Valley's 2025 speedgoat hunt

[Valley1320]

Thought I'd do a write up on my hunt from yesterday. This is a private land hunt not a draw tag. Dial back a couple months ago I was doing some work for a rancher and asked if he would give me permission to shoot a goat on his place, he said sure. Come to find out from some guys that knew the area and had hunted it in years past, that it had been extremely over hunted a couple years ago so that kinda dashed my hopes of finding something decent.

 

[Valley1320]

A month ago I had a free afternoon and went and scouted. Had a terrible time finding antelope. The few I did find were young little bucks and no mass whatsoever. But I had a lil hope yet cause the rut would kick in before my hunt and it was high 90s when I scouted some had hopes that I missed quite a few antelope.

 

[Valley1320]

So yesterday morning started with going and helping a hay customer and his little boy get a goat first. We found a nice goat quickly and his boy shot a respectable goat at 288 yards.

 

[Valley1320]

Got the goat in the cooler and went to help my dad with his public land tag. We found a nice goat fairly quickly but he was spooky tried and tried to get on him but he kept outsmarting us and just staying to far out to shoot. No way to get down prone for a long shot in the area due to so much grass and to flat. Finally decided to move on and find some more. Driving down this lil valley between some hills and al sudden there's antelope! We stop and glass o there's a decent buck then another buck walks out from behind a bush! I go get on him his big! So dad's gets set up and I range him at 345 the gun barks and he hits him back. He forgot to account for the wind drift. A front was going thru and it was absolutely getting it with the wind. Buck takes off up the hill and he puts another one in him. Buck got into some tall grass but he was down. Got up to him and dad finished him off.

 

[Valley1320]

So then it was my turn. We got out to the ranch middle of the afternoon... got to a nice glassing spot in the first pasture and right away saw some goats.. get out the spotting scope and was like na I'm not ready to shoot that yet.. he needs to live another year or 2

 

[Valley1320]

Drive a lil farther boom another buck. Eh still not what I want.

 

[Valley1320]

So keep looking and looking... find a couple really really small bucks and some does... its getting late... I don't think I have more than 2 hours of daylight left.... finally spot a nice buck by himself... but he's across the fence on a neighbors we watch him feed farther away instead of towards us for awhile and then decide to keep looking

 

[Valley1320]

We drive down this lil hill and it opens up into a grassy valley with mesquite... we start glassing it and almost instantly spot some does and a nice buck!!! So I get my tripod and rifle and start easing down the road towards them, it was the lowest spot. I get down to 450 yards and one of the does spots me. Crap so I get set up and try to get some good ranges but the buck stays in the mesquite. Then the does get curious and start their lil trot towards me then the stop and do the look around at 300 so I dial to 300 still no shot the buck keeps himself hidden. Then they start moving my way again so I dial back down to 200. Does keep coming and buck keeps following. I range again he's at 210 in the mesquite still...

 

[Valley1320]

He finally clears the mesquite but he won't quit walking straight at me so I center my crosshairs on his chest and send it. He drops straight out of my sight picture like a bag of rocks.

 

[Valley1320]

My set up and his girlfriends leaving after the shot. They were on the right side of the road when I shot him.

 

[Valley1320]

I've always wanted a heart-shaped goat and/or a book goat. Well I didn't get the book goat yet but I got the heart-shaped goat. He'll pry end up shoulder mounted.

 

[Nick87]

Like the goat and the gun. Congrats.

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats!

 

[rmyoung1]

Yeah, that’s a good one. Congrats on a successful season.

 

[WildWill]

One of these days I'm gonna hunt a NM antelope. Love it man congratulations!

 

[WNC2500]

@Valley1320
You deserved a good goat, you help others enough each year! You’re a good one Sir!!

Thanks for sharing the story and pics with us!

 

[Valley1320]

@Valley1320
You deserved a good goat, you help others enough each year! You’re a good one Sir!!

Thanks for sharing the story and pics with us!

Thankyou

 

[Valley1320]

Next up is my wife's offrange oryx hunt the month of October

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Nice one!

 

[WNC2500]

Next up is my wife's offrange oryx hunt the month of October

These are the live hunt or hunt pics that I am looking forward to. Love it that MrsVALLEY1320 is gonna hammer an oryx and that you guys are residents. I am soooooo envious.