Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Goat Hunt Over (pic heavy)

By the measure of killing a goat, it was a bust. By any other measure it was a fantastic trip!

Bearhuntr (from the 'fire) and I flew into the area Sunday, 9/10, via float plane from Homer and landed at sea level rather than the lake. The lake saves only about 200' of elevation and was not the area we wanted to go into. Also, some pilots dislike landing on this particular lake because of swirling winds - I'm sure they were swirling a bit when we left.

Sunday we set up base camp and scouted a route to get on top. Found a different trail right behind base that went pretty much straight up. While harder in terms of rate of elevation change, it was easier in terms of chest-high devils club and bluberry bushes.

Sunday night at a minus tide we walked over to an area with two creeks - one larger and flatter and one smaller with a short waterfall - we had watched black bears at from base. We watched at about 200 yards from behind a barnacle and mussel encrusted rock the size of a dump truck. Saw a sow with twins run up the creek splashing, quickly drop her head and come up with a chromer pink, then lead her cubs up into the trees for dinner. They had no sooner left and we saw a younger bear walk the beach eating kelp. He went into he trees and the sow and cubs came out 50 yards away and walk the other direction along the beach. Then, HOLY CATS!, look at the size o'that big boy! Along the larger creek mouth walks a big-bodied, small-headed boar. We watch for a few minutes, then I threw the bear a single "kiss" and he stood still, broad side for about 10 seconds trying to figure what the noise was. After he walked again, I again "kissed" and he stood still again. then Bearhuntr Mark did his "tree cougar" (red squirrel) imitation and that old boy went up the hill full-tilt-boogie. Funny stuff! Plans were to go to the top of the hill the next morning and didn't want a hide hanging in camp or air'd have been released!

Sunday's weather was partly cloudy and the forecast was for much of the same for the week. The forcast was wrong. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were probably the three best in-a-row days of the entire summer. Clear skies and I hate to say it, but almost too warm.

Monday morning after coffee and a bowl of sawdust called instant oatmeal, we repacked gear and food for the top and set off. I mentioned it was pretty much straight up, but I'm prone to understatements. It was steep! Also mentioned this route initially appeared to have fewer devils club - that would be an overstatement! Hey, Mark...don't grab the devils club! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Stopped partway to snap this.

Five hours to the top and here is the sunset from the spike camp. GPS says 1200' vertical and 0.6 miles from base.


Camped in the trees near timberline and scouted out from camp for a bit to familiarize ourselves with the terrain. Saw interesting rock formations like this teeter-totter rock!


and a fantastic view of the bay. See the white thingy on ther other side and about center? That's about a 40' waterfall at about 1.5 miles.


Saw several billies on top of this ridge


but not enough cover to get close enough for a shot let alone get above them. They were on top of their world!
The lower, shaded black-looking face in the top center above, looked like this up close


and dropped away hundreds of feet on the other side
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06012.jpg[/img]

Here, I'm looking back from whence we came.
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06006.jpg[/img]

Here's Mark being a goat...
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06009.jpg[/img]

Can't see him? maybe the zoom will help <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06010.jpg[/img]

So, after three days of lollygagging in the sun, we bid the top a fond farewell
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06015.jpg[/img]

It was time as the weather was about to change. Here the fog is pushing over a saddle viewed from spike camp.
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06014.jpg[/img]

and coming into the bay with all sincerity.
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06016.jpg[/img]

By the time we broke spike camp and shouldered packs for the descent on Thursday, it was raining. The trip down was only 2:15. Spent about 20 minutes looking for flagging that the bears bit and pulled down, but made up that time by not being able to stay off our arses on the slick, sloppy muddy, snotty slopes and being assisted in that regard by gravity <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
Thursday night we were wondering, "Geez, can the pilot fly in this crap?"
[img]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Ironbender/GoatHunt06/PortDick06017.jpg[/img]

The picture doesn't do justice to the way the wind was whipping the tops off the whitecaps farther out in the bay. Friday was marginally better and did provide a window for the pilot to come get us.
It was a great trip in many ways, goats not withstanding.

I have some gear reviews and other thoughts I'll post later.
Also I expect Bearhuntr to post "the rest o'the story"! (hint, hint) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


--Mike

Cool Pics! Trust me I know about having a great trip and seeing amazing scenery but coming home empty handed, thats how it goes sometimes. 0-2 on sheep this year, with over 35 miles on the hoof.

Awesome pictures and scenery!

Bender,

I suppose I should take advantage of the "suttle" hint and add a few bars to the song <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

To the rest of the "fire":

I want everyone to know that if an opportunity to share a camp with bender' came up, it would have the old bearhunt'r "seal-o-approval" on it!He was prepared...mentally and physically. But more importantly...he packed a 6-pak of beer to spike camp up topside and even shared it!(Now that's APPROVAL, eh? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

Bender called the straight stuff on the goat prospecting. I believe we might of had a 500 yard shot on a nice billy that would have never been recovered if hit. The thought to blast away never entered his head...just another reason he's a class-act (see, it wasn't just the beer!) Since he was the man behind the camera and summed up the "goat story" pretty well, I'll take the time to relate the Paul Harvey side of things...from a bear hunt'r's perspective...

We arrived back down to base camp on Thursday just prior to lunch time. It had been raining cats and dogs long enough that, even though we were dry, most everything else was wet. After taking in a little hot grub and another beer (bender' had more!) we decided it was time to take revenge on the bruin that had shredded the tent's fly at the base camp. Or we could sit under the tarp and watch it rain. Tough choice, eh? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Since the original idea of walking around a couple of small coves via the beach had been thwarted by the fickle tide, we headed overland. In layman's terms...this meant up. Straight up. Climber's axe up. In the wet. With yet another pack on the back. And this less than an hour after coming off the top! We were none-the-less determined to extract said vengence on any bruin that would have the audacity to shred bender's rain fly. After all, (in my best Popeye voice) "I yam what I yam!" First and foremost...a bearhunt'r.

"What's that bender? I'm too excited and moving too quickly? Hows that again...you stepped in yet another pile of bruin "greeting card?" Come back you say? The bushes are moving below us? The "demon-faced, tent shreddin' bruin is back by you?"

I should have paid attention to the universal-I see a dang bear-hand made into a paw with claws-downward raking motion-signal that bender' had been trying to catch my eye with for several minutes. I thought he was just scratchin his "how about those Green Bay Packers!"

When reality finally kicked in and the bearhunt'r returned back from la-la land, time seemed to go into slow motion. I planted my climber's axe into the soft vegetation and, as crafty and smooth as any bull in a china store, made my way back to the side of my bruin pro hunter guide. "Where is he?" asks I." "Right there" laughs he. Bam goes the rifle. Plop goes the bear. Nice even hide. Long and shiny!

Took all of about 30 minutes of hunting to bag said bruin. And 25 of those was bearhunt'r and Ironbender repeating the mantra-like chant: "don't grab the devil's club!"

Pulled the pack, grabbed the skinnin impliments, and set to adding the latest piece of what will become a new comforter for Mrs. bearhunt'r. If it hadn't been for bender, this rabid, tent muncher would have gotten off scott free. As it turned out, revenge was sweet.

Now back at camp, the damaged fly was repaired. The pack with the bear in it was off the back. The bearhunt'r was relaxing and cozying up to yet another one of bender's brews! Life was good. The company was good. The beer and bear were both good! It will take a hell of an encore to top this..."when we comin' back, eh?"


best,
bhtr

Ironman,

Outstanding pictures!!
Thanx for posting them.

Don

Great story and pic's!! Thanks for posting these so that the rest of us can live vicariously!!

Great story Mike. I hear you on the bowl of sawdust breakfast! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Man, dontcha just LOVE livin' here...

1200' in .6 miles.... Man, you guys have got more wasabe in you than I ever did. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I loved every minute of that story. Sounds like something I did back in 2003 in the Misties, although I'm sure nobody sucks air harder, rests more often, or fills their hands more frequently with devils club thorns than yours truely!
Don

Thanks all and thanks to all who answered my questions both in posts and PMs.

This was a unique experience for me to have my life on my back. First fly-in hunt, first time not having a truck or boat for base camp, or hunting on horseback. Beerhuntr was a reliable source of information as I think he may have done this type of thing before. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> His gear up the hill and mine in base saved hauling excess weight to the top ( a few cans of beer are NOT excess!) even if my rainfly sustained some scratches out of the deal.

Beerhunter - nice rendition of the bear segment. When I repaired the fly there was a total of 9 punctures. Some were quite small near the bottom of the fly. I'm thinking sow with cub.

Ironbender,
What unit did you draw and who did you fly with? I had Brown Mountain this year and we flew out of Homer too.

Great Story!

I was next door in 363. Flew with Northwind Aviation - Jose DeCreft. I'd be happy to fly with him again.

Beautiful scenery - you guys are fortunate indeed to have it to enjoy.

MAN WHAT A TRIP!!!! If i went to Alaska, I wouldn't come home!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a common occurrence, actually. I grew up elsewhere and have lived other places and if I never live anywhere else, well, that'd be just fine by me.

However, as I said, the weather was probably the best three days in a row for the entire summer!

I appreciate you "Americans" not letting us take what we have for granted.

I really enjoyed the telling of the tale and the sharing of the photos. Fantastic scenery. I love hunting bears too. In fact I am heading out in the morning to help a buddy get a bear. I took my seventh bear on the 6th. Rufous.

wowza....that looks like fun.