MT Mountain Goat Update

[thecrittergitter]

Well, as many may remember, I'm holding the tag to a montana mountain goat in my pocket...........and still am. But did want to throw out an update that I made my first attempt at finding the big billy I named "stacker" this summer. Seems as though not much went right for me on this trip at all: huge storm rolls in day before we leave, boots leaked water, got crushed in the back of the head by a large tree branch that fell from about 9 feet in the air, melted my jetboil the first meal in camp, and worst of all, messed up my knees bad enough that I barely made it out of the mountains. And in fact, without my trekking poles, physically could not walk out. This concerns me greatly when I have the potential for a dream season in front of me. Been a few days, still in a pretty fair amount of pain. Crappy deal.

Really about the only thing that went well was spending a weekend with some great guys that I can't thank enough for spending their time in less than ideal conditions with very low probabilty of success.

It was a very chilly 5.5 mile hike in to get to the base where we would set up our "Mountain HIlton Camp"

 

[Carnage2011]

Hopefully you can get healed up!! Can't wait to see pics of a monster billy.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Hiking was pretty chilly on tops of the ridges but you sure won't see much neater country than goat country!

 

[thecrittergitter]

Wtf!!???

 

[thecrittergitter]

Then we actually found a couple goats. We decided to make a play on them as one looked like it needed a closer look. Also, the goat was noticably wounded and couldn't use one of his front legs.....

I made the comment on the way up........geez, who couldn't track down and kill a 3 legged billy goat. Well, me I guess

 

[npaden]

I knew those Big Agnes Fly Creek tents were light!

 

[thecrittergitter]

It turned out, the wound you can see on that goat is a shot by another hunter. Amazing animals how tough they are.

This wasn't the goat I was after but due to the pain of my knees and not knowing how the rest of the season would go, plus the goats substantial injury from another hunter, plus the fact that he was still a real nice goat, I was going to take this one down. Well, after a painful two hour stalk to get in range, we found that sucker had walked out on a ledge which made him untouchable. BUMMER!

Thats how goat hunting is though. For a day and half, that goat was in a killable spot. The minute we hike all the way up to get him, he decides to go cliff hanging....nothing we could do but head out. Thanks for my partners for not leaving up hobbled up 6 miles in, crippled up, with the grizzly bearsLOL

Crossing my fingers this isn't a season ender.........

 

[vander34]

Beautiful country for sure! Sorry to hear about the injuries sure hope for a quick recovery to you!! Looking forward to pics of your billy and moose!

 

[hardscrabble]

Get on high strength glucosamine & go get your goat.

 

[hk_willow]

Speedy recovery wished upon you! Keep after them if you can, early snow has a lot of us goaters concerned about some of those goats. I did see a 10" billy come from the crazies with some awesome glands. Great bases, and hope you are rewarded with an awesome trophy!

 

[Redwood]

I feel your pain brother. My buddy and I had a tough go last weekend, at least your on goats. Everything seems stacked against me to fill my goat tag. I take off next wed and will hunt thru the weekend. Sacrifice for reward is my motto this year. Keep after'em. Put heat to your knee, an old sock full of rice for a few minutes in the mic will do the trick.

 

[TheJason]

Tendonitis in the knees?

Looks cold, good luck! Should have good coats by now.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Hammered my IT band Joint connection and flared up the poplitius......been getting massages every day and ice baths twice a day.........sucky.

By the way, has anyone ever tried a "medical massage"? If you hate someone, you should reccommend it to them. I literally have never had that much pain that I can recall.

 

[TheJason]

Massaging a flared up IT band can make a tough guy pee his pants.

 

[recon6036]

Great photos Critter. I hope your knees heel fast so you can get back at it!

 

[rmyoung1]

Best of luck, critter. Hope you can get back at it soon. I'm waiting for my tag in that area. I've caught a lot of small brookies out of that frozen lake in your photo, but no goat tag yet.

 

[L. I. Yankee]

C mon Critter...dont give up....tags like the ones your holdin dont come around ofter...Great write ups and keep them commin...with a hero shot next time.....

 

[elk_hunter]

Ouch. Brrrrr. Ouch. Sorry man, that really sucks! Hope you recover quickly and those awesome massages work!

 

[Hem]

You know what Greenhorn would say.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I hope you can get over this knee issues and get back out there. You have a heck of a season shaping up!