There are so many adventures to be had here on the coast. After a long day of hunting, there’s nothing quite like gathering around a campfire on the barge. We have a big steel fire pit and keep plenty of firewood on hand. As soon as the first boat of hunters starts coming in for the evening, the fire gets lit, and beers get passed around for anyone who wants one. We stand around telling stories from the day, enjoy a warm meal, and get a good night’s sleep so we can do it all over again in the morning. That’s the bear hunt experience.
In the fall, when we’re chasing mountain goats, we usually kick off right at the start of September. September 1st is our typical opening day for fall goat hunts. Our region, coastal British Columbia’s north coast near Terrace and Kitimat, is known for having some of the largest mountain goats in the world. If you’re only going to hunt one goat in your life, you might as well come get a really good one.
The first couple of hunts each season usually have beautiful weather, and we try to fly hunters right into the alpine lakes. You’ll hop in a little Cessna 180 or 206, fly up, and land on a remote lake. When that plane drops you off and flies away, there’s this profound silence that really hits you. You realize you’ve just been left on the coast of British Columbia—and this is home for the next ten days. All around you is stunning, untouched beauty. It’s true wilderness, and you know you’re in for a real adventure because there’s no one else out there with you.
Once you’re there, you’ll set up camp, start glassing, and plan to hike for three to five days. Usually you’ll spot a goat you want, make your move, and then, once you have your billy, you’ll pack it out and return to the lake to meet the plane that flies you back out.
Some areas don’t require a fly-in. We’ll hike in from a cut block or take a quad to a trailhead, then make a two- to four-hour hike up into the alpine. Once we’re up there, we stay in tents until the hunt is done. Those hikes can be grueling—they’re steep and coastal, and I always tell clients it’s three hours of hell before you get to heaven. But once you’re on top, you feel like you’re on top of the world. The terrain is usually pretty manageable once you’re up there, and we’ll move camp every few days to cover new ground. We set up camp for two or three days, scout the area thoroughly, then move down the ridge five or six hours and do it all again until you find what you’re after.
When you’re done, we usually return to the barge anchored in a quiet bay. We’ll light a campfire, grill up some backstrap over the open flame, drop crab traps, and pull up fresh crabs for a classic surf-and-turf feast to finish things off. It’s coastal hunting, so we love taking advantage of the ocean and making that part of the experience.
If you get a goat, we break it down right there on the mountain, pack it out, and although it’s a heavy load, there’s a lot of satisfaction in it. We always encourage people to take their time coming down. If the load is too much, we’ll usually have a packer or assistant guide on hand, and they can head up to help carry it out.
Spring bear hunting here is a whole other adventure. You’re right on the water, using a little skiff to get around. Once the meat is taken care of and the hide is ready, everything gets loaded into the boat, taken back to the barge, and processed right there.
And if you get a moose, you’ll usually have a bunch of us coming to help. That’s just how we do it out here—working together, telling stories around the fire, and making sure everyone has an unforgettable adventure.