Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: DeerThug on September 21, 2011, 10:26:39 PM

Title: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: DeerThug on September 21, 2011, 10:26:39 PM: I finally got to embark on my once in a lifetime Mountain Goat hunt. We left on Thursday and arrived at the trailhead late by late afternoon. As we increased in elevation, the temperature steadily dropped and it began to drizzle. We made it to where we were going to set up camp just after dark. As soon as we stopped hiking we all froze and could hardly get the tents set up. We struggled to get a fire going and managed to dry out before bedding down. I was not optimistic of having any visibility the following morning, but when the sun came up only the peaks were fogged in. We started up the trail to find my goat but it was too cloudy. Five minutes up the trail Matthew spotted a bear across the valley. Two of the boys had never tagged a bear, so I handed my rifle to them and off they went. As they closed the gap to 350 yards, the bear was moving a lot. Without a good rest and having a foggy scope, it was a matter of minutes before it disappeared into thick brush. It was exciting to sit up on the ridge and watch as they worked the situation, but they could not seal the deal - no bear. We continued up the ridge and into the next basin that was still in the clouds. Finally about 10 o’clock they started to dissipate and we spotted several herds from a distance. Most were nannies with kids, but one group contained 6 billies. Since we had not found the goat we had previously scouted, we decided these billies were worth a look. After a treacherous hike across several snow fields we were 200 yards from the billies. A few tense minutes of discussion yielded a group consensus that they were all too small. Just as the last billie disappeared beyond the skyline, Tanner said that he had spotted the big boy on his cliff about two miles from our location. Sure enough, he was right where we left him three weeks earlier. He was on the side of the basin where we had just come from, but must have been hidden by the clouds earlier. It took about 3 hours to get back around the ridge across the rugged snow fields. Bradlee and Matthew stayed high on the ridge, but I could not make it that way so Tanner, Jeff and I separated and circled lower. You guessed it, five minutes later Bradlee and Matthew spotted the goat just above them on the ridge, meaning we would have to tackle treacherous terrain anyway. Luckily he was bedded and by the time I found a way up he was still there. Tanner and Jeff decided to wait and watch from below. Bradlee and Matthew had him ranged at 170 yards and confirmed he was the goat we were after. He was in the perfect place for a sure shot that would allow us to retrieve him and keep him from getting torn up. I got into position and began to wait. We waited so long that we convinced Jeff and Tanner to make the climb and join us. It took him about 45 minutes to finally stand up. I settled on his shoulder and shot. We saw the bullet hit and he stood there for a second and turned the other direction. Jeff said to hit him again. I put a second shot into his other shoulder and he took one step and went down. He rolled several times down the slope and stopped just before going over a small cliff. As Bradlee said, “Perfect!” My once in a life time trophy was on the ground. He was 9 ½ inches, good bases and a good hide. We were able to get him off of the ridge and down to the trail right at dark. It took another 45 minutes to get back to camp. We were greeted by a big fire at camp started by the archery elk hunters that we shared a spot with.

This was truly an epic adventure from the first scouting trip to the last step back at the trail head. It was great to hike many miles and spend a lot time with Matthew and my buddies. I also got to see some great country. It was a hunt that took planning, research, physical challenges and luck.

I am very grateful that I was drawn before I got too much older and most of all that no one got hurt, besides a few good bruises.

I want to thank Jason and the other guys from here for all of the help and the elk hunters for the fire.
Most of all I could not have done this without Matthew, Jeff, Bradlee and Tanner. Thanks guys – another fantastic hunt and adventure in the books.

Here is a link to a cool video – I think if you copy and paste it into another tab it will work. Turn up the sound and listen carefully.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=220763771312086# (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=220763771312086#)
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on September 21, 2011, 10:29:34 PM: Right on :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: shanevg on September 21, 2011, 10:34:49 PM: Great job! I've been waiting for this post for the last two days now, glad to finally seethe pictures!!! Looks like a great goat, did you get a chance to rough score him? I would love to hear how close I was on my estimate - I am definitely still fine tuning my field scoring skills!

You got a great tag (arguably one of the best in WA) and made the most of the hunt! I'm glad you could share it with your friends and family and glad you could share the experience with us! Again congrats! Hope you enjoyed every second of it because you probably will never top that one! :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Widgeondeke on September 21, 2011, 10:35:11 PM: nice write up and thx for sharing the pics
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Lunchbox1981 on September 21, 2011, 11:00:57 PM: Congrats. What a great story and hunt. Looks and sounds like it was a very good time had by all. Again Congrats on a beauty.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 21, 2011, 11:47:13 PM: Congrats and thanks for sharing it looks like a great goat :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: PacificNWhunter on September 22, 2011, 12:08:11 AM: Nice goat!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: jamesjett on September 22, 2011, 12:50:50 AM: Congrats! Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 22, 2011, 02:25:54 AM: right on ....group efford , sounds like everyone enjoyed the experience :tup: Nice Goat !!!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: NWBREW on September 22, 2011, 02:35:14 AM: Very nice, Thanks for sharing that.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: firefighter4607 on September 22, 2011, 03:37:16 AM: Congrats nice Goat!!!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 22, 2011, 05:25:20 AM: congrats on the goat, looks like you had fun with the Motley crew. :chuckle:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Huntboy on September 22, 2011, 06:19:59 AM: Nice story, congrat's on the Goat.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: JPhelps on September 22, 2011, 06:28:51 AM: Victor,

That hunt looks like it was an EPIC adventure shared with friends and family :tup:. I'm still kicking myself for not being able to make it.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Jason on September 22, 2011, 06:30:49 AM: Congrats on a nice Goat!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: longashes on September 22, 2011, 06:34:09 AM: Very cool ... and look at all that help for the pack out!! :tup:
Congrats!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Huntbear on September 22, 2011, 06:44:55 AM: Great read! Nice Goat, looks like you guys did it just right....
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: rebal69972 on September 22, 2011, 07:59:27 AM: congrats on a nice goat, good read. nothing better then a good hunting trip with good friends and family :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: DeerThug on September 22, 2011, 08:05:27 AM: Thanks everyone. Did the video work for you guys?
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: 50CalJim on September 22, 2011, 08:11:50 AM: Looks like a great hunt Congrats! :IBCOOL: Yes the Video works fine.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: gunnarnewt on September 22, 2011, 08:17:49 AM: Congrats! :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 22, 2011, 08:58:20 AM: Congratulations on a great goat! Still patiently waiting for my turn..................................
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: sirmissalot on September 22, 2011, 09:06:45 AM: Great job, looks like a good billy for sure. Congratulations thats something I've looked forward to doing for a lot of years... someday
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: TheHunt on September 22, 2011, 09:56:00 AM: Great goat and congrats on a great hunt. You had a great crew helping. Nice job
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on September 22, 2011, 09:59:31 AM: NICE!!!!! Great job filling a OIL tag!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: briancorneal on September 22, 2011, 10:04:20 AM: Awesome. I was in the other basin while you got your goat.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Swag on September 22, 2011, 10:04:49 AM: Great Story, thanks for sharing.. Nice goat!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: GoldTip on September 22, 2011, 10:05:05 AM: Awesome goat and a great story to boot, congrats!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: WAmuleyHunter on September 22, 2011, 10:17:57 AM: Great job!!! thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 22, 2011, 10:45:06 AM: AWESOME!! Congratulations on a great goat! :)
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on September 22, 2011, 10:45:52 AM: Good looking Goat, good job!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: archery288 on September 22, 2011, 10:46:12 AM: Awesome!! Congrats!! :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: elkoholic on September 22, 2011, 11:17:02 AM: nice work guy's..

By the way love the Raingear....
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: 250savage on September 22, 2011, 11:50:54 AM: nice goat and great memories, congratulations.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: jager on September 22, 2011, 02:09:09 PM: The scouting paid off! Great job!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: steen on September 22, 2011, 05:14:35 PM: Great story and great hunt. Hope I will still be young enough to hunt one when I draw!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Naches Sportsman on September 22, 2011, 05:35:38 PM: Great hunt. Did any snow fall? this past weekend it snowed for about 10 minutes on me on bald mountain. that is a great way to start the year. now muzzy season coming up this weekend.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: DeerThug on September 22, 2011, 08:31:51 PM: Have not had it green scored.
Rain gear - we are pretty basic guys. Not a lot of gear, we always seem to get by.

AND did the video work?? Tech issue not sure if I did it right. Someone reply and let me know if it played for them?

Can only wish this on the next generation....
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Wea300mag on September 22, 2011, 08:34:45 PM: Well done Deerthug, glad to see you got all those youngsters involved. :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: shanevg on September 22, 2011, 11:32:46 PM: Video did not work for me on my iPhone but I did see another member say it worked for him. You can always post the video on YouTube which is pretty straightforward and just post the link here.

As far as score goes, you can go to the Boone and Crocket website and they have a website that tells you where to measure and then calculates the score for you. It is a great tool that I have used before. It's obviously not an official score but it at least gives you a rough number.

Again congrats on a great goat and for really putting a great tag to good use! That's what all of us want to see with these OIL tags. I'm headed out on Saturday to hopefully help one of the Mt Baker tag holders get his goat so hopefully we can have more WA goat pictures up on the website soon!!!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Hornseeker on September 23, 2011, 07:16:00 AM: Awesome man! Congrats on a great hunt!!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: norsepeak on September 23, 2011, 08:00:31 PM: Congrats, nice goat....leave in three weeks for my goat hunt, can't wait.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: dobby on September 24, 2011, 10:10:52 AM: Congrats :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: SuperDave on September 24, 2011, 07:23:10 PM: Nice goat and great story!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: backcountrybow on September 24, 2011, 10:39:05 PM: Right on man! Way to get it done and nice story!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: bearpaw on September 24, 2011, 11:10:47 PM: congrats on a great hunt and goat.... :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: MLBowhunting on September 26, 2011, 09:55:56 AM: awesome :IBCOOL: you the man
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Dblstks on September 26, 2011, 01:12:58 PM: Way to go! Great story.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: actionshooter on September 27, 2011, 12:50:01 PM: just found the story, Congrats on a good billy!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: fc2038 on September 27, 2011, 07:01:56 PM: Congrats... Thanks for the story!!! One of these years
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: youngbuckslayer on September 27, 2011, 08:27:21 PM: it was a awsome hunt to go on.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: 180-GRAIN on September 28, 2011, 10:54:12 AM: Looks like you guys had fun! Great looking goat you got there, congrats! :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: seth30 on September 28, 2011, 11:41:14 AM: Good job :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Yak-NDN on September 28, 2011, 11:43:03 AM: Sweet goat I was up that way last week and saw a few Billie's my self.
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics VIDEO ADDED!
Post by: DeerThug on September 28, 2011, 11:09:20 PM: So I got the You Tube done. Hope this works....

Here is one of the videos that we took. Turn up the sound and enjoy.

Goat Trip 068 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opgqo6swUB8#ws)
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: actionshooter on September 29, 2011, 07:00:09 AM: nice shootin :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: BrushChimp on September 29, 2011, 06:15:53 PM: Nice job! :tup: I hate work! Wished we could of joined you guys on the hunt! :bash:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: JPhelps on September 29, 2011, 06:43:47 PM: Victor,
Once again awesome hunt and that country looks familiar. :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: DeerThug on October 05, 2011, 06:20:14 AM: I am so glad I got my goat when I did. With this weather that has come in and forcast of snow, not sure there would have been much of an opportunity. It is good when things work out....

Will make for better rifle elk if it keeps it up...
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: seth30 on October 05, 2011, 06:27:26 AM: Great shooting!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: kckrawler on October 05, 2011, 06:31:37 AM: And that's a youtube video no hunter should be ashamed of :tup:

Congrats man!!!
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: Alpinegus on October 05, 2011, 07:16:14 AM: :tup: Great story; great hunt. Cool to get it on video. Congrates on the billy. :tup:
Title: Re: GOAT ROCKS BILLIE DOWN! long story and lots of pics
Post by: shanevg on October 05, 2011, 10:55:04 AM: Just saw the YouTube video. Looks awesome! Congrats! Can't believe he stopped on top of that cliff like that...