estel
11-07-08, 10:21 PM
Hey guys, I thought I would post a quick story and photo of a hunt this week.
I left home in Tamworth yesterday about 10.30am to reach my hunting destination at 11.00am (I am lucky in that I have good property so close to town). On arrival I had a quick chat to the property owners about the recent rain, goat movement and such. After that it was time to chuck on the gear and get up into the hills and get the blood pumping as it was a chilly morning. I was in for a hard slog because the first km is navigating a series of steep hills and valleys slowly makin their way up a mountain range. The cattle weren't quite sure what this leafy looking creature was walking up their trails towards them, but the roo's weren't as curious and before long they were running around everywhere scaring everything in a 500m radius.
The rain the day before ensured that the goats will be far up in the hills and cliffs deep in the ranges. As I was sitting about 50m from the first mob I encountered I was looking for a young nanny or billy for meat or a nicely coloured goat as I am eager to get a skin tanned. The mob mainly consisted of nanny's with very young kids and immature billy's, so after watching their antics for a while I moved on. Over the next 3-4 hrs I came across several mobs of goats on my way to a set of cliffs on a hill top, deep in the ranges that always held good numbers of goats. The mobs didn't have anything I wanted other than some small meat goats, but they were hard to stalk in on with all the nanny's around, and I was busted several time trying to get close enough for a shot. Oh well, its off to the cliffs.
Finally arriving at the base of the cliffs I was looking up a 30-35 degree slope at a mob near the top of the cliffs. After climbing halfway up the slope I was winded by the mob and they quickly vacated the scene. When I finally arrived at the top I was greeted by a great veiw of the area as it was the highest point for some distance and a huge wedgetail eagle nest in the tallest gum tree. It was also goat heaven as they was about 4-5 mobs feeding on the rocky slopes all around the hill top. I spent the next hour or so "visting" each group and seeing if there were anything worth taking. I had my heart set on a nice tan billy that would make a good rug and slowly stalked into shooting distance. It wasn't to be though as I was busted by a nanny hidden behind a rock, she crapped herself when I emerged from behind her rock at 2m! The 3D suit isn't that good.....
Anyway it was an hour from dark and I had a 45min walk home, better get going. As I began to make my way down off the hill top I was encountered with a very nice set of curly horns just the other side of a large boulder. I quickly crouched down and knocked an arrow. I was in the perfect ambush spot as he was cuming up the rocky slope. I waited ten minutes and nothing happened, he was still on the other side of the rock. I had to make a move as it was getting late, and slowly moved around to see where my billy had gone. As I peered around the boulder I froze, I was looking him in the eyes at 6m! He freaked out and ran out to 20m near the mob he was with. Now with all the mob looking at me I slowly drew my hoyt, he didnt like that so he ran out to 30m and stood broadside. I don't normally take shots over 25m but I was keen to score a goat that day and I am confident at that distance. He was downhill from me and I didnt take this into account enough and my arrow struck high into a rib causing a massive cracking sound as the 4 blade muzzy's impacted. He took off a hundred mile an hour through a fence and off into the distance taking the mob with him.
Now I had to make a decision, it was getting dark but I don't like the idea of a wounded goat raoming the hills so I gave him 10 minutes and followed the blood trail. After ten minutes of following a very weak blood trail I came across the same mob he was in. They were on the side of a rocky slope and I was on the top. I peered over the edge of the slope and saw my billy 45m downhill on a 45 degree angle quartering away with a shot window. Having a very challenging ABA range at my local club I had no excuse to miss this shot. I decided to use my 30m pin as it was a steep downhill shot. I line him up and touched off the release. The arrow flew beautifully and struck him a couple of ribs back and exited near his front leg. He immediately jumped off the cliff he was on and I heard the sounds of rolling and thrashing, he was down.
I raced down the slope to him and rushed a few photos and started sawing off the horns as it was getting dark quick! I had the horns off and photos in 15 minutes (a new record for me, it usually takes ages, especially when using a self timing camera on the side of a cliff). Then I had to run pretty much all the way home with bow and horns before it got dark. Luckily I was picked up by the property owner about a km from the house on the quad. He was very happy for me and gave me a lift back to the house. After thanking the property owner for another hunt I began to pack up my gear and leave.
I have taken 4 billy's from this property now but this is my best yet and I unofficially measured it as 102 d.p. It was a hard hunt for me in very steep country of about 6hrs, but a very rewarding one with my best goat to date.
Below is a photo of the billy:
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/ac-estel/DSCF1352.jpg
And another mob that busted me earlier in the hunt:
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/ac-estel/DSCF1342.jpg
I left home in Tamworth yesterday about 10.30am to reach my hunting destination at 11.00am (I am lucky in that I have good property so close to town). On arrival I had a quick chat to the property owners about the recent rain, goat movement and such. After that it was time to chuck on the gear and get up into the hills and get the blood pumping as it was a chilly morning. I was in for a hard slog because the first km is navigating a series of steep hills and valleys slowly makin their way up a mountain range. The cattle weren't quite sure what this leafy looking creature was walking up their trails towards them, but the roo's weren't as curious and before long they were running around everywhere scaring everything in a 500m radius.
The rain the day before ensured that the goats will be far up in the hills and cliffs deep in the ranges. As I was sitting about 50m from the first mob I encountered I was looking for a young nanny or billy for meat or a nicely coloured goat as I am eager to get a skin tanned. The mob mainly consisted of nanny's with very young kids and immature billy's, so after watching their antics for a while I moved on. Over the next 3-4 hrs I came across several mobs of goats on my way to a set of cliffs on a hill top, deep in the ranges that always held good numbers of goats. The mobs didn't have anything I wanted other than some small meat goats, but they were hard to stalk in on with all the nanny's around, and I was busted several time trying to get close enough for a shot. Oh well, its off to the cliffs.
Finally arriving at the base of the cliffs I was looking up a 30-35 degree slope at a mob near the top of the cliffs. After climbing halfway up the slope I was winded by the mob and they quickly vacated the scene. When I finally arrived at the top I was greeted by a great veiw of the area as it was the highest point for some distance and a huge wedgetail eagle nest in the tallest gum tree. It was also goat heaven as they was about 4-5 mobs feeding on the rocky slopes all around the hill top. I spent the next hour or so "visting" each group and seeing if there were anything worth taking. I had my heart set on a nice tan billy that would make a good rug and slowly stalked into shooting distance. It wasn't to be though as I was busted by a nanny hidden behind a rock, she crapped herself when I emerged from behind her rock at 2m! The 3D suit isn't that good.....
Anyway it was an hour from dark and I had a 45min walk home, better get going. As I began to make my way down off the hill top I was encountered with a very nice set of curly horns just the other side of a large boulder. I quickly crouched down and knocked an arrow. I was in the perfect ambush spot as he was cuming up the rocky slope. I waited ten minutes and nothing happened, he was still on the other side of the rock. I had to make a move as it was getting late, and slowly moved around to see where my billy had gone. As I peered around the boulder I froze, I was looking him in the eyes at 6m! He freaked out and ran out to 20m near the mob he was with. Now with all the mob looking at me I slowly drew my hoyt, he didnt like that so he ran out to 30m and stood broadside. I don't normally take shots over 25m but I was keen to score a goat that day and I am confident at that distance. He was downhill from me and I didnt take this into account enough and my arrow struck high into a rib causing a massive cracking sound as the 4 blade muzzy's impacted. He took off a hundred mile an hour through a fence and off into the distance taking the mob with him.
Now I had to make a decision, it was getting dark but I don't like the idea of a wounded goat raoming the hills so I gave him 10 minutes and followed the blood trail. After ten minutes of following a very weak blood trail I came across the same mob he was in. They were on the side of a rocky slope and I was on the top. I peered over the edge of the slope and saw my billy 45m downhill on a 45 degree angle quartering away with a shot window. Having a very challenging ABA range at my local club I had no excuse to miss this shot. I decided to use my 30m pin as it was a steep downhill shot. I line him up and touched off the release. The arrow flew beautifully and struck him a couple of ribs back and exited near his front leg. He immediately jumped off the cliff he was on and I heard the sounds of rolling and thrashing, he was down.
I raced down the slope to him and rushed a few photos and started sawing off the horns as it was getting dark quick! I had the horns off and photos in 15 minutes (a new record for me, it usually takes ages, especially when using a self timing camera on the side of a cliff). Then I had to run pretty much all the way home with bow and horns before it got dark. Luckily I was picked up by the property owner about a km from the house on the quad. He was very happy for me and gave me a lift back to the house. After thanking the property owner for another hunt I began to pack up my gear and leave.
I have taken 4 billy's from this property now but this is my best yet and I unofficially measured it as 102 d.p. It was a hard hunt for me in very steep country of about 6hrs, but a very rewarding one with my best goat to date.
Below is a photo of the billy:
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/ac-estel/DSCF1352.jpg
And another mob that busted me earlier in the hunt:
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh216/ac-estel/DSCF1342.jpg