Go back to 2018 when two knuckle head best friends where walking through the floors of SCI and thought it would be a great idea to book a SE Alaskan mountain goat hunt. Well........the day finally came,........ and I am alive to tell about it.

I have been looking forward to this trip ever since the day we booked it. However, the past several months have been nothing short of obstacles, health issue, etc that led me to canceling a drawn archery elk hunt in Colorado and an invite to a friends ranch. I even got to the point where I had asked my best friends brother if he would be interested in buying this goat hunt from me. Simply had no idea if I could do it or not. Well, I didn't get it sold and with reassurance by my unwavering compass in my life, my wife, I got on that plane with only having done 3 days of walking 3 miles around the block.

Anyone that has not traveled to SE Alaska needs to do so. It is breathtakingly beautiful. The diversity of terrain is simply majestic in all aspects. The 10 day forecast a couple of days prior to our arrival showed "sunny but cold in the 30's". By the time we stepped on the plane it was rain and snow with temps in upper teens to low 30s almost everyday for 10 days.

We arrived to our hotel in Juneau at 1 a.m. and had to catch the float plane out to the outfitters boat by 9am that morning. The prior 19 hours of travel made for a rough next 24 hours. Once to the boat we unpacked, ate lunch and then went a shore to confirm zero. There were 3 total hunters, including my friend, myself and another hunter from Texas. Once back on the big boat we cruised up the waterway towards our hunting area. After a 4 hour boat ride the cliff faces began to drastically steepen and we started spotting goats on the faces. We turned around the bend into postcard picturesque bay where we would drop anchor and call home for the next several days.

It was extremely cold with a 5-10 mph breeze with some slight drizzle enough to dampen everything. There were goats everywhere around us. Up high, down low. It's was something to behold. The immediate question was, how do we get to them as it was all very very steep.

Day 1 of hunting started with my buddy and I, with two guides, boarding a skiff and heading out on the water just after 6am. As we curled around the bend and headed up towards the glacier the frigid temps and rain made it known we were in for a long day. We could see goats all along the way, but the majority you either couldn't find a place to beach the skiff to shoot from or there was no way to recover the goat if shot. By mid-morning we found a group of goats with a good billy in it. I turned to my friend and said, "you're up first". We beached the skiff and hiked up the steep wet terrain about 20 yds up the mountain. After about 10 mins the billy finally turned broadside and gave my friend a shot at just over 500yds. To go 500+yds dang near straight up through choked alder thickets, devils club and mulberry vines we reached his goat 2 hours later. We were both questioning what we had gotten ourselves into. Pics, skinned and quartered we headed back down. Both of us had two quarters in tow and the guide took the choice meats and hide. 2 hours down and we were back at the boat.

Day two, we woke up to even colder temps, a frozen ocean water layer and completely snow covered terrain. While majestic to look at it was hell to climb and spot goats in. Our guides found a large icebaerg that had cav'd off the glacier and jumped up on top for a glassing session. Lots of goats were seen and they were in an accessible (as I giggle to myself) location. Over 1.2 miles later and over 2,000 for of ascent were split up and started glassing. Within about 30 minutes we heard a shot that was from the other hunter in our group. So now I am the lone hunter without a goat. We sat and glassed in the snow for a while. Lots of goats seen, but either the billys were too far away, or then goats we saw were nannies with kids. We waited to see if the other hunter and guide needed help before we descended. It was now 3:30pm. It's pitch black in SE Alaska by 4-4:15. Completely soaked by the initial snow which turned to rain we hike for 2 hours in the dark back to the skiff. Once in the skiff, we waited another hour for the successful hunter and guide to make it down as well. Pouring rain, near freezing temps. Without question the coldest night of my life. The hour boat ride back was complicated by the down pour, dense fog and ice choked open water. I could not wait for this day to end.

Day three, it was now my turn as I was the only one with an unpunched tag. Still cold and a drizzling rain we set off again in the dark. By daylight, my guide some how glassed a large group of goats on the opposing mountain face through the dense fog and rain. She commented, "I am not sure if it's worth going after but lets go have a look". As we got about 100yds from land the fog/rain had dissipated some enough to see there were two really nice goats in the group. We quickly bailed out of the skiff and unsteadily scurried up the rock garden waterfall covers in ice. About 30 yds from the water we set up and as we do the target goat scoots away from the rock ledge he was standing on, now out of sight. I proceeded to check ranges, wind and insured I had as steady a rest as possible. Distance was over 550 but the shoot to was 411. I dialed my turret and was ready for him to return, if he did. While we waited, other goats would come in and out of view. A huge billy popped out way up the rock face to the right of where we were set up, but getting to him was problematic. Soon enough, the one we had seen returned. I confirmed with my guide, she said shoot when ready. I waited for him to turn broadside and fired. What seemed like eternity, the bullet finally landed, though further back around the guts/spine than I had aimed. He was hit hard by the Berger 195 EOL from my 28 Nosler. You could tell as he went downed tried to get back up he was indeed not mobile, but still alive. He then began to slide off the 60 foot rock ledge he was sitting on. I knew I had a goat down, but I needed to ethically dispatch of him as soon as possible.

2.5 hours later to go 550+ yards, up a raging half frozen waterfall/rock garden, ice covered rock ledges, alder choked forests, with ropes and ice axes in tow we get to him and I quickly dispatch him. Not how I wanted it to happen but that is the reality. By now we are wore down. Three straight days of steeps ascents and soaking weather. This would be the last pack out. I took 2 quarters as before, one guide took the other two and choice meats and the lead guide/outfitter owner operator took the cape.

If it weren't for the alders to hang on to coming off that mountain I would no doubt be seriously injured or maybe worse. They are your climbing ropes. You double check the strength of each before you put your entire weight on it. Also, you always double check your foot holds wether its side hilling or if you are walking over boulder fields or ice covered water. I punched through once but caught myself before the water went over my boot. My guide stepped on a huge boulder that started slide but was able to abruptly run for safety avoiding injury.

This is mountain goat hunting in SE Alaska. The will to survive is what keeps you alive.

What equipment was used ?

28 Nosler, Berger 195g EOLs.

Cool pics. Goat was on my bucket list but the door on that opportunity has closed. Good thing you got it done early. Congrats.

Awesomeness!. Those who view your mount will never see what you have.

That’s a great goat

Nice goat. Those pictures are incredible.

Drew a goat tag for CO in 2001. Took a billy at 13,800 feet on Mount Huron in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area. Goat hunting is a different game than deer or elk.

Incredible scenery, and awesome goat. I'd love to get up there someday to hunt and fly fish.

Incredible pictures. Well done my friend.

I am not sure one can do a more difficult hunt in North America than a mountain goat. Maybe a sheep hunt in Alaska or the Yukon. One of my guides was telling both are similar, but feels the Mtn goat hunt is more of a sprint where the sheep hunt is a marathon. Both hard but a different kind of “suck”. I have a lot of respect for folks who have checked this hunt off their list. Something I’ll never ever forget. Thanks for the kind words.

Great scenery and a great story. Thanks for sharing.