“Are you continue to afraid of heights?”
“Uhhh, yeah?”
“Effectively, it’s trying like I won’t be capable to go to Alaska for my mountain goat hunt… and I used to be considering of sending you.”
That was the dialog I had with my boss, Steve Speck, simply three weeks earlier than I headed out for a mountain goat hunt in Southeast Alaska.
A lot of you could acknowledge Steve’s identify. He has been within the looking business for years and has helped construct a number of notable manufacturers, together with S&S Archery, Pure Elevation Productions, Stable Broadheads, and, most significantly, Exo Mtn Gear, the place we design and construct pack methods for backcountry looking. Steve has been an enormous affect on me and has accomplished greater than most would for a younger worker, together with sending me on this once-in-a-lifetime hunt.
In 2024, Steve had deliberate three Alaska hunts – caribou, moose, and mountain goat – with the purpose of capturing all of them on movie for a brand new video collection we known as The Expertise Venture (obtainable on our Exo Mtn Gear YouTube channel). After efficiently finishing the caribou and moose hunts, he needed to sit out the goat hunt because of enterprise obligations. That’s when he requested if I used to be nonetheless afraid of heights.
Regardless of my lingering worry of publicity and vertigo, I mentioned sure. It’s not the form of alternative you flip down.
Getting ready for Goat Nation
I’ve struggled with a worry of heights for so long as I can bear in mind. My dad has it even worse, so I’m fairly certain it runs within the household. For me, the sensation hits after I’m on open slopes with out bushes or cowl – the form of nation mountain goats stay in.
I had three weeks to organize. Each day after work, I strapped 40 lb to my Exo pack and hiked the native hills. My purpose was to indicate up in one of the best form attainable, mentally and bodily, figuring out I’d be pushing my limits.
Arrival in Alaska
I flew to Southeast Alaska with two of my coworkers: Mark Huelsing, who additionally had a goat tag, and Justin Nelson, who can be documenting the hunt on digicam. Climate delays compelled us to take a ferry to our ultimate vacation spot, which gave us our first have a look at the terrain. The mountains have been steep, rugged, and intimidating. As we cruised previous them, my abdomen turned, however I knew I’d need to get snug with being uncomfortable.
As soon as we landed, our information, Mark Rowenhurst of Limitless Alaska Guiding, picked us up and introduced us to his cabin. We received settled in, checked rifles, reviewed our sport plan, and packed our gear.
This was uncharted territory for all of us, together with our information. He had picked out a distant spot he’d by no means been to earlier than. I’ve packed for backcountry elk, mule deer, and moose hunts, however Southeast Alaska goat looking is one other stage. Rain gear wasn’t non-obligatory – it was important. I used to be informed I’d solely want one pair of pants: rain pants. Every little thing was really useful to be artificial to keep away from absorbing moisture. We debated crampons, reviewed gear one final time, and packed rigorously. My pack weighed in round 80 lb.
Into the Mountains
We woke early the following morning and began shuttling up the river in a small boat – 4 guys and a pile of drugs. Finally, we reached our jumping-off level and arrange a base camp close to the river. We had sufficient daylight to glass, so we began selecting aside the terrain. We noticed some nannies and youngsters, together with a couple of lone goats we assumed have been billies – too far to substantiate, however promising.
The subsequent morning, we hiked 1.9 miles and gained 2,700 vertical ft by thick brush and timber. It took almost six hours. The spot we had marked on OnX turned out to be the one flat space round – simply large enough for a few tents.
We spent that night glassing, recognizing a couple of goats throughout the basin. We deliberate to go even larger the following day.
Climbing Towards the Billies
At dawn, we emptied our packs and left camp mild, climbing one other 1,200 ft. The upper we went, the sketchier it received, particularly for somebody like me who doesn’t do effectively with heights. We traversed round a bluff that made my knees wobble. I used to be grateful to have Mark and Justin there for encouragement as I picked my manner throughout.
Finally, our information Mark stopped and whispered, “Goats.”
Two billies, standing about 300 yards away, skylined in opposition to the slope. Justin arrange the digicam and confirmed what we suspected – Roman noses, thick horns, giant scent glands. Little doubt. Billies.
We shortly mentioned choices. Ought to we attempt to shoot each, or take one and maintain off? Climate was coming in, and our information was involved the river may drop too low for extraction. We by no means made a agency choice. We simply dropped our packs and received into place.
Mark had already insisted I shoot first. That’s the form of looking associate he’s – selfless.
I discovered susceptible spot and started getting regular, ranging, dialing, dry-firing, and adjusting for wind. I wasn’t centered on which billy I wished – simply whichever one gave me one of the best shot.
I seemed left at Mark. “I’m going sizzling.”
Then I glanced proper at Justin. “You rollin’?”
He gave me a nod. I chambered a spherical, clicked off the protection, settled into my respiration, and squeezed the set off.
Impression. The billy dropped instantly. I stayed within the scope, prepared for a follow-up, however it wasn’t wanted.
Feelings began to rise – I had simply shot a mountain goat.
Then I seen the second billy standing from his mattress, trying down towards the one I had simply dropped. Our information’s voice got here by quietly, “You possibly can shoot the opposite if you wish to, Mark.”
Just a few seconds later, Mark squeezed off a shot. His billy dropped in its mattress.
We checked out one another in disbelief. Two goats. Two clear pictures. One unforgettable second.
The Packout Begins
We high-fived and hugged, however knew we had work to do. As we climbed to the goats, we hit the snowline round 4,000 ft. I began getting dizzy once more – the steep slope and publicity triggered my vertigo. I needed to sit down, eat, and drink earlier than I may safely transfer once more.
Finally, I laid my palms on my goat – a second I’ll always remember. We snapped a couple of images, then started working quartering and packing. With simply over an hour of sunshine left, we loaded our packs, every of us carrying a part of each goats, and started the descent.
That hike again to camp was brutal. Thick brush, uneven footing, and navigating at nighttime made it sluggish going. We didn’t roll into camp till effectively after darkish. We ate, talked in regards to the day, and tried to relaxation – as a result of the toughest half was nonetheless forward.
Snow, Stumps, and a Shut Name
We woke to colder temps and snow. The mountains have been coated, and the path was slick. We packed up, loaded our heavy gear, and started the lengthy descent to the river.
It was one of many hardest packouts I’ve ever accomplished. Falling a number of instances within the brush, struggling to remain upright on slick slopes, and attempting to beat the daylight added to the problem. Finally, we made it down.
We loaded the boat once more and began the shuttle. The water had dropped noticeably since we went in, and new stumps had appeared within the channels. Whereas navigating one of many tight stretches, our information made a last-second choice. Too late. We hit a submerged stump, laborious.
The influence threw Justin out of the boat. I reacted quick and grabbed his legs earlier than he went beneath. It may’ve gone unhealthy in a rush, however we received him again in and made it the remainder of the way in which with out additional incident.
Full Circle
Again on the cabin, we checked our goats in with Alaska Fish & Sport. The biologists have been impressed – my goat was aged at 12 years previous, which they mentioned was uncommon. Most billy goats they see are 8-10. Because it turned out, I used to be our information’s youngest consumer, and that goat was the oldest he’d ever packed out.
This hunt pushed me out of my consolation zone in each manner – mentally, bodily, and emotionally. From uncovered climbs to intense climate and lengthy days beneath load, I used to be challenged at each flip. However I’m grateful I mentioned sure.
Generally one of the best recollections come whenever you lean into discomfort and say sure to one thing that scares you. And lastly, thanks once more to my boss, Steve Speck, for sending me on this hunt.
To look at the movie from this hunt, take a look at The Expertise Venture – Half 1 and Half 2 – at TheExperienceProject.com.
Jake Havlicek is the Group Supervisor at Exo Mtn Gear, the place he manages customer support, social media advertising and marketing, touring for commerce exhibits, and overseeing guarantee/returns. To study extra about Exo Mtn Gear and the pack methods they make, go to ExoMtnGear.com
