About a week before the end of the year, I was invited to hunt on the Big Island, Hawaii with a good friend of mine.

Here are a few pictures of the terrain.

 
This is where we parked the truck.  


 
While glassing we spotted a herd of goats on the lava flat.  You can see that lava flat to the right of the picture. On the way down to stalk some goats!


 
Here is a picture at the bottom, near the ocean.


 
Another picture by the ocean.

Beautiful!! I was in Maui back in '86 on my honeymoon...as bad as I wanted to bowhunt goats for a couple of days...I sorta behaved more like a crazed buck during the rut..        

Would love to go back...its in the plans. Really enjoyed the people on Maui and those pig roasts are the greatest.      

On the way down to the lava flat, I spotted a few goats feeding on grass directly below a ledge.  I spotted a mature nanny that I wanted to harvest.  I decided that I would continue descending down the "finger" that I was on until I reached the lava floor.  Once there, I crept slowly, trying not to make too much noise. Walking on that lava can be like walking on corn flakes.  I thought to myself, "If I could just get to the edge of the lava ledge, I could take a shot".  Moving ever so slowly I got to about 50 yards away from the top of the ledge.  I needed to find a way to get there without being spotted.  Luckily there was a stunted tree that would provide me with cover.  Using the tree to hide my every move I made it all the way without being detected.  Once there I realized that there were two shooter nannies.  The rest of the goats were smaller billies.  I was now located on top the ledge and behind the tree.  The ledge was about 15 feet higher than the grassy field below.  The two nannies were about 30 yards away from me. One to the right and one to the left.  I though to myself that I would shoot at the first one that provided me a shot.  The one to my left started feeding to the left of me.  I positioned myslf to take the shot. While watching her every move, something caught my attention to my right!  It was a young billy who decided to climb the ledge! "I'm busted"  I thought to myself, but he didn't quite make me out yet so I just held tight.  3 seconds later, and with a crackle of rocks, the second nanny scaled the ledge and stood between me and the tree at 7 yards.  She took one step in the open to feed on a leaf.  Perched on my knees, I came to full draw, and let my axis arrow rip.  My arrow hit the sweet spot.  The nanny bolted down the ledge and expired about 75 yards away.  

   

Harvested her with my Sitka Gear and Bob Lee bow.

Way to go Ryan!

Nice job Ryan! I am a little jealous, we have lots of ice and snow on the ground here!

Here is the final picture from the bottom.
 
It took me awhile to get back to the truck!  

Ryan

Thanks for the kind words guys.

LOL. Too funny Joe.  Maui has some of the best goat hunting.

Jason, yeah the weather is great here, and the hunting is year round in some areas!

well done Ryan congrats on the goat, beautiful place there !

Congrats on a great hunt.  Spot and stalk is a blast!

Let's see I went bowhunting last Monday in 5 degree weather with 2 feet of snow on the ground.

Jason

Very nice Ryan.

Thanks guys!
Yup, I love to spot and stalk.  I'm not sure how well I'd do in the snow.  Last Fall I hunted in Nebraska and I froze my @$$ off!  The guys up there couldn't believe how much clothes I had to wear to stay warm.  I guess this Hawaiian can't handle the cold weather.

Ryan

Congrats beautiful hunt.My Bob Lee spoke also this past weekend.Kip

Nice shooting!!!      
Daren

Thanks guys!

Hey Kip,
Nice harvest with your Lee! Take Care!

Ryan

You are a good writer.  That was some great detail, that and the pictures made me feel like I was their.  I look forward to hearing more of your stories.  Got any more pictures of the goat?

Way to go Ryan! Congrats bro    

Someday my friend....someday.....

Curt, Open invitation bro!  Maybe some surfing too? That was an amazing hunt that you guys just had!  The pics you sent were awesome.  That's why you're the Guru!

Mo. Huntin, thanks for the kind words.
Here are a few other pics of goats.

 

Hey Ryan you still around?  I didn't see this last post, that is a really nice billy above.  Are you FBI?

I have tickets to Maui for late October (was cheap out of Anchorage) and trying to decide which if any other islands to hop to-considering BI or Kauai.  I have hunted BI, Kauai, and Molokai 7 times but haven't hunted Maui only been in the airport.  I see many public areas are open year-round or in October.  Can you point me to an area to get started in?

I like doing multiple day trips and saw that it is legal in Polipoli State Park, any experience there?

Thanks.