Sunday Morning:
Johnnie and I got up early and organized our gear for the
remaining days. I sharpened my broadheads and packed my bag.
By 9 AM we were headed back up through the jungle to camp 2.
We both remarked at how much easier it was this time - both of
us were in excellent shape by now. By early afternoon we were
back at camp2. Johnnie took a quick nap while I did some stump
shooting around camp. The quiet canyon was disturbed by a beaver
float plane which flew around the peaks then buzzed down into
the lake. My first reaction was disappointment that there may
be other hunters dropping in but we soon realized that Taquan
Air had a communications break and did not get the message that
we postponed our pickup until Monday. Luckily Johnnie was able
to contact the pilot on the marine handheld radio and the pilot
was out of there.
We suited up and headed back to the cliffs where I shot my
billy. Three hours later we were moving quietly through the cliffs.
I spotted a goat and stalked closer but soon noticed a kid.
No shot opportunity here.
They winded us and moved up into the cliffs. We followed and
worked our way along the top - now near were we lost the billy.
Several ravens were spotted 30- 50 yards below where we lost
the trail and I now had a good idea where my goat ended up. We
both knew that if we had continued tracking - we would have been
killed. The goat was hung up in a patch of trees directly above
the 1000 foot fall on a vertical shoot.
I wandered the cliffs alone, looking for that lone billy in
the crags. I never found one but there was plenty of sign.
We headed back to camp and discussed the weather. I had two
hunting days left and a marine forecast was calling for a low
pressure system to sock into the area over the next two days.
I did not want to hear that.