CO goat scouting
- Thread starter T Bone
- Start date
ashersdad
Well-known member
Wow! That looks like a great one. And one heck of a nice shot. Congrats man!
LopeHunter
Well-known member
Congrats. Any harvest of a mature animal with a bow is amazing.
Bwana
Well-known member
Come on dude, you can't leave us hanging like this!
T Bone
Well-known member
The rest of the story:
After the last hunt up there was 3.5 days of watching Horse and O&B move a total of 40 feet in the cliffs, I realized that my chance at those big boys had come and gone.
I planned to access the unit a different way. The way that 95% of the others do. Take the train to Needleton and pack the 7 miles into Chicago Basin.
As mentioned earlier, the finance committee was super glad I was having a good time in the high country, but put emphasis on the need to stop the cash bleed of this hunt (mostly brought on by the theft of camp and the replacement thereof).
Monday my son and I drive to Silverton and board the train. For those of you that get to Western Colorado, I recommend it. It's an 1880's era steamer that is very authentic. The open air car gives you the experience of burning ash and embers melting through your clothes. It's neat.
The train left the depot late due to some mechanical issues. We sat by a young couple from Kansas completely intrigued by the idea that humans still hunt with sharp sticks. An hour later we arrived at the Needleton stop.
This area is world famous for backpackers and climbers. It gets a lot of traffic. You have to pack out your T.P.. It's recommended you pack out your own poo. Poo packets are distributed at the trailhead. I was leary of hunting around so many people. Other hunters have reported problems with non-believers in the past. We dressed very backpacker like with very little camo.
After the last hunt up there was 3.5 days of watching Horse and O&B move a total of 40 feet in the cliffs, I realized that my chance at those big boys had come and gone.
I planned to access the unit a different way. The way that 95% of the others do. Take the train to Needleton and pack the 7 miles into Chicago Basin.
As mentioned earlier, the finance committee was super glad I was having a good time in the high country, but put emphasis on the need to stop the cash bleed of this hunt (mostly brought on by the theft of camp and the replacement thereof).
Monday my son and I drive to Silverton and board the train. For those of you that get to Western Colorado, I recommend it. It's an 1880's era steamer that is very authentic. The open air car gives you the experience of burning ash and embers melting through your clothes. It's neat.
The train left the depot late due to some mechanical issues. We sat by a young couple from Kansas completely intrigued by the idea that humans still hunt with sharp sticks. An hour later we arrived at the Needleton stop.
This area is world famous for backpackers and climbers. It gets a lot of traffic. You have to pack out your T.P.. It's recommended you pack out your own poo. Poo packets are distributed at the trailhead. I was leary of hunting around so many people. Other hunters have reported problems with non-believers in the past. We dressed very backpacker like with very little camo.
T Bone
Well-known member
We hit the trail with enthusiasm to make up for the mechanical delay. These weeks in the mountains are getting us in shape. We made the uphill grind in 3 hours. True story.
We arrived with enough light to glass my mountain for Horse and O&B. There they were, the Untouchables. They hadn't moved from last week. Bummer.
We glassed a bunch more goats as darkness fell.
We arrived with enough light to glass my mountain for Horse and O&B. There they were, the Untouchables. They hadn't moved from last week. Bummer.
We glassed a bunch more goats as darkness fell.
JoseCuervo
New member
Great adventure, T-bone.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
T Bone
Well-known member
We ate and went to bed.
We awoke with a start at the pre-dawn gray.
We slurped down the hot oatmeal and located a billy directly above camp.
He was feeding on the ridgeline, left to right that would take him to a rock pinnacle. That was likely his bed.
We kicked it in gear and went straight up on an intercept course.
We were right at tree line, still huffing and puffing when we saw movement coming through the trees.
I glassed unbelieving that this was unfolding so fast. He was feeding right to us. Definitely a billy...smallish body compared to the Untouchable pair....It was decision time.
I glanced at Nathaniel who stood to my left, making ready his camera on video mode. He whispered "kill that thing!".
One more look through the Swaro's and I nocked an arrow as he continued on a beeline to us. 52 yards...44 yards....37 yards....30 even...24...I quit ranging at that point as he was coming closer. At about 18 yards he stopped head on and noticed us.
I have video here--------------------> how do I link that?
Anyway, I came to full draw. Verified that video was rolling, and let it go.
He was down in about 3 seconds.
We awoke with a start at the pre-dawn gray.
We slurped down the hot oatmeal and located a billy directly above camp.
He was feeding on the ridgeline, left to right that would take him to a rock pinnacle. That was likely his bed.
We kicked it in gear and went straight up on an intercept course.
We were right at tree line, still huffing and puffing when we saw movement coming through the trees.
I glassed unbelieving that this was unfolding so fast. He was feeding right to us. Definitely a billy...smallish body compared to the Untouchable pair....It was decision time.
I glanced at Nathaniel who stood to my left, making ready his camera on video mode. He whispered "kill that thing!".
One more look through the Swaro's and I nocked an arrow as he continued on a beeline to us. 52 yards...44 yards....37 yards....30 even...24...I quit ranging at that point as he was coming closer. At about 18 yards he stopped head on and noticed us.
I have video here--------------------> how do I link that?
Anyway, I came to full draw. Verified that video was rolling, and let it go.
He was down in about 3 seconds.
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T Bone
Well-known member
click on the goat window. Is that working?
redwoood
Well-known member
AWESOME!!! Congrats and thanks for sharing!
It is working.
It is working.
T Bone
Well-known member
He crashed about 15 yards from me and I had to run and grab him before he went over a small cliff.
Kind of weird how all of a sudden we were done.
We took time to get good pictures. This memory I wanted to capture as my boy is weeks away from heading off to USMC boot. We have thoroughly enjoyed the hunt.
Just a note to anyone who still has a G5 tag. Horse and O&B are just above my son's left shoulder on that saddle shaped mountain. If you anchor up top and rappel down about 90 feet there is a catwalk that will take you to their little pinnacle look out.
We noticed from this side it looks a little silly to try.
Don't tell my wife.
Kind of weird how all of a sudden we were done.
We took time to get good pictures. This memory I wanted to capture as my boy is weeks away from heading off to USMC boot. We have thoroughly enjoyed the hunt.
Just a note to anyone who still has a G5 tag. Horse and O&B are just above my son's left shoulder on that saddle shaped mountain. If you anchor up top and rappel down about 90 feet there is a catwalk that will take you to their little pinnacle look out.
We noticed from this side it looks a little silly to try.
Don't tell my wife.
T Bone
Well-known member
It was hot.
We boned and caped and got him and us safely back down to camp.
We ate lunch, and packed up.
Going out heavy.
Again, the saddle mountain in the backdrop will always hold my memories of the two giants of the mountain. They are pigs. Horse will break 10", I'd bet.
We boned and caped and got him and us safely back down to camp.
We ate lunch, and packed up.
Going out heavy.
Again, the saddle mountain in the backdrop will always hold my memories of the two giants of the mountain. They are pigs. Horse will break 10", I'd bet.
T Bone
Well-known member
We were hurrying out as safely as possible for two reasons....it was unusually warm and humid, and the second reason is we were trying to catch the train.
I heard a pop behind me and Nathaniel say "what the heck?"
His Gregory pack had broke the mount on the stay (frame).
It was folded up like a tortilla with all weight on his shoulders.
It wasn't fixable on the trail, so he just leaned into the best way possible and we slowed down.
We missed the train.
We took shelter in an old railroad shed for the night.
It was hot and humid.
About 2 am I was awakened by some crunching extremely close.
Then I smelled it.
Skunk.
Directly under the floor which was half gone.
Inches away from our heads.
Precision evacuation of the premises was executed.
I heard a pop behind me and Nathaniel say "what the heck?"
His Gregory pack had broke the mount on the stay (frame).
It was folded up like a tortilla with all weight on his shoulders.
It wasn't fixable on the trail, so he just leaned into the best way possible and we slowed down.
We missed the train.
We took shelter in an old railroad shed for the night.
It was hot and humid.
About 2 am I was awakened by some crunching extremely close.
Then I smelled it.
Skunk.
Directly under the floor which was half gone.
Inches away from our heads.
Precision evacuation of the premises was executed.
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