MT 316 Goat adventure
- Thread starter LopeHunter
- Start date
LopeHunter
Well-known member
WY pronghorn hunt done. Big Timber bound now. Weather forecast still moderate.
wsking
Member
Go get ‘em! Best of luck!
seeth07
Well-known member
Screw Boone and crocket. We need a book for the most unique and this one hands down would get top award. Man I'm so jealous of that buck. Way to go!
Jape
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2017
- Messages
- 1,734
Looking forward to this one! Good luck and be safe.
LopeHunter
Well-known member
Who has two thumbs and just got a confirmed pack string for heading in 11 miles this Monday and eventual pack out? Yeah, this flabby Santa look-alike. The Tesla jet pack got delayed though so will still be hiking during the fun part of the hunt. Horses means I absolutely will be taking my spotter, more days of food, a few more batteries, a couple of spare fuel cans, another set of clothes, etc.
That 20 pounds of luxury I can now take along are Exhibits 1 through 99 of why I am not hardcore like those of you eating cold rehydrated meals and sleeping under a tarp at 20F in winds. I salute you crazy dudes and dudettes. I am not worthy. I will have an adventure but not THAT adventure.
The horses are getting new shoes this weekend and cleats were being welded on those shoes. Ready for action! This is a horse, Hustler, which I rode in the Shoshone a few years ago on an early November migration mule deer hunt. Took two days for me to warm up after that hunt which stayed in the teens with sustained winds closer to 20mph plus gusts that found every gap in your clothing.
I picked up a survival tarp this afternoon in Livingston on advice of the horse wrangler. I will ditch the two contractor trash bags.
Did I say Livingston? Well, queue the clip.
That 20 pounds of luxury I can now take along are Exhibits 1 through 99 of why I am not hardcore like those of you eating cold rehydrated meals and sleeping under a tarp at 20F in winds. I salute you crazy dudes and dudettes. I am not worthy. I will have an adventure but not THAT adventure.
The horses are getting new shoes this weekend and cleats were being welded on those shoes. Ready for action! This is a horse, Hustler, which I rode in the Shoshone a few years ago on an early November migration mule deer hunt. Took two days for me to warm up after that hunt which stayed in the teens with sustained winds closer to 20mph plus gusts that found every gap in your clothing.
I picked up a survival tarp this afternoon in Livingston on advice of the horse wrangler. I will ditch the two contractor trash bags.
Did I say Livingston? Well, queue the clip.
Last edited:
EYJONAS!
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2017
- Messages
- 6,714
What a year to have a good goat tag and the weather. Good luck man I can't wait to hear about it.
LopeHunter
Well-known member
On a peak so cell phone is active.
I have yet to get within 800 yards of a goat. I find tracks up high. Goats are here.
Northern 316 is amazing country and are ice packs and snow and ledges. I put a billy to bed in a pine thicket of 40 trees and no billy emerged the next morning. Only one snow pack has tracks on it.
I am obviously no modern Daniel Boone. I even wore my version of crocs trying to get some HuntTalk mojo going.
Will head to Cooke City on Sunday as snow possible and will drive up Daisy Pass way to glass Miller and Mineral.
The circumferentially challenged lady is warming up re the grand adventure into remote 316.
Bummed about not seeing more goats. Zero regrets for being in this special place!
I have yet to get within 800 yards of a goat. I find tracks up high. Goats are here.
Northern 316 is amazing country and are ice packs and snow and ledges. I put a billy to bed in a pine thicket of 40 trees and no billy emerged the next morning. Only one snow pack has tracks on it.
I am obviously no modern Daniel Boone. I even wore my version of crocs trying to get some HuntTalk mojo going.
Will head to Cooke City on Sunday as snow possible and will drive up Daisy Pass way to glass Miller and Mineral.
The circumferentially challenged lady is warming up re the grand adventure into remote 316.
Bummed about not seeing more goats. Zero regrets for being in this special place!
LopeHunter
Well-known member
Saw no goats this morning, got packed out, washed the very stinky clothes in Livingston and now in Cooke City with gear inside the motel. Will sort gear in morning, figure out the route to glass Miller and Mineral and eat a real breakfast.
Not sure how many boot miles I did Monday afternoon until Saturday afternoon but 20 or so with camp at 9500’ and some plateaus several 100’ more above camp and the rolling finger ridges where gained altitude then lost then another ridge and another.
I never got more than 4 miles from camp and never busted trail through thick stuff. Puzzled where the goats were but maybe Park goats are actually grazing during the day or bedded on viewable ledges. Uber Horse guy called a buddy and said goat hunters are having issues here at Cooke City as well and thinks is the 60F highs. That is about to change.
The Beartooth goats left tracks up on the plateaus that had dusty ridges but seems never saw a goat twice. I saw 5 goats.
Adios Beartooths. I will never set foot there again. I have amazing memories.
Cooke City is another bite at this apple and a much more comfortable one. Just had my first hot water shower in a week. When you can smell your own stink, you stink.
Not sure how many boot miles I did Monday afternoon until Saturday afternoon but 20 or so with camp at 9500’ and some plateaus several 100’ more above camp and the rolling finger ridges where gained altitude then lost then another ridge and another.
I never got more than 4 miles from camp and never busted trail through thick stuff. Puzzled where the goats were but maybe Park goats are actually grazing during the day or bedded on viewable ledges. Uber Horse guy called a buddy and said goat hunters are having issues here at Cooke City as well and thinks is the 60F highs. That is about to change.
The Beartooth goats left tracks up on the plateaus that had dusty ridges but seems never saw a goat twice. I saw 5 goats.
Adios Beartooths. I will never set foot there again. I have amazing memories.
Cooke City is another bite at this apple and a much more comfortable one. Just had my first hot water shower in a week. When you can smell your own stink, you stink.
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LopeHunter
Well-known member
Finding a hot breakfast in Cooke City, MT, during the off-season must require the same skill as spotting goats. None found. Drove to Silver Gate and the ice cream shop had a breakfast burrito. Mojo is back!
I took the day off. Sure, am soft and not hard-charging after the body-wrecking Uber Horse strategy. I may stink at this “sleep when your dead” mantra but after a shower I no longer smell.
Here is my hunting strategy for tomorrow since we got 4” of snow overnight which is melting slowly in town where is 34F but should be deeper at Daisy Pass with 1” more snow forecast in town. And, frozen solid along the 4 miles of road by sunrise.
My rented Ram 1500 4WD truck has questionable mud or snow performance due to having quiet road tires. If handles well then will drive beyond the pass as can glass a bit more as approach Lake Abundance.
I will glass at first light to spot a goat that is a mature billy or nanny or “prefer not to be labeled by society”, kill it with a single sub-400 yard shot then cape and de-bone the quarters, pack it out in two trips with some stumbling but never going on swan dive. It will be epic. Some of it may even be true. There, calling my shot.
Breakfast burritos? We ain't got no burritos! We don't need no burritos! I don't have to show you any stinking burritos!
I took the day off. Sure, am soft and not hard-charging after the body-wrecking Uber Horse strategy. I may stink at this “sleep when your dead” mantra but after a shower I no longer smell.
Here is my hunting strategy for tomorrow since we got 4” of snow overnight which is melting slowly in town where is 34F but should be deeper at Daisy Pass with 1” more snow forecast in town. And, frozen solid along the 4 miles of road by sunrise.
My rented Ram 1500 4WD truck has questionable mud or snow performance due to having quiet road tires. If handles well then will drive beyond the pass as can glass a bit more as approach Lake Abundance.
I will glass at first light to spot a goat that is a mature billy or nanny or “prefer not to be labeled by society”, kill it with a single sub-400 yard shot then cape and de-bone the quarters, pack it out in two trips with some stumbling but never going on swan dive. It will be epic. Some of it may even be true. There, calling my shot.
Breakfast burritos? We ain't got no burritos! We don't need no burritos! I don't have to show you any stinking burritos!
sacountry
Well-known member
Harvest or no harvest, you've more than earned my respect.
LopeHunter
Well-known member
This autumn hunt safari has been one of the more interesting adventures of my life. The goat tag remains pristine with no notches along the sides. The season is still open. The pronghorn tag was punched and was a freak which was my goal.
I have returned to the Desert SW home for now. Flying to the NW home this weekend. Perhaps home for the season.
Yesterday was the first time since late September when I had showered twice in a 40 hour window. I am down 7% of my bodyweight. I still have some fluid in my lungs, likely from the altitude. No fever. I hurt in a lot of places and while I am old so usually hurt somewhere everyday the reality is that all those usual suspects began hurting together.
The wilderness attempt did not pan out though no regrets as that is truly a place to been seen! My gosh what country! I can see why ol' Teddy Roosevelt felt this ecosystem was too special to be covered up with ranches, roads and towns.
Oaky, my wilderness strategy did not end with a harvest. No biggie. Plan B was ready for prime time.
I figured the Cooke City region would be a chip shot for a nanny. I would spot a goat from the warm vehicle, hike 2 miles to Miller Mountain then climb 2000' feet or so, boom, pack out in two loads, easy peazy. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. And, have a nice warm hotel room to shower in and watch some football as thaw out after the hike.
Funny thing about Plan B. They do not always pan out. I got stuck twice in the road from Cooke City up towards Daisy Pass to glass for goats. This was with about 4" of snow on the ground. The first high-siding took me two hours to escape and 10 minutes later was stuck again for 20 minutes. Street tires do not do well on forest service roads with tilted corners at the switchbacks when the wind is drifting powder snow. A windshield scraper is not a great shovel, either. I glassed the rest of that day as snow fell, blew and cloud level sunk.
I never saw Miller Mountain but it is usually in view as glass to the west from this area. I was told Miller Mountain was going to treat me good. I was hopeful. I was in for a kick in the nards.
I checked the forecast for the next two days which was more snow then high winds. I realized I was likely to spend more time digging out the truck the next two days. Maybe I could hustle and find a local truck to borrow though certainly no rental agencies were around. Remember, there was not even a warm breakfast to be had in this off-season playground.
I had seen no vehicle tracks in the snow drifts on this road this morning and no one arrived to join me glassing. My tracks were drifted over now. Could be a long walk to the paved road if I charged up the mountain again. I bounced towards home two days before needed to do so. Hated the decision but I think was the correct one as did not know any locals to borrow a truck. Again, many of you could have wheeled and dealed or called a local buddy and got the tag punched.
Things I learned from this hunt, to date.
None of my gear let me down and some of the gear was fantastic.
The Kifaru gun bearer is just what I needed when scrambling up the steep stuff. I made one ascent where legs were toast so I ditched the backpack/gun bearer and I constantly was having the rifle sway and try to slip off my shoulder. My solution in the past was an Eberlestock X1 with the scabbard on the center of the backpack. Kifaru was a better solution, especially in grizzly territory.
The InReach Mini was amazing for letting family know I was okay and for getting weather forecasts. Worked well as long as not inside a canopy of trees.
Hilleberg Nallo 3 GT held up in some very high, sustained winds. I have used this tent over the years in August and in November for a decade. Condensation is not an issue with the double liner top and the vestibule is great for keeping gear out of the weather. I cry a bit thinking back to my youth camping trips in cool to cold weather using old "pup" tents.
Having a Uber Horse pack me in 11 miles into the wilderness allowed me fresher legs for the start of the actual hunt, better food options, luxury of a few more items of gear, and I was near fresh stream water and slept at 9500'.
Warm, dry weather makes for a comfortable hunt.
I did not focus on trying to identify approaching bears after the first hour of being solo. Or wolves or cougars. I avoided some timber patches but seeing fresh scat was just not that interesting after the first few piles. I kept a clean camp. I lived to see another day.
I put to bed the nagging idea I mentally wear out on tough hunts before I physically wear out. I have gotten tougher over the decades. I had a ways to go being the "baby" of the family but have consistently found I can get punched and jump right back up confident I am just about to win this deal. I was going mentally strong the entire time in the wilderness. I was slowing in how fast I could get up a ridge or through some nasty terrain but nothing stopped me. I just was not solving the riddle of where to locate goats consistently.
Switching gears to focus on the goats. I am befuddled by where the goats were and when they were in motion while I was there in the wilderness. Keep in mind I twice hunted roughly this very week with a billy harvested each time on my AK and CO hunts.
Goats were not on ledges. Was warmer than usual by 20F or so but there were shaded portions including ledges on the high ridges. I repeated a multi-hour hike where I reached a white mountainside facing the NE that had shade all day along with ice and snow from base to peak. There were no tracks up those snow fields. Zero. Nada. A lake nearby. Food. Shelter. I was and am stumped.
Yet, I found tracks on sunlit, dusty ridge tops at 10,000'+ that spilled over to mesas that sunk towards timber. I found tracks up there on top of my prior boot tracks! Perhaps the goats were in the timber to the west which was 3000' lower than the ridge tops. Perhaps were being nocturnal. Perhaps the goats were migrating. I never saw a goat in the same place on a second day, even the billy I bedded one evening.
I think a lot of you would have punched this tag up in the wilderness because you could have gone further, faster per hour to see more terrain and solved the puzzle which likely involved a hike to the south requiring a night away from the tent.
Or, you would have avoided the wilderness excursion entirely and driven your own truck with sensible tires up above Cooke City then glassed for the prior 9 days as the pronghorn hunt ended while I was being enthralled by wilderness opportunity which was amazing in so many ways.
So, I sit here with a tag lacking notches, my perfect goat harvest record of 2-0 at risk, and yet I am at peace. More than at peace. I am inspired.
"Bear" with me. I had a personal a-ha on this hunt. Nothing about hunting is discussed beyond this point so feel free to bail. This is a hunting forum, after all.
I have returned to the Desert SW home for now. Flying to the NW home this weekend. Perhaps home for the season.
Yesterday was the first time since late September when I had showered twice in a 40 hour window. I am down 7% of my bodyweight. I still have some fluid in my lungs, likely from the altitude. No fever. I hurt in a lot of places and while I am old so usually hurt somewhere everyday the reality is that all those usual suspects began hurting together.
The wilderness attempt did not pan out though no regrets as that is truly a place to been seen! My gosh what country! I can see why ol' Teddy Roosevelt felt this ecosystem was too special to be covered up with ranches, roads and towns.
Oaky, my wilderness strategy did not end with a harvest. No biggie. Plan B was ready for prime time.
I figured the Cooke City region would be a chip shot for a nanny. I would spot a goat from the warm vehicle, hike 2 miles to Miller Mountain then climb 2000' feet or so, boom, pack out in two loads, easy peazy. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. And, have a nice warm hotel room to shower in and watch some football as thaw out after the hike.
Funny thing about Plan B. They do not always pan out. I got stuck twice in the road from Cooke City up towards Daisy Pass to glass for goats. This was with about 4" of snow on the ground. The first high-siding took me two hours to escape and 10 minutes later was stuck again for 20 minutes. Street tires do not do well on forest service roads with tilted corners at the switchbacks when the wind is drifting powder snow. A windshield scraper is not a great shovel, either. I glassed the rest of that day as snow fell, blew and cloud level sunk.
I never saw Miller Mountain but it is usually in view as glass to the west from this area. I was told Miller Mountain was going to treat me good. I was hopeful. I was in for a kick in the nards.
I checked the forecast for the next two days which was more snow then high winds. I realized I was likely to spend more time digging out the truck the next two days. Maybe I could hustle and find a local truck to borrow though certainly no rental agencies were around. Remember, there was not even a warm breakfast to be had in this off-season playground.
I had seen no vehicle tracks in the snow drifts on this road this morning and no one arrived to join me glassing. My tracks were drifted over now. Could be a long walk to the paved road if I charged up the mountain again. I bounced towards home two days before needed to do so. Hated the decision but I think was the correct one as did not know any locals to borrow a truck. Again, many of you could have wheeled and dealed or called a local buddy and got the tag punched.
Things I learned from this hunt, to date.
None of my gear let me down and some of the gear was fantastic.
The Kifaru gun bearer is just what I needed when scrambling up the steep stuff. I made one ascent where legs were toast so I ditched the backpack/gun bearer and I constantly was having the rifle sway and try to slip off my shoulder. My solution in the past was an Eberlestock X1 with the scabbard on the center of the backpack. Kifaru was a better solution, especially in grizzly territory.
The InReach Mini was amazing for letting family know I was okay and for getting weather forecasts. Worked well as long as not inside a canopy of trees.
Hilleberg Nallo 3 GT held up in some very high, sustained winds. I have used this tent over the years in August and in November for a decade. Condensation is not an issue with the double liner top and the vestibule is great for keeping gear out of the weather. I cry a bit thinking back to my youth camping trips in cool to cold weather using old "pup" tents.
Having a Uber Horse pack me in 11 miles into the wilderness allowed me fresher legs for the start of the actual hunt, better food options, luxury of a few more items of gear, and I was near fresh stream water and slept at 9500'.
Warm, dry weather makes for a comfortable hunt.
I did not focus on trying to identify approaching bears after the first hour of being solo. Or wolves or cougars. I avoided some timber patches but seeing fresh scat was just not that interesting after the first few piles. I kept a clean camp. I lived to see another day.
I put to bed the nagging idea I mentally wear out on tough hunts before I physically wear out. I have gotten tougher over the decades. I had a ways to go being the "baby" of the family but have consistently found I can get punched and jump right back up confident I am just about to win this deal. I was going mentally strong the entire time in the wilderness. I was slowing in how fast I could get up a ridge or through some nasty terrain but nothing stopped me. I just was not solving the riddle of where to locate goats consistently.
Switching gears to focus on the goats. I am befuddled by where the goats were and when they were in motion while I was there in the wilderness. Keep in mind I twice hunted roughly this very week with a billy harvested each time on my AK and CO hunts.
Goats were not on ledges. Was warmer than usual by 20F or so but there were shaded portions including ledges on the high ridges. I repeated a multi-hour hike where I reached a white mountainside facing the NE that had shade all day along with ice and snow from base to peak. There were no tracks up those snow fields. Zero. Nada. A lake nearby. Food. Shelter. I was and am stumped.
Yet, I found tracks on sunlit, dusty ridge tops at 10,000'+ that spilled over to mesas that sunk towards timber. I found tracks up there on top of my prior boot tracks! Perhaps the goats were in the timber to the west which was 3000' lower than the ridge tops. Perhaps were being nocturnal. Perhaps the goats were migrating. I never saw a goat in the same place on a second day, even the billy I bedded one evening.
I think a lot of you would have punched this tag up in the wilderness because you could have gone further, faster per hour to see more terrain and solved the puzzle which likely involved a hike to the south requiring a night away from the tent.
Or, you would have avoided the wilderness excursion entirely and driven your own truck with sensible tires up above Cooke City then glassed for the prior 9 days as the pronghorn hunt ended while I was being enthralled by wilderness opportunity which was amazing in so many ways.
So, I sit here with a tag lacking notches, my perfect goat harvest record of 2-0 at risk, and yet I am at peace. More than at peace. I am inspired.
"Bear" with me. I had a personal a-ha on this hunt. Nothing about hunting is discussed beyond this point so feel free to bail. This is a hunting forum, after all.
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LopeHunter
Well-known member
As I mentioned, I had a personal a-ha on this hunt.
I downloaded podcasts prior to the hunt to listen to at night knowing I would not sleep for 10 or more hours while holed up in the tent waiting to head out the next morning. I generally sleep 6 hours. Podcasts were my strategy for filling the time at night or if got weathered inside the tent a day or more.
One podcast was powerful for me.
The discussion: What would your 12 year old self say to you if was standing there next to you right now?
In a lot of ways my 12 year old self wearing those hand-me-down clothes living in an area with gravel roads and some poverty would be high-fiving the crap out of my 60 year old hand.
I was the midwest farm kid who was a bookworm yet a decent athlete with some leadership skills that eventually married the blonde California surfer girl with a great career. I earned a college degree with honors then got into a top school to get the first grad degree in my extended family. I have the right hunting gear to hunt anywhere and anything in North America. Have hunted most of the states in the West. Two dozen animal heads on the wall including ewe sheep, goat, moose, pronghorn, whitetail, mule, Coues and alligator. I have harvested with bow, muzzleloader and rifle.
Have two homes. No debt. Retirement funds. Tesla. Heated pool. Worked for NBA team. Shook hands with two Presidents plus Senators and other power players. Babysat security one summer at an arena so interacted with numerous rock stars and bands and their road managers then. Ran a company with 200 employees. Worked for a VC to identify investment opportunities.
Been to several great cities in Europe with my passport pages are populated with stampings from numerous countries. Been in a submarine, a helicopter, super cub landing next to a glacier, on horses miles from where the dirt road ends and now have solo camped in grizzly country.
Impressive stuff indeed to a 12 year old rural kid that had only set foot in 5 states and grew up plinking at rabbits and squirrels plus summer vacations were typically driving to a relative's home a few counties away to sleep on the floor and catch lightning bugs.
Not so impressive to the 12 year old are a few things in my life. "Dude, you got fat!" Yep, I mean fat is a harsh word but plump for sure.
And the low-lights continue. I initially was married to the local farm girl though we got divorced. First and only divorce in my extended family. We had two sons by then and I moved half a continent away seeing my sons summers and alternating holidays.
I don't live down the road from my family today and hunt rabbits with them each winter. I have not hunted with either brother for over a decade where we each had a license in our pocket. I have not been back home for Christmas in 25 years.
I send postcards when I travel for an adventure and some of those on my mail list have not been with me in the same room in over a decade. These are not casual acquaintances but rather people that once were about as close as family.
Fair enough, those are certainly low-lights. I consciously made dozens of selfish choices. I did not wander through life.
The family has not plunged into despair or failure. My offspring are each successful adults with careers and families. My siblings are successful. Perhaps in spite of me rather than because of me, everything worked out for each of us to forge our path in life. I just have been distant both by miles and engagement.
Okay, whatever, we all have a few regrets and most of those around us do not see all the bits that fall to the cutting room floor for the most part. They see the highlight reel and is pretty, pretty good.
That leads me to the final part of the podcast. What would the version of you 12 years older than you are now, in my case that would be 72, say about how I navigated these upcoming 12 years?
With the clarity of sleeping at 9500' feet and not being blasted by distraction, I can say with confidence that running out the clock the next 12 years was my path. I would be doing next month what I was doing last month. That is not the answer the 72 year old me would be happy to hear.
I can't justify to my 72 year old self to spend 12 more years living mostly away from family and my wife. Perhaps live away from family but not the wife. I recall my father at 60 helping us remodel a home using power tools for 10 hours a day. By 75, he was not steady on his feet and now at 90 is on forced oxygen part of the day. I have choices to make or will find choices disappear by time passing. 40 to 60 did not seem as dramatic as my upcoming journey of 60 to 80.
I see two paths the next decade or so. Path 1 is I transition from the NW to the SW and be close to half of the grandkids plus will quadruple the nights spent with my wife. Path 2 is I head to Spain with my wife for the next 5 to 10 years.
Path 1 allows me to continue to build wealth although perhaps not with my current employer. I sell things so in any event can start a side hustle to keep making money. I can help with the grandkids when the parents need a break. I can simply interact and shape the grandkids which I do now though only a few times a year.
Path 2 would allow me to see dozens more cities in Europe with my wife and visit acquaintances which live there. We would need to live frugally other than regionally travel which we can do. This would not be a multi-year vacation but rather our new home with all the issues having a home involves plus being in a less familiar culture. Stressful. We can handle that reality.
While I would enjoy the heck out of Path 2 and can really accept missing the deaths/funerals of my elderly family members plus missing milestones involving the grandkids, I do not think me at 72 would agree the Spain option was the better choice. I can see being 72 and returning to the States to discover the grandkids are too old to care much about meeting their elderly grandparents they never saw growing up other than through Zoom calls.
I had an amazing journey. Saw so many amazing scenes. Found some clarity.
Well, there may be updates to this, maybe not. Rest assured that I am a better person for the 3,291 mile road trip spanning 16 days that was pronghorn/goat adventure 2020. I got some things to work on now.
I downloaded podcasts prior to the hunt to listen to at night knowing I would not sleep for 10 or more hours while holed up in the tent waiting to head out the next morning. I generally sleep 6 hours. Podcasts were my strategy for filling the time at night or if got weathered inside the tent a day or more.
One podcast was powerful for me.
The discussion: What would your 12 year old self say to you if was standing there next to you right now?
In a lot of ways my 12 year old self wearing those hand-me-down clothes living in an area with gravel roads and some poverty would be high-fiving the crap out of my 60 year old hand.
I was the midwest farm kid who was a bookworm yet a decent athlete with some leadership skills that eventually married the blonde California surfer girl with a great career. I earned a college degree with honors then got into a top school to get the first grad degree in my extended family. I have the right hunting gear to hunt anywhere and anything in North America. Have hunted most of the states in the West. Two dozen animal heads on the wall including ewe sheep, goat, moose, pronghorn, whitetail, mule, Coues and alligator. I have harvested with bow, muzzleloader and rifle.
Have two homes. No debt. Retirement funds. Tesla. Heated pool. Worked for NBA team. Shook hands with two Presidents plus Senators and other power players. Babysat security one summer at an arena so interacted with numerous rock stars and bands and their road managers then. Ran a company with 200 employees. Worked for a VC to identify investment opportunities.
Been to several great cities in Europe with my passport pages are populated with stampings from numerous countries. Been in a submarine, a helicopter, super cub landing next to a glacier, on horses miles from where the dirt road ends and now have solo camped in grizzly country.
Impressive stuff indeed to a 12 year old rural kid that had only set foot in 5 states and grew up plinking at rabbits and squirrels plus summer vacations were typically driving to a relative's home a few counties away to sleep on the floor and catch lightning bugs.
Not so impressive to the 12 year old are a few things in my life. "Dude, you got fat!" Yep, I mean fat is a harsh word but plump for sure.
And the low-lights continue. I initially was married to the local farm girl though we got divorced. First and only divorce in my extended family. We had two sons by then and I moved half a continent away seeing my sons summers and alternating holidays.
I don't live down the road from my family today and hunt rabbits with them each winter. I have not hunted with either brother for over a decade where we each had a license in our pocket. I have not been back home for Christmas in 25 years.
I send postcards when I travel for an adventure and some of those on my mail list have not been with me in the same room in over a decade. These are not casual acquaintances but rather people that once were about as close as family.
Fair enough, those are certainly low-lights. I consciously made dozens of selfish choices. I did not wander through life.
The family has not plunged into despair or failure. My offspring are each successful adults with careers and families. My siblings are successful. Perhaps in spite of me rather than because of me, everything worked out for each of us to forge our path in life. I just have been distant both by miles and engagement.
Okay, whatever, we all have a few regrets and most of those around us do not see all the bits that fall to the cutting room floor for the most part. They see the highlight reel and is pretty, pretty good.
That leads me to the final part of the podcast. What would the version of you 12 years older than you are now, in my case that would be 72, say about how I navigated these upcoming 12 years?
With the clarity of sleeping at 9500' feet and not being blasted by distraction, I can say with confidence that running out the clock the next 12 years was my path. I would be doing next month what I was doing last month. That is not the answer the 72 year old me would be happy to hear.
I can't justify to my 72 year old self to spend 12 more years living mostly away from family and my wife. Perhaps live away from family but not the wife. I recall my father at 60 helping us remodel a home using power tools for 10 hours a day. By 75, he was not steady on his feet and now at 90 is on forced oxygen part of the day. I have choices to make or will find choices disappear by time passing. 40 to 60 did not seem as dramatic as my upcoming journey of 60 to 80.
I see two paths the next decade or so. Path 1 is I transition from the NW to the SW and be close to half of the grandkids plus will quadruple the nights spent with my wife. Path 2 is I head to Spain with my wife for the next 5 to 10 years.
Path 1 allows me to continue to build wealth although perhaps not with my current employer. I sell things so in any event can start a side hustle to keep making money. I can help with the grandkids when the parents need a break. I can simply interact and shape the grandkids which I do now though only a few times a year.
Path 2 would allow me to see dozens more cities in Europe with my wife and visit acquaintances which live there. We would need to live frugally other than regionally travel which we can do. This would not be a multi-year vacation but rather our new home with all the issues having a home involves plus being in a less familiar culture. Stressful. We can handle that reality.
While I would enjoy the heck out of Path 2 and can really accept missing the deaths/funerals of my elderly family members plus missing milestones involving the grandkids, I do not think me at 72 would agree the Spain option was the better choice. I can see being 72 and returning to the States to discover the grandkids are too old to care much about meeting their elderly grandparents they never saw growing up other than through Zoom calls.
I had an amazing journey. Saw so many amazing scenes. Found some clarity.
Well, there may be updates to this, maybe not. Rest assured that I am a better person for the 3,291 mile road trip spanning 16 days that was pronghorn/goat adventure 2020. I got some things to work on now.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
Didn’t read your posts but all I can say is basically the same I said to that mdunc guy years ago. When he said he wanted to give up and hunt some antelope and cow elk instead because he was sore, missed his wife, and was afraid of the bears.
It’s like Oct 15th. PRIME goat hunt time.
You’ve got a permit.
There’s a hundred guys that would chop off their left nut to have that tomorrow and go for it.
GO BACK!
It’s like Oct 15th. PRIME goat hunt time.
You’ve got a permit.
There’s a hundred guys that would chop off their left nut to have that tomorrow and go for it.
GO BACK!
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
You’re just gonna be older next year and the years after that
rmyoung1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 2,409
Sounds like the solitude produced some quality soul-searching time. I don’t think you’ll regret investing in your family. Sounds like you have a lot to look forward to in that arena. Enjoy those next 12 years! 
mdunc8
Well-known member
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The Hedgehog
Well-known member
Superbad is one of my favorite movies ever! Hope you’re well. A goat on the wall isn’t that big of a deal. And the meat sucks.
