Glensman Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Saturday was a beautiful day so I called a friend of mine in the morning to see if he wanted to go out for a goat, he was busy so I decided not to bother. In the evening time though my brother came home from slurry and said he wanted to go... I've been promising him a goat so we set off in the Fourtrak for a farm that I've been told is polluted by goats. On the way there I noticed a grey crow and thought it was the perfect chance for Matthew to practice his technique. The shot landed well low, which I found hard to understand from the normally flat shooting .270. The shot also seemed very quiet, although I was in the truck with fingers in ears. Matthew said that the shot didn't feel right, the .270 is normally an animal- he said it felt more like my .22WMR. I can only assume it was a dead bullet because a mile closer to the farm I took a grey at 110 yards with no hold-over. Up the to the farm and found the farmer cutting firewood; he said that I had been misinformed as the goats are very rarely down as low as his place- 'but feel free to try if you like and come back for foxes'. So off we set for where I expect the goats to be. The debate now starts on whether to hunt above or below the road. Both sides are very steep and heavily wooded. We crawl along in the truck scanning the hills and cliffs trying to decide where to start the stalk, next thing Matthew spots and impressive brown and white animal. the brown being very brown and the white very white, which is unusual. We park the fourtrak about 150yards further up in a lay-by and enter the thick woods. I drill into Matthew as we park that I want a neck shot and that I don't care if he spends a week lining it up 'This is goat stalking, not goat shooting.' As we stalk along we are doing our best to stay silent, but the occasional fallen twig under-foot embarrasses both of us as we go. As we get further into the wood we can hear what has to be a massive herd of goats, another 30 yards and we can smell them. At this point we start to see movement in the trees. 2 goats, a Billy and a Nanny are up and to our right, we can just make them out through the heavy vegetation. We crawl another 10 yards to try to find a shot. There is a perfect shot using a moss-covered rock from where I am lying. I signal to Matthew to come to me and the Billy looks right at me. I fear I've blown it, and my fears are founded. The Billy and Nanny move off. We let it settle for a couple of minutes and then started stalking slowly back up the mountain through the thick wood. Thunder has been cracking since we were speaking to the farmer and finally the shower comes on. I am pleased with this as the rain hitting the canopy and floor are providing some cover noise for our approach. We stalk along and fine a handy shot on a Nanny, but we aren't after Nannys today as they are in the middle of breeding. Matthew spots the head of a Billy about 55yards away. He is almost the same colour as the trees around him and very hard to distinguish- only the head is visible. We swap positions as I am in the perfect spot, but it isn't my shot. Matthew spends a minute at least aiming up the shot, in the by now lashing rain. Then takes off the ear defenders and asks if he can go for a head-shot as the head is the only thing he can see. I told him he can if he was confident. I watch as his breathing slows, the safety goes forward and pressure is gently applied to the trigger. A 130gr to the side of the head means the Billy will never have felt a thing. He makes 3 rolls down the steep hill and comes to a stop without a kick. Matthew watches through the cross-hairs as 19 goats, a mix of Billys, Nannys and kids make their way through a clearing. They would have made easy shots but we weren't out for numbers. I estimate the herd was between 35-40 strong and will hopefully provide me with stalking for years to come... Edited April 8, 2011 by Glensman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly321 Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 very nice bud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 great write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowz Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Nice one, sounds like goats are a good stalk. Is that a fair size goat as it looks it, bet it tastes better too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Nice one, sounds like goats are a good stalk. Is that a fair size goat as it looks it, bet it tastes better too. That's the fourth goat we have taken this season... Of the four we ate 2 (delicious!); fed one to the dogs (if they could talk they would say he was delicious too!) and this one went to a fella from Ghana who has been pestering me for a goat. I wouldn't be mad keen on eating Billys, alhtough I'm sure they are fine. It doesn't say in the write up but Ollie from this forum skinned and butchered all the goats for me, and did a first class job each time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 What a cracking write up and a great result. Can I ask - Do you fing stalking goats easier of harder than stalking deer mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 What a cracking write up and a great result. Can I ask - Do you fing stalking goats easier of harder than stalking deer mate? Well it's different and the same in many ways. To start there are no deer in my area. Because of this I find goat stalking an extra challenge due to the sheer difficulty of the terrain that I face. You get goats in areas where no deer would ever go! On the other hand, there are no other goat stalkers in my area. Some people shoot the odd one (normally with ridiculously under-powered rifles) and then there're farmers with shotguns when they come down onto better farmland. Due to this factor I find that goats are not as wary/on egde as deer would be. Bescause of the popularity of deer stalking, especially in the Midlands, deer will often high-tail it at the sight of a jeep, never mind a person. The other thing I find, which is back to the first point is that you will find deer in open-country; this doesn't happen with goats. You're looking at very in-hospitable places; steep sided woods, cliffs, cliffs and mountains/mountain cliffs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie mac Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 good write up,and a good result,out of curiosity what do they taste like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Well done both.Excellent write-up and pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rushjob Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 good write up,and a good result,out of curiosity what do they taste like. Curry Goat is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjimlad Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Lovely outing you had there & what a superb beast. I used to like a goat curry when I was younger. The tase was, well, goaty and the texture like lamb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Good read and good result too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wboulter Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 nice write up i`ve always wanted to shoot a goat well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 good write up,and a good result,out of curiosity what do they taste like. When roasted it's like lamb mate. When you put it in a stew you couldn't tell it from beef at all. I had it in a game-pie as well and it was very good. The next one I get will be for curry! Loads of good recipes on the net, but you would need to plan it because there's a lot of ingredients that can't be got in the Glens! The last couple I got I spread around, Ollie's sister gave it to her family and they loved it. My family love it too... If you get yourself down to Newry there're some about that part of the country... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 What about the fine butchery lads . Good write up mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 good write up,and a good result,out of curiosity what do they taste like. Like Glensman said it is very similar to Lamb, although I found the roasted leg better than lamb, as there was much more moisture. We are very lucky to have this goat stalking on our doorstep so we only take a few beasts a year so not to ruin the herds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazofboro Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Great write up and cracking read Well Done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Good report, clean carcass 270 is a brill round Underdog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoTshoT-16 Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 good shooting well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bull Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 never knew people staled goats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12borejimbo Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Wicked write up, awesome pictures too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 great read makes a change to hear about goat.. never even thought about them being wild.. i suppose im in the wrong part of the country.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.