The Red Rock Billy

[Sambar Hunter]

This Hunt took place on the 9th of August

It was the kinda hunt that was organized over the phone and spur of the moment, Rory sent a text message to Mozza saying Kegan and I are going for hunt on Saturday, you in?, a phone call later and a goat hunt was planed for the up coming Saturday. Saturday morning rolled around, Mozza turned up, a quick cuppa, the drive and the direction of the property was worked out and we were off. A three hour drive gave plenty of time for Mozza and I to give plenty of curry to Rory, so many laughs were had at Rory’s expense just on the drive there.

We arrived at the property mid morning, a quick hello to the property owner and where the goats were last spotted last night, the camo was thrown on, bows in hand and Rory set a scorching walking pace in, much to Mozza and my amazement. The first mob of goats was spotted sunning them selves on a hill above us, so the first of many slow stalks was on for the day. As we were climbing over last few boulders we spotted the mob heading in our direction and about a 100 hundred meters away, we quickly fanned out, Mozza on the left flank behind some shrubs with the trusty curve in hand and Rory and I on the right flank taking cover behind a gum tree, a few quick hand gestures were exchanged between us and we were ready for the mob to keep walking and feeding until they got within shooting distance.

Rory started recording some footage and gave me the tape on my leg meaning get ready, and saying shot when I say, but that ever changing wind wasn’t on our side, and gave us away just when the mob got within shooting range, and the mob were of back around the other side of the hill. We stalked and followed there hoof prints, until we decide that we would give them a chance to bed down again, so we sat had a couple mouthfuls of water and took in the view for 5 minutes.

Rory and Mozza taking in the view.

As we sat I herd a sound of bush and rocks moving, a small mob of about 2 or 3 kids and 2 nannies ran behind us, so that got the bloody pumping again, we worked out the direction that we would take around the hill on the bigger mob as we guessed that the small mob that we had just seen were not part of the bigger mob that we were hunting. 15 minutes later, we smelt the stench of billys, Rory told Mozza and I to stop as he peered over some rocks, he quickly looked back at us and smiled, we had found the bigger mob. They were bedded, and over looking the valley that we walked in on, Rory spotted a nanny about 20 meters away, by her self with to kids, Rory told me to move in front, and try to get a shot off, but a clear shot never presented its self and she moved off back to the mob.

The Red Rock.

Another quick talk about where we were going to have a shot at these goats, we decided that I would go in front with Mozza and Rory would stay behind and get some more footage. Mozza and I started the slow crawl to get to a better spot to shot from, the ground wasn’t littered with to much leaves, sticks etc, so we didn’t have to clear to many things out of our way, but Mozza and I kept crawling for about another 15 meters before we decided that where we were stetting was as good as any spot to shot from, we picked out a nice black billy with a clear 30 meter broadside shot, I took my time getting to my feet, finally draw back and let the Gold Tip Expedition hunter with the trusty old blackstump Ironbark broadhead do the rest, I hit the billy straight in the neck, I stayed at full draw probably to long that’s what may have caused my average shot and the wind wasn’t a help either.

The billy took of with the mob not make a single noise, they firstly took off up the hill for about 15 meters where my billy pumped out the blood on a rock, (which later got nicknamed the red rock) then the mob decided to run back down the way they came up and kept on running around the hill, but the black billy was lagging behind the mob and died just out of sight. We had an big good blood trail to follow, as we figured that I must of hit the billy in the jugular, the billy only ran about 40 meters before expiring in a perfect spot to take some happy snaps with the cameras and for Rory to get some footage of me describing the stalk, the shot and where the billy ran to (80 meters hey Mozza hahaha). After we removed the horns we again tried to catch the mob but goats seem to walk up hills and cliffs slowly but some how walk 10 times faster then humans, we arrived at the top of the opposite hill of where I shot the billy so Rory and Mozza got could get some shots off with the curves but those goats disappeared into thin air.

The Black Billy

Many different points of views about the black billy, the stalk, my shocking shot and the mob of goats were talked about on the drive back to Rory’s, the billy was measured at 28” spread and 84 dp if I remember correctly. Big thanks to Rory for the hunt, the footage, the drive there and back and being a top brother, and Mozza for the tips on the stalk and following the blood trail, and a big shout out to Rory’s girlfriend for pointing up with me for the week.

Mozza, Kegan, Rory and The black billy.

[stevebeilgard]

good story. way to go

[toddyboman]

WTG!

Great story and pics

Congrats

[OJR]

Great story! Congratulations on the goat!

[pendog]

Great Story and Goat!!

[JJL]

Well done.....................Story .....Pics..... and Hunt.

[elkoholic]

Great story and pictures and a nice goat to top it all off!