Duck-Slayer
Well-known member
Started off with getting our goats all ready too go and all the gear/camper loaded for our usually 4 day hunt for my wife's elk/deer. Don't make fun of my 2 trailer's too bad, it's easy too haul the goats in the little trailer with the 4 wheeler too get from camp too trailhead or wherever we down game. The pack goat's are 18 month's old about 120 lbs and carry about 20% of there body weight too start, once they reach 3 years old and 200+lbs you can pack 30% of there body weight depending on who you talk too, some do more, some do less.....
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Our first morning was fairly uneventful, we sat in an overlook that she shot a cow about 3 years ago, her favorite spot too sit on our first morning of hunting, pretty sure we bumped some going in, in the morning in the thick brush, could not see more sure if they were elk but I figured they were. We also went on a small hike into a east facing dark timber pocket and bumped more elk, sounded like a freight train, scared the crap out of my wife.... it was kinda funny....
That evening we were headed over too a new area that I wanted too check out during archery season but never made it over there, on our way I happened too spot a small 1x2 whitetail deer that was more concerned with all the biting nat's that he paid no attention too us stopping getting out and make a quick stalk too 80 yards, and she is a professional at shooting off my shoulder, I believe this makes something like the 4 or 5 animal she shot off my shoulder, awesome job on her part for smoking this deer right through the shoulders, the 140gr. SST did a number on this deer, broke the entry side shoulder put a half dollar sized hole out the other side just in front of the shoulder, not much meat loss which was great, her first whitetail too date,
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day 2 was very uneventful, a few doe's spotted but no elk......
the last day of her tag which was day 3 we decided on a hike in with the goat's and do a 3/4 day hike, started bright and early with the goats at 7 a.m. right as it was getting light we were off.......
we saw a single doe about 1/2 mile from trail head, didn't see much except for a ton of tracks for the next 3 1/2 miles, it had just rained the day we had got there so we knew the elk were in the area somewhere, we stopped for a break about mile 2, goats had the inclination too do some climbing on some old downed logs.....
we continued on and about noon we called it quit's and had lunch, took the goats and our packs off and took a break....
After a bit of a break and some glassing we didn't turn any elk up, saw a few deer that were really intrigued with our goats and let us walk up too within 50 yards or so and really didn't care.... our way back was fun...
Wife had a great time, her new Kennetrek Womens boots were awesome, first year she hasn't gotten a blister and she thanks Kennetrek alot..... all in all it ended up to be a 9 mile adventure.
That evening we were stiff and only had 2 hours before dark after we got back got the goats and us taken care of. We went for a ride too the South and West to an area I have never been, alot of people had showed up for the general season opener on Sun., we checked out all the camps and camping spots and too our surprise we went on a dead end road and about 3 miles off there was 40 head of elk out on a flat grazing... cool, bad part it was there's only 20 min. left of light.... oh well we have another spot too check next year for elk, I looked on a map and its blocked by private on 1 side and huge ravines on the other side's.... awesome place too go with the goat's.... I am excited too go back there next year during bow season.... Other than that it was fun and I will never trade any of the moments hunting with my wife for nothing..... my best friend, wife, and hunting partner...
Matt
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Our first morning was fairly uneventful, we sat in an overlook that she shot a cow about 3 years ago, her favorite spot too sit on our first morning of hunting, pretty sure we bumped some going in, in the morning in the thick brush, could not see more sure if they were elk but I figured they were. We also went on a small hike into a east facing dark timber pocket and bumped more elk, sounded like a freight train, scared the crap out of my wife.... it was kinda funny....
That evening we were headed over too a new area that I wanted too check out during archery season but never made it over there, on our way I happened too spot a small 1x2 whitetail deer that was more concerned with all the biting nat's that he paid no attention too us stopping getting out and make a quick stalk too 80 yards, and she is a professional at shooting off my shoulder, I believe this makes something like the 4 or 5 animal she shot off my shoulder, awesome job on her part for smoking this deer right through the shoulders, the 140gr. SST did a number on this deer, broke the entry side shoulder put a half dollar sized hole out the other side just in front of the shoulder, not much meat loss which was great, her first whitetail too date,
[U
day 2 was very uneventful, a few doe's spotted but no elk......
the last day of her tag which was day 3 we decided on a hike in with the goat's and do a 3/4 day hike, started bright and early with the goats at 7 a.m. right as it was getting light we were off.......
we saw a single doe about 1/2 mile from trail head, didn't see much except for a ton of tracks for the next 3 1/2 miles, it had just rained the day we had got there so we knew the elk were in the area somewhere, we stopped for a break about mile 2, goats had the inclination too do some climbing on some old downed logs.....
we continued on and about noon we called it quit's and had lunch, took the goats and our packs off and took a break....
After a bit of a break and some glassing we didn't turn any elk up, saw a few deer that were really intrigued with our goats and let us walk up too within 50 yards or so and really didn't care.... our way back was fun...
Wife had a great time, her new Kennetrek Womens boots were awesome, first year she hasn't gotten a blister and she thanks Kennetrek alot..... all in all it ended up to be a 9 mile adventure.
That evening we were stiff and only had 2 hours before dark after we got back got the goats and us taken care of. We went for a ride too the South and West to an area I have never been, alot of people had showed up for the general season opener on Sun., we checked out all the camps and camping spots and too our surprise we went on a dead end road and about 3 miles off there was 40 head of elk out on a flat grazing... cool, bad part it was there's only 20 min. left of light.... oh well we have another spot too check next year for elk, I looked on a map and its blocked by private on 1 side and huge ravines on the other side's.... awesome place too go with the goat's.... I am excited too go back there next year during bow season.... Other than that it was fun and I will never trade any of the moments hunting with my wife for nothing..... my best friend, wife, and hunting partner...
Matt
