2018 Goat
- Thread starter MachV
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Well this year had its own quirks starting with drawing a 87 deer tag for the second year and a third choice 21 antelope tag. Both seasons open the 15th of October and are in opposite directions. Not really a problem as the deer tag takes priority.
Opening morning finds us looking over numerous small 4x4s. This guy plays peak-a-boo with me a little too long and somehow I convince myself he is big enough=He isn't but I have no will power. At 300 yards he should have been a bang flop but someone held wind the wrong direction ;-(
The 16th we went back out to find a shooter for my partner only to get to our honey hole in time to catch someone hauling out the little brother to the buck I shot last year, much smaller buck but heavier rack. A lot of driving and hiking didn't produce results.
The 17th Tyson went back to work and I butchered the deer.
The 18th I headed north to fill the goat tag. Got to my favorite spot to find 4 trucks already there, no problem I just glassed the area waiting for them to kick something out=Nothing, not one **** goat in the whole area ***. Did a couple of hikes into some hard to reach public parcels but the goats know the boundaries better than X maps.
Long way around the barn but Saturday morning found Tyson and I overlooking my favorite spot again....this time without company. The wind had pickt up already and was about ready to give up when six goats appear about a mile and a half out. We watch them for an hour or so till they looked like they where going to settle in.
There was a small hill between them and us and if we stayed behind it we should be able to get within range. It worked great and when we peeked over the hill the goats where laying 425 yards away on the other hillside.
At 1.5 miles I couldn't make out does or bucks but it didn't really matter as I figured the closest was going to fill my any goat tag. Turns out the closest goat was the best of three bucks. He was laying broadside with his feet tucked underneath him. Nasty 90* wind and 425 yards was not ideal but there was little chance of changing anything. So I dialed 6moa into the scope(should have been 6.5) and held 7moa into the wind. At the shot he jumped to his feet and started staggering around like a drunk. A second 143 ELDx dropped him.
Upon getting to him I could not believe the damage the first round had done, both back feet and one front foot where gone at the pasterns and he had a nasty gash on the bottom of his chest=4 hits with the first shot. When we went to bone him out he had what looked like a bullet hole from the first weekend in the mid loin area.......***** and not enough damage to be a direct hit??? Cut around it and forgot to double check the spot when we where done.
Now I got him cut up and in my pack but its still 1.5 miles back to the truck, uphill of coarse.
Turns out this is probably the best goat I have ever shot and I would have settled for a doe ;-)
Opening morning finds us looking over numerous small 4x4s. This guy plays peak-a-boo with me a little too long and somehow I convince myself he is big enough=He isn't but I have no will power. At 300 yards he should have been a bang flop but someone held wind the wrong direction ;-(
The 16th we went back out to find a shooter for my partner only to get to our honey hole in time to catch someone hauling out the little brother to the buck I shot last year, much smaller buck but heavier rack. A lot of driving and hiking didn't produce results.
The 17th Tyson went back to work and I butchered the deer.
The 18th I headed north to fill the goat tag. Got to my favorite spot to find 4 trucks already there, no problem I just glassed the area waiting for them to kick something out=Nothing, not one **** goat in the whole area ***. Did a couple of hikes into some hard to reach public parcels but the goats know the boundaries better than X maps.
Long way around the barn but Saturday morning found Tyson and I overlooking my favorite spot again....this time without company. The wind had pickt up already and was about ready to give up when six goats appear about a mile and a half out. We watch them for an hour or so till they looked like they where going to settle in.
There was a small hill between them and us and if we stayed behind it we should be able to get within range. It worked great and when we peeked over the hill the goats where laying 425 yards away on the other hillside.
At 1.5 miles I couldn't make out does or bucks but it didn't really matter as I figured the closest was going to fill my any goat tag. Turns out the closest goat was the best of three bucks. He was laying broadside with his feet tucked underneath him. Nasty 90* wind and 425 yards was not ideal but there was little chance of changing anything. So I dialed 6moa into the scope(should have been 6.5) and held 7moa into the wind. At the shot he jumped to his feet and started staggering around like a drunk. A second 143 ELDx dropped him.
Upon getting to him I could not believe the damage the first round had done, both back feet and one front foot where gone at the pasterns and he had a nasty gash on the bottom of his chest=4 hits with the first shot. When we went to bone him out he had what looked like a bullet hole from the first weekend in the mid loin area.......***** and not enough damage to be a direct hit??? Cut around it and forgot to double check the spot when we where done.
Now I got him cut up and in my pack but its still 1.5 miles back to the truck, uphill of coarse.
Turns out this is probably the best goat I have ever shot and I would have settled for a doe ;-)
MNbogboy
Well-Known Member
Congrats on both
Randy
Randy
brant89
Well-Known Member
Congrats! BTW, I PM'd you regarding my 2017 hunt that you were so gracious to help us on. Nice buck!
Buckshotaz
Active Member
Nice!
midwesthunter
Well-Known Member
Looks like another quick season for you, congrats
Matchbook454
Well-Known Member
Congrats! Nice looking goat!
