Stewart billies 2013

[chargerman69]

Well Rhyno and I just returned from another exausting adventure in stewart for mountain goats. Last year was our first trip in to the area if you remember from our last years post we saw plenty on goats but no luck in harvesting one. this year we were still trapped in a short time frame to hunt (3 days) and the weather was terrible. it was foggy and rainy everyday but we managed to get a nice billy this trip. we got him on the second day of the hunt at 344 yards and a 6.5 km snowshoe back to the truck. it wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be but still a good workout! We tried for another billy but were un successful. we saw 4-5 goats the last day one group of nannies and kids and then one lone nanny that Rhyno decided to let bread for another few years. these animals are amazing creatures in the summer and fall, but in the winter you gain SO much more appreciation for waht they are and where they live. I am not a computer guy so ill let Rhyno post more to this thread as well as the pictures. ( I dont know how to ) it was a great trip with a great friend and this was an experiance that I will never forget. Thanks bud

[Buck]

Looking forward to the pics and congrats!!

[Rackmastr]

Congrats! Lookin forward to the pics!

I've always thought a late season goat hunt would be a pretty amazing trip!

[fester]

looking for pics. Congrats!!

[chargerman69]

Hopefully this works, like I said I am terrible at this but let me know.



http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013013.jpg (http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013013.jpg)
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013016.jpg
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013007.jpg
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewarthunt2012029.jpg

[Caribou_lou]

Wow. Thats a big billy. Whats the length?

[proguide66]

They sure do grow the 'beef' up there dont they !! way to go !

[d6dan]

Nice Billy!. Heavy bodies on those Stewart Goats.
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013013.jpg

[d6dan]

http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013016.jpg

[Rhyno]

Wow. Thats a big billy. Whats the length?
We only measured one side yesterday and it came in at 9 1/4"...5 1/2 years old

[warnniklz]

F**kin' deadly boys!!!

[pronghorn]

Great goat way to go

[Krico]

Nice billy. It wouldn't be a winter goat hunt without endless fog,rain and snow. Way to go guys

[Skull Hunter]

Nice looking billy! I'd really like to do that hunt one day, seems like you could get yourself into some pretty hairy situations! Congrats on the harvest!

[ElectricDyck]

Nice going, must have been a great challenge with all the snow, good job!

[kennyj]

Awesome goat! Nice way to extend the hunting season.
kenny

[decker9]

Heck yeah guys!! Great job!

[bruin]

Great billy guys! What elevation were they hanging at? In the trees or in the cliffs?
Cheers!

[The Hermit]

Man that's sweet.

[gerrygoat]

Very nicely done guys, congrats on a great hunt.

[TSW]

Good job fellas! Looks like a good goat for sure. Chargerman, when are we gonna see footage from your GoPro?!

[hunter1947]

Very nice billy as for your pic and story ,,congrats to the two of you...

[375 ultramag]

Great look'in Billy. Congrats.

[ace76]

Nice work boys! hope we get to see that go pro vid.

[chargerman69]

Maybe when I get a chance this weekend I can elaborate on the story it was pretty veague. and I will try and get video up, I got some video on the gopro and the camera, unfortunately we didnt get the kill shot on vid... one of those situations you know! the goats were not moving alot, when we went last year we saw give or take 40 goats and this time we saw 12 the first day, the one we shot on the second and the third we saw 8 or so... but majortiy were of the same group we watched on day one. they were at the top of a cliff wall at the boarder of tree line, there were 3 goats staying in the trees never could get a good look at them and the rest were going to live forever where they were. one younger nanny on her own was more in the buck brush alder crap, but still quite high. (accessable though) the first morning I believe it was, we were walking out and there was a fresh set of goat tracks on top of our snowshoe tracks. small set of tracks youg goat of sorts, and a set of wolf tracks on top of that. on the third day as a last ditch effort we did a blind hike into a cliff section to see if we could bump somthing and found MANY Cat tracks and not too far away was the kill. there was only hair and chuncks of skin left and all the blood of coarse. We though it was that young goat that came down to the river on the first day. (who knows though) lots of goat tracks where we ended up but I think the cats had them spooked out. never did see the cats or the wolves.

[chargerman69]

here is the cliffs where majority of the goats were hanging out. they were on the top left side of the right hand cliff face.
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013007.jpg (http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013007.jpg)
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013006.jpg
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/d82f2790-a419-44df-9726-fc1134da6025.jpg
http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/chargerman69/stewart2013008.jpg

[decker9]

Chargerman, the Billy's you saw, were they with groups of nannys?? Or in batchlor groups?? Alone? I know a couple other fellas on here with goat tags burning in they'r pockets, don't know about them, but this trend has give me a Kik in the rump to get up and fill my draw. would have to say, the mountain goat is my all time favourite!! Hopefully see a couple more before the end of feb!! Good luck to all that are still on the hunt, and congrats to the OP for a sucsesfull hunt!! Very respectable billy!

[chargerman69]

Thoe billy we shot was all by him self, and the other large group of nannies and kids had three goats that looked like billies but between the fog and rain and the fact they never gave us a good look I can't say forsure what they were. I would say they were just from the glimpses we got. we did not see alot off billies this trip.

[Rubberfist]

Awesome! As someone who has hunted that area extensively for goats in the September-October months...you guys have balls of steel! Stewart has some of the steepest and gnarliest ground around (alder boughs from hell) and while I've considered a late season hunt there, I haven't yet felt the need to punish myself to that extent.

Well earned goat!

[Rhyno]

I just thought I would expand a bit of the story of our goat hunt.

As mentioned this was our second attempt at a Stewart goat. Chargerman “picked me” up a year and half go with a HBC hunting buddy wanted ad. We had a great hunt but didn’t come home with a goat. This year we set off a little better prepared and had a better knowledge of the area.

The first morning we set off on snowshoes in the dark by the light of our head lamps for the long trudge into the goat patch. Last year we had clear cold weather, this year was the opposite, rain, snow, and valley fog. The snow quality progressively degraded as the days wore on. We did extensive research before leaving and consulted with a local avalanche tech. We were told to stick to the trees and valley bottoms as unsupported terrain, particularly cliff band were going to be sketchy at best.

We arrived at our spot shortly before 11 and started to glass, it wasn’t long before we starting seeing goats. Unfortunately they we mostly nannies and kids and all were in the upper stratosphere. We did see a few billy’s in the trees at the very top, but really hoped to avoid the area as no safe routes could be found. We headed back towards the truck in the light to glass a north facing cliff band that looks good, but we have only ever seen 2 goats on it. While reversing our tracks we came upon some fresh goat tracks on top of ours; from the looks of it, a solo kid. We followed the tracks up the slope until things started getting really steep and decide to make our way back to the truck. We were a little discouraged as the glassing was really difficult with the visibility as the fog drifted in and out of the mountains and the fact we saw less goat than last year, not to mention they were way higher.

2nd day we were up bright and early and off to the goat patch once again in the dark. We were making good time, so we decided to slow it down a bit so we didn’t miss any promising areas in the day light. We were just about to round a bend along the valley bottom when Chargerman thought we saw one at the top of a cliff face just a few hundred yard ahead. Pack off, spotting scope up, confirmed not only was it a goat, but a good looking billy. Chargerman won the coin flip as to who would be the first shoot, so he got set up with his pack as a rest. The billy was broad side, but bedded, I ranged him at 344m. BOOM! The goat stood up stood broad side, we think the first shot hit the bank in front of him…easy to do on such a high angle shot….BOOM…Flop! high fives, fist pumps….goat down! Lots of sense of accomplishment with that shot, as we both put a ton of kms on the snow shoes to get an opportunity like this one.

I told Chargerman I saw the goat drop in his track, but after walking toward the cliff we saw he fell off the back side of the cliff and was a mere 100m up hill. The billy faired well from his tumble, not a mark on the face and only a few scuffs on his horn. Nice mature animal with heavy bases.

We spend the next few hours deboning the meat and skinning him out, with a rug or potential future full mount in mind. I took the meat and he packed the cape….I think I got the better end of the deal as the hind was soaked…did I mention it rained or sleeted the entire time! The pack out was better than expected, the goat could have dropped in worse places for sure.

We had a few celebratory drinks that night, but didn’t over due it as we had another tag to try for!

Up early for our final day of the hunt. We made it back to the goat patch only to find our friends still at the top of the cliff band. After much discussion, based on the conditions and available route, it just wasn’t worth the risk. All of a sudden a lone goat appeared in a very attainable spot, but turned out to be a young looking nanny, so we passed. It was time for a hail mary as our hunt was just about over. We decided to walk back and hike up into an area that looked promising from the river, but we were unable to glass. Took us 1.5 hours, but we made it to the base of the cliff band. Along the way we found evidence of a kill with goat hair and blood every where….the place was littered with cat tracks.

As good as the spot looked, no goats showed themselves. It was time to make our way back to the truck, which took a little longer as I tweaked my knee on the decent. When crossing our tracks heading up the mountain we saw fresh cat tracks on top of ours.

I had hoped to harvest my first goat, but I consider pulling one off the mountain a huge accomplishment and definitely a team effort. It’s a very demanding hunt but also extremely rewarding.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/spotter.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/me6.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/fallen.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/goat7.JPG

[Coop]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

[fester]

Awesome pics!!!

[Caribou_lou]

When you say cat tracks im assuming they are cougar?

[harbinger]

Way to go guys, I didn't even know you could hunt goats in the winter like that!

[gerrygoat]

Cougar tracks that far north who would have thought, I guess they need to eat something not likely too many deer around Stewart with all that heavy snow. Glad you guys did well.

[Rhyno]

When you say cat tracks im assuming they are cougar?

They looked pretty small to be a cougar, but I am not sure if a lynx could take down a kid?

[warnniklz]

They looked pretty small to be a cougar, but I am not sure if a lynx could take down a kid?

they kill deer... so I can't see why not goats.

[180grainer]

That's an awesome looking goat. What a trophy. Congrats.

[kian]

I am new to BC and this website. Can anyone let me know how I can post on this website?

[yama49]

Congrats.. Awesome goat,looks like one tough hunt in the winter time.. What type of mount are you doing.

[BCbillies]

Nice to see you guys connect on a good billy . . . dealing with the crappy weather just adds to the memories!