Hello everyone,
I thought I would post some pictures of my South East Alaska goat hunt.
The season opened on the first of August, and luckly we flew out on time (good weather). It was a do it your self hunt that I've been dreaming about for years. A buddy and I chartered a Beaver, and flew out a day before the season opened. The ride was unbelievable! The scenery was breath taking, but the ride kept me focused on the Beaver's gauges (like I know what they stand for LOL). I teach in bush Alaska, and I've had my fair share of bush plane rides, but this one messed up my bowel movements up for a week (or it could of been those darn freeze dried meals that taste great going in, but come out slimer green).
We spotted a couple nice goats on the flight in, but I was more concerned about getting off of the plane. Afer a couple of barrel rolls, and Top Gun maneuvers, we landed at the lake.
Here are some pictures. I will add some more pictures with comments as I go along.
Chuck
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/BeaverCliffs.jpg)
This is where the goats live. Above the snow line.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/Deathcliff.jpg)
The runway and starting point.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/LittleGoatlake.jpg)
Man that's a pretty place! Musta been hard to leave.
Here I am loaded up. Heavy pack and all.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/GoattuffChuck.jpg)
I am enjoying the pictures and am looking forward to the story. What bow did you have in the pack???
Hi Brian,
I was using my new Bear's Paw bow. 64@28.
Here is a picture above our camp. If you look close, you can see our tents.
Chuck
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/GoatCamp.jpg)
Whoa!!!!
That one will grab ya.Awesome pics.
Great pics, looking forward to more along with the story to go with them.
David
Cool, how did the hunt go? Awesome pics.
boy what a terrible place to be, no eventcenters,gasstations or Mc-y-dees.
great post!!
Great pictures!!
That is beautiful no cars people or malls..
I want to go back to Alaska!!!!
BEAutiful pics!!! breathtaking! I wanna go to alaska bad!
Great photos! You got me hooked and waiting for more.
Freakin awesome scenery, nice spot for camp....
I got a brief overview of his season in an email a few days ago, and I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE REST OF THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!! He might be worse than Charlie! LOL!!!! Or is that BETTER. :thumbsup: :) :) :)
More please, I'd like some more.
Beautiful country!!
Waterfall picture
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/waterfall.jpg)
The mountain East of camp. A little steep!!
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/snowpatch.jpg)
The engine roared from the Beaver, as the pilot launched off the lake and headed back to town. We did some glassing, and saw a herd of goats on the far side of the mountain. There had to be 40 goats grazing on the hill side! Most of them were nannies and kids though (some billies). After the tease of the unreachable goats, we were excited to go through our gear and load our packs. The first thing we grabbed from our bags was the Deet. The bugs were eating and feasting on our flesh. IT WAS CRAZY! I sprayed Deet on my exposed flesh, but the bugs were still flying into my mouth and eyes. I threw my pack over my shoulders, and I had to escape the "attack of the nats."
As we bush wacked through the jungle, my heart rate increased, and sweat started to beed from my forehead. I trained hard for this goat hunt, and I felt I was capable of getting the job done. The ground was a drenched, 6 inch sponge that tour away with every step. After beating the bush, and sponge skating up the moutain we found a camping spot. The spot was level, it had a little creek, and it provided a great view for spotting goats. I was ready to set my tent up, but my buddy over packed and had to leave some gear down on the trail.
Here is a picture of the mountain above camp.
I will add more later. IT'S TOO LATE, time to hit the sack.
Chuck
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/GoatView.jpg)
One more for tonight.
Here is a picture of a beautiful nanny and kid. Very cool. This was my first goat hunt, and I wasn't going to be picky. I was looking for any legle goat. A mature billy would be great, but I wouldn't pass on a dry, mature, nanny.
Chuck
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/goatkid3.jpg)
man oh man, what beautiful country, them photo's are making a flatlander like me breathe hard just looking at them. can't wait to here the rest of the story.
One of the great things about this site is you can witness the hunts you can only dream about.
Can't wait to hear the rest of the story!
Bill
Awesome photos Chuck! I've got some from around Juneau. I'll try and post them soon. I did a solo one night goat hunt/scouting trip to a place on the road system here in Juneau. Goats were in some nasty terrain so I spent just one night and packed out.
I'll ask it..
What camera are you using???
I have a Cannon Power Shot A95.
Here is some other pictures of some goats.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/Goatkid1.jpg)
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/LoanGoat1.jpg)
Wow!
After camp was set up and we consumed some water went went up above camp and took some pictures. We did a little glassing and scouting for the next day. The season wasn't open yet, so we armed ourselves with our cameras.
Here is a picture of a goat with one horn.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/olonehorn.jpg)
Here they are altogether. They're just hanging out, and wondering what we are doing.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/legliftgoats.jpg)
Tuttu , Your frickin killing me here :bigsmyl:
I will post the last pictures and the rest of the story in the next 2 days. I don't mean to tease, I just have to down pictures to photo bucket and transfer over.
Chuck
Great pics
Thanks...what great pics :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great, now I have drool all over my keyboard!
Great pics Chuck! Can't wait to see more and hear the rest of the story. Beautiful country.
Great pics man! can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
Awesome scenery, and good pictures of the goats. It must have been a blast just being there.
did you have any special lenses on the camera? how far were the goats away? I am really amazed with the quality of the pictures, I am looking to purchase a good camera and seeking all the info I can find.
just amazing!!!
Incredible! I've kind of had a goat hunt in the back of my mind for a while. After seeing where you went I might just move it back a little further - that country is downright scary looking! :scared: :scared: But at the same time those are some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. Sure would be something to actually be in it!
Great stuff Chuck,
one of these next few years I'll get out for them...with this snow getting time off for goats for me is about non existent and taking sheep season to hunt goats is just a no-no ;)
Btw, where are you located at?
Ditto on the above comments. Stunning photos. :thumbsup:
haaa, goat hunting.
make me wanna go so bad !!!
M
Super Thread, just super!
In Oz, alan
I'm too old to look at those pictures. My body can't take it any more. Alaska is for the young bucks.
wow. nice!
That pic of the 3 guys watching you should be a poster in an archery store.
Great stuff.
I live in the NW Arctic region. I hunted goats out of Ketchikan.
All the goat pictures were taking the day before the season opened. Most of the pictures were taken from 30-40 yards.
I'll try to post my last pictures, and the rest of the story soon (I've been extremely busy with wrestling practice).
Chuck
Beautiful country!!! Thanks for sharing. I look forward to the rest of the story.
Jeff
WOW! I have got to make it to alaska one of these days. Maybe i just need to pack up and move!!
very cool, and I thought it was a thread about "goat tuff" glue...lol!!!! great pics. BD :bigsmyl:
Wow!!! Fantastic pictures, can not wait for the rest of the story. Thanks for sharing them with us.
:saywhat:
Killdeer :bigsmyl:
Tuttu,
Thanks for sharing. For those of us sweating our way through October in Texas, these pics do wonders for our attitudes!
Todd
Here's a pic of my goat camp. I spent one night scouting and the goats were in a nasty place so I packed back out.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/Goatcamp.jpg)
And one up above my camp. The ravine had some grouse drinking, they busted me as I came back to camp.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/Ravinetocamp.jpg)
Cooking dinner at camp before nightfall. Was dark at 7pm, 12 hours in the tent isn't much fun.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/CampChef.jpg)
One more of the river below me. Clouds shrouded most of my glassing for goats.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/ChrisFannin/Riverbelow.jpg)
Chris,
I am jealous!
Dan
Somebody has been getting in my head while I daydream and taking pictures. Absolutely beautiful I can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
That goat country is so beautiful it almost looks unreal ! It looks liking something from an imaginary place...WOW ! The pic's take your breath away. How it must feel to really be there ! Thanks for sharing.
Just three things to say about that.
ENVY, ENVY, ENVY
WOW! lookin forward to the rest of the story :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
That one nanny is 6 or 7. I can count the growth rings down to the hairline! Also, check out the dark out of focus spots on the pics. Those are insects stopped in mid-buzz! KA!!!
So Steve,
When do we get the long drawn out published in tbm version of unimak complete with photo's. Common you know the gang will love it. Not that 5 minute short version ya gave me over da phone! ;)
When are your going to post the rest of the story? :bigsmyl:
Oh the wait, Oh the humanity.....
My pack slid off my back like a Mack truck sliding on ice. I was tired, but yet my spirit lifted due to the sight of goats from our camp. I also knew I had to prep camp, while my hunting partner had to hike down to get the rest of his heavy gear. Next, it was time to re crop and dust my skin with deet. I sprayed myself, and scrambled to escape the bugs. Meanwhile, a white, misty, fog lifted from the valley below, and covered the mountains. The rain started to drizzle, and I knew I had to move fast to set camp up. By the time I was done, my tent was up, my gear was ready, and my bow was strung. I was ready for the hunt. However, there was one problem; we had to wait one day for the season to open. When my partner made it back, we decided to do a little scouting after he set up his part of the camp.
We hiked to the top of the ridge where the scenery was just plain awesome. On each side of the ridge cliffs broke the flatness of the terrain. Looking downward and across to the far ridges my eyes examined each white object that resembled a goat. I figured there had to be a goat bedded in between the rocks or on a ledge, but I didn't identity one through my binoculars, so we figured we were a little too low. We walked the ridge upward, and had our hearts set on what might be at the top.
We switched backed and forth up the ridge until we came to a spot were the ridge met the cliff. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was down right scary! Some spots dropped thousands of feet, and I knew I didn't want to come out in the dark or get stuck in the fog. We finally made it to the top, and ran into some goats on the way. We took some pictures and with our cameras and downloaded memories that will last a lifetime.
The day was near over, and the journey to descent down the ridge was next. At that minute we could see the ridge easily, for the fog had seemed to dissipate; however, on the way down the weather changed, and the fog settled in. My heart literally sank, and my insides twisted. Our visibility was 60 yards, and I knew the cliffs would be hidden behind the clouds of mist. I wasn't too afraid of falling off of the cliff, but I was concerned about getting switched around. My mind raced, and memories of how I felt when I got stuck with my snow machine four years earlier struck me. I remembered how I was forced to spend the night in the Arctic with limited survival gear. That lonesome, cold, dark night was the closest encounter I had with death. Although, I had survived 15 hours of -3 temperatures with drenched clothes, no fire, no food, and no water, it was truly a terrible experience.
As my Arctic memory faded in and out of my mind, we managed to maze our way down through the fog. I had my mind set on my 8 month old baby boy and wife. No words can describe the sick feeling of panic and the stress of being lost. It drove me nuts because we couldn't see a darn thing. We thought we were heading the right way, but who knew, we just hoped we wouldn't veer off the ridge. After hours of antagonizing feelings and worrying, we finally recognized a small pond that was above camp. We had made it back and I thanked God for leading the way.
That night we discussed our plan and watched two nice Billies feeding above unreachable cliffs. They were in two different spots, but the terrain was similar. Basically, cliffs were above, cliffs were below, cliffs were to the left, and cliffs were to the right! There was no possible way we would be able to reach them, but it was by far a sight to see. As I laid down in my 1 1/2 skinny man tent, I thought about living my dream of goat hunting, and I couldn't believe I was finally here experiencing it. And even though we had a nerve racking experience with the fog, we were not going to give up. For I adamantly believed that tomorrow would be the day for our opportunities, and I knew we'd have memories that would be cherished for a lifetime.
More to come with final pictures-
Chuck
Now thats some senery Tuttu, can't wait till tomorrow & the rest of th story.
Excellent story and pics! :thumbsup:
this is one great thread!! more pics please!
TTT for TwoTo, come on man!
Hi Guys,
I'm almost done. I'm very busy with coaching and school. I've started on the last part and will post soon. I promise.
Chuck
Tuttu,
You get lost in a snow drift somewhere? We need to start a S&R?
CHUCK...........................................................................WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to hear the rest of the story, and see the pics!!!!
Maybe he just didn't get one???? :knothead:
I dunno, Chuck seems like a Natural Born Killer. I suspect the wolves got a gut pile out of the deal......
That is the prettist county I have ever seen. Keep em coming please!!!!!!
Maybe somebody should call Paul Harvey........
ttt
I think it has a GREAT ending too, but I guess we have to wait for it!!!!
Great story telling!
Gonna sit on this one for sure!
Great photo's! :)
What kind of tent were you using in the picture for your spike camp?
Finally, I finished it. Sorry for the wait.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b344/Tuttu/Goat05good.jpg)
I woke to the silent vibration of black nats and mosquitoes rattling my tent. They were layered in between the mesh and my rain fly, like the cream in the middle of an Oreo cookie. It was early and the dampness of the rainforest laid thick in my tent. I turned to my alarm clock, which read 3:30 a.m., and even though I felt like I just went to bed I knew it was time to get up. My body was a little soar, but my mind was trying to convince itself that it was worse. I wanted to sleep so badly, but my partner was up and the coffee was brewing. I was "slow going," until my hunting buddy told me there were goats above camp. I thought it was one of his schemes to get me out of bed early, but I took no chance of missing my opportunity to get a glance.
The tent fly flexed as it sustained my bare body as I pushed through the door. There I was standing half naked in a rainforest watching two goats scale the cliffs above. It was go time! I threw my clothes on, downed some power aid, ate two bites of a power bar, and grabbed my bow as we went after the goats.
We cleared the first hill and came to the ridge that flattened out below the mountain the goats were on. We glassed the hill and found the two bedded below a snow patch. The fog came and went; it was a muggy day, but scenery was beautiful regardless. The hills were an electrified green color, and the fog gave the mountain a mystical feel to them. We noticed that the two goats we spotted early were legal. One was bigger than the other, but the smaller one was big enough to not to be a kid.
We waited patently for the fog to give us cover to cross the 400 yard open stretch. Finally, we played our cards right and we were in position to go full speed. We couldn't see the goats; therefore, we figured they couldn't see us. The mountain was steep and moreover due to the moisture we were forced to crawl up the wet vegetation. Surprisingly, we made good time scaling the hill, but the rain wasn't helping with our footing.
On the way up, we chose a small drainage that veered off to the right. That drainage puttered out, right below the snow patch. As the immersed gully came to an end, we looked cautiously for our prey. I poked my head up like a gopher looking for danger, until I saw what we were looking for. There they were, SEVEN YARDS TO MY RIGHT! I slowly lowered my head and informed my partner about the great news. I nocked an arrow and peeked over the ledge. The goats were feeding on a small plateau that was ten yards wide. I lowered again, told my buddy we had no shot, and we would have to wait for the right situation.
Water rolled down my face and dripped down over my bow. My glove was drenched, and it was discharging a yellow die that was staining my clothes. I was beyond soaked, but my confidence felt high and dry. After a while I peeked over the ledge and noticed the two goats sparing each other. They were playing and enjoying the rain, but then suddenly, one goat turned and ran to the left.
They trotted over the boulders and presented themselves for a walking shot at 12 yards. The larger one was second, and I focused on the lungs. I drew and shot. It happened so fast, so plain, and so simple. No magical music or tricks and gadgets. It was over before my friend came to full draw with his compound. The arrow penetrated a little far back, but it angled to the far shoulder. Both goats bolted and ran toward the cliff. I was ecstatic as I slid down to tell my buddy. Luckily, he grabbed me as I slid into him or I would have kept slid down the mountain, for I was one giddy fellow. I felt confident in my shot, but I still worried about her jumping off the cliff.
The rain drizzled for the continuing 30 minutes of my wait. When the everlasting wait was up we took off and headed toward the area where she fled. We looked for blood, but the downpour washed away any red spots that would have been visible. We climbed the steep rocks and came to the top. My stomach dropped as we looked over the cliff. We were standing a safe distance from the edge, but I still felt the anxiety of possibly falling off. We glassed up and over, but no sight of either goat. So we back tracked to where we saw her last.
This area was still steep, but not as dangerous as the 500 foot drop off. I went to the right while my buddy looked down a small finger ridge. At the end of the small ridge, the goat was tucked under some bushes. I scaled up and over, and the relief of a suicidal goat was off my mind, for there she lay my 7 ½ inch nanny!
Looking back at this hunt, I feel very fortunate for shooting a goat on my first day. I have to tell you that, I've put a lot of time in on other hunts and ended up without an animal. On this hunt, I put a little in and ended up with a lot. For all those other attempts of empty harvest tags, this hunt paid off. It's not always about killing an animal, but how we travel the road to get where we are going. I know we've all heard people preach it before, but the more I hunt, the more I enjoy experiencing the adventures of the great outdoors.
WOW awsome I can't even think of anything to say other than wow. That must have been awsome. You are truly blessed :bigsmyl:
Congrats Chuck! That's an awesome hole is that the entrance or exit?
Congrats chuck !
Good kill and great scenery.
What kind of broadhead did you use ?
Jacob
WOW! is right.... great ending to the thread.... Thanks for sharing that one!
Frank b
Congratulations on a fantastic end to a great trip.
All I keep saying to myself is "man, what a wonderful camera that is!!!!!!!!" Those are the clearest, most beautiful, sharp, photos that I have ever seen.
Can you expand a little on the camera you are using? Is it an autofocus, or are you a camera wizard changing settings for each shot, etc.?
Thanks for sharing a hunt many of us will never get to take. As already said Fantastic!
What a pic of you and the goat, just love it :thumbsup:
I knew something was in trouble with this guy in the mountains with his bow in hand!
Oh, and did I see mention of a grizzly somewhere? Do we get a grizzly story too?!??!?!?
I think he has a few more stories and pictures up his sleeve. He definitly had a DREAM SEASON!!
I really enjoyed the pictures and the story. I am also looking forward to more. HINT HINT!!!!!!
Juneaulongbow,
That was an exit hole from a snuffer. That's all I use.
I did get a griz this year, but I don't know if there will be a story soon.
Chuck
Great stuff TuTu ;) . You've accomplished one of the harder feats in the bowhuntin relm, something I am waiting for the opportunity to do. Congrats!
Ray Hammond
I used the auto focus feature on all the pictures I took.
Chuck
Beautiful trophy! I don't know what you do for a living, but you should be a writer. Great stuff!
Congrats!!
Don't know how I missed the conclusion of this one when you posted but, AWESOME! And I agree with the others, those pics are absolutely the top.
Congratulations, nice goat! Well worth the wait the get "the rest of the story". :bigsmyl:
One of the best posts. It is truly breathtaking
Wow!!! What a great hunt, thanks for sharing both the story and your photos.
David