I didn't think so.
Here we go on an adventure!!
I had the privilege and blessing of hunting the Na Pali coast of Kauai for two days this past week. The land and sea are absolutely spectacular. If you are physically capable of making this hike I highly recommend you do so. It is truly life changing.
On Thursday I landed on Kauai, a beautiful 25 minute flight from Oahu, where I live. I promptly went to the DNR office and picked up my 3 day archery only Hog and Goat permit for that unit. The lady at the DNR was friendly and as excited as I was about the hunt! I left with a permit in hand and a giant smile on my face!
I went to get camping permits next, The office was just down the road. I am a resident so camping permits for the next 4 nights were free. (if you are out of state its $3 a night). We camped at Anini beach on Thursday night. It POURED RAIN from 8 pm to 3 am with winds of 30-40 mph. The entire island went on flash flood warning. We were nice and dry in our tent, didn't sleep much though.
The next day (Friday) was to be hunting day #1. It didn't happen. at the 2 mile mark on the Kalalau trail there is a stream crossing. The flash flood had turned it into a raging river! Trail closed. Time to practice shooting and enjoy some sun on the beach with my fiancée. We also took a drive to Waimea canyon. It is pretty dazzling! There are sections of it one can hunt, but not at this time of year. I went to sleep early Friday night. Tomorrow was going to be a big endeavor!
(http://i.imgur.com/p90DlwL.png)
Saturday: The fun begins! The fiancée goes to a yoga retreat and I begin the hike. The hike in
(http://i.imgur.com/guxz1ek.png)
I hiked for a total of 17 miles on saturday (my watch keeps track). I spent my time exploring the trail (which has a lot of people on it) and various valleys and ridges.
Here are a couple pics of things I saw: A waterfall in some steep country that seemed to be the boarder between the arid and dry goat country and the lush tropical jungle hog country.
(http://i.imgur.com/chdTYUp.png)
Here is a black tail deer! I have looked for these on every trip to Kauai and I finally found one. The season on them is not open, but I was able to stalk to within 15 yards just for practice, before she turned and bolted. look at the dead leaf on the bottom left of the photo go up about an inch and you will be on the deer's face.
(http://i.imgur.com/XubBCfi.png)
I also saw 4 hogs, 2 piglets and two decent sows on saturday. Not close enough to shoot and in some terribly thick cover. I found two herds of goats near sundown, and after counting my blessings and running out of fingers and toes to count on I came down from the ridge and walked the many miles back to camp...
I packed it in for the night at the mile 6 camp. There were lots of friendly people, but I avoided the large crowd for the most part and found my own little nook back in the woods a bit. I was the only one there hunting. Easter Sunday was going to be the day!
I prefer goat meat over pork. So does my Fiancee. They are also lighter packing and less covered in ticks. When I woke up I drank some coffee and made a game plan. I didn't want to shoot a monster billy because this is mostly a food hunt. I wanted a younger (easier to pack) animal that would be good eating size.
Decision made. I headed back up trail at day break and after looking at some sign I cut up the valley and onto a ridge called. Kaaalahina ridge:
(http://i.imgur.com/DSojfhk.png)
This ridge is roughly 9.2 miles in.
I found my herd of goats. I had two quivers with three arrows each one is a back quiver made of goat hide from a billy goat harvested last year, and the other a bow quiver. I just hunkered down in the grass and waited where I thought they would cross my path.
As the goats drew closer I counted 32 in the herd. As usual there were several medium to big billies and some nannies roughly 20 yards out. I let those pass as I had a very long pack back to the car. I had several goats walk within a stones throw of me but still I sat. Waiting for one to stop broadside...
Fifteen minutes later I let an arrow fly at a small billy.
(http://i.imgur.com/zGpTTJs.png)
I got a complete pass through with good blood end to end. Within about 30 yards the little guy was down.
(http://i.imgur.com/MPUuEEX.png).
I moved him to a grassy area where there was a bit better light for the pic. After snapping this shot my camera died (lesson learned, turn it off before putting it back in your pack!). I got him cleaned up and in a game bag. On the way back to camp I dipped the bag in a stream to cool the meat off.
While waiting for the meat to cool and my heart rate to come down from the hike, another pack of goats walked up. I was just sitting there by the stream with no cover at all, my bow hanging in a tree and they walked 15 yards in front of me! I waited until they left then grabbed by bow and put the meat in my pack. I walked around the corner and sure enough there they were. I picked out a nice billy with yellow horns and let another arrow fly inside of 10 yards.I watched my fletching disappear. He turned and looked at me as if nothing happened and I almost though I missed because he did not react at all. Then I noticed blood pouring down his side from just behind his shoulder... He slowly walked down hill about 30 feet and laid down peacefully and never woke up.
Camera was dead (Damn it!). I don't have pics of him, but I did get a scull cap for those interesting horns. I will post a pic of that on this thread later after it has cured up a bit in the sun and looks less gross.
It took me probably an hour to clean, skull cap and cool off the bigger billy. I refilled my filtered water bottle from the small water fall and went back to camp. I packed up and headed out with plenty of meat to take back to Oahu!
The hike out took almost twice as long as the hike in. It was less distance as I headed straight out with no exploring, but I was fatigued and had plenty of extra weight that I was happy to be packing. I arrived back at the car around 6:30 pm. After numerous compliments and congrats from hikers my hunt was over... I had shot a grand total of 2 arrows. One was a blue arrow I assembled with a rib teck broad head, the other an easton trad only with a woodsman. I lost no arrows and had no injuries other than fatigue. It was a great day!
I got in the car, and my fiancee and I decided that we would get a hotel room for the last nigh. It was nice to sleep in a bed. I awoke at 4 am. and took apart my 55# Samick Sage, the only takedown I own (for now hehehe). I put my pretty blue arrows in my goat skin quiver with my trad only arrows and hit the airport with my bags, a happy fiancee and a big cooler full of delicious! I am typing this out on the plane. Reflecting on the beauty of the place I have just visited and the blessing of being able to hunt such marvelous land! It was truly a blessed Easter!
Mahalo for reading all of this!
One last view of the most beautiful place on earth!
(http://i.imgur.com/ecvbKql.png)
Great story and amazing pics. I'm scared of heights I don't know if that would be the right hunt for me:)Congrats!
Very nice and congrats!!!!!!!!
That looks like a beautiful place to be.
that deer was kind of like playing "where's waldo". I cut my teeth hunting dall sheep in Alaska but I think my body is just too used up for a hunt like that these days.
I would be to busy looking at the scenery to hunt!LOL Thanks for the pic & story...great just great!!! Congrats
You really do live and play in a beautiful place!!!
Congrats on your success!
Bisch
Congrats! A bucket list hunt for me for sure.
great pics
Real cool stuff. :thumbsup:
Awesome!!!
I was just in Kauai in Feb taking a break from ski guiding in Japan. I wanted so bad to have my bow and spend a day or two on Na Pali, but it was family time and I had to be happy in the surf and sun with the little one and my wife (not hard to enjoy that though)! I did manage to spear my first fish down near Poipu and we had it for dinner!
My wife's father has a place on Maui and we try and get over there every couple years or so. I can't wait until one day I can take my bow and do some hunting... maybe hook up with some of the locals like Ryan and Mstrum!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh man so envious! And super cool. Congrats on your beautiful and successful hunt!
We were there in Feb as well. Staying at North end of island. Saw bunches of pigs in fields off of the road. Wished I had my bow as well. I enjoyed the cool air and wind at night put me to sleep.
Thanks for taking us along on your hunt!
Very awesome country. Congrats..
Fun story. Definitely an exotic adventure!
Here is a hunt video I made of a goat harvest on Kauai.
It was in the same areas as the OP. Also it is not a trad bow but still worth the watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcqmAd1uprU
That is one of my favorite spots in the world! Thanks for sharing!
ENJOYED :thumbsup: Thanks for sharing :archer2:
Thanks for sharing. A beautiful place to hunt for sure! Congratulations !!
What a spot, hunt and story.
Great to be able to share with your fiancée and each of you pursue your own thing. She sounds like a keeper.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for posting such a great story and pictures.
Thanks for sharing your hunt!
Thanks everyone for the congrats! I really feel lucky to be able to hunt in areas like this and figured I would share a bit of the passion.
Here is the set of horns off of goat number two. I had the scull cap in a plastic bag and the horns came loose today after work. I cleaned out the inside (Smelly mess) and slid them on another scull cap that I had from a previous goat last year. The new one these horns belong to is really funky right now... They don't fit perfect but it works for the purpose of this pic. Its at least a look at the size of billy #2 from near the stream. This guy went down with a Woodsman broadhead 250 grain, and a easton trad only arrow. I have not seen a lot of goats with this horn shape and color. I think they are pretty cool.
(http://i.imgur.com/xNDQNIe.png)
Magic BH- I have watched that video probably 10 times since it has been posted. One of my favorites great work, and that billy you put down is a big billy by my standards!
Too cool! The pics are amazing! My mom just got back from a trip to Hawaii today, so I'm a little jealous she didn't take me... it would have been a welcomed change from the clouds and occasional snow we've gotten recently in Missouri.
Congrats and thanks for sharing!
Great Stuff Mike. Congrats on the goats!
definitely a trip I would like to try sometime.