tdoubled
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2019
- Messages
- 38
It's happened, and I'm still in shock. I got drawn for an Idaho mountain goat!
What's interesting is I've had my eyes on this unit for a long time. I started e-scouting it around 5 years ago, with hopes of making annual trips in the summertime to explore the unit. My main goal and focus was to find sheep. Last season I was finally able to make it happen. All of my backpacking/hunting buddies bailed on me and I was either going solo or wait another year.... I passed going a previous year because of the lack of hiking partners, but I didn't want to put things off any longer. So I went. I'm not a huge fan of going solo, but I'm well equipped to communicate with the wife/family and potentially search and rescue if the worst ever happens. I never sleep well when I'm out solo, but I've learned to not let "going solo" ruin my plans. The trip ended up being very productive, but I didn't turn up any sheep. Only goats, and a good number of them. Mostly billies, with one in particular that nearly ran me off my ridgeline trail. So I came up with a plan, put in for the goat hunt in the same unit, continue to do an annual scouting trip in the summer, eventually figure out where the sheep are, and maybe draw a goat tag in the process... since I already knew where to start for them.
Then it happened, on my first attempt of putting in for this hunt. Now before you go and curse my name.... well... go ahead and do just that. I'd do the same thing if I were reading about some unknown goober that drew a tag I've been chasing for years. To make matters worse for you, I was able to convince a buddy of mine to join me in my future scouting trips. Saying, I've already done the work for the goats, come with me to help me find sheep. We'll both put in for the goat tags. Doesn't matter who draws, we'll both go on the hunt and work together. Turns out, he drew the tag as well...
It's unreal, I don't know how it happened. I thought it had to be a mistake and we'd both get emails saying the system had issues, everyone ended up getting a successful draw email and the draw will have to happen again. That email hasn't come yet. Maybe it still is, but until then I'm writing this post. So curse both of our names, that seems fair. But what I can offer you is this. I mean to give this tag the respect it deserves, meaning a full effort. I've already called my archery elk hunting partner, and told him the bittersweet news that I won't be focused on elk in September. So hopefully you'll know that the tags aren't being squandered, but relished, by a pair of goobers that intend to give it their all in filling the tags and making memories.
Anyway, I hope to document the hunt the best I can. But I'm just not good at that. My wife is a professional photographer and I hear it from her every time I forget to take a picture and only have a story to tell. I guess I can tell any story, if there's no pictures to prove me otherwise.... Even this spring, a week or so ago, I assisted my cousin, a new hunter, on a bear hunt. We both had tags, but I gave him dibs on the first bear. We found one, made a great stalk, and he made a great shot. Neither of us thought of taking a picture until that bruin was on our backs and the moon was high. So besides doing the best I can on this hunt, I have a personal goal of documenting it some so my wife will only be slightly disappointed in me. In the words of Mr. Green, "I'm a man, and I can change, if I have to, I guess."
I hesitate to share the unit here on this post, but I'd still like some pointers from anyone who has gone on a goat hunt. I will say it's in the Frank, but what gear did you wish you had, or gear you wish you left in the truck? What about goat behavior? What's a billie likely to be doing in September, October, or November. Any other lessons learned that you wish you knew before your hunt? Access to my unit will be increasingly difficult as fall pushes on. I'm mentally telling myself I have September to fill the tag. Once the first snow falls, I might need a helicopter to get in to where I've seen goats.
And now I've rambled too long, it's late, and I'm tired.
What's interesting is I've had my eyes on this unit for a long time. I started e-scouting it around 5 years ago, with hopes of making annual trips in the summertime to explore the unit. My main goal and focus was to find sheep. Last season I was finally able to make it happen. All of my backpacking/hunting buddies bailed on me and I was either going solo or wait another year.... I passed going a previous year because of the lack of hiking partners, but I didn't want to put things off any longer. So I went. I'm not a huge fan of going solo, but I'm well equipped to communicate with the wife/family and potentially search and rescue if the worst ever happens. I never sleep well when I'm out solo, but I've learned to not let "going solo" ruin my plans. The trip ended up being very productive, but I didn't turn up any sheep. Only goats, and a good number of them. Mostly billies, with one in particular that nearly ran me off my ridgeline trail. So I came up with a plan, put in for the goat hunt in the same unit, continue to do an annual scouting trip in the summer, eventually figure out where the sheep are, and maybe draw a goat tag in the process... since I already knew where to start for them.
Then it happened, on my first attempt of putting in for this hunt. Now before you go and curse my name.... well... go ahead and do just that. I'd do the same thing if I were reading about some unknown goober that drew a tag I've been chasing for years. To make matters worse for you, I was able to convince a buddy of mine to join me in my future scouting trips. Saying, I've already done the work for the goats, come with me to help me find sheep. We'll both put in for the goat tags. Doesn't matter who draws, we'll both go on the hunt and work together. Turns out, he drew the tag as well...
It's unreal, I don't know how it happened. I thought it had to be a mistake and we'd both get emails saying the system had issues, everyone ended up getting a successful draw email and the draw will have to happen again. That email hasn't come yet. Maybe it still is, but until then I'm writing this post. So curse both of our names, that seems fair. But what I can offer you is this. I mean to give this tag the respect it deserves, meaning a full effort. I've already called my archery elk hunting partner, and told him the bittersweet news that I won't be focused on elk in September. So hopefully you'll know that the tags aren't being squandered, but relished, by a pair of goobers that intend to give it their all in filling the tags and making memories.
Anyway, I hope to document the hunt the best I can. But I'm just not good at that. My wife is a professional photographer and I hear it from her every time I forget to take a picture and only have a story to tell. I guess I can tell any story, if there's no pictures to prove me otherwise.... Even this spring, a week or so ago, I assisted my cousin, a new hunter, on a bear hunt. We both had tags, but I gave him dibs on the first bear. We found one, made a great stalk, and he made a great shot. Neither of us thought of taking a picture until that bruin was on our backs and the moon was high. So besides doing the best I can on this hunt, I have a personal goal of documenting it some so my wife will only be slightly disappointed in me. In the words of Mr. Green, "I'm a man, and I can change, if I have to, I guess."
I hesitate to share the unit here on this post, but I'd still like some pointers from anyone who has gone on a goat hunt. I will say it's in the Frank, but what gear did you wish you had, or gear you wish you left in the truck? What about goat behavior? What's a billie likely to be doing in September, October, or November. Any other lessons learned that you wish you knew before your hunt? Access to my unit will be increasingly difficult as fall pushes on. I'm mentally telling myself I have September to fill the tag. Once the first snow falls, I might need a helicopter to get in to where I've seen goats.
And now I've rambled too long, it's late, and I'm tired.
