Big Sky Billies and Blunders

[dgc1963]

Congrats you had me on the edge of my seat reading this
Great adventure

 

[Mica Man]

Thanks for sharing your adventure and congrats on your goat. You had more goats in just one picture than I saw my entire season this year. Hope you heal up quick and thanks again for sharing.

 

[EYJONAS!]

If that don't define grit and determination
.... incredible story. Great story and great story. Congrats hope your healing up ok. Nice work!

 

[appaloosa]

Now that's a haired up Billy!

 

[TheJason]

Quite a story, congratulations!

 

[brownbear932008]

Wow congratulations on a beautiful goat. Awesome adventure minus the fall and injuries. Really enjoyed your story. I'd love to draw a goat tag maybe someday. Glad your healing well you will never forget that hunt.

 

[elkrchr]

Now that is one hunt you'll never forget! Congrats on a great goat and I hope the healing process is quick.

 

[Riverbottom]

What a hunt! The injuries will heal and your goat will be there forever along with the memories! How about a picture of the gun. The main thing is that you’re ok!

the gun is still on the mountain where I fell. It will be a midsummer reunion trip with mountain and gun.

 

[Riverbottom]

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

 

[geetar]

Please post pics from the reunion trip as well as the bent up gun.

 

[duck wrangler]

Glad you are going to be ok
Your pics are amazing; beautiful country out there!

On top of all of that, great goat! Congrats

 

[chuckchili]

Great photography and story. Thanks for sharing!

 

[MT Bound]

Yikes what a story, congrats.

 

[MT Bound]

Question for RiverBottom: what type of tent and stove did you have up there for winter tenting?

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Wow! What an amazing adventure. Congrats on the goat, and glad you were able to make it out mostly ok. Things could easily have been much worse. I've never been on a goat hunt, but it seems that things can get hairy really quick

 

[Irrelevant]

So much hell yeah in this story, glad you're safe and hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[rjthehunter]

That is a great story! You've got to go back and get your gun and then hang it below the mount (Assuming you are mounting the Billy!) Determination pays off! Great work, rest easy and take the off season to get better!!!

I can't help but notice that your smile didn't change at all before/after being hurt! You had just as big of a smile with the makeshift sling on!

 

[teej89]

Holy cow that's a great tale! Glad you made it alright!

As @rjthehunter stated funny how the smile is consistent pre and post injury, great stuff!

 

[LopeHunter]

Great pictures and write up. Glad you survived and they are rebuilding you in the style of the $6 million dollar man.

I got back from my second billy hunt a few years ago and my wife (Los Angeles born and raised but her father hunted and was from Helena, MT) asked about my hunt. I said was fantastic though my shooting was not optimal and we got into some steep stuff a few times as headed up to gain elevation. She asked how steep.

I went to YouTube and pulled up a video of someone else's hunt in the same game unit. The hunter and his buddy with the video camera were working their way up the side of a ridge near the top. I said that is what I was in at times. My wife commented that that did not look too bad. Well, seemed steep to me as someone who grew up a Missouri flatland farm kid. The hunter shoots and the billy crumples and slowly begins to slide then picks up speed to tumble for a couple of hundred yards until crashes up against a boulder. She looked at me and said, "Please don't tell me when you will be doing that again." The steepness can be deceiving but gravity is a constant when slopes are involved.

 

[HSi-ESi]

Wow, that's an adventure. Great goat - hope everything heals well.