Ovis' 2008 Kodiak Goat Hunt

[Ovis]

Returned to the 'Muthaland' last week for my much anticipated trip to Kodiak for goats. Was my first time to Kodiak and definitely will not be my last.

Before jumping into the details of the hunt, some random thoughts...

1) TBinKodiak is a good dude. Second time meeting him (the first was in Cordova a few years ago) and I gotta say he was very helpful with helping me and my buds get the most out of Kodiak. He was even so kind to let me use his house as a staging area for all my new hunting gear. Thanks TB!

2) About this new hunting gear. Last year a member on the forums recommended I retire some of my old gear, particularly my fleece jacket. So this year, several weeks before my departure, I ordered a new jacket and hat from moosejaw.com, along with some other gear. Needless to say, my jacket and hat did not arrive to my house until several hours after I departed for Alaska. Frustrated, I called the good people at moosejaw and informed them of my lack of satisfaction. They in turn told me they could have my clothing in Kodiak by the time I made it there. Skeptical, I gave them TB's address figuring I had nothing to lose at this point. Made it into Anchorage later that day thinking there wasn't a chance my clothing would be in Kodiak for me, I ran into REI and purchased a new jacket and hat. TB calls me later that evening...my stuff had arrived. I now had over $500 worth of jackets and hats strewn across the country. If you're wondering, I kept the jacket from REI and sent the others back. Jose, I went through great strides to change up my clothing apparel for you this year...I hope you notice.

3) Jake Jefferson is somewhat of a Kodiak celebrity. You can't go into too many places on the island and not see his mug squatting over a dead critter. Mack's, ADF&G, McDonald's etc, etc....

So on with the good stuff....

I team up with two of my good friends, Ben and Greg. Some of you might remember Greg from a sheep hunt I did with him several years ago (2003ish). He took a small full curl ram (34") in the Chugachs, but before we could make it off the mountain, his horns mysteriously came up missing. To this day we believe they were taken by a guide, but have never been able to prove it. Ben joined me last year on my Delta sheep hunt. He called me up several months ago wanting to play sherpa again this year. I told him Greg and I had drawn goat tags and he was more than welcome to join me again this year. How could he say no...

24 Sept

Arrive into Kodiak early that morning. Get picked up several hours later by Seahawk Air. They shuttle us around to a few places for tags and last minute items to take into the field. The stomachs are growling at this point, so we make way to "Kings" Cafe. We enjoy a very nice breakfast...I highly recommend the biscuits and gravy. TB shows up for some mud and delivers my moosejaw parcel. Behold, a jacket and hat, but it isn't the one I order...figures. TB chats with us a bit and then heads off to work. Our driver returns for us and we make way for the Seahawk office.

The news is grim, the ceiling is low and we are number two in line to fly out. The lake I have planned this entire hunt around is free of ice, but visibility could prevent us from getting into the lake. Should know more once Rolan gets in with the plane. Greg, Ben and I start coming up with other ideas to salvage a goat and/or deer hunt. Rolan shows a half hour later, he can get us in. As he flies out the party before us, we change out of street clothes and into the hunting duds. I look good in my new jacket and hat. Jose will notice.

SEAHAWK AIR

Me, sporting my...NICE JACKET

Ben showing off his...NICE HAT

Greg, impressed by the...NICE INSTRUMENTS

 

[T Bone]

NICE jacket, hat, instruments, and pictures.

Proceed please.

 

[Muleyslyr]

Yes proceed please......

Jacket looks like a Columbia maybe??

 

[JoseCuervo]

Damn!!!! That is a flippin' nice jacket. I am tempted to head over to REI and get one..... Picture to be posted if I do....

 

[The Hedgehog]

does the jacket come in men's sizes and colors?

 

[schmalts]

Nice beaver

 

[Moosie]

Dalliwacker, I hope you're kidding about the Jacket. You found that and didn't actually "PAY" for that thing... right ?

I 2nd that TBK is top knotch !! Now, Carry on with your story and Pics Bizznach !!

 

[noharleyyet]

I think Blake has a jacket like that.

 

[elk_hunter]

Ovis, you tease!!! Finish the story and pics ya bastage!

 

[Ovis]

24 Sept continued...

The drive to the lake takes thirty minutes. The season has brought a kaleidoscope of colors to the island. Cruising through the valleys the mountain sides are peppered with goats. Most, if not all of them are shivering in their pantaloons...they fear us.

Our lake is nestled on a shelf slightly below 2K'. Rolan dumps us off and he is on his way. The guys and I reorganize gear, squeeze a few rounds off our rifles and hit the ground running.

Fifteen minutes into our three mile hike to the sub-unit boundaries I spot our first bear waddling through the alders below. Within moments he flushes two blacktail doe out of the thicket. I grab the digital recorder and capture the chase.

We continue on through the light mist. We establish our first camp as nightfall embraces the island. We grab a light meal and turn in for the night.

25 Sept

None of us are early to rise. When we do brush the sleep from our eyes we are welcomed by a low ceiling and more liquid sunshine. The coffee drinker sips his mud and we begin to break camp. On our way again, today's walk will be a short, but steep and slippery hike down off the mountain and into the valley. We keep a tally on the number of spills we take down the slope. I win with a final count of four. There would of been more, but fortunately there was deep rooted berry brush to hang onto before totally losing my balance. Unfortunately, I should of used my leather gloves.

We level back out onto flat land. The only thing separating us from losing the load out of our packs and building camp is one of two streams that cut through the valley. I strip off my boots and socks, lob them across to the other side and wade through the frigid water. My buddy Ben is quite the outdoorsman, but his one slowdown is water. His eyesight is far from perfect, even with glasses and he has a heck of a time determining the depth of water. Video to be posted later, but his stream crossing was very comical.

Our tootsies dried off and boots laced back up we set out to find camp. We find a perfect little spot in the open with a few alders nearby. We stake down the tents and string a tarp up in the alders.

We spend the rest of the afternoon glassing goats, scoping out the other creek and simply taking it easy.

26 Sept

All of us on this trip are making up for lost sleep. Once again, we are slow to rise. It is raining harder today. There is a steady stream of clouds moving through the valley. Visibility is not perfect, but it is huntable. Knowing conditions could get worse before they get better, we discuss the stalk and set out. Ideally, I would have liked to climb up one mountain for two goats (two tag holders), but based on visibility, the location of the goats and what I thought were and were not mature billies it wasn't going to work out this day. The target we predict is only a two hour climb. We navigate back up onto the rocks which overlook us.

 

[Moosie]

DUDE........... It's like the TV Series 24, You're happy when the next weeks continuation comes but with that you would know the ending that day !!!!

BOOOOYAH BABY!!! Continue when you have time..........

 

[schmalts]

Just show the picture dude... Miller will kill his goat 2 weeks later than you and and we will get to see it a week sooner

 

[Ovis]

The climb up is not bad. A few slick spots to keep it interesting and a few snow slides which were questionable to pass over. We cap out and Greg notices one of the goats. He is 600 yards away and has us spotted. I throw my noculars up at him...he is the smaller of the two. He flees from danger and makes his way into the crags.

Our goat hasn't a clue. He is at least 800 yards in trail from the other and can't see him nor us. We close the distance to 300 yards.

Who gets to take the shot? Hmmm....it always comes to this. As discussed prior to the hunt, the first to spot it has first shot. Heyyy, that would be me. Yeah for me. I forfeit the shot to Greg. I have a beautiful goat from 2002. This one is nice, but not as nice as my previous. Greg, questioning my generosity (I also let him kill a ram in 2003 that I passed on) tried to talk me into taking it. I tell him if he continues to pussyfoot, I will. He sets up. I set the video camera up. Ben hand signals to me if I want him to video the kill. If any of you remember the ram I shot last year, Ben was the man behind the camera. His hands were far from steady. I laugh at him and flip him the finger. I also feed a round into my chamber. Greg and I have agreed if the goat starts to make his way down the edge I am to back him up. Greg is set, tape is rolling and I have a steady rest with my rifle...Jim is set, Ben observes through his binos...he is set.

The carnage begins...Greg squeezes off the trigger six times, yes six times. He is shooting a 300 WSM and this goat is sucking up the rounds like a sponge. I offer to shoot, he tells me to stand down. I do. His hits are solid, I reassure him they are good hits. He can't believe the resiliency of these animals. Finally before sending the sixth shot down range, he tells me he is going to spine him. He does...sleep tight Mr. Goat.

Greg and I backtrack a 1000 yards to our packs. Ben will wait for us. I'm paying him to be my sherpa and master woodsman. I don't believe I am getting my moneys worth. Why isn't he getting my pack? We return and the three of us climb and sidehill around to the deceased one.

On the way we pass between many many years of solid snow pack and the walls of the mountain. The snow pack must be 30 feet high. I've dropped a few pounds in the past months (158 now) and I squeeze between the two...Greg struggles. Maybe it was the biscuits and gravy at King's a few days prior that packed the weight on his ass.

We make it to the downed animal. He is a nice one. Greg thinks he is 10". Ben offers to lend Greg 10". That's how I know they are both gay. I pull out my tape...9 5/8 on the long, bases are 5 4/8. Great goat...hair quality at first glance is average. He will likely clean up nicely, but for now he looks like a wet matted up dog.

We take pics and get to cutting. We recover one Barnes X. The goat yields about 70 pounds. Darkness is upon us and the clouds keep building up on us. Time to get off the mountain. I volunteer to take a load of meat. Ben offers to take my sleeping bag. I take it everywhere I go in the event of an emergency. I also keep it wrapped in a contractor's bag to keep it dry. It is the only trash bag I brought...the boy's forgot to bring theirs. I don't like to put bloody game bags directly into my pack. I prefer to transport them in the contractor's bags. Dilemma time...Ben assures me my sleeping bag will stay dry in his pack. I give it to him. I help Greg with his pack. Haha...wet cape (with skull), front shoulder meat and the straps were a little heavier than he thought...time to man up Greg! We make it off the mountain, stash the meat in the creek, hide the cape from the birds and get back into camp at last light. We are all soaked to the bone. I have no dry clothes other than a single pair of wool socks. Ben hands me my bag...it too is soaked, all the way through. Ben tells me my stuff sack sucks...I tell him he sucks. It is going to be a long night.

For the picture whores like schmalts, now that you've seen the money shots, check back in over the next day or so for the "rest of the story". Plenty more to this adventure, near death experiences from hypothermia and Kodiak bear encounters and who knows maybe another goat or blacktail deer.

 

[AZ402]

Frigging awesome!

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

As always great pictures! Waiting for the conclusion now....

 

[Spitz]

Looks like a great hunt! Can't wait for the rest.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Dude, with that haircut, it does not matter if you have the hat on or off....


Nice goat, congrats, and, as always, great pictures.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Great Story.

I will never trust another with my sleeping bag after reading this.

 

[ERSS]

Love the story and pics, Man that is awesome looking country

Can't wait for the next chapter......

 

[Oak]

Nice job! Getting to shoot a goat 6 times would be a dream. Those fuggers are heavy....

Bummer about the sleeping bag. Mine was inside a Gore-tex bivy sack, inside a trash compactor bag, inside a waterproof stuff sack. It was not overkill.

Looking forward to the rest of the story.