B
ButcherBoy
Guest
Was just wondering if you had any luck yet with your Mt Goat. Was talking to my dad and you guys have had alittle snow. Hope everything is allwell.
Tony
Tony
H
Hornseeker
Guest
Well, since you asked....NO! I am in a state of denial, depression and a little angry...
I spent 3 more days up high. One was a half day, but we set up in great weather and used the spotting scope to glass many miles of supposed 'great' goat country. Saw a nanny and a kid. Sat with the scope or binos glued to my eyes for about 3 hours. Anyhow, next day we decided to hit some different country. Out of camp 1 hour before light, back at camp 1 3/4 hours after dark. Never saw a goat? Cant figure it out for the life of me. Less goats than my last trip, and that wasn't so good at 6-8 per day (no mature billies).
The 3rd day we went into some different country altogether, figuring we just had to run into them somewhere. The weather had set in and we had a tough time glassing much, but we did get a fair bit of country glassed. Nothin!
I know another guy who went into some different country than I did for about 4 days total and he only saw a couple distant goats the whole trip....
So, with that said, we now have 20-40+ inches of snow at the goat elevations and I'm not planning another trip in. I have a call into the bio to see if there are any more accessible options, but I dont think there are.
All in all, I overestimated the goat population, based on some info a reliable source had given me. I was thinking I'd glass a couple dozen goats, including at least one mature billy, Daily. That was not the case. If I had her to do again, which is pretty unlikely, I'd have started much earlier, like mid September or so. Truly though, I dont want a mount with short hair, so I actually started about the right time....just needed more time off to hunt them!
Thanks for the inquiry,
Ernie
I spent 3 more days up high. One was a half day, but we set up in great weather and used the spotting scope to glass many miles of supposed 'great' goat country. Saw a nanny and a kid. Sat with the scope or binos glued to my eyes for about 3 hours. Anyhow, next day we decided to hit some different country. Out of camp 1 hour before light, back at camp 1 3/4 hours after dark. Never saw a goat? Cant figure it out for the life of me. Less goats than my last trip, and that wasn't so good at 6-8 per day (no mature billies).
The 3rd day we went into some different country altogether, figuring we just had to run into them somewhere. The weather had set in and we had a tough time glassing much, but we did get a fair bit of country glassed. Nothin!
I know another guy who went into some different country than I did for about 4 days total and he only saw a couple distant goats the whole trip....
So, with that said, we now have 20-40+ inches of snow at the goat elevations and I'm not planning another trip in. I have a call into the bio to see if there are any more accessible options, but I dont think there are.
All in all, I overestimated the goat population, based on some info a reliable source had given me. I was thinking I'd glass a couple dozen goats, including at least one mature billy, Daily. That was not the case. If I had her to do again, which is pretty unlikely, I'd have started much earlier, like mid September or so. Truly though, I dont want a mount with short hair, so I actually started about the right time....just needed more time off to hunt them!
Thanks for the inquiry,
Ernie
B
ButcherBoy
Guest
Ernie,
Sorry to hear about that. Hopefuly you will find another area before it closes. Good luck with the rest of the season.
Regards,
Tony
Sorry to hear about that. Hopefuly you will find another area before it closes. Good luck with the rest of the season.
Regards,
Tony
H
Hornseeker
Guest
I talked with the area bio today...he didn't have much good news! Said if the weather changes late in the month there were a couple places, but they are still at 9500+ feet. Everything at that height in the area right now has 30-40 inches of snow!!!
Ouch.
Ouch.
Blank
Long Time Member
- Messages
- 6,760
Ernie: I went thru the same thing on my tag in the Sawtooths once I started hunting in November. Be very careful! I fell off cliffs twice, first time landed in snow drift 30 feet below, and second time hung from my rifle sling several hundred feet above lights out. They aren't worth your life, so watch it. Give me a heads up when you do score.
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ButcherBoy
Guest
What area are you hunting? Do you live in Montana? The reason I ask is my mom and dad live in Montana.
H
Hornseeker
Guest
I'm hunting in the Madison Range, SE of Ennis. I am going to head back next weekend for a couple days, but I fear it will be too nasty to get up there. The weather stations about 500-1000 feet below the goat elevations are reading 38 inches of snow....
I wont be falling off no cliffs Joel....I got 3 ladies here at this house that mean way too much to do that!!!!! I'm glad you made it through your hunt!
I wont be falling off no cliffs Joel....I got 3 ladies here at this house that mean way too much to do that!!!!! I'm glad you made it through your hunt!
