kootenayelkslayer
11-10-2011, 10:16 PM
I just can't seem to shake this horseshoe this year. A friend and I planned to hunt a few days in an attempt to find me a billy. We spent the first few days driving, getting turned around by bad roads and deep snow. On the 3rd day we spent the morning in a good valley and spotted a dozen goats, but nothing worth going after. We decided to spend the rest of the day scouting a different valley.
On the drive up, we came to one point where some good goat country could be glassed across the valley from the road. It looked like a prime spot for goats, but was basically un-huntable, due to the steepness and sheer rock faces. I glassed for a while, but no luck. I took a few steps towards the roads edge to look down at the river (big creek) below. Suddenly, straight across the valley from me I could see a bedded goat. A quick review with the spotting scope showed he was a nice billy. I ranged him at only 350 yards! That was all well and good, but upon surveying the terrain, it seemed like he might be in a location where he could not be shot. He was surrounded by steep cliffs above and below, and was several hundred feet above the river.
I had a tough decision to make...if I shot him and he hung up where he was, the retrieval would be downright scary and dangerous. The only way to get him would be to kill him in a spot where he was sure to bail off the cliffs into the water. We moved down the road and laid my pack down and I set up for a shot at only 250 yards, but still hadn't fully decided what to do. The billy, who had been watching us all along, finally got out of his bed and moved out on to a small ledge. I felt very confident that if I hit him hard in this position he would bail of the mountain to the river below. The decision was made.
I steadied and took the shot, which at that angle, broke his neck and came out behind the shoulder on the opposite side. The billy went straight off the ledge and started plummeting down to the water. Lots of flips, a couple big thuds, and a splash, and there he was.
My friend and I high-fived as the goat lay at the rivers edge, but then the current grabbed him and started dragging him downstream. At one point, the goat was completely under water in a channel where the water was likely 6 feet deep. After a little 50 yard drift, the billy hung up on a rock, and we made our way down. We got to the water, I dawned my hip wader and rain pants and started across. Once at the goat, my friend tossed a long rope over, I tied up the billy, and he dragged him across to the otherside.
I was pretty nervous about the whole situation, but it really couldn't have worked out any better! The dream season continues, next up, mulies I guess!
Here's some pics. He's not the biggest billy around, but he's mature and taped out at 9 3/4" for those interested.
This pic shows the scene...the billy was near the top of the pic when I shot, if you look closely you can see him in the water:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/mikeb04/108_47751024x768.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/mikeb04/108_47721024x768.jpg
On the drive up, we came to one point where some good goat country could be glassed across the valley from the road. It looked like a prime spot for goats, but was basically un-huntable, due to the steepness and sheer rock faces. I glassed for a while, but no luck. I took a few steps towards the roads edge to look down at the river (big creek) below. Suddenly, straight across the valley from me I could see a bedded goat. A quick review with the spotting scope showed he was a nice billy. I ranged him at only 350 yards! That was all well and good, but upon surveying the terrain, it seemed like he might be in a location where he could not be shot. He was surrounded by steep cliffs above and below, and was several hundred feet above the river.
I had a tough decision to make...if I shot him and he hung up where he was, the retrieval would be downright scary and dangerous. The only way to get him would be to kill him in a spot where he was sure to bail off the cliffs into the water. We moved down the road and laid my pack down and I set up for a shot at only 250 yards, but still hadn't fully decided what to do. The billy, who had been watching us all along, finally got out of his bed and moved out on to a small ledge. I felt very confident that if I hit him hard in this position he would bail of the mountain to the river below. The decision was made.
I steadied and took the shot, which at that angle, broke his neck and came out behind the shoulder on the opposite side. The billy went straight off the ledge and started plummeting down to the water. Lots of flips, a couple big thuds, and a splash, and there he was.
My friend and I high-fived as the goat lay at the rivers edge, but then the current grabbed him and started dragging him downstream. At one point, the goat was completely under water in a channel where the water was likely 6 feet deep. After a little 50 yard drift, the billy hung up on a rock, and we made our way down. We got to the water, I dawned my hip wader and rain pants and started across. Once at the goat, my friend tossed a long rope over, I tied up the billy, and he dragged him across to the otherside.
I was pretty nervous about the whole situation, but it really couldn't have worked out any better! The dream season continues, next up, mulies I guess!
Here's some pics. He's not the biggest billy around, but he's mature and taped out at 9 3/4" for those interested.
This pic shows the scene...the billy was near the top of the pic when I shot, if you look closely you can see him in the water:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/mikeb04/108_47751024x768.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/mikeb04/108_47721024x768.jpg