July here has been so, so wet I've had hardly any opportunities to get out after anything. The only short outing was in late July when we had one fine morning and I was afield well before first light looking for Rabbits. Ended up with five for the morning. Retrieved four and couldn't get the fifth which had died too far into a burrow to reach.



So far this week has been fine and today was quite calm with unusually mild temps so I decided to make the most of it. I obtained permission to hunt a small, hilly farm only 15 minutes or so from home. This farm includes the upper section of a bush gully running down into a bushed reserve that has a popular public walking track. Feral Goats inhabit the reserve bush and will roam onto surrounding farmland to broaden their diet. Our Department of Conservation manages the reserve and allows Goat hunting as part of their feral anial control programme. I could only get going about mid afternoon and arrived at the farm about 4:00 pm. Timing wise this was good as Goats are generally about and actively feeding at this time of day. I carried my light Tikka T3 in 30.06 with Swarovski Z3 scope and had fitted a lightweight Harris Bipod, a recent acquisition. I have never used this type of Bipod before and was looking forward to a trial run. For ammo I had a handload with Norma Oryx 180 gn. I decided to use up these bullets which I've had for too long. It was very easy to work up an accurate load with these bullets.

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After parking the truck the walk started up a steep farm track to reach the high point of the farm. Once there glassing over the farm started. I saw a couple of Hares but no Goats. I moved on and after a further two stops sighted three Goats at some distance on a high point. Unfortunately they were on the neighbour's farm and safe from me but I observed for some minutes to see which way they headed. It seemed they might head towards the farm I was on and I decided to walk closer and position myself somewhere to be on them if they came through the fence. I got moving and moved through several small gullies and folds which can conceal animals and keep them unseen from above. Apart from another couple of Hares I found nothing and arrived at the last gully just below the farm boundary. A finger of bush almost reaches the very top of the gully and I looked over this to suddenly see three Goats feeding out of the bush onto the far bank. 171 yds away and I was in a perfect position to set up with the Bipod. I lay prone, rifle on the Bipod and watched, waiting for a broadside shot. The smallest Goat obliged and the shot was sent. A couple of stumbles and she went down, dead.



Immediately the other two, larger animals ran left a few yards and stopped, looking back at the fallen animal. Lining up the larger one I had to take a frontal shot which connected with a resounding slap but the Goat showed no reaction, just turned and ran into the bush. However I was pretty confident of a kill shot. I scooted around the gully head and found the first Goat. Not a large animal and the bullet had passed through. I walked over to where I hit the second Goat and following his escape line soon found splashy blood. I could follow this to where the bush started then guessing his travel line I slowly walked along, looking left, right and forward. About 50 yards further I looked left and down and there he lay, stone cold dead.



It looked as though the Orxy bullet expanded quite well as it traversed the goat and blew right through. The shot was probably a little high but I was shooting at a reasonable downward angle on this Goat.



Dusk was already moving in by now and I retraced my route back towards the truck. It was a pleasant walk. I almost got a shot at a Hare but just as I put the scope on him his nerve broke and he ran for his life. Oh well, I couldn't complain. Two Goats is a good result for a quick afternoon outing. Friday weather looks promising too. Hope I can get in another short outing this week.

Sounds like a great hunt to me. Been many years since I have shot at any goats. Glad to see had a good day.

Pete

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My kind of outing! Well done mate. Can you do anything with goat meat ?

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Great day in the field Grant.

Hi Charlie,
We sometimes have Goat meat at home. Best if it comes from a younger animal as older animals and / or big billies are too strongly flavoured for our tastes. The right goat makes excellent curry. I've had goat made into sausage but to me it didn't taste that good. Best thing I've done is give goat to Indian friends who really know how to make a delicious dish from it.

Hi Jim,
After so long it was indeed a great outing, albeit short. But, gotta take what's offered sometimes.....