Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Good Goat medicine - 150 gr Nosler BT

Late August looking back at the drainage we just climbed out of to set up camp in the Alaska Chugach mountains. Spirits were high as we spotted several goats at higher elevations on the way up.



Sunrise next morning arose to mountain weather; wind, rain, sleet and snow. Climbed a couple thousand feet to scope, but visibility was poor. Did not see a goat.

Another day dawned to some light snow cover. Climbed to where we scoped yesterday and there where goats everywhere. Nannies and kid groups and several lone billies. Spent a lot of time looking them over and decided to make a move on one, but when we arrived to where we thought he should be...nothing. Swung around the mountain side and spotted a good one. A snow squall came up and delayed our stalk.


In 1/2 hour we got him in sight again. The guide stayed put with the spotting scope on him while I continued to close on him. I was hoping to get within 300 yards. Occasionally I would look back at the guide with my binos for directions because I lost sight of the goat. A look back and the guide signaled to stop and pointed up. I look up and there are two goats just above me. I had over shot my stalk and came in just below them. In the split seconds that followed I could not tell which goat I was after and could not be sure of my target. Got a quick cell phone pic of one as they disappeared. There was not much daylight left so we headed back to camp with the plan to be back in the area at first light.



0 dark hundred we are on the climb and as we got close to destination and waited for daybreak. The sound of rocks rolling alerted us to possible game moving. Silence, then the rattle of rocks again. Two goats appeared on a slope in front of us and I ranged them at about 600 yards. I was almost certain one was the goat I stalked yesterday. No chance to close the distance because of the open terrain so we waited until they fed out of sight. The guide suggested we climb rather than follow them.

In the climb we had a close call with three nannies and two kids, but they did not see us. Whew! As we crossed a loose boulder field we spotted the goats quartering towards us. I put my daypack down on a boulder and secured a good rest. The guide said they are 225 yards and closing. A remarkable thing I learned about goats is they can take a hit. The first goat I shot a few years acted like he was never hit and I put a second one in him almost on top of the first. This goat reacted the same way. He continued walking, the guide said he saw a solid lung hit thru the spotting scope. Put one into his shoulder for good measure.

Once again the 150 gr Nosler BT teamed up with a Ruger 77 7x57 has proved to be good Goat medicine.


A comment on gear. Badland bino harness and cover was awesome. A big improvement over the homemade one I put together and used for years. Cabela's Rimrock hiking boots continue to be my favorite.