Thread: 2 for 3

Been testing out the aging length... have had a couple roasted hind legs aged 6 days. Everyone thought it was lamb with a floral hint, I reckon its pretty close but with a wee bit of gamey flavour. Lamb tastes fatty to me now.

I've only shot/eaten young goats sofar maybe 1-2 years old. Next one I think I'll gut/skin and bring back the whole thing then try to age it a bit longer now I have a dedicated fridge for it in the garage. No signs of bad stuff happening upto 6 days so I think I might push the aging out to 7-9 days.... can only get better eh?

Good eating so far.....

Hind legs roasted = good. smaller size than lamb but similar taste, Latest goats have had a bit of fat layer on them so that heps in the roasting.
Backstraps made into jerky = really good, it only last a day or so.... evryone scoffs it down fast
Front legs, wait til it relaxes then bone out and mince = best burger patties I've had, will see how it goes in lasagnia goes tonight.

I guess there's also the traditional Curry if its a really gnarly old one

Enjoyable read thanks for that, keep the thread going

On Sunday @chris-b and I headed out to get some more goats.

Last time Chris and I were out I laughed when he fell over trying to throw his goat over the bank, so I was due a bit of karma which took the form of me tripping right in front of him and landing hands first on some gorse. 'That's why you need gloves!' he said smugly looking at his own ones. Fair enough. I had bought the same ones as his earlier in the week and were quite keen to wear them until my wife read the disclaimer to me:


Chris assured me that he already has two children and that is enough.

After a few hours of getting just within shooting distance of a couple of different groups of goats but not sealing the deal we crossed over the creek to hunt on the otherside of the valley.
I went up to the top of this spur and Chris down the gut to the left of it.


As I got near the top I left my bag and very quickly got busted by a little white billy. He must not have known what I was as he watched me sit still for a couple of minutes then went on eating. I came out of cover bow drawn and took a quick shot which missed and they ran off. I nocked another arrow and sidled slowly down the spur when a black and white nanny walked out and stopped about 20m in front of me. I quickly aimed and shot, the arrow hitting the perfect spot and the goat was off.

I knocked another arrow and continued sidling down the spur when I found the massive blood-trail and then my arrow completely crimson from broad-head to nock (confirming a good shot). 10m after that my nanny had collapsed under some scrub already dead. I'd only shot a billy before so I was grateful with the lack of that billy goat stink. I walked back to uphill to get my bag so I could start butchering.



On the way back down a cheeky caramel coloured kid comes in to the clearing. It's just stands there wondering whats going on giving me plenty of time to aim and go through my mental checklist: Flat ground, feet parallel to the target, hand holding bow relaxed and my trigger knuckle anchored nicely below my ear. The arrow flies heading for that perfect spot, hits a branch and veers up and totally missing, the arrow gone somewhere in the gully below. The cheeky caramel kids lives for another day!

So I headed back down to move my goat somewhere flatter to butcher. See, I have learnt (a little) since last time. Chris turned up and gave a couple of pointers which were really helpful. I wanted to take the whole animal out so I could hang it in my shed but ended taking 3 legs off (one was a bit of a mess), backstraps and the tenderloins. I really took my time and was rewarded with a much better job than last time.

Yep, another fun day out. Except this one was hard work and a real test for the bung knee...

All the animals were very skitish after being nailed by a couple of rifle hunters the day before, so stalking in close enough to get a shot was very tricky. It was a day where in hindsight running the percentages before hand would have made life easier.... wind direction, approach, stalking cover, locating and even sun played a big part, if we got one wrong they bolted 50/50 wasn't good enough. The sun was an interesting one, it was low with a lot of glare, come at them with the sun at your back and they couldn't see you..... (much).

Anyway, after chasing down a few mobs, me bumping a few and a couple of missed shots (on target but low....need a fricken rangefinder guessing sux),we found ourselves at the bottom of steep gully with gnarly bluffs and rock gorges..... goat land.

Spotting the next move.

We stalked the fence line (not that there was much of a fence, just a few poles) but the nanny mob we'd spotted earlier had moved on. What we did find was plenty of pig sign (next mission)..... so it was back to an earlier mob that we bumped and hoped they'd settled down. We split up and Rob's story covers his adventures.

The 'not fence' fence line.

I cut back and sidled along in the direction we'd seen a mob earlier. After quietly smashing my way through gorse, Manuka and other scrub I hear munching sounds..... a bunch of young nannies were on 5m in front of me. I froze and slowly dropped.... unfortunately I was in the open with zero cover. I was really relying one the wind (good direction) and the camo on this one. I slowly settled in to a position where I could draw properly, nocked a n arrow and waited for one to move into clear sight. After what seemed like and age and mild foot cramp one abled across nibbling gorse tips, I draw and it saw the movement turning from broad side to front on..... I'd shot one like this before and it wasn't the cleanest angle so I waited to for it to turn for a better angle….. the Monster isn't a bow you want to hold at full draw for too long. Anyway, it spooked and headed off. I went after them and then ran into the rest of the mob 8-12 of them.... finally stalked into a good position and shot..... (on target but low....need a fricken rangefinder guessing sux).... off they went.

Followed the trail through the Manuka and scrub but was getting a bit close to where Rob was so I pulled the pin and caught up with him and his animal.

Off with his head.

I decided to have one last look down the valley into the gorge on the way back and up the other side. Quietly sidling along I saw some movement on the other side, a young caramel billy was heading down to a crossing point. I snuck a long and got into position with a clear shot but shaded by a small bush. I could see the goat looking but it just couldn't seem me (stalking lesson # 2 for the day, position yourself in the shade not in direct sunlight if you can). I drew and tracked it as it moved crossed about 30m from me on the opposite bank, as soon as it was in a clearing I let loose. Whack, straight through and into the bank. A small bleet and it ran about 15m before going down.

Butchering was a job in the tight and steep terrain but at least I din't have a far to carry it as Rob did. After I got the legs and straps I hauled the caracas up away from the stream and started my trek back...... what a mission. Near vertical slippery tight Manuka for a leg burning few hundred meters straight up, eventually I broke into a clearing and an animal track about half way up the ridge so the going got (slightly) easier.... I saw more very fresh pig sign so I nocked another arrow just incase I ran into a deaf one that couldn't hear my weasing and puffing.

In all it was a really fun hunt and we felt we really earnt it this time both in the terrain, the stalking and the fact the the animals were super skittish. Any sound, movement or smell they didn't wait around, they bolted. We both commented that with rifles we could have taken out at least a half dozen each, probably more. But its the close stalking that we like, the odds definately aren't in our favour out there but getting better skills and some luck will help push things our way.

We did spot a massive billy early in the day.... unfortunately he was out of bounds on a neighbouring ridge about 200m away. We estimated tip to tip would have been close to 100cm. Honestly he was HUGE... will have to keep an eye out for that gnarly old bugger.

This hunt was also a bit of a test on knee which held out really well, sports tape rocks! Next hunt might have to be over in deer land.... thanks Dan

Thanks

I thought I got a photo of Chris stalking but it didn't turn out well (My fault, not his - haha).

Thumbs up for the new blaze beanie You really stand out now.

First time back to the goat spot in a while, and after chasing deer and not gettting any the freezer was getting low. So I went all out and did a full day.

Morning stalk was stuffed up by a 180 wind change which put me well out of positon, so I headed back for lunch and kicked off again with the wind in my face. While I waited I let them bed down for a bit, get hungry and start moving about a bit.
I ninja'd down the hill to where I'd seen 3-4 earlier in the day, sneaky sneaky. Heard a few twig snaps then some flapping ears... definately goats. Snuck down a small gut on my ass to stay out of sight and got within 20m. But I was totally blocked in by gorse and onga onga, only way out was back up the hill which I wasn't gonna do as I'd now be in full view of them. So I settled in to a position where I wouldn't cramp up, boot sides cutting tiny foot hold on the face of a clay slip.... and waited.

10-15mins later they started to move across below me, still hidden by scrub and shit..... then I got a sight of fur about 15m away through small 20cm gap in the branches, was it enough? yep.
I came to full draw, brought the bow up, then leaned out past a gorse bush while not loosing my toe holds, lined up the sight through the bushed aimed and let fly. Whack!
Off it went in a scramble to the right 10m then came back left to its mates just below where it started gurgling and coughing. thats as far as it got. complete lung pass-through and it was down before it knew what was happening. a perfect eater which I dressed and dragged it back to a shady spot cool.




It was only 1pm and I still had a leave pass for the day so I planned the next wee walk.

Down the valley with the wind in my face, wasn't expecting much as I'd already bagged one, but as I made my way down to the valley floor 500m below I began to see a few. After going on hands and knees through the trails in the gorse and manuka I spotted one down on the stream flats.... hmmmm. looked good. The I spotted 3 more. ok this is good. I was across from them and fully secluded in the manuka and had a shooting ally through the trees lined up.
Ranged at 35m and downhill which ended up being about 31m (love the new rangefinder!) lined up a 1yr kid. whack it went down arrow passed through and burried in the ground. Mum looking very concerned wandered over to see what jr was doing having absolutely no idea what was going on. I was so well hidden she didn't even know I was there, I drew again and let fly. Mum took the hit, bolted a meters across the stream and then she was down now too.

3 down and the freezer was looking in better condtion.

I wasn't gonna carry these 2 out whole so I did the legs and straps and hiked the hill. It was a bit of a mission, hot, sunny and no water so by the time I got to the top I was feeling it a bit... one foot after the other...

managed to try out the new hanging fridge.... worked a treat. can really dial in tha aging with temp and humidity.
Test the back straps on the bbq after 2 days aging. was still a bit chewy.
4 days, getting better.
7 days, melt in your mouth tender.

Now everyone in the house prefers goat to lamb!

Another good weekend stroll. Weather was SHITE, 20-30knt NW that brought in a glaggy wet mist, then it swithced to a freezing cold drizzly Souhterly half way through the day.

Rob and I started off in what we thrrught was the general direction of the forest. We could only see about 40m, we found the rangefinders were pretty much useless in fog... just refused to work. Good to know.

Gearing up and trying to figure out where we were..... pretty disorientating.


Ok over this ridge?

We hit the forest and started to stalk maybe 150m apart heading into the wind... very spooky but very cool in the pines with fog.

Rob down the hill from me

spooky

Being super quiet was pretty easy on the damp needles. After about 30mins of quiet creeping I spotted movement. A bedded young billy. I froze as it got up turned around and faced quater off from me.... "shit this is too easy". then it took a step further and sat down. damn.

Ok now the proper ninja stalk was on, keeping out of view behind logs or trees, couching or on hands and knees I managed to clse the distance to about 16ish meters without them seeing me. I ranged. Too mich misty fog so no reading, and the bugger was still sitting. I went to move for a better angle then I saw his mate next to him. Ok Now I was pinned.... slowly inched my way back to the tree and reevaluated. I could have had a go but the shot was an iffy angle and there was a bunch of branches in the way.
The i saw Rob to my right crawling in about 30m from them. He had a good lane through the trees, so I gave him the thumbs up. He waited a few minutes until the closest one stood an thwack a clean through and through.

It was super cool to watch from a side angle and the stalk in made it even better.

Both the goats bolted and we began the track. After about 20mins we managed to circle round and cut them off, I waited in ambush as Rob pushed them towards me and I finished it off at 10m as it ran past me.... no idea I was there. A good team effort on the hunt and the butchering.

We found a nice grassy patch to cut it up with no pine needles messing things up.

After that Robs coldy-flu thing kicked in another notch so he pulled the pin.

I still had no meat so I headed over to the old faithful spot. Within a few minutes I'd spotted 3 big billies on the opposite ridge... doable but the weather was closing in and I was getting tired. Billy taste like burnt tyre anyway...... so I passed.

Went a bit further and spotted a couple about 100m below the ridge I was on. One looked like a good eater so I went for it. Wind was good again and I stalked in... more like crawled in along the animal paths under the gorse and scubby stuff. I'd lost sight of the taget for a bit so I slowly had a peak about. Shit, it was on the other side of the bush I was behind only 3-4m away. FAIL!!! There was no way could get a shot from there, if I moved to get a shot I'd be up wind, if I went back down wind he'd be looking right at me.hmmmmm....
I drew back and stepped sidways slowly to get around the bush, I could see fur but not what I needed to aim for. then bam, it saw me and bolted taking another 3 with it straight down the valley and up the otherside about 500m away before I could do anyhting. Damn they can cover some ground. Ok that was blown.

Next spot down by the coast on the cliffs. I hadn't been there since my very first hunt and I was surprised how good it was. I also had a Navy ship anchored 300m offshore watching me no doubt.

I spotted a mob below me on a small flat, stalked in, belly crawled behind a low berm to get to a bush and kneeled. range was 32m on a slight down hill. None of them had spotted me yet so I picked the best looking eater, a 1-2 year old in mid mob. Wind was now howling across left to right. I sighted my broadheads (waaaaaay different to my feild tips) so i knew I was straight. I aimed a wee bit left for wind drift and let loose. The wind down lower was ALOT more than I thought and the shot visibly difted right as it clsed in but still hit the vitals and went clean through. The animal just stood there not knowing what had happened. I initally thought I'd missed then I saw the blood start gushing.... a few steps and it was down. The other goats still hadn't seen me and it wasn't until I stood up that the ran...... all with the Navy watching (probably on paua poaching patrol)

Dressed on the spot and carried back, then skinned. Now have a whole animal in the hanging fridge, next is to make a charcoal BBQ Argentinean stays.

So, it was pretty foggy when we turned up. The range finder and camera only just able to pick Chris out at 20 metres. Our theory was to drop some altitude and head into the pines to get some visibility and shelter from the weather. In the pines we split up. My walk was pretty uneventful and I was strolling over to where I expected Chris to be when some movement caught my eye. I slowed down and watched what turned out to be him stalking in on something unseen by me.

A where's Wally of sorts. Can you see him?


After watching for a while and he not taking a shot I crept forward on hands and knees to see what was going on. From my angle I could see 2 young goats bedded down against a tree and I had a shot open. I got his attention and the nod to take the shot which ended up a bit far back in the ribcage exiting though the guts.

After giving it a bit of time we found it still alive. A bit of a stalk ending with both of us putting arrows into it to finish it off.



After a bit of backyard butchery I hung the meat in a tree and we went looking for more.

Chris stalking in on a goat that mysteriously vanished.


I headed home after this and Chris stayed on...

loving the stories fellas good shit keep it up!!!
loving the gloves more though i must say

Haha @madmaori it saves trying to get that lingering goat stench off your hands.

Been eating quite a bit of goat recently:
Goat curry, primo Jamie Oliver burger paddies and made some game stock for soups and braising.
Tonight we're having a Steve Rinella recipe: Bone-in Blade Roast with Root veges.

Only got a couple of backstraps and one leg left in the freezer.
Might have to go out again soon @chris-b

On Saturday @chris-b and I went out for some more goats. The initial walk in wasn't bad and within minutes we saw the first goats of the day.
Chris and I stalked into shooting distance without being seen. Both our first shots missed but I was able to get another arrow knocked and on it's way.
I hit the target perfectly stopping it in it's tracks and then it conveniently fell off the ledge above and onto the track in front of us.



Chris went for a bit of a walk while I hung and started gutting my animal but fortunately arrived in time to see me knick the guts and make a proper mess.
I had intended to take the whole animal home to hang but with mess of it all I just took the 4 legs and the backsteaks.

To retrieve the arrows I approached from the top and had to climb through a bunch of tight gorse.
They had seemed unreachable from the track below but when I finally made it close to the spot I saw Chris carrying them along the track below, go figure.

As we continued on uphill we spotted another couple of small ones and started the stalk into about 25m.
Chris said they might be too small but I sort of encouraged him. Chris managed to get the black and when we caught up to it I nearly caught the other with my hands.
Closer we saw they were quite small, skinned the carcass looked more like an abnormally large hare than a goat.



We did some glassing but didn't really find any more *convenient ones


*Ones we didn't have to crawl though the gorse above to get to.