Anyone else going Goat Bowhunting?
Mountain Goat
Paradise!
Paradise!
I'm going Mountain Goat bowhunting! Anyone else going this year? I'm pumped up, just looking at this photo of one of our high mountain camps gets me going!! Less than 2 weeks and I'll be in those hills again with my trusty supergoatguide Kyle Mudge. It will be our 5th goat hunt together, going for a net Booner this time, bow only.
Anyone have some good goat bowhunting tips?
I envy you....I bowhunted goats on Kodiak last year and it was an incredible experience. I would really like to hunt them again someday. Good luck.
I'm planning to begin my hike in around mid August. I can't wait!
Best of luck Mike!
Hunting with Babine in B.C., fly out August 20th! Can't wait!
Aug 2. Training and counting down every day.
Best of luck to all of you !!!
Just looking at those photos gives me the weebie jeebies. My fear of heights just would not go well with that terrain. yikes!
I'll have a few days on the end of my Kodiak trip that the season will be open after Aug 20. Cant wait!
Nick Muche that looks like crazy, steep nasty stuff! Where is it? Generally I mean, is it all like that? Southern BC is like that.
I really like the north western BC backpack hunts where once we climb out of tree line we never go back in the trees, stay on the top ridgelines the whole time. It really helps a bowhunt I think where you can camp as close to the goats as possible, especially if you screw up a stalk, miss a shot and the goat hides in the cliffs you can go back to camp and go back after him again the next day without thousands of feet of elevation gain and loss each day to a camp in the trees or all the way back to a lodge. Really lowers your desire to pick up your guides rifle and just shoot it off the cliff face. Become a goat yourself for the whole hunt duration, live with them.
I agree Mike! I've been lucky 2 goats hunts and 2 net B&C! I'm afraid m,y Goat hunting days are over though! Have fun!
Mike that is in the Chugach range here in Alaska. I'm hunted it in 2015 and got a great billy. I have the same tag for this year but plan on trying another spot just to add a level of unknown to our hunt. Most of the Chugach is pretty nasty even after you're out of the brush!
Mike, good luck on the goat! Get a monster.....we have them! Great archery animal and trophy.
Best of luck guys! Make sure you come back and share your pics with those of us that are stuck in the flatlands this fall! Shoot straight and stay safe!
Bigpizzaman, don't tell me 2 Booners with a bow! One with a rifle is a huge accomplishment.
I envy you guys that get to chase goats this year. Like Kurt said an animal well suited to bowhunting and a great trophy to boot. Be safe! Usually a moment or two of pucker factor on every goat hunt.
First Goat score I lost an inch when it was mounted.
What fricking goats Tim!
I fly to Terrace BC on September 7th for 8 days of hunting with Bolen Lewis where I'll be camped above the timberline just like you described Mike. I can't believe the trip is almost here!
From my goat hunting experience, I'd suggest getting in as good of shape as possible,Mike! ;-)
Good luck & looking forward to the story!!
I'll be bow hunting them in MT after 20+ years of waiting! Was out last weekend scouting and saw several good goats, although none in stalkable location. Such amazing animals!
I will probably go goat hunting in late October or November. I don't plan ahead to far on goats as they are relatively easy to chase. I don't like the looks of early season billies with their thin coats. To me the trophy is in the thick coat.
Of course! Not sure if it'll be Kodiak in November after our deer hunt or if we will end up taking a zodiac out for a sea based hunt in early October....kind of depends on how the weather plays out during my off weekends in October.
Awesome goats Tim/bigpizzaman! WHY THE HELL DOES YOUR SCORE SHEET AND NUMBERS ON IT ADD UP TO 54 2/8? WELL ABOVE THE POPE AND YOUNG WORLD RECORD OF 53 0/8?! IF YOU GOOGLE THE TOP 10 GOATS IN P AND Y YOURS IS LISTED AS 52 4/8!!! NO PICTURE OF YOUR SMILING FACE EITHER.
T-Roy, I agree on getting in shape, been working on it. I think a couple of the toughest parts is how sore your feet get and your upper back muscles, they both just burn if it gets tough. On so much of the hiking in the summer you can't see your feet in all the vegatation and you are constantly tripping and catching yourself on steep side hills, very difficult.
Here is my two guides, Josh and Kyle in 2016, deep in the jungle hiking to get out of treeline. This is probably the most difficult part of the whole hunt in Northern BC rainforest, full packs for a week hunt. Around 60 lbs each, no trail, huge trees laying on the ground you have to get over or under, devils club plants, alders etc block your way. Sometimes your legs and back never really recover from the first day hike, it is half impossible to simulate in training. I love the challenge of it though.
Looking for Goats
Looking for Goats
Here's a cool looking picture from my 2nd goat hunt, we almost died on the first one where we were totally overloaded, 70 lb packs, maybe more. Doubled up on stuff, heavy outdated gear, my pack, sleeping bag and thermarest weighed 20lbs! Worked fine when I was in my 20's, killer in your 40's and now 50's. Had those 3 items down to 7 lbs on this hunt. We walked that whole ridgeline from way down in the trees all the way to the peak.
Im going in October, colorado by my house. Went up scouting and found 2 bigger ones (not even close to the toads above!!!) and a gang of little boys and teens 12 in total next to the road. When I drove up to within 20yds the bigger ones pushed the younger ones to get up and move. I think and know they see people a fair bit. It'll still be fun, i can pretty much drive to the top of the ridges and just traverse from there.
I envy you all & wish you a great, safe hunt. I never got the bug for Sheep or Goats & still don't. Way to old now & with shot knees from 75 years of abuse (8 military, hard job in a steel mill 32 years & starting 61st year of bowhunting). Enjoy your adventures & play safe. I can get a Goat at my daughters farmett.
I will be chasing them with the bow come September and cant wait. First time hunting mt goats heading up this week to do some more scouting.
Can't wait for the stories, good luck!
Hard Training for the Goat Hunt!
Hard Training for the Goat Hunt!
Thought I would give a little update on my Mountain Goat hunt. Here I am in Oregon, two weeks out from my hunt start date doing some hill training with a 65 lb pack. I was also testing out some new synthetic Scarpa boots, feeling on top of the world. I was actually on top of Hinckle Butte with the Three Sisters mountains in the background. The week before this picture I did a fast 6 mile hike in the mountains with the same pack load and one another day did a 7 1/2 mile hilly run, no pack, with the last 2 miles timed at under 8 mins each mile. I was also shooting my 70 lb bow every 2nd day for 2 hr sessions testing out my new Carbon Express Pile Driver arrows tipped with Muzzy Trocar broadheads, putting them within a 5 inch group at 60 yds, also did some 80 yd shooting just in case. And I was doing some weightlifting workouts, benching my body weight for 10 solid reps, plus lots of stretching to keep me limber and uninjured. I knew keeping away from being injured and tapering my training going into the hunt was crucial.
In summary of my bragging, I felt like I could challenge Cameron Hanes for the toughest 50 year old Bowhunter on the planet!! Haha, not really but for me I felt great and couldn't wait for my Booner Quest Mountain Goat bowhunt to start on Aug 4th!
Injured.
Injured.
Fast forward to Aug 2, 2 days out from my goat hunt start date and here I am lying on the floor of an urgent care medical centre with my son Tyler consoling me. So much for trying to be the toughest 50 yr old bowhunter on the planet, I feel like the most bummed out bowhunter on the earth now!
To explain, a few days before this my neck and upper back was feeling a bit more stiff and sore than I felt it should be. I have had some problems in that area for years and had seen a physical therapist about it. He had given me some stretching and strengthening exercises to do which had really helped with the issue. I did a bit more of them than usual along with some hip and leg stretches to counteract some stiffness in my low back and hips, all seemed like no big deal. Well it became a huge deal overnight on day 7 before the hunt when my neck and upper back went into a spasm, pain radiated down my right arm and into my lat muscles and chest. By morning it was excruciating and no amount of Tylenol or Advil would keep it under control. A nightmare was becoming my reality. Lying down, in the position pictured was the only sometime, sort of pain free position.
In short I've been diagnosed with a pinched nerve in my upper back and standing or sitting for longer than five seconds brings me to the floor with pain. It's unbelievable, I have never experienced anything like it. I had to cancel my hunt and now I'm struggling to just do the ordinary things in life.
Thank God for my fantastic wife, Jen who is looking after me and getting me back on my feet soon I hope. I have a full, fall season of Alberta hunts to run in my guiding outfit , Mike's Outfitting and a personal BC Grizzly bowhunt planned for late September. Fortunately I have a great crew of guides, a cook and other support people who can all make things run smoothly while I recover. I'll still be in camp overseeing everything, it just may be from a lazy boy couch, jeepers I hope not!
Anyone else been through this? Any docs out there with some advice? I've spoken to a few already and rest and pain meds are the solution I've been given for now. Be careful out there!!
Get well soon Mike and go kill a bear!
Very sorry to read this. Hope this is temporary and you can fulfill you goat hunt in the future.
Major bummer, Mike! Especially that close to your hunt date, but better now than if it been on the hunt. Back in the mid 90s, I ruptured one disc and herniated one of the adjoining ones in the lumbar area, and I know what you mean by bringing your to your knees. Whenever a guy has major issues with your back, agreed, just ordinary things become difficult.
Hope it's just a short temporary setback for you!!
Bummer Mike, I'm hoping for a fast recovery for you so you can get out in the field.
I've had pinched nerves before. Best treatment for me was always the Physical Therapist's advice. Mine was re-occurring on the right side of the base of my neck, unable to turn head, sleep, any position just sucked. Had the pain shooting down the right arm too. One PT gave me what he called "ultrasound" treatment. It's used to completely loosen the muscles that were apparently causing the pinched nerve. Was kind of weird, when they were doing it I was lying flat on my stomach, arms hanging down either side of the table. When they turned the ultrasound on my arms started doing their own thing, waving around and such without me in control. But I'll tell you it was almost instant relief. After that all I needed was the stretching exercises and some attention to work environment to keep these recurring pinched nerves away. Anyway, might want to mention that to your PT, worked better than any pain med for me.
Thanks smokedtrout. I'll mention that to my physical therapist. I'll try it once I'm up and about
Dang Mike! Sorry to hear this!!! I am one crabby MF when I get injured and can't do normal things. I am wishing you a fast recovery, hang in there!
Good Luck Mike, Hope you feel better!
Sorry to hear of your bad luck. What a bummer. Do what your PT tells you and you'll get healthy.
Bench presses make you look good, but they do little for you as an athlete. Every year, there are countless men across North America that injure their necks, backs, and shoulders doing bench presses. I can't be sure that that's what did it, but of the things you listed, it's high on the list.
Well here I am 28 days after my pinched nerve and drew my bow for the first time since then, on opening day of our Northern Alberta bow season! Yippee!! Have to go shoot a moose and an elk in Alberta to prove myself before my BC Grizzly hunt, Sept 19th. It was a very rough 4 weeks, first 2 weeks almost totally in bed.
We have hunters in camp and lots of good muleys lined up, hope we have a great season!
Glad your feeling better Mike and good luck out there!
My hunt is getting closer leaving on the 4th to get there a few days early to scout and acclimate to the elevation
That is a good update Mike! Good luck!
