Horn Seeker
New member
You glassed over all that chit and didn't see a goat??? I bet you want to go elk hunting again....
goat scouting
- Thread starter RockyDog
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The Hedgehog
Well-known member
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- Dec 19, 2000
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- 11,699
Bongsucker, it takes you 1 day to arrow a B&C elk in Montana and you diddle around this long for your goat? What's the deal, you want longer hair?
Holding out for the Tascos eh?
Really though, that's awesome looking goat country. That is kind of worrisome that you haven't been glassing any.
The Hedgehog
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Holy crap randy, you are onto him... he's waiting for that Eastman's Bowhunting covershot, the pull out centerfold and the 20 item list of essential gear that made it happen..
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
RockyDog
Member
I have no interest in Eastmans. However Randy is sort of on to me, im considering donating my story and pics to Bugle magazine. Thats primarily why i havent posted pics here yet. Any opinions on that im all ears.
BTW when i moved away from missoula i left my bong. Now that im in hamilton i drink locally made wine while sitting in my 20,000 suqare foot home. its a totally different lifestyle from being a bongsucker.
I suspect the wolves are hammering mountain goats. time will tell.
BTW when i moved away from missoula i left my bong. Now that im in hamilton i drink locally made wine while sitting in my 20,000 suqare foot home. its a totally different lifestyle from being a bongsucker.
I suspect the wolves are hammering mountain goats. time will tell.
Very cool on the Bugle article. That's a lot cooler donation than sending them fifty bucks every year.
The Hedgehog
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So you really have more than just that one crappy photo? Thought so. Awesome bull though, congrats!
As for the wolves, I just bought a new wolf rifle and that's no joke. Quiet, small, light and deadly... 300 RUM isn't exactly incognito, or allow the poor bastards to limp off & die in a secluded spot.
As for the wolves, I just bought a new wolf rifle and that's no joke. Quiet, small, light and deadly... 300 RUM isn't exactly incognito, or allow the poor bastards to limp off & die in a secluded spot.
RockyDog
Member
In case anyone cares to follow my goat hunt..... A week ago i packed a camp in solo about 7 miles with horses, long story short i hunted a couple days without seeing a goat and then had the trip cut short so i could visit the ER to get a finger stitched up. Surprise - nails sticking out of a hoof can be dangerous. So far Ive spent about 10 days goat hunting and finally this weekend i saw my first goats, so i thought id post the update here. My unit apparently has very few goats or else they all stay in the timber.
There was a wet front coming in, so I decided to go for a big day hunt to a place that could be a good bet. Left the truck at 3:30 am and at daylight I was 10 miles up the rough trail and climbed up to a vista where I could look across the canyon at a southfacing slope with some openings. There are 3 creek crossings that were an adventure, before this they not been over shin deep but in the past week 18 inches of snow had almost entirely melted and it was like spring runoff. One crossing was almost to my crotch.
At daylight I was excited to see that there were 3 goats across the canyon near the top of a mountain. One was a kid and the other 2 were adults. One was very large so I hoped it was a billy in rut. I had not packed a scope, so I immediately crossed the creek and headed for them. The last time I could see the goats they were sidehilling to my left. It took me about 45 minutes to climb to where I could see their last location. I sat down and watched a few minutes, and to my relief they came sidehilling back to the right and would get directly above me. They were at 380 yards, a snow white goat was in the lead followed by a kid and then the bigger goat which was dirty and I thought had a large shoulder hump. Still it was far and I was not practiced at judging goats so I chose not to take the shot. I worked up to within 150 yards, they had gone behind some trees but if they stayed on the same path would cross a small opening. As they came in to open I thought the 1st goat was the larger, dirty one, but I wasn’t sure. I had a great rest and shot but I just couldn’t tell if it was a billy (I forgot to look for scent glands). The kid came next and then the white goat. They went up to the base of a vertical rock wall, I wanted a better look so I climbed up to get in front of them. After some very cool close range observation, it turned out the big dirty goat was the mother of that kid. I was sure glad I did not shoot the mother when I thought it was a billy. The kid was a very cute little hairball.
On the way down the mountain I had a tough time in spots and did not even recognize some of the rocks I had climbed during the chase. It was a good lesson that adrenaline can get me in trouble and you can go up stuff that is very hard to get down. It rained the entire ten miles out, another long and wet hike but at least I felt excited about finally seeing them….
There was a wet front coming in, so I decided to go for a big day hunt to a place that could be a good bet. Left the truck at 3:30 am and at daylight I was 10 miles up the rough trail and climbed up to a vista where I could look across the canyon at a southfacing slope with some openings. There are 3 creek crossings that were an adventure, before this they not been over shin deep but in the past week 18 inches of snow had almost entirely melted and it was like spring runoff. One crossing was almost to my crotch.
At daylight I was excited to see that there were 3 goats across the canyon near the top of a mountain. One was a kid and the other 2 were adults. One was very large so I hoped it was a billy in rut. I had not packed a scope, so I immediately crossed the creek and headed for them. The last time I could see the goats they were sidehilling to my left. It took me about 45 minutes to climb to where I could see their last location. I sat down and watched a few minutes, and to my relief they came sidehilling back to the right and would get directly above me. They were at 380 yards, a snow white goat was in the lead followed by a kid and then the bigger goat which was dirty and I thought had a large shoulder hump. Still it was far and I was not practiced at judging goats so I chose not to take the shot. I worked up to within 150 yards, they had gone behind some trees but if they stayed on the same path would cross a small opening. As they came in to open I thought the 1st goat was the larger, dirty one, but I wasn’t sure. I had a great rest and shot but I just couldn’t tell if it was a billy (I forgot to look for scent glands). The kid came next and then the white goat. They went up to the base of a vertical rock wall, I wanted a better look so I climbed up to get in front of them. After some very cool close range observation, it turned out the big dirty goat was the mother of that kid. I was sure glad I did not shoot the mother when I thought it was a billy. The kid was a very cute little hairball.
On the way down the mountain I had a tough time in spots and did not even recognize some of the rocks I had climbed during the chase. It was a good lesson that adrenaline can get me in trouble and you can go up stuff that is very hard to get down. It rained the entire ten miles out, another long and wet hike but at least I felt excited about finally seeing them….
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shoots-straight
Well-known member
Hey, you didn't happen to find a wool camo sweater up there? I lost mine up on that high ridge. I really liked the damn thing too. I really don't think wolves are a big predator on goats, Eagles, yes. I also know that helicopters hovering around them, cause them to vacate the area. I wonder if some of our local helicopter wilderness touring companies are having an impact. I saw a fair amount of goat in that area a couple of years ago.
RockyDog
Member
SS - no but this day was on your goat ridge and i may be back up there so if i do ill send you a pic of me wearing it 
. by the way what a neat ridge with that little babbling brook. I was surprised that it was Nov. 6th and there were only nannies on SS Goat Ridge, your goat was a billy right?
. by the way what a neat ridge with that little babbling brook. I was surprised that it was Nov. 6th and there were only nannies on SS Goat Ridge, your goat was a billy right?
shoots-straight
Well-known member
SS - no but this day was on your goat ridge and i may be back up there so if i do ill send you a pic of me wearing it
He had balls and a belly. Might have been a fredy but it was a he.
Horn Seeker
New member
I see there was 26 inches of snow up there at 6 am this morn RD... and now there -99.9 inches... I hope that does SOMETHING to make the hunting better for you. For those that haven't heard...the goat hunting has not been great.....
RockyDog
Member
since my last update ive been out 4 or 5 more days. Not one goat spotted. Really not an interesting hunt when there isnt any game to see or track. Ive got somewhere over 15 days in goat "hunting".
Ive got until this sunday, took this whole week off work but today and tommorrow is heavy snow. i will give it a shot in subzero weather and deep snow on wednesday, then turkey day with family, then 3 more days of slogging and glassing.
Any advice would be appreciate from those that have hunted goats on the west side of the root. id prefer not to frame my unnotched goat tag.
Tony - at this point even if i got lucky and bagged a nice billy im still not sure i would recommend applying for this unit.
Ive got until this sunday, took this whole week off work but today and tommorrow is heavy snow. i will give it a shot in subzero weather and deep snow on wednesday, then turkey day with family, then 3 more days of slogging and glassing.
Any advice would be appreciate from those that have hunted goats on the west side of the root. id prefer not to frame my unnotched goat tag.
Tony - at this point even if i got lucky and bagged a nice billy im still not sure i would recommend applying for this unit.
