Unit 12 goat tag drawn

COtransplant

Active Member
Messages
173
My first ever successful goat tag! I'll be hunting second rifle season. Anybody on here with knowledge of the area? Info on local guides? I really want a nice goat, dreamed of it since I was 12. I have the time to scout like mad and spend lots of time at it. I will camp up there for a month if that's what it takes.
But is it best to hire a guide to try to assure success? Anybody know a reputable local guy that has a track record?
 
I had Unit 13 Colorado in 2006. Same feelings of euphoria, trepidation, etc. I knew I was going to DIY. Scouted over the summer, had my spotting scope on the billy that I wanted two days before season after looking over hundreds of goats (likely the same ones more than once).
I ended up shooting my second choice after spending 4 days watching the one I wanted but knowing that although I could have easily shot it, I could not have recovered it or it would have fallen hundreds of feet before it touched anything. He never moved from his sanctuary all summer and during hunting season.
If you have the time, spend it scouting and enjoy the whole experience. The shot was anticlimactic. It was the whole experience.
You will not need a guide if you are a competent backpacker. Just spend time scouting the whole unit. Make sure that the animal is recoverable before squeezing the trigger. One last piece of advice, draw an imaginary line from the base of its tail to the base of the ear, and a second imaginary line running at a 90 degree angle to the first line, bisecting the back of the front knee. Wherever the two lines intersect, shoot it there. You will likely break one or both shoulders and the spine, dropping it in its tracks.
Good luck and have fun.
WyMo
 
I haven't hunted it but know people who have and i live fairly close. That thing is covered up with goats so there really isn't much of a question if you will get one if you are in shape! Now if you are going to be picky and try to kill one that is 9"+ then hire a guide! They are very tough to judge unless they are standing next to each other!
 
Congrats!

You mind me asking how many points it took?

Take lots of pics for us still stacking points!
 
Had 6 points. Just got really lucky! Thinking I'm going to backpack it as of now. I have horses available to me, but I feel like horses will require time I don't have. An uncle is pondering coming with to play wrangler as he's a cowboy from way back. If I get that lucky, maybe we will take horses.
But realistically it looks like I will make 4 scouting trips over there before season and plan to hunt 3 or 4 days at a time out of my pack. Go to town and shower up. Re supply and go again. Any opinions on that approach?
 
Plenty of goats in that unit but also tons of pressure especially this year since there's going to twice as many hunters. They tend to head way up when the shooting starts and any type of weather can make it difficult to get around. The country is extremely steep, eroding, slippery rock, tons of it nearly inaccessible due to topography, be patient and wait for them to get to a spot you can recover your animal. Horses would make it easier to get up the bottoms of the drainages and around the passes but don't expect to go riding anywhere else... I did mine totally solo on foot and it whooped my a$$ and I'm pretty tough and in excellent shape....You'll see plenty of goats in every drainage east of snowmass.... Theres a few around the marble side as well.
http://fenderimages.com
 
I think I would just plan on packing in for 10 days. if you bring the horses that only helps your camp situation but on that kind of tag I wouldn't want to leave the area til the goat is dead. Start getting your pack put together if your wanting to backpack in. if you can keep your pack with all essentials to 50# your gonna be good to go! bring a friend and split some weight that walk out is the best feeling in the world
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom