2013 British Columbia Mountain Goat Hunt Pt.2

[warnniklz]

As we were making our way down the lake front, I asked Tranq "how far down was it?" His answer was "over the next ridge." Well we know how that can go... next ridge, next ridge, next ridge. We were down to a crawl because we knew the goats had to be close. I dropped my pack to keep our profile down. I peeked over a ridge, sure enough... there was a goat bedded down only 70 yards away. It was nanny with a kid bedded right next to it. We watched it for a bit to see if her boyfriend was around.

Finally I figured we had to get by her. She got up and so did 6 other goats. They bailed for the steep nasty stuff.

It was getting late, so we decided to head back to camp and get a better nights rest to be up early the next day.

 

[warnniklz]

The next morning, there was snow up high. It was cold and the weather was moving in.

We got geared up and made our way from camp. Instead of going down the side of the lake we went down the night before, we decided to go down the other side of the lake. There was bear trails everywhere, but still way too thick to make it worth it. So we retreated and decided to head up the other end of the lake.

We had to cross the outflow from the lake. But just before we crossed the creek, I looked over my shoulder and spotted a goat up on the cliff behind camp. It was a big bodied goat. It was an easy decision to get a closer look. We picked our way through the brush. There was a pretty good trail through it. Then it dawned on me... we were picking through a game trail. We got up behind a good size rock. By now we seen 3 goats, one being a kid. So one was obviously a nanny. But the other was still big. I put my bag up on the boulder. Tranq laid Selina (my Vanguard 30_06) across it for a rest. I posted up behind my spotting scope next to him.

I got him to line up on the lone goat. I told him "don't even touch the safety unless I tell you to." I was having a bitch of a time trying to determine if it was a nanny or billy.

 

[Reeltime]

Loving this story. It makes some of the hunting I do seem more like a stroll in the park!!

 

[warnniklz]

We decided maybe we could get closer. We kept low and worked our way through the brush once more. As we got closer, the sensation of it being a billy faded. Tranq didn't get set up this time. I parked myself behind the spotting scope... nanny all day long.

First real morning hunting and we're already seeing goats. Cool!

We turned around and headed back for the other side of the lake. The weather was moving in now and sleet started to come down. That morning I had been drinking water from the outflow creek without treating it. I was making fun of Alex for putting water tabs in. When we got to the far end of the lake, the snow was littered with goat and grizzly shit. I started treating my water from then on. Nothing never did come of it.

Anyways we were at the far end of the lake. Rain, snow and wind kept hammering us. I don't think me or Tranq thought about going back to the tent. We still had visibility... but both of us wouldn't argue against a warm drink. So we hunkered in behind a big boulder and set up shop. Tranq got on boiling up some water for lunch while I got eyes on the cliffs.

Alex asked "what do goats do when it rains?"

"From my observations, they do what goats do" I replied.

It got a little wetter and the goats started descending from the crevasses in the mountains. Mostly two at a time. "There's a bunch" I told Tranq. He came and sat down next to me and started glassing. The goats started bedding down. Then I spotted Mr. Studly. He was standing above everyone else.

"Alex, there's your goat" I told him. I pointed it out to him and he started glassing. "I don't think we can get to him" he said. I started trying to pick out a route. We'd have to go up the glacier at the end of the lake, traverse the top of the mountain and come down on him. But I wasn't sure if we'd be able to get back up and if the goat went down, I doubt we''d be able to retrieve him.

So I made the call that we'd watch him and wait him out, or if need be... put him to bed for the night. Tranq asked "are all the rest nannies and kids?"
I wiped the fog from my spotting scope and took another look at a pair of goats near the top of the herd.

"Nope" I said "There's two young billies hanging out near the top of the herd... well one is a billy for sure"

 

[warnniklz]

Tranq said "Let's go get him!"

I turned and looked at him, I was questioning him in my mind, but Alex seemed to know what I was thinking.

Tranq continued "maybe I should tell you this now... but I promised my mom I'd be back in time for her birthday."

All I could think was "double you, tea, eff?"

Tranq added "plus I'm here for the meat, I don't need to shoot the biggest goat... let him get bigger. Plus this is still the experience to remember."

I just hid behind the spotting scope trying to find a way up to the big goat.

Tranq finished with "plus... I can't shoot a big goat off the get go... I gotta work my way up"

I packed up the spotting scope, looked at Tranq... "let's go get him"

We rounded the end of the lake. We started off trying to get above them. We stayed on the one side of a relatively small waterfall and worked our way up.

But the contour of the mountains forced us over and beneath the goats. We decided to make the desperation play and come up from beneath them. As we continued the climb up, Alex piped up "I can make that shot".

I pulled out the rangefinder from my pocket. I couldn't get it to work. Must have bashed it or it got water in it. I dunno... I looked at the goats. "Alright" I said.

I set up a nice rest for Tranq. He laid Selina down and got settled in. I got tucked in behind my spotting scope. I observed the two goats. It was probably a 300 yard shot via line of sight... but with such a steep angle, it was more like a 100. I studied the two goats some more... "you're taking the one on the right" I told Alex.

"I'm on him" he repled.

"Put the crosshairs right on his nose" I said. The goat was looking over a ledge at us. Only thing visible was the goats head and chest. "When he swings his head to look at the other goat, let him have it"

It was only a moment and the goat swung his head over. That's when Tranq let a 165 Hornady Gmax fly.

 

[Tylerm]

That's it I'm moving. Thanks for taking us on such an amazing adventure!

 

[warnniklz]

I didn't hear it... but I felt Selina's Sweet Georgia Brown. I watched the goat haunch it's shoulders.

"Reload" I said "hit him again"

WHOOMF!! Tranq had put another round down range. The goat sat back.

"You got him... just wait" I informed Tranq

The goat reared up and launched himself off of the ledge. We highfived and packed up. We started up towards the downed goat. The goat had launched himself off of the ledge like I wanted him to. But he got caught up on another ledge. Me and Alex had maybe six inches on wet grassy ledge to work our way out on to get our hands on Tranq's second ever big game animal. He was 8" long and I had him aged at 4 years.

Alex had his new Havalon Piranta knife. He wanted to see how sharp it was... well it was sharp. He sliced his finger wide open. So while he doctored himself up, I got to work on his goat. I was trying to cape him while trying to hold him from falling off the cliff. Finally I heard the magic phrase...

 

[duckhunt]

This thread is absolutely awsome.

 

[warnniklz]

Alex only wanted a throw and a euro mount... SWEET! Lobbed off the head and kicked the rest down the mountain. I showed Tranq the gutless method, deboned the goat and packed everything up. It was cold and miserable, but our spirits were high. We discussed packing up camp and heading out that night. We decided that the south side of the waterfall would be better. But the decision was made that we should camp one more night and then hike out in the morning. That way we wouldn't have to fight daylight.

We got to the outflow creek. We anchored the gamebags with the meat and cape in the creek. We even built a little dam in case something did decide to float away...

That night we couldn't have first blood beers... but Jack Daniels did bring out the bottle of fireball

The next morning we woke up pretty early. Alex went to the creek to get some water... I wasn't really wanting to get out of my sleeping bag. Then I heard Tranq say "it's all gone"

"What?" I questioned

"It's all gone... the goat... it's gone!"

For a moment I thought he was messing with me... but knowing Tranq... he can't tell a lie to save his life. I tossed on my boots and headed over to the creek. Sure as shit, only thing in the creek was the cape. What the eff?! Maybe one game bag could open and some meat float away, but it'd get caught up on the cape... but both game bags were gone. Guess where we left the skull... yeah... in a game bag.

"Well it couldn't have gone too far. You walk down that side of the creek, I'll walk down this side" I told him.

We started working our way down the creek. I spotted something white. I pointed it out to Tranq. He picked it up... part of a game bag. I made my way across the creek. On the far bank I found a piece of meat... then another... then another. Fuuuuuuuuuhhh.... at this point I realised we'd been robbed by a furry stomach with sharp teeth and claws. At that point we weren't packing artillery. Pissed off we grabbed the cape and packed up camp. Locked and loaded, we went back and started to follow the meat trail. It was foggy out and the trail lead straight for some thick willows.

Tranq was ready to go in there and fist fight a grizzly bear... I managed to calm him down. Tranq had already cut his tag... we could have stayed and tried to get me a goat as well... but we decided with the plan to hike out.

BUT THE RODEO DOESN'T END

 

[warnniklz]

We were pissy hiking down, losing our goat. The south side was easier though. It was pretty easy going, then we had to make our way through a boulder field. After getting through that, we worked our was down the base of the cliff face. We finally started our way down through the alders.

We'd work our way down the creek, come out at the edge of a waterfall, climb back up a little ways, cross over through a batch of alders, head down and repeat. We finally made it to the top of a granite face. no more alders to climb... only way down was down. Our theory was "where the grass does grow, we can go." It isn't a theory to live by... but it's all we had. We worked our way down the cracks in the granite. We got to a little ledge and the granite face got steeper. We dropped our packs. Alex shimmied his way down a crack and made his way onto a ledge. I roped up our bags and lowered them to him. Once the bags were down, I slung my rifle across my back.

I called down to Tranq "how does it look?"

Alex pointed out the different heights of the ledge below. Looking down to my left next to the waterfall was about a 40' drop, down to the right was a 10' drop. Directly below me... 20'

Alex called up "come down the same crack, if you lose your grip, I'll grab you and toss you onto the ledge"

Only option I really had. So I started to make my way down the crack, feet first. This crack is about the same size as the cracks in the pavement in your basement floor. I got a quarter of the way down and realised I was starting to slide. I treated it like I was on thin ice and went spread eagle. Tranq reached out his hand. I was able to grab it. I looked up at him and could see his one foot was coming off the ground. Instead of both of us going over... I'd rather have someone there to save my ass. So I let go and went sailing off the ledge.

I could hear Alex above "oh shit! oh shit! oh shit!" I was able to spot my landing. I tucked and rolled. I just laid there on the rocks for a moment. I looked up to the ledge and seen Alex looking down. I was more worried about my rifle. I called up to him "I'm fine!" I didn't really know that, I just assumed. I got up and dusted myself off. Alex lowered our packs down to me and made his way down the safer ledge. I checked over my rifle, no new scuffs. My new sitka pants were shredded to hell. We hiked on out through the easy trail. When we hit the trail head, I turned and said "can't destroy me bitch" to the mountain.

Where we came down from.

We made our way back into town. I called my dad and told him the story about the g-bear. We then, still in our hunting gear, headed over to the CO's office. There was a rookie CO that we dealt with. Nice guy. But all he did was photocopy Tranq's ID, hunting license and goat tag. He did ask us how we knew it was a grizzly that robbed us. There's still some denial about grizzlies being in that area. He also kind of questioned us about the goat. I straight up told him that there was easier spots to poach, a poacher wouldn't just take a little goat, let alone leave the head behind and sure as shit wouldn't walk into a CO's office. I thought there would be more of a report on what happened. But 6 months later, the CO called me up and asked about what happened. I went through the whole thing all over again, but haven't heard anything since.

The next day Tranq did help me work a little on the Back Channel trail. But we went out for first blood beers that night and he decided to make the drive home the next morning.

 

[warnniklz]

The first shot went through the goat's chest and lodged between the shoulder blades. The second went through his chest and came out just in front of his back hip. Here's the recovered 165 grain GMX from my 30_06.

And that september goat pelt is 100x softer than a baby seal... just sayin

 

[Gerald Martin]

Great write up! I've been on a few goat hunts, but nothing that compares to that misery. Hard core for sure.

 

[Big Fin]

A great story that explains the kind of adventure that inspires the passion in all of us. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bob Bob]

Nice write up

 

[perma]

Nice write up

What tag did you draw?