2013 Goat Rocks - Goat Down

[bullcanyon]

Nah.... If your bro-in-law was the real deal he would of beat you a trail through that snow on the first trip:) I think he's getting soft.  J/k good job Josh!! Glad you got it done and even better to have your ol man along for the experience. From the sounds of that Hill you had to climb I bet you were happy you trained all summer for this.

Your sherpa looks like a poster boy for sitka:)

[Elkstuffer]

Congratulations Josh. After we spoke on friday I was sure worried for you with the snow and all. Glad the boat option worked for you. Way to make good on your OIL tag.

[starbailey]

Congrats.

[top-pin]

You know what Kuz, lets just focus on the goat. You leave the most comfortable athletic gear in existence out of this. Haha. Still cannot begin to explain how great the experience was. Three days later and I still can't stop thinking about it.

[bullcanyon]

Aren't you supposed to be working there pretty boy!

Having a little extra color for the story is always nice.  Seems to be the norm when toppin is involved:) glad I got that fella as a hunting partner!

[buglebuster]

Congrats on the goat now can we get a story, and explination of the boat

[combs338]

Well now that Top-Pin and Bull Canyon have finished their love fest I will fill in some more of the story on this hunt.

Top-Pin (my brother in law) and I met up late Oct 3rd in Ellensburg to head for the goat rocks and knock over a billy. Due to busy work schedules and other commitments we were unable to make any scouting trips, but we had made lots of good contacts and from these tips we had a good idea where to find some goats. After some final preparations on the morning of the 4th we hit the trail into goat country. While we made our way in we found snow a lot lower than we expected, but we figured we would still be able to get where we wanted to go. After making camp on the 4th we settled in for a good nights sleep to rest up for the last push into the basin we wanted to be in. After a few hours of hiking on the 5th we ran into a lot more snow then we could make it through in a timely manner. We also spotted a couple wolves about 1000 yards away up the basin, which was neat and depressing at the same time. Then we encountered a part of the trail that ran through a rock slide that had 3+ feet of snow in places. It took us a good 3 - 4 hours to make it a mile at this point breaking trail through the snow. We reached a little bench with some trees and a flat spot and looked at each with the same look, the one that says, "I am spent". And we knew that that point we had to make camp there for the night or risk getting stuck somewhere in the middle of the night without a place to camp. So we dug out a spot in the snow which was about 18 inches deep to set our tent and built a fire.  At this point it was time to reevaluate our plan, we both had to be back at work on the 8th and knew that we risked getting into deep and not being able to get out on our own with a goat on our back in time to get back to work. So we made the best of it and made some Mountain House meals and had a beer (Top-Pin snuck a couple Scape Goat beers in his pack to surprise me with).

So the next morning we decided to head out to the truck and figure out a new plan for next weekend.

Fast forward to the next weekend and we found ourselves staying in a cabin on Rimrock lake with some leads on some goats that were located in country that had not been hit as hard with snow. We were excited about our prospects and the fact that my dad was going to be able to join us on the hunt for the weekend. Most of the spots we were going to explore involved making a spot from the road and heading in from there. Friday we covered a lot of miles checking out all of our leads, but we came up empty again. At this point Top-Pin got on the phone and got a good tip from one of his hunting partners about a spot where you could find goats from a lake using a boat. So Top-Pin called his brother and said, "grab my 10' aluminum boat and meet us for breakfast". His brother came through with a boat, but all he brought us for paddles were shovels.......  So off to Morton we go in a last ditch effort to find some, we found and bought the last two in town and headed for the lake.

We hit the lake around 10 AM and found lots of fog and low visibility. We were already there so we got in the boat and went for a little romance tour of the lake, don't be jealous Bull Canyon. Around this time the fog started to lift and so did our spirits. To say that we were both beginning to feel the pressure would have been the understatement of the year. We started burning up the glass in our optics and not much could be found but rocks and snow. Then we paddled on down the lake to check out the Southern facing slopes and everything started coming together. Top-Pin says "There's a goat!" Game on! At this time we started figuring out our strategy. Then we looked over at the shore line and saw my dad who told us he was going to wait for us at the truck, you see dad's many years of hunting has left him with a couple knees that have been replaced and a hip that needs to be, so the heart is more than willing, but the body doesn't always agree anymore. So we rowed over to him and Top-Pin took him out in the lake to discuss our plan. They returned and we agreed that it was time to get it on!!! And dad was going to row back out in the lake and take it all in.

So we headed up a washed out creek to reach a spot above the tree line where we could see over to where the goats were. About half way up the creek bed we heard and gun shot and we both looked at each other thinking, "Here we go again", but we continued on. Just as we were about to break out into the opening Top-Pin looks back at my big butt climbing up through the rocks and says, Be quite!" I gave him the look that a 295 pound guy give a guy half his size that says, "I am trying, sorry this trail is not load rated for me and the rocks wont stay in place." Then he says, "they are bedded down 175 yards from us." So as quickly as I could I quietly hustled my way to him and took a moment to catch my breath before I stepped around to where I could see the goats. While I was catching my breath he got the camera set up to capture the action. I made my way to a spot where I could see the goats, but could not get a very good rest and at this time I realize that Mr. Billy is on to us. So I set up to take a shot. Boom, just over him, admittedly I am a little excited at this time but he is still just standing broad side so I rushed another shot,  like a rookie I over compensate and shoot low. In my head I am thinking you dumby, calm down and just get this done. And it was like everything slowed down for a moment and he walked up the hill and paused for a moment quartering away and I let the 270 WSM go again and it felt like a great shot and  the goat just turns down hill and walks towards some trees so I reloaded and let two more desperation panic shots off as he entered the trees then he disappeared. I turned to Top-Pin and said the third shot smoked him I think, but he didn't act like it. We watched the footage back and we both decided that it was a good shot we just need to get over there and check it out.

We make our way through a brushy hole and once again I am trying to keep up with the Sitka model and I hear what sounds like him talking to someone so I am thinking who is he talking to?  I make it up to the clearing and dear old dad is standing there. Dad says, "I just couldn't take all of the excitement, I thought that first shot was you so I headed in after awhile thinking you bumped another goat on the way up then as I reached the bank and all hell broke loose and I couldn't take it so I found what looked like an easy spot to climb and headed up. I was not about to miss this!!" Top-Pin and I laughed because we both know that the old man in his prime would walk us both into the ground in the mountains. So we showed him the film and set off to find the goat. We rounded the trees and they are looking for tracks or blood on the ground and I looked down towards the trees and saw a ball of white fir balled up next to the base of a tree. I yelled "there he is, WOHOO, WE DID IT!!! Goat down WE SMOKED HIM!!!"Then the celebration was on!!!!

Like I said before this was one of the best moments of my life, next to my son being born, and I got to share it with my dad, my hero. And my brother in law was there by my side the whole hunt helping me accomplish this dream. I love both of you guys and cant wait until we can hit the woods again.

After a few pictures we drug it down to the boat and loaded up whole and headed for the truck. Mission accomplished. A Goat from a Boat!!! Sounds like a Dr. Seuss book, but it is one sweet story to me, one that I will never forget!!!!!

And to top it off when we got home my son got to help his Pa butcher a Mountain goat. DREAM COME TRUE!!!!

[akirkland]

Aren't you supposed to be working there pretty boy!

Having a little extra color for the story is always nice.  Seems to be the norm when toppin is involved:) glad I got that fella as a hunting partner!

\

Funny how kids progress into adults. I remember guiding a very young Top Pin on a pheasant hunt. Maybe that lit his fire to hunt. You can thank me now...or later.

[combs338]

Nah.... If your bro-in-law was the real deal he would of beat you a trail through that snow on the first trip:) I think he's getting soft.  J/k good job Josh!! Glad you got it done and even better to have your ol man along for the experience. From the sounds of that Hill you had to climb I bet you were happy you trained all summer for this.

Your sherpa looks like a poster boy for sitka:)

Thanks Kris. I know you did everything you could to help us find goats and it was appreciated. Well except for not telling us about the lake. J/K bud.

[combs338]

Nice work Josh, way to fight through the adversity this hunt provided and keep pushing to get it done!  Awesome!!!

Thanks Jeff. Now you need to find that big bull!!!

[combs338]

Good job, nice goat.

Thanks for taking your time to get back to me and offer some suggestions.

[combs338]

Congratulations Josh. After we spoke on friday I was sure worried for you with the snow and all. Glad the boat option worked for you. Way to make good on your OIL tag.

We were getting a little worried as well. Thanks again for taking time out of your day to talk with some random hunters in the parking lot. I thought that was very cool of you.

[combs338]

That was an awesome hunt. Like I said, it's a good thing I was invited because it would have been real awkward having me their anyways. I wasn't missing that hunt. Thanks for the great time brother. Definitely lasting memories. Great work!

Thank you for all of your help bro. You were the man all the way through the hunt. I could not have done it without you. Can't wait until our next adventure.

[cem3434]

Congrats buddy, I'm glad to see you made the most out of your OIL tag. Tell your old man I say hi and give me a shout the next time you are on the wetside of the state.

[carpsniperg2]

Congrats