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My hunt was originally for early october of 2004. I went up there and the outfitter (Tim) was to guide me. First day we drove around the logging roads glassing for goats. Day 2 we did get within 125 yards of 2 mature billies but they walked of before we had a chance to get closer-no other goats seen that day. Day 3 we ended the hunt, Outfitter Tim was not feeling good and suggested that I could come back the next year for no charge and hunt another 10 days or he could try to find a guide to take me out. I took the offer to come back the next year cause we discussed and he said the weather had alot to do with the fact we weren't seeing much for animals.

So the next year I went back. I did however have to buy all my tags and licsencse again plus pay for my airfare which costs me another $1500. In additon to the goat tag, I also had a deer and bear tag. This time I was to have a different guide named Justin. Once again we just drove the logging roads looking for goats and then would only hike up after either spotting a goat or if the guide thought it was good area to climb into. The first 3 days we spent in the same valley only seeing 2 goats, one we went after and spooked and the other was in a bad spot. We did however see a group of resident hunters in the same valley. I mentioned we werent seeing much for animals(goats or deer) and that night the outfitter said we could try a different area. Day 4 on the way to the other area we spotted 2 goats from the hiway and deicded to drive farther in to get a better look. Well 2 resident hunters were there first ut they backed out and said we could go after the goats. We did but were unable to get within bow range cause of the terrain(cliff between us and the goats). Day 5 we seen no goats. Day 6 we did find a pair of younger goats but went after them anyways. The way things were going I said if I couldn't get within bow range of a goat then I'd shoot one with the rifle. The hunt just wasn't going the way I dreamed of a goat hunt and figured since this was my second trip then I might as well come home with a goat since I've yet to even try a stalk on a goat. We got within 45 yards or so which was to far for me to shoot with my bow and I grabed the rifle and killed the goat. It was aged at 3 years old with 8.5" horns. We found the goat the next day and when we went to skin it I said I wanted it skinned for a lifesize mount. The guide said he had never skinned a goat for the lifesize mount!! But the outfitter had told him before how to do it. We got it skined but it wasn't how my taxidermist would of done it. Day 8 and 9 I spent with the outfiter(the guide Justin was to go and take over guiding another hunter that was filming a TV show) so I spent time just hanging around the lodge mostly with the outfitter but he did drive me down the road a few times by his neighbors field to glass for a bear or deer and also drove a couple loggin roads to check for bears. I didn't mind alittle time to relax but didn't really care to shoot a bear out of the nieghbors field. The last day The guide, Justin, took me back out to try for a deer or bear. We covered alot of area and seen one bear, we tried to get closer and stalk it but by the time we got there we ran into 3 resident hunters and never seen the bear.

I really didn't say anyhting about how the hunt was going cause I didn't want to be "the guy that complains" but after the hunt the more I though about it the more I said to myself and others that the hunt should of been alot better than it was. The outfitter, Tim, seemed like a nice guy but I just think he ran a bad outfitting buisness and didn't have consistant guides that worked for him. In fact while I was there waiting to head home, Tim was trying to find a guide for the next hunter that was coming in for a goat hunt that week.

Was the outfitter notified of problems? - NO