A More Relaxed Fall
- Thread starter MTGomer
- Start date
It actually was!
I skipped the detail about how the snow piled up around the bottom of the tent and the wind stopped blowing, so there was zero ventilation and everything condensed and turned to ice on the inside
The goat hunt would use the boat as more of a floating base camp and then we would take skiffs out to look for goats. There would be no shortage of goats. There are goats in every direction. The goal would be to find a large goat in an accessible and recoverable location.
Lodging situation is quite civilized for a November Alaska goat hunt, to say the least
after landing, we went and shot the rifle and looked around for goats. We saw a potential goat in an accessible spot that the other hunting party would try for in the morning.
The following day, the other hunting party was successful while my guide and I looked for a billy for me. By late afternoon, we had one that was clearly large and dominant when compared to a smaller billy, and to the nannys that it was interested in. It was super interesting to watch these goats posture at each other. We even saw a little sea life, mainly seals and porpoises.
Lodging situation is quite civilized for a November Alaska goat hunt, to say the least
after landing, we went and shot the rifle and looked around for goats. We saw a potential goat in an accessible spot that the other hunting party would try for in the morning.
The following day, the other hunting party was successful while my guide and I looked for a billy for me. By late afternoon, we had one that was clearly large and dominant when compared to a smaller billy, and to the nannys that it was interested in. It was super interesting to watch these goats posture at each other. We even saw a little sea life, mainly seals and porpoises.
Last edited:
mdcrossbow
Well-known member
I wouldn't mind walking a mile in your shoes if only for the scenery.
rjthehunter
Well-known member
Looks like you had a hell of a fall! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the pics and stories!
rmyoung1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 2,762
Ridiculously awesome.
Mica Man
Well-known member
Great stories and pics thus far but only if you could have hunted a little harder.
Don’t think I have any pictures of it but the boat food was incredible.
The day we landed and the following day the goats were down fairly low because it had just snowed. As it warmed up and began raining, the snow line rapidly receded, and it seemed that the goats would follow.
By the following morning, the snow line was about 2000 vertical feet from the ocean. That doesn’t sound bad, but it is nearly straight up and full of devils club, alder, and everything else that comes with SE AK.
I might actually have to do some work to get to them. Seems almost unreasonable for such a country club hunt! Ha
We got up early. With the short days, the plan was to try and spot the mature billy as soon as it was light enough to see, and if he was in an accessible location, to start climbing.
There were goats at the snowline, straight up from where the billy was the night before. We assume the bigger one is there and begin climbing.
The day we landed and the following day the goats were down fairly low because it had just snowed. As it warmed up and began raining, the snow line rapidly receded, and it seemed that the goats would follow.
By the following morning, the snow line was about 2000 vertical feet from the ocean. That doesn’t sound bad, but it is nearly straight up and full of devils club, alder, and everything else that comes with SE AK.
I might actually have to do some work to get to them. Seems almost unreasonable for such a country club hunt! Ha
We got up early. With the short days, the plan was to try and spot the mature billy as soon as it was light enough to see, and if he was in an accessible location, to start climbing.
There were goats at the snowline, straight up from where the billy was the night before. We assume the bigger one is there and begin climbing.
We knew that our goat that we needed a closer look at had two horizontal lines of dirt on his butt, with one of them having kind of a round ball shaped blob at the end.
After about 3 1/2 hours of climbing through absolute hell, we hit a forest that we dubbed the “magical forest“ because walking through it free of brush and thorns was just that… Magical
As we got to the top of the magical forest we were nearing the last known location of the goats. Across from us, a goat appeared.
As we were getting set up, he came right out onto a rock and just stared at us. He looked nice, but lone goats can be deceiving. Without anybody else to compare him to, we were holding off until we could confirm the markings on his rear end.
Marking confirmed.
After about 3 1/2 hours of climbing through absolute hell, we hit a forest that we dubbed the “magical forest“ because walking through it free of brush and thorns was just that… Magical
As we got to the top of the magical forest we were nearing the last known location of the goats. Across from us, a goat appeared.
As we were getting set up, he came right out onto a rock and just stared at us. He looked nice, but lone goats can be deceiving. Without anybody else to compare him to, we were holding off until we could confirm the markings on his rear end.
Marking confirmed.
duckhunt
Well-known member
Great stuff.
Back in Montana, it’s time to pick up where we left off with that deep snow and cold… Except it was 70 more times in November than it was 30.
To be honest, it was hard to get motivated to go deer or elk hunting on sunny windy, 70° days.
With a lot of work to do, I didn’t make it out much more before it was time to head down to Arizona and set up camp and begin scouting for sheep.
The sheep hunt is also someone else’s story to tell and pics to share,So I’ll make it brief.
We were in a low density unit that can produce a big ram.
On the third day of the season, we didn’t hesitate when a 175” 9 year old ram gave us the opportunity to take him.
To be honest, it was hard to get motivated to go deer or elk hunting on sunny windy, 70° days.
With a lot of work to do, I didn’t make it out much more before it was time to head down to Arizona and set up camp and begin scouting for sheep.
The sheep hunt is also someone else’s story to tell and pics to share,So I’ll make it brief.
We were in a low density unit that can produce a big ram.
On the third day of the season, we didn’t hesitate when a 175” 9 year old ram gave us the opportunity to take him.
Attachments
Lastly, a late December muzzleloader deer hunt.
While I’d shoot any big buck, I’m after a particular buck that I saw last year.
The desert is pretty green except for where that buck was. The monsoon totally missed that area. I hunted it pretty hard anyway, but also bounced around in search of does in other places. I had a few opportunities on a few small bucks, but never turned up the big one. The area he was inhabiting last year had 20 to 30 does spread across it. This year I saw two and one small buck. Desert deer will move to follow resources. This makes him a needle in a haystack. The season ended last night. I am on my way home. Currently in Southern Idaho.
It has rained non stop since last night on the entire drive since southern AZ.
While I’d shoot any big buck, I’m after a particular buck that I saw last year.
The desert is pretty green except for where that buck was. The monsoon totally missed that area. I hunted it pretty hard anyway, but also bounced around in search of does in other places. I had a few opportunities on a few small bucks, but never turned up the big one. The area he was inhabiting last year had 20 to 30 does spread across it. This year I saw two and one small buck. Desert deer will move to follow resources. This makes him a needle in a haystack. The season ended last night. I am on my way home. Currently in Southern Idaho.
It has rained non stop since last night on the entire drive since southern AZ.
