No kidding? Yup, that's a nasty hillside. I don't know if that cedar along the edge of the slides was there back then, but I've never encountered thickness like that before...we were ecstatic to get into a thick patch of alder compared to that cedar-regrowth sh*t.

[40incher]

Nice goat. But i'd get rid of the pic of the Billy still standing showing the butt shot.

[kootenayelkslayer]

Nice goat. But i'd get rid of the pic of the Billy still standing showing the butt shot.

???

That pic was taken about an hour before we shot. It's just dirt. Billies will rub in the dirt quite a bit that time of year.

[Brez]

No kidding? Yup, that's a nasty hillside. I don't know if that cedar along the edge of the slides was there back then, but I've never encountered thickness like that before...we were ecstatic to get into a thick patch of alder compared to that cedar-regrowth sh*t.
I was packing the whole hide, all the meat, my rifle, and my bow, and I had to push hard through the alders/junipers to come DOWN HILL. I remember thinking that I couldn't fall if I wanted to. While glassing for goatsfrom the road, I saw some muleys in the thick alder crap and wouldn't even considered a shot. Was fun though. Met a guy from New Denver and we partied till 1 am on the road where you took the picturefrom. After all the beverages were gone, he sold me 5 gal of gas to make it home that night. Weather was the same as on your trip.