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Opportunity Knocks

B&CTom

Active member
Joined
Nov 3, 2024
Messages
44
Location
God's Country (Montana)
The 2024 hunting season is winding down in Montana, and my priorities are shifting back to being a more frequent participant in the daily life in our household. With that change looming, I find myself reflecting back on the past year. And grateful for such a loving and understanding wife!

As I mentioned in my introductory post a few weeks back, I was familiar with Hunt Talk long before I joined. I would find myself researching an area or a license/permit, and inevitably Hunt Talk would be one of the top results from my searches. Admittedly, I was able to gain information by scanning through threads on occasion. What always kept me from joining and participating, especially asking questions or for advice, was feeling like I didn’t want to be that guy who was asking for help or information after I drew a permit. I guess I wanted to prove myself worthy of being a part of a community of hunters I envied and respected before I ever considered seeking advice or information from them. That’s a burden I put on myself, and doesn’t reflect on the guys and gals that might be reading this post.

I can’t say I’m lucky in the draws, and I only apply in Montana, but I have drawn a few permits. Besides a mountain lion license in 2010, which led to a life-size mount and an incredible trophy, I also drew a moose permit in 2015. I still felt the urge to bellyache once in a while when my applications didn’t yield results. However, after drawing a mountain goat license this year, and now being someone who has drawn 2 of the big 3 in Montana, I won’t be complaining any further.

I put my nose to the grindstone and gathered information anywhere I could early on in the goat hunting process. I drove for hours back and forth between Northwest and Southwest Montana to scout the area, and I loved every bit of it! I hike a lot in the summer anyway, and have covered a good portion of the local area where I live, but now I had an excuse and opportunity to hike new areas! And boy did I put on the miles! I enjoyed it so much that I fully intend to return to Southwest Montana next summer to explore some of the areas I didn’t get to in my scouting. I was seeing goats and a plethora of wildlife, getting in shape, and meeting lots of kind folks who enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.
tempImageYAnGsK.jpgtempImageT0Sv2D.jpg
Along the way I had a couple of complete strangers share valuable information and experiences related to goat hunting in the area I’d drawn. One of which stressed to me to “enjoy the hell out of it.” I needed to hear that, because I stressed over details, like wondering about whether I should go early, or hold out until the goats were “haired up.” I worried about weather, and access, and safety, and on & on. This same gentleman, having taken a goat himself and also taking one with his wife, told me those decisions were mine alone to make, and assured me not to concern myself with what others might think. The tag and the experience were mine. He stressed to me to get the most out of it I could, because goat hunting is incredibly unique and likely a once in a lifetime opportunity.

When the time came, I hunted with my son. We scouted the day we arrived, and found a few goats. We also found some trailheads I wasn’t able to explore, due to the road being closed for maintenance and bridge repairs. The next day, we hunted hard and flat wore ourselves out. We met another goat hunter, and being a Saturday, there were a bunch of guys out chasing elk, too. We didn’t see much for goats, other than a billy another hunter was interested in, a single goat and a nanny with a kid. We knew they were there though, and that we would have more opportunities once the weekend ended. I decided the best course of action was to take Sunday off, watch some football, barbecue and relax. This would help our bodies recuperate for a harder push Monday, and keep our spirits high. It was the right decision.

We set out in the dark Monday morning, and hiked about 5 miles in before spotting the first goat, which promptly crested the ridge and disappeared. I didn’t really want any part of going up there to look closer, but my son said, “we’re goat hunting, aren’t we?” When I acknowledged we were, he said, “well, that was a goat, and I suggest we climb up there and get a closer look.” We didn’t have anything else going on, and it would afford us a new vantage point if nothing else, so up we went.

Halfway, we found what actually turned out to be a pretty nice billy, about 225 yards away. I passed on him, knowing we could find him again if we needed to. I was interested in a billy I had seen in August, in this same general area. On our way to the crest of the ridge, we saw another billy about a half mile away, lumbering up an open ridge and out of sight. It is incredible how methodically and easily mountain goats cover terrain!

Gaining the top, we discovered our original goat was a lone nanny. We ate an early lunch, and glassed the basin. We saw another 15 goats to the east, about a mile away. The original plan was to hunt closer to that peak anyway, so we started off again. There was a basin to the South of the 15 goats that held the nice billy I’d seen earlier while scouting. This route would put us on a spine between those two basins, so we could keep tabs on the 15 and scan the other basin simultaneously.

Once we gained the ridgetop, and covered approximately 300 yards, we spotted another 8 mountain goats up high, which were slowly cresting the ridge and dropping into an adjacent basin. Down and to our right, there were 10 goats. 2 adults were feeding below a cliff band, and one was clearly a nanny. The rest were either bedded, or making their way up a chute to bed above the cliff band.

A quick scan with binoculars suggested we should take a closer look at the other goat below the cliff band. We covered another quarter mile and set up the spotting scope, and we were sure the other goat was a billy. Possibly a nice one. We moved another couple hundred yards along the ridge top, where I set up the spotting scope one last time. I wanted to be sure the billy was one I’d be interested in before I committed to dropping down into the basin. From approximately ½ mile away we confirmed it was a good billy and warranted closer attention. So, off we went.
tempImageygvT0q.jpgThrough the spotter
Getting down into the basin, and in position for a closer look, was just one of those things that worked out perfectly. Before we knew it, we’d dropped 600 feet in elevation and closed the distance to under 300 yards. We wasted no time assessing the billy, shedding packs and setting up for the shot. I ranged the goat at 264 yards, anchored my rifle on a huge rock, and made a perfect shot. It was surreal to see the other goats come to the ledge above the cliff band, and look down on us and the fallen billy. I’ve hunted a long time, and I’ve had some great opportunities. Not a lot excites me that much anymore, but trust me, I was as excited as I’ve ever been after that shot! We put all of our gear to good use, breaking the billy down and getting him out to the trailhead right at dark. Just like that, the hunt of a lifetime was over.
that kid.jpgtempImageUxwsSZ.jpg
My son and I were very happy with the billy we were blessed with. He will always be a trophy in our eyes, and something I'm extremely grateful for. We were, however, very surprised when we checked him in the next day to find he was a solid 9 ½” billy! I truly didn’t realize he was that nice!
condensed harvest.jpg
It wouldn’t take any convincing to get me to go on a mountain goat hunt again. Incredible experience and challenge! The greatest reward would be to return the favor and help my son pack out his own goat one of these days! Regardless of whether that happens or not, the memories we made on this hunt will be with us forever, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything!
 
The 2024 hunting season is winding down in Montana, and my priorities are shifting back to being a more frequent participant in the daily life in our household. With that change looming, I find myself reflecting back on the past year. And grateful for such a loving and understanding wife!

As I mentioned in my introductory post a few weeks back, I was familiar with Hunt Talk long before I joined. I would find myself researching an area or a license/permit, and inevitably Hunt Talk would be one of the top results from my searches. Admittedly, I was able to gain information by scanning through threads on occasion. What always kept me from joining and participating, especially asking questions or for advice, was feeling like I didn’t want to be that guy who was asking for help or information after I drew a permit. I guess I wanted to prove myself worthy of being a part of a community of hunters I envied and respected before I ever considered seeking advice or information from them. That’s a burden I put on myself, and doesn’t reflect on the guys and gals that might be reading this post.

I can’t say I’m lucky in the draws, and I only apply in Montana, but I have drawn a few permits. Besides a mountain lion license in 2010, which led to a life-size mount and an incredible trophy, I also drew a moose permit in 2015. I still felt the urge to bellyache once in a while when my applications didn’t yield results. However, after drawing a mountain goat license this year, and now being someone who has drawn 2 of the big 3 in Montana, I won’t be complaining any further.

I put my nose to the grindstone and gathered information anywhere I could early on in the goat hunting process. I drove for hours back and forth between Northwest and Southwest Montana to scout the area, and I loved every bit of it! I hike a lot in the summer anyway, and have covered a good portion of the local area where I live, but now I had an excuse and opportunity to hike new areas! And boy did I put on the miles! I enjoyed it so much that I fully intend to return to Southwest Montana next summer to explore some of the areas I didn’t get to in my scouting. I was seeing goats and a plethora of wildlife, getting in shape, and meeting lots of kind folks who enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.
View attachment 350229View attachment 350246
Along the way I had a couple of complete strangers share valuable information and experiences related to goat hunting in the area I’d drawn. One of which stressed to me to “enjoy the hell out of it.” I needed to hear that, because I stressed over details, like wondering about whether I should go early, or hold out until the goats were “haired up.” I worried about weather, and access, and safety, and on & on. This same gentleman, having taken a goat himself and also taking one with his wife, told me those decisions were mine alone to make, and assured me not to concern myself with what others might think. The tag and the experience were mine. He stressed to me to get the most out of it I could, because goat hunting is incredibly unique and likely a once in a lifetime opportunity.

When the time came, I hunted with my son. We scouted the day we arrived, and found a few goats. We also found some trailheads I wasn’t able to explore, due to the road being closed for maintenance and bridge repairs. The next day, we hunted hard and flat wore ourselves out. We met another goat hunter, and being a Saturday, there were a bunch of guys out chasing elk, too. We didn’t see much for goats, other than a billy another hunter was interested in, a single goat and a nanny with a kid. We knew they were there though, and that we would have more opportunities once the weekend ended. I decided the best course of action was to take Sunday off, watch some football, barbecue and relax. This would help our bodies recuperate for a harder push Monday, and keep our spirits high. It was the right decision.

We set out in the dark Monday morning, and hiked about 5 miles in before spotting the first goat, which promptly crested the ridge and disappeared. I didn’t really want any part of going up there to look closer, but my son said, “we’re goat hunting, aren’t we?” When I acknowledged we were, he said, “well, that was a goat, and I suggest we climb up there and get a closer look.” We didn’t have anything else going on, and it would afford us a new vantage point if nothing else, so up we went.

Halfway, we found what actually turned out to be a pretty nice billy, about 225 yards away. I passed on him, knowing we could find him again if we needed to. I was interested in a billy I had seen in August, in this same general area. On our way to the crest of the ridge, we saw another billy about a half mile away, lumbering up an open ridge and out of sight. It is incredible how methodically and easily mountain goats cover terrain!

Gaining the top, we discovered our original goat was a lone nanny. We ate an early lunch, and glassed the basin. We saw another 15 goats to the east, about a mile away. The original plan was to hunt closer to that peak anyway, so we started off again. There was a basin to the South of the 15 goats that held the nice billy I’d seen earlier while scouting. This route would put us on a spine between those two basins, so we could keep tabs on the 15 and scan the other basin simultaneously.

Once we gained the ridgetop, and covered approximately 300 yards, we spotted another 8 mountain goats up high, which were slowly cresting the ridge and dropping into an adjacent basin. Down and to our right, there were 10 goats. 2 adults were feeding below a cliff band, and one was clearly a nanny. The rest were either bedded, or making their way up a chute to bed above the cliff band.

A quick scan with binoculars suggested we should take a closer look at the other goat below the cliff band. We covered another quarter mile and set up the spotting scope, and we were sure the other goat was a billy. Possibly a nice one. We moved another couple hundred yards along the ridge top, where I set up the spotting scope one last time. I wanted to be sure the billy was one I’d be interested in before I committed to dropping down into the basin. From approximately ½ mile away we confirmed it was a good billy and warranted closer attention. So, off we went.
View attachment 350241Through the spotter
Getting down into the basin, and in position for a closer look, was just one of those things that worked out perfectly. Before we knew it, we’d dropped 600 feet in elevation and closed the distance to under 300 yards. We wasted no time assessing the billy, shedding packs and setting up for the shot. I ranged the goat at 264 yards, anchored my rifle on a huge rock, and made a perfect shot. It was surreal to see the other goats come to the ledge above the cliff band, and look down on us and the fallen billy. I’ve hunted a long time, and I’ve had some great opportunities. Not a lot excites me that much anymore, but trust me, I was as excited as I’ve ever been after that shot! We put all of our gear to good use, breaking the billy down and getting him out to the trailhead right at dark. Just like that, the hunt of a lifetime was over.
View attachment 350242View attachment 350243
My son and I were very happy with the billy we were blessed with. He will always be a trophy in our eyes, and something I'm extremely grateful for. We were, however, very surprised when we checked him in the next day to find he was a solid 9 ½” billy! I truly didn’t realize he was that nice!
View attachment 350245
It wouldn’t take any convincing to get me to go on a mountain goat hunt again. Incredible experience and challenge! The greatest reward would be to return the favor and help my son pack out his own goat one of these days! Regardless of whether that happens or not, the memories we made on this hunt will be with us forever, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything!
Congrats on the goat! It's certainly a surreal feeling actually looking at one through your rifle scope knowing you're allowed to pull the trigger (at least it was for me).
 

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