Finally! It's my Turn

predator · Sep 11, 2003

Yeehaaaw. My season is just around the corner, I'm off to chase speedgoats in Eastern Utah! Hope to see you all back here soon with some great pics and some good tales!

Pred

Bambistew · Sep 12, 2003

Good luck, hope you get a good one...again. Make sure you take some good pictures and post when you get back

Ivan

fairchase · Sep 12, 2003

Goog luck and be safe. Photos and a good story are all we ask.

vinihunt · Sep 12, 2003

pred..

good luck! hold for the big! with pic!

vinihunt

droptine · Sep 12, 2003

Good Luck Pred!!!! Hope you get a great speed goat. Bring back lots of pics and we'll all be waiting for details of the hunt.

Droptine

PotatoWhisperer · Sep 12, 2003

Good luck Ms. Predator...I know you'll come back with some great stories and a beautiful trophy...

Scott G.

PleaseDear · Sep 15, 2003

You back yet?? or did that new ATV (yech!!) get stuck in the muck??

Bura Nut · Sep 16, 2003

Prettier: hope you kill or killed a monster. by the way, I still want to show you my 15" goat....... Allen Taylor......

SJ · Sep 16, 2003

Hope you have great hunt.

[email protected]

predator · Sep 16, 2003

I'm baaaack and I have a confession to make. I had buck fever REAL BAD after seeing a very nice buck that would be very close to going book. How bad? BAD. Bad enough to drop my original plan and come up with a new one, bad enough to not sleep a wink (okay, I never do before a hunt anyway). Bad enough to get to the spot 2 hours before daylight because I was convinced that everyone and their dog had seen this buck. I then froze my tushy off in the 40 MPH wind until the sun started to touch the valley floor. Now I knew that big buck was just layin' there somewhere, but the sun hadn't quite hit yet, and you all know how hard antelope are without some reflective light; anyway, there I was, minding my own darn business sitting on my butt waiting and watching from a reef. I heard a rock tumble below me, and lo and behold, I had somehow managed to sit above a major game trail, because there went 2 does not more than 20 yards away. Well, I began counting those does. Mr. Big had eight with him, and once I hit eight they stopped coming. A 30-second pause and.......well, gee how can you resist a 20-yard shot with a frontstuffer at a goat that has no idea you are desperately trying to hang onto a rock on a 40-degree slope above him without making a noise? What can I say, I was convinced it was him, so I pulled the trigger, and he dropped right there and rolled to the bottom. I was elated as hell, how often does a last-minute plan come together so well?

Well, then I find out that there is a wash the size of Deadhorse Point on that side of the reef, so's I can't get the truck over there. So I haul this big ole' bloody stinky goat on my shoulders back up the reef.

By now the sun was up, it was maybe 7:30, and I paused to catch my breath and watch the light creep across the vast expanse of the valley. I followed the flight of a golden eagle as he swooped over me and down the reef below, and guess what I saw? Mr. Big. DOH!!!! I SHOT THE WRONG GOAT!! It was clear that he was much much bigger. *sigh* Next year, Mr. Big, next year.

Anyway, this one has a broomed prong but great mass and huge hooks with some ivory. He goes just over 14, and will score 76. I just can't seem to break that 80-inch mark yet, but boy oh boy, I won't trade watching speedgoats that close in their normal morning routine for anything!

RuttCrazed · Sep 16, 2003

Pred,
What tag did you have? Didn't you draw 'lopes last year out by Bonanza?

Rut

fairchase · Sep 16, 2003

Congrats...Mr. big or not, it sounds like you got a great buck.
My smokepole and I have two more weeks, I can't wait.
Great story, thanks for posting.

Blueoak · Sep 16, 2003

It Happens sometimes. Good story. will you post a pic?

predator · Sep 16, 2003

Rutt, you are correct. I hunted Bonanza last year after drawing, and I had so much fun that I scraped together enough dough to buy a conservation tag for that unit again. It's so worth it to play with goats that are 'normal'. If I can get that tag every year, I will, honestly they are so much fun out there.

Blue, I will post pics as soon as I finish the roll (I know it sounds Cass-like, but I use slide film, and it takes a bit longer to develop). Of course, I dunno how to post, so I'll get some advice and maybe be able to post the speedgoat pics with the mountain goat pics!

Oh, and if the numbers I saw every night are any indication, cottontail season should be buster this year.

Blank · Sep 17, 2003

Shot the wrong one! That sounds like a Gate-Gopher excuse

Guess you beat us both, and dinner will have to be on us next time. Congratulations on a very nice goat!!!!!!

predator · Sep 17, 2003

Blank, your e-mail hates me again, sorry you had to hear it here. I keep getting a return message about 'administrative override'? Did you override your admin again?? What am I going to do with you?

smalls · Sep 17, 2003

I know how you feel. I will walk with bow in hand for the first time this weekend for the year. Antelope this weekend, muley's next weekend. I haven't been able to sleep for a week. I have all my gear ready to go in the hallway, I just have to load up the truck and GO!

droptine · Sep 17, 2003

Congrats on a successful speed goat hunt. Thats ok about MR. BIG, it gives you another reason to try and get another tag next year. That speed goat is still a good goat. Can't wait to see the pics.

Droptine

Blank · Sep 17, 2003

Sent you a note on other email. Try answering that, or use work address.

graybeard · Sep 17, 2003

Congrads on your antelope Lisa. I remember thinking, when I was hunting them, that they must be the most difficult animal to field judge. I'm sure at twenty yards he looked plenty big. A 76"er is still a great buck, Steve

Paul_Crawford · Sep 17, 2003

Congrats, Predator. Forgive me for giving you hell. PC

PleaseDear · Sep 17, 2003

Good job!

predator · Sep 18, 2003

Steve you are so right about that. I'm getting a lot better at it. The difference between this goat and a record book goat is a measly 2 inches on each side. This one curves back so much that it still would be very difficult to tell the difference. I'm convinced the biggest key is finding very good mass and a prong that starts high enough on the horn to allow one to have 3 out of the 4 mass measurements below the prong. I've seen a few 13-inch goats in the record book, but they have ungodly mass of 8-plus inches.

PleaseDear · Sep 19, 2003

Got it in the mail today.....thx for returning it.

When ya leaving for Mt. Mnt. Goat??

It surely is a 'Goat' year for you.

predator · Sep 20, 2003

Thanks again Dear, for loaning me that video.

It looks like we are going to shoot for the week of Oct. 16th. We will pack in with horses as far as they can get, and spike out from there. To say I'm excited is an understatement, but geez, you of all people know what I mean!!