Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Photo & Video => Topic started by: ButcherBoy on February 10, 2008, 08:25:19 PM

Title: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: ButcherBoy on February 10, 2008, 08:25:19 PM: I was lucky enough to draw a goat tag in 2005 for the Blazed Ridge unit. Had a great time with my dad, son and father in law. We were able to hunt for about 10 days. We saw lots of goats,two very good shooters in my book with the help of a few very good people. Any way hope you enjoy the pics.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9987_edited-1.jpg&hash=bd9a96fff6bc6e9a1b0dcdad05e09d455b2b27f7)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9981_edited-1.jpg&hash=3028e65ff9ecd5024aca21c984e340c1ab192a1e)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9990_edited-1.jpg&hash=ce6ca19369403fdf8c1d7ba79f2bd7d881e100da)(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9985_edited-1.jpg&hash=7e8ec3ddd826c3682a9f70e47ed3d6d00833f416)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9995_edited-1.jpg&hash=498d60f6e3c5d3789c70b744d8e5ae03c05c0cfd)

TK
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: RubblesPH on February 10, 2008, 08:32:10 PM: Wow Butcherboy...long time no talk. Those are great pics and look very familiar! Lets see some success pics and hear the story.

Good to see your still out there, hope all is well. Drue
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: ButcherBoy on February 10, 2008, 09:23:50 PM: Drue,
I'm still alive. Thanks for all the help you and Todd provided. Nice buck you got that same year!!

Here is the story.
Started out with three days of "just scouting" during the first part of the season with a 10 day "hunt" planned 4 days after that. Looked over the land the first day spotting a few goats. Second day of scouting found a few more but no real nice billys. lots of nannys and kids with a few small billys. The last day of scouting we planned on heading home that afternoon. We got up before sunrise and looked over the cliffs that we saw the most goats on the first morning. At first light I was looking over the cliffs when I spotted a Lone goat at the very top of the cliffs in his bed. You could tell he was a good goat from a ways off so I wanted to got a closer look. I had my rifle with me just in case.

Here are the pics play by play.
First pic is looking across the cliffs. He was bedded all the way at the far end.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9980.jpg&hash=075dbb722b1c14569bf22f53894156de72e3c641)

Second is right in his bed looking back from where I started.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9987_edited-1.jpg&hash=bd9a96fff6bc6e9a1b0dcdad05e09d455b2b27f7)

As I worked my way to him he busted me and headed down the cliff. I watched him with the spotting scope feed for awhile at 150 yards. I should have shot him right then and there. I told myself that I didn't want the hunt to end that soon so I passed on the shot and I also had to be at work the next day and with a 2 week vac I wasn't too worried. Put the camera on the spotting scope and got a few pics of him.

He is the white spot all the way down at the edge of the drop off.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN9985_edited-1.jpg&hash=7e8ec3ddd826c3682a9f70e47ed3d6d00833f416)

Little closer.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FIMG_0117.jpg&hash=1b394d267705425bfe525a9946e82bd542ee135c)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FIMG_0120.jpg&hash=7619853be246d7ef9503665fac3840ca9711524c)

Closer still.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2Fclifford_edited-1.jpg&hash=505d43fede71a9d9f7267939469d3728c555266e)

We came back four days later and never saw him again. We hunted hard for seven days for him and finally got hold of Todd and he put us on to another spot that he might be. We got to the area a little bit before first light and set up across the cliffs. We spotted a bunch of goats right off the bat. After glassing for about a hour we spotted a lone goat up higher than the rest. He looked like a shooter so I decided to go after him.

In his bed across the canyon,
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FIMG_0173_edited-1.jpg&hash=1151d614ba21650b77a24a826143e7edd5c27b7e)

On the move,
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FIMG_0157.jpg&hash=4e8ac1fee14a74465a072cdcbc00b2408673c58d)

I moved my way across the canyon to a spot where I could just see his head at 205 yards. I could see his head but not any of his body. I waited about an hour and something finally caused him to stand and look up the cliff. At the shot he went down pretty hard but still slide about 50 yards. Here he is.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2Fnetgoat_edited-1-1.jpg&hash=06b50cb65352411f776b6fb7da93b1dab9b4fcec)

Thanks for the help!!!
Tony
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: 280ackley on February 10, 2008, 09:29:48 PM: Nice Goat and love the pics. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: bobcat on February 10, 2008, 09:31:55 PM: Cool pictures. Thanks for sharing them, and the story! I will probably never go on a mountain goat hunt, the odds of drawing are pretty bad, especially when you don't even apply!
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Hunting Cowboy on February 10, 2008, 09:32:25 PM: Great photo's and story Tony! Glad you shared. What did you do for a mount on that critter?
Mike
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: ButcherBoy on February 10, 2008, 09:38:06 PM: Thanks it was a great hunt.
Mike,
Todd is doing a lifesize mount. I'll post pics later.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: cohoho on February 10, 2008, 10:24:27 PM: Excellent story and photos, any goat is a true trophy, all the time......
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: M_ray on February 10, 2008, 10:51:08 PM: Very cool! I love the pics and story Thanks! I can't wait to draw that tag :)
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: boneaddict on February 11, 2008, 06:34:56 AM: Great pics and story! Can't wait to see the mount. Maybe this year for me..I'm in about 4 states.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Cougeyes on February 11, 2008, 06:44:20 AM: That is one hunt and one unit I want to draw. I was up there two summers ago and saw tons of goats. Awesome pictures and a quality animal.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: GoldTip on February 11, 2008, 08:03:53 AM: Awesome story and great pics. Congrats on a tremendous trophy!
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: sasquatch on February 11, 2008, 08:34:38 AM: Congrats! Great story and photos. Someday.......
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Ray on February 11, 2008, 09:15:16 AM: Thanks for the report. I enjoyed reading it.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Muleyslyr on February 11, 2008, 09:40:52 AM: Great story and pics. Looks like a great area to draw. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: actionshooter on February 11, 2008, 07:03:12 PM: Really enjoyed the story and pics! How many points did you have? How many different goats did you see during the season?
I'm tired of waiting to draw, got permission from the wife to go to BC 2009 for goat but I'm having a hard time justifying to cost.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 11, 2008, 07:33:30 PM: I'm with you actionshooter. I've been applying for so many years it isn't even funny. I was applying back in the day when the success rate was in the range of 40% and still couldn't draw. I'm just trying to figure out if I want a coastal hunt from a boat or an inland hunt in like Alberta. The costs aren't good, but I've found them for 5k. I'm so jealous of this post that I have really nothing to say other than congratulations...you lived my dream. :)

Shawn
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: ButcherBoy on February 11, 2008, 08:19:26 PM: I've always wanted a goat over any other big game animal. That's why I couldn't pull the trigger on the first goat. I was kinda sad after I pulled the trigger knowing I more the likely wouldn't do it again. I had 6 points. I have still bought raffle tickets every year sense, ya never know. I think I saw a total of between 25 and 30 goats with 5-7 being billys. It was hard for me to judge the horns on the billys. Mine was right at 9 inch's. I guess if you look at enough you could tell a 1/2 inch, not me. I bought a Swaroski 20-60x80 for the hunt and it really helped. If I had it to do all over again I don't know if I would do anything different. Best hunt of my life. Funny thing is a week after I got the goat I got my best muley to date, 176 gross, 164 7/8 net.
KEEP PUTTING IN FOR THE DRAWS!!! You never know. Good luck and take your wife up on the offer.

Thanks for the kind words.
Tony
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: DeKuma on February 12, 2008, 07:47:35 AM: Great post and loved the pictures and story.
You lived the dream for a lot of us. Someday, maybe I will get my chance.
I always run into goats at 50 to 100yards out in Greenwater area, but alas, cannot shoot them with anything but a camera............
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Cougeyes on February 12, 2008, 09:36:08 AM: You got a picture of that buck?
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: moparman on February 12, 2008, 11:39:04 AM: nice pics
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: ButcherBoy on February 12, 2008, 02:23:01 PM: Quote from: Cougeyes on February 12, 2008, 09:36:08 AM
You got a picture of that buck?

Here ya go.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2Ftonydeer_edited-1.jpg&hash=3cca979a0a56e920eabc14c8eaf9303aff683b61)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN0098_edited-1.jpg&hash=be0ac54f278b402983fc8518d1b9916d19db4d74)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi25.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc91%2F338-06%2FDSCN0507.jpg&hash=2296350641be1ce18be3cf7c25a1201fe0b18c6f)

I'll post the story and my Buddy's that he got the same week, 29 inch 5x5 later in the deer hunting.

Tony
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: RubblesPH on February 12, 2008, 07:44:45 PM: Tony..love seeing those pics and a great Billy.....no problem with the help, it gave me a chance to get the maps, notes, pics, etc out and relive my goat hunt up there. It definitely brought back a ton of great memories.

Just wish you would have drawn it a different year than the year I drew Raffle Deer Tag!
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: Head-shot on February 12, 2008, 09:30:40 PM: Congrats on the trophy, great story and pics.
Title: Re: Blazed Ridge MT Goat Hunt
Post by: PacificNWhunter on February 12, 2008, 10:26:37 PM: Awesome photo's! Looks like it was a great hunt.