Goat Hunting Advice
05-15-2017, 08:57 AM
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
Flags,
Your last response has a link to a You Tube video. It has a nasty virus in it. Please rethink.
Those links are put there by the forum, not by me. I never link to youtube.
Nanny vs. billy.
Let me add a couple of other things.
I didn't have the time you had; I had three days for the hunt.
You probably could have found a billy in 3 days.
My bad back does not allow for the hard work after a kill (a hunting partner was with me) and certainly will now allow me to negotiate terrain that is upandicular (steep) and or rugged.
Admittedly this does make a difference. I was active duty so I was in shape and could pack a lot. I came off the mountain in the dark after I shot mine.
I think about your statement regarding a once in a life time opportunity and the fact that the success rate was 80 percent. I didn't want to take a chance on being in the twenty percent - a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
With an 80% success rate you can have the flexibility to look around. Goats don't move much. If you had the nanny pinned in an area then she would have still been around.
I couldn't afford an outfitter.
I hunted DIY in the wilderness area. No outfitter. I've only used outfitters/guides where it was required by law: Canada and Africa.
You have a nice billy and some other trophies.
Thanks. The bighorn is from CO as well, taken around Georgetown. I've got a Stone from BC as well.
Your last response has a link to a You Tube video. It has a nasty virus in it. Please rethink.
Those links are put there by the forum, not by me. I never link to youtube.
Nanny vs. billy.
Let me add a couple of other things.
I didn't have the time you had; I had three days for the hunt.
You probably could have found a billy in 3 days.
My bad back does not allow for the hard work after a kill (a hunting partner was with me) and certainly will now allow me to negotiate terrain that is upandicular (steep) and or rugged.
Admittedly this does make a difference. I was active duty so I was in shape and could pack a lot. I came off the mountain in the dark after I shot mine.
I think about your statement regarding a once in a life time opportunity and the fact that the success rate was 80 percent. I didn't want to take a chance on being in the twenty percent - a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
With an 80% success rate you can have the flexibility to look around. Goats don't move much. If you had the nanny pinned in an area then she would have still been around.
I couldn't afford an outfitter.
I hunted DIY in the wilderness area. No outfitter. I've only used outfitters/guides where it was required by law: Canada and Africa.
You have a nice billy and some other trophies.
Thanks. The bighorn is from CO as well, taken around Georgetown. I've got a Stone from BC as well.
05-15-2017, 10:28 AM
#13
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Paradise
Posts: 23,428
I'll add this...about that. Flags you certainly have a different perspective on hunting the west from many here on the forum since you grew up in it and cut your hunting prowess on western hunting. Your knowledge on goats allows you to fill a tag with confidence much more than someone who doesn't have the knowledge. With elk hunting I did some research but mostly learned from my experiences and mistakes. With a once in a lifetime tag those options are somewhat different. A mistake or lack of knowledge could mean tag soup which for a meat hunter isn't very filling....unless you like potatoes like the Colorado San Luis Valley monster tubers. Biggest and best taters I ever ate.
05-15-2017, 02:29 PM
#14
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 21
Flags,
Is that you in either a Navy or Coast Guard uniform?
Thanks.
I will post a photo of my nanny.
Because I was limited to how many days and which part of the season I could hunt, I wasn't able to find goats with thick winter fur.
As I mentioned, I got my nanny almost directly on top of Argentine Peak. The dividing line between unit sixteen and seven is the Continental Divide, which runs north and south over the top of the peak. With a four wheel drive, the old railroad grade is negotiable to a saddle between Argentine and another mountain to the north. That's as far as you can go. We spotted goats climbing the east side of the Divide (unit 7) so we figured they were headed over the top and down into unit sixteen so we parked at the saddle then walked to a point just below the summit on the north side of the Peak. Eventually, the goats appeared a the summit. We also assumed that because there were about ten goats in the group, they were all nannys and we were right. That's one of the tips I learned at the seminar.
Here is an interesting story about the saddle. A few years before the hunt, my hunting partner and I were ptarmigan hunting on the north side of Argentine (we didn't get any). Before leaving the truck, I peed on the ground in front of the truck. While taking a break and eating lunch a fair distance from the vehicle, we saw several goats congregating around the truck. One of them was licking the ground where I peed. Perhaps it was for the minerals.
Is that you in either a Navy or Coast Guard uniform?
Thanks.
I will post a photo of my nanny.
Because I was limited to how many days and which part of the season I could hunt, I wasn't able to find goats with thick winter fur.
As I mentioned, I got my nanny almost directly on top of Argentine Peak. The dividing line between unit sixteen and seven is the Continental Divide, which runs north and south over the top of the peak. With a four wheel drive, the old railroad grade is negotiable to a saddle between Argentine and another mountain to the north. That's as far as you can go. We spotted goats climbing the east side of the Divide (unit 7) so we figured they were headed over the top and down into unit sixteen so we parked at the saddle then walked to a point just below the summit on the north side of the Peak. Eventually, the goats appeared a the summit. We also assumed that because there were about ten goats in the group, they were all nannys and we were right. That's one of the tips I learned at the seminar.
Here is an interesting story about the saddle. A few years before the hunt, my hunting partner and I were ptarmigan hunting on the north side of Argentine (we didn't get any). Before leaving the truck, I peed on the ground in front of the truck. While taking a break and eating lunch a fair distance from the vehicle, we saw several goats congregating around the truck. One of them was licking the ground where I peed. Perhaps it was for the minerals.
05-15-2017, 03:23 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Montana
Posts: 550
Pogy, congrats on your goat, although I have to agree with Flags on your choice of shooting a nanny, especially on the first day. I'll also agree that you don't hunt goats for their meat. I've shot critters in many places around the world, and my goat was absolutely the worst meat that I have ever tasted.
I shot my goat in SW Montana in 1978 and I have applied every year since (with the maximum number of bonus points) without drawing another tag.
I feel that the hair on the goat adds a lot to the trophy. Our Montana goat season opens the first week in September and closes the end of November. When I drew my goat tag I could also buy an "Unlimited" bighorn sheep tag in the same area, so when I started scouting for my goat in September, I carried my rifle with me but I left my goat tag at home so I wouldn't be tempted to shoot a billy with short hair.
I ended up shooting my billy on the 14th of November, and when I left camp that morning the temperature was -15* F, and the snow was crotch deep on top of the mountain where I shot my goat. My only regret with him was that I had him mounted in a half mount as at that time I didn't have room for a full mount.
I shot my goat in SW Montana in 1978 and I have applied every year since (with the maximum number of bonus points) without drawing another tag.
I feel that the hair on the goat adds a lot to the trophy. Our Montana goat season opens the first week in September and closes the end of November. When I drew my goat tag I could also buy an "Unlimited" bighorn sheep tag in the same area, so when I started scouting for my goat in September, I carried my rifle with me but I left my goat tag at home so I wouldn't be tempted to shoot a billy with short hair.
I ended up shooting my billy on the 14th of November, and when I left camp that morning the temperature was -15* F, and the snow was crotch deep on top of the mountain where I shot my goat. My only regret with him was that I had him mounted in a half mount as at that time I didn't have room for a full mount.
05-15-2017, 03:39 PM
#16
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Paradise
Posts: 23,428
All I can add is in North America getting any goat or sheep has to be near the top of the to do list for many. Probably not anything I will accomplish but to those who have all I can say is congrats. Got to be one of the toughest game to harvest...and get off the mountain.
05-16-2017, 09:29 AM
#18
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 21
All, especially those who are not familiar with goats. Most hunters want billys and especially want to hunt them later in the year when they have their winter coats. The goatees are a big thing too. With more hair, the longer and fuller the goatees. Also, if you are doing a half mount, where the front legs show or a full mount, the thicker hair makes the knickerbocker appearance at the knee more prominent.
As Flags said, billys have thicker horns at the base. You can see the difference by the photo of my nanny. Mine is puny by these standards but I've never regretted waiting for a billy.
As Flags said, billys have thicker horns at the base. You can see the difference by the photo of my nanny. Mine is puny by these standards but I've never regretted waiting for a billy.