sneakem
Well-known member
Recently I found out that I was the lucky recipient of a Colorado mountain goat tag. For me, its a hunt that I have been dreaming about since my teenage years, which some may say was not that long ago, but believe me... in reality... time flies as I'm screaming along, nearly 40. This is not going to be some epic thread about " look at me, I'm going to kill the biggest billy ever". In fact... I decided this year that I would opt out of my normal interest to pursue the big bad billy and throw my points at a nanny only tag.
Now you might be saying... " Why on earth would someone do this?" Believe me there was a lot of thought behind this. I am a numbers guy, kinda my job to be good with numbers. Through the years of unsuccessful drawings and crunching draw stats, I always believed that I stood a great chance at drawing a tag as every year has gone past. I've got friends working on a couple of goat tags, a couple of friends working towards their third sheep tag. Me... nada, zip, zero, zilch!! It wasn't really until Colorado released the stats last year showing specific data on the point groups that I realized how dismal the situation could be. It really is a crap shoot to draw a tag. Even a max point holder could potentially be in this things without drawing for another 20 years or more. Not to mention when you throw the thousands of applicants only building points into the mix.
So that leads me to the nanny tag.... I love to hunt for the biggest baddest animal in the forest just as much as anybody, but in reality I've never been the guy that had to have the biggest. I've shot several "book" quality animals, but I have never entered one... never will. In reality I just like to hunt.. and I want to hunt goats...NOW!!! Nannies look almost identical, they live in the same crappy spots, it still takes some luck to draw a tag. So I picked a unit with plenty of goats and good odds, plenty of crappy vertical country, plenty of hunters too and hoped for the best because I probably won't live forever. I may some day put back in and hope the "odds will ever be in my favor" for a billy hunt after my waiting period. At that point I may not care if I draw or not, having had a taste of hunting "A beast the color of winter".
I have no delusions about this hunt... I chose it for a reason. First the country. I grew up not to far from the "Bells", as a matter of fact I had "Zero" fear of heights until a trip to the bells in my early twenties. I was nearly a slip away from being one of those who were scooped up off the rocks in those mountains, which have rightly earned their notorious moniker. I narrowly dodged fate, and have developed a respect for those rugged mountains. I lust for the adventure that those big mountains provide, as I know this can be a physically demanding as I want to make it.
I know there are easier places to get a goat, I want an adventure. I know there are going to be thousand of hikers and climbers and 29 other goat hunters, tons of other hunters but alas, my adventure has come. I fully intend to drag you all through the painful months of waiting, planning, preparing and execution of this hunt...my hunt of a lifetime... I feel very fortunate to have drawn this tag...
The training and diet begins....
Hey.... its a start... I didn't eat the crust...
I had to throw that one out there for Moosie... To be continued!!
Now you might be saying... " Why on earth would someone do this?" Believe me there was a lot of thought behind this. I am a numbers guy, kinda my job to be good with numbers. Through the years of unsuccessful drawings and crunching draw stats, I always believed that I stood a great chance at drawing a tag as every year has gone past. I've got friends working on a couple of goat tags, a couple of friends working towards their third sheep tag. Me... nada, zip, zero, zilch!! It wasn't really until Colorado released the stats last year showing specific data on the point groups that I realized how dismal the situation could be. It really is a crap shoot to draw a tag. Even a max point holder could potentially be in this things without drawing for another 20 years or more. Not to mention when you throw the thousands of applicants only building points into the mix.
So that leads me to the nanny tag.... I love to hunt for the biggest baddest animal in the forest just as much as anybody, but in reality I've never been the guy that had to have the biggest. I've shot several "book" quality animals, but I have never entered one... never will. In reality I just like to hunt.. and I want to hunt goats...NOW!!! Nannies look almost identical, they live in the same crappy spots, it still takes some luck to draw a tag. So I picked a unit with plenty of goats and good odds, plenty of crappy vertical country, plenty of hunters too and hoped for the best because I probably won't live forever. I may some day put back in and hope the "odds will ever be in my favor" for a billy hunt after my waiting period. At that point I may not care if I draw or not, having had a taste of hunting "A beast the color of winter".
I have no delusions about this hunt... I chose it for a reason. First the country. I grew up not to far from the "Bells", as a matter of fact I had "Zero" fear of heights until a trip to the bells in my early twenties. I was nearly a slip away from being one of those who were scooped up off the rocks in those mountains, which have rightly earned their notorious moniker. I narrowly dodged fate, and have developed a respect for those rugged mountains. I lust for the adventure that those big mountains provide, as I know this can be a physically demanding as I want to make it.
I know there are easier places to get a goat, I want an adventure. I know there are going to be thousand of hikers and climbers and 29 other goat hunters, tons of other hunters but alas, my adventure has come. I fully intend to drag you all through the painful months of waiting, planning, preparing and execution of this hunt...my hunt of a lifetime... I feel very fortunate to have drawn this tag...
The training and diet begins....
Hey.... its a start... I didn't eat the crust...
I had to throw that one out there for Moosie... To be continued!!
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) No matter how many times it happens its not any easier to swallow. There were years earlier that the changing of the points system removed those from the upper end of the list and back to even playing ground with everyone else. Over the years I've wondered, or I should say feared, that it could happen again. I was young and raising a family not to long after that, there were a couple years I just couldn't justify applying because I had a young family and no extra cash. Sure I still put in for everything I could afford, deer, elk, the usual "cheapies". I just couldn't explain the addition fee for the "exotic" hunting adventure. Those years were hard to swallow as I felt I was falling behind, giving up my chance. I can't explain the elation that I felt when I read the words successful. The selfish exuberance coursing through my veins, I couldn't help it. I'm not really an emotional guy but at points it nearly brings you to tears when you think about the opportunity that lies ahead.
