Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Kodiak Goat hunt ends in Medevac

Well as Luke glassed them they turned out to be trophy ptarmigan. We all got a laugh and named them ptarm-a-goats. We chatted about our past adventures and made a nice camp. Becca was a pro at setting up camp and we were dinning on fine MH under their Go-Lite teepee in no time. As it began to get dark we spotted a nice looking Billy on the ridge to our left, we watched it feed around and bed down. Shortly after that a huge brown bear climbed up the ridge just under the goat and when over the ridge.


As darkness neared the temps dropped and we knew it was going to be a cold night. The water in our bladders was already freezing. We said goodnight and headed off to bed. I have to admit that I was envious of them and their double sleeping bag as I was trying to stay warm in my tent and wishing Flor could be there as well.



We awoke to 15 degree temps and frozen boots. Luke spotted Becca�s Billy on the ridge and we ate a quick meal and gathered what we needed to get him back to camp and planned out our stalk. We worked our way up and soon were on short grass with a some what steep accent with solid footing.



The wind dictated that we circle around and approach from behind where we last saw him. As we got into the snow we could see were goats had been walking and bedding down. Before long I spotted him and we stopped and changed into our whites. We were now in the scree with snow on top and it was very noisy to walk on. We eased along the ridgeline peeking over all the spots that he could be.

We had reached where we last saw him and could see a long way and could not find him. There was a small spur to my right and I decided to have a peek over it and we both locked eyes with each other at about 25 yards. He must have heard us walking above him. I dived back and whispered to them both that he was right there to get ready. The Billy was none to eager to be given a backpack ride and was showing us his dirty behind. Luke helped Becca get prepared for the shot and I used my trekking pole as a rest and was tracking the Billy ready to follow up Becca if necessary.

It all happened so fast that she had very little time to get ready and had to try to fire offhand. Her first shot went high and I think she had a hard time on her first reload. After her first shot the Billy got more serious about leaving and started running faster. I heard a second shot and Luke yelled for me to take him.

I under estimated his speed and hit him behind his last rib, he humped up and slowed down and my second shot broke his back and he started �2 wheeling � down the mountain. I hit him again with a 3rd 200 grain Accubond and broke his left front leg. The tough old goat still was tying to go downhill. I fired a forth shot into the center of his back with my 325WSM and he finally stopped after he sucked up 800 grains of lead.

I was running low on bear medicine �ammo� and wanted save what I had left so as Luke reached me and the goat, I used his 308 to finish him off as he was still alive. I did make the mistake of firing too near his neck and the muzzle flash burned away a 3 inch round patch of fur, lesson learned.

There was hugs and high fives all around as both Becca and Luke were happy that we had got one and while Becca had not got her goat yet at least that one did not escape and I was lucky enough to harvest my first ever goat.
We were all really jazzed to see that he was a fine Billy as well, thick coat and 9 1/8 inch horns. Rich from Brow-Tine taxidermy aged him at 7 today when I dropped him off to be half mounted.

We set up the tripod and took some photos and got to work getting him ready to take back to spike camp. The work went quickly with all 3 of us helping out. While we worked it began to snow lightly. We finished up and got ready to head back to camp.


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