Mustangs Rule
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- Feb 4, 2021
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Mountain Goats.
August 30th,
First freeze yesterday morning here at 4,400’ in elevation. Started my first fire in the wood stove the night before. Stayed up late just looking at the flames.
I slept in. Perfectly allowed for somebody almost 80 years old.
The sun was too strong by the time I set up my 20X-60X spotting scope on my front porch. The heat waves were rising, air was wiggling and wavy across the valley.
About three or four miles away and far up the mountain, starting at 9’000 in elevation, there are some huge round bowls left behind as reminders that glaciers were there once. The bottoms were still covered with dirty snow.
Below them were these areas of green, watered by the melting snow.
For almost ten years now I have been watching Mountain Goats, except of course in the winter when they are impossible to see in the snow.
Then, mid-morning I saw some white spots. With the wavy air and distance I was trying to guess if these were whites rocks or mountain goats.
Then those “white rocks” began moving, running around and chasing each other! After the first cold night they are really frisky.
About four years ago a friend who is an excellent wildlife photographer spent a few months here with me. In short order I put him on herds of Rocky mountain Big horn sheep. He got photos of fine rams. Getting photos of elk was easy, bears too. Seeing/photographing eagles, both Bald and Golden as well osprey was a snap, but getting close enough to Mountain Goats seemed impossible.
I suggested he stop trying to stalk them. Instead, I told him to go into the bottom of a huge high basin where they could easily see him from afar and just be there in the open moving around in a non-threatening manner. I told him to do that for a couple of hours right out in the open and they would come to him.
He returned before dark, barely. He was up till the wee hours of the night looking at all the amazing photos he got of Nannies, kids and Billies.
With the possible/probable exception of young Kids, mountain goat meat has the worst reputation for flavor. It even smells bad and set records for toughness, tenderloins included.
Going to the positive, the wool of Mountain Goats is highly prized by Native and Modern weavers, even in small amounts for ceremonial items. Large amounts of Mountain Goat wool are considered a treasure.
One day I was hiking a saddle between two mountains and found almost a full shedding of mountain goat hair. The amount and the thickness of it was amazing. I called up a local weaver and she dropped what she was doing and came immediately.
I have some very basic rules about my hunting and about what I hunt. That the meat provides at least good table fare is one. Many of the grand trophy elk hunters seek barely do that. I have only hunted cow elk and young bulls.
Finally, and fully, I cannot imagine shooting a true wilderness animal that is so innocent, curious and friendly, that will come to visit me and bring the family.
The sun is just breaking on the mountain tops now. The air is so still and cool I think I will go set up my spotting scope on my porch, wrap a wool blanket around me and see what there is to see.
MR
August 30th,
First freeze yesterday morning here at 4,400’ in elevation. Started my first fire in the wood stove the night before. Stayed up late just looking at the flames.
I slept in. Perfectly allowed for somebody almost 80 years old.
The sun was too strong by the time I set up my 20X-60X spotting scope on my front porch. The heat waves were rising, air was wiggling and wavy across the valley.
About three or four miles away and far up the mountain, starting at 9’000 in elevation, there are some huge round bowls left behind as reminders that glaciers were there once. The bottoms were still covered with dirty snow.
Below them were these areas of green, watered by the melting snow.
For almost ten years now I have been watching Mountain Goats, except of course in the winter when they are impossible to see in the snow.
Then, mid-morning I saw some white spots. With the wavy air and distance I was trying to guess if these were whites rocks or mountain goats.
Then those “white rocks” began moving, running around and chasing each other! After the first cold night they are really frisky.
About four years ago a friend who is an excellent wildlife photographer spent a few months here with me. In short order I put him on herds of Rocky mountain Big horn sheep. He got photos of fine rams. Getting photos of elk was easy, bears too. Seeing/photographing eagles, both Bald and Golden as well osprey was a snap, but getting close enough to Mountain Goats seemed impossible.
I suggested he stop trying to stalk them. Instead, I told him to go into the bottom of a huge high basin where they could easily see him from afar and just be there in the open moving around in a non-threatening manner. I told him to do that for a couple of hours right out in the open and they would come to him.
He returned before dark, barely. He was up till the wee hours of the night looking at all the amazing photos he got of Nannies, kids and Billies.
With the possible/probable exception of young Kids, mountain goat meat has the worst reputation for flavor. It even smells bad and set records for toughness, tenderloins included.
Going to the positive, the wool of Mountain Goats is highly prized by Native and Modern weavers, even in small amounts for ceremonial items. Large amounts of Mountain Goat wool are considered a treasure.
One day I was hiking a saddle between two mountains and found almost a full shedding of mountain goat hair. The amount and the thickness of it was amazing. I called up a local weaver and she dropped what she was doing and came immediately.
I have some very basic rules about my hunting and about what I hunt. That the meat provides at least good table fare is one. Many of the grand trophy elk hunters seek barely do that. I have only hunted cow elk and young bulls.
Finally, and fully, I cannot imagine shooting a true wilderness animal that is so innocent, curious and friendly, that will come to visit me and bring the family.
The sun is just breaking on the mountain tops now. The air is so still and cool I think I will go set up my spotting scope on my porch, wrap a wool blanket around me and see what there is to see.
MR
