Goats with traditional equipment?
Mountain Goat
Heading to BC for another goat hunt this fall. I've bow hunted them before and know what I'm getting myself into both physically and mentally. My questions are about hunting them with a recurve.
The hike in is typically a 4-8 hour hike through mostly dark timber with a little bit a thick new growth cuts. Once above the timber its typical goat country. I will have two extra pre shot strings along.
Would you take down the bow before the hike in and reassemble it once above the timber line?
I will use feather-dri for the fletching but is there anything else that will protect them better in the brush and rain?
Any other tips? String protection? Bow protection?
When we have gone we took our bows apart and had arrows in a catquiver or map tube to protect the arrows from rain/damage.
The chances of jumping a goat in the trees is slim to none...it could happen just not likely. Having your bow and arrows protected is a more important than having it at the ready for a shot IMHO.
cheers,
Sharpstick
As to keeping your fletching dry in the quiver, you can use plastic baby bottle liners with a small rubber band around the base to hold them. These are easily stripped off the arrow when it comes time to nock the arrow.
Or you could use a condom over the fletching, although, as we know, they can tear at inconvenient times! Sunlight degrades the rubber.
Bigger matted feathers in the rain, stabilizes arrows in flight better than smaller matted ones...8^)
In all seriousness, those are broad questions, but wet matted feathers is the reason I only shoot 5-1/2" high back shield cut feathers...
I think Pat killed a goat with traditional gear, he might drop you some tips...
Scotchgard is great on feathers. And keep your bow together and string.
Scotchgard is great on feathers. And keep your bow together and string.
Dang it. Sorry for double post. And it was supposed to be strung not string.
Brett...Sounds like a blast. I would use fletch dri or Scotchgard on the feathers. I agree with Sharpstick, aS long as you have a chance to shoot once you get above tree line, you could "pack" the bow and assemble it when you get in. There are some trails there that I could not imagine getting through with a stick bow. Good Luck, can't wait to hear about it...
From my experience this is what I would suggest. Take down recurve or longbow protected in my pack if there is a lot of climbing where I need my hands. Take down arrows, not hard to make if using aluminum and fletched with plastic vanes when hunting in very wet weather. Yes you can shoot vanes if tuned properly off the shelf. A climbing staff for going uphill and also for climbing in rocks, I hate shale. Good luck and practice downhill shots and in the wind.
Cat quiver with feather dry then take a baggy put it over the fletch and rubber band or tie rap and stuff the arrow up inside fletch up BH down. Elevated flipper rest for plastic Vanes and the alum arrows as well. You can get the cat and also strap the TD bow in a cover to protect attached to quiver.
I'd use wild turkey fletching and water proof them further with the methods mentioned above.
Just make sure you don't set your bow down on a rock while climbing up a cliff. :-)
For that kind of hunt, I would say keep the bow broken down. You don't want to be climbing with a backpack with a bow in your hand - good way to break a string or the bow.
A 2-piece longbow is the fastest to get put together and strung up. The Black Widow Longbow take down does not need any tools and I was able to get it all put together in just a few minutes.
If you are using a recurve, you might want to get exposed knurls for the screws rather than having to use an alan wrench that you can lose - or take several spare alan wrenches. If you have the exposed knurls it would be good to have a spare set.
I used an Arrow Master quiver on my NWT hunt and put my longbow and arrows in the quiver to pack on the horse. Had the arrow shield and was able to zip it all up together. Kept the fletchings dry hunting in snow and rain most days. Strapped it on behind the saddle on the horse. Because of being on a horse, I took the broadheads off and put them in a separate hard case. Would keep them on if just hiking/stalking. You can strap this type of quiver on a backpack easily. Much faster to get an arrow out and on the string with this type of quiver than a bow quiver.
Took a spare takedown bow that would shoot the same arrows and 4 spare strings - just in case. Left the spare bow in camp but kept a spare string with me.
I would suggest taking a couple of extra bottom tip protectors.
You might want to use stainless broadheads so they stay sharp. If you use carbon steel, grease them up with chap stick or something to keep them from rusting.
Good luck!
Tree line good tips, never thought of the chap stick trick, good info and good thread
Lots of good tips guys! Thanks and much appreciated.
I have to second what treeline said. I used a 3 piece takedown and put it in a folding chair cover for protection, then put it inside my backpack, until I got to the place I set up camp about 8 miles in. Put arrows in a lightweight round arrow holder. it rained every day so covering feathers is a must. I kept my broadheads in a plastic case to keep them sharp until I got to camp then put them on. I am thinking about going to a three blade so can put them on without having to line them up. I have been using 4 blades because they are sharpened on the back of the broad head so it cuts again if it backs out. Wish they made 3 blades with the backs sharpened? My shot went clear through the goat so I guess it wouldn't have mattered. good luck.
