Hawaiian Goat

[aftriathlete]

Just don’t shoot the big billies. Nanny and small billies are fine as long as you take care of the meat. Nothing to write home about but they eat fine. Nothing compares to Axis in my opinion. Worse case just make curry and it blocks any off flavors

Can confirm all this. Billy's are trophies, but man, they stink to hell. And the meat has the smell too. That said, I successfully ate the big billy I shot, it was stew meat in strong curry sauce in the crock pot. But the nannies I've shot are way less goaty, easy to eat. Still cook it in the crock pot either way, plenty of good crockpot recipes out there with strong flavors.

 

[aftriathlete]

Also, the Oahu goat hunting isn't awesome. It's not just VERY tough terrain and very exposed, and more often than not the goats are in unrecoverable terrain, but it's actually much harder to get in and out of that hunting area now. Back before end of the rifle season (ends 1 Nov) they changed entry to now no one can drive through the gate, you have to park down by the highway, which is bad for two reasons: adds more than a half mile each way to the route, plus directly next to the gate is a homeless camp and you can count on your truck getting broken into. Second big change is they made it much harder to walk up onto the ridge now, you have to go way out of the way that also now includes a crossing of a major (steep, cliffy) drainage. That one is fallout from some poachers shooting the rancher that works the area right there at the entrance. My goat hunting days here might be over. If traveling to hunt, go to Big Island for sure, there's goats EVERYWHERE there, walking around the airport in Kona even.

 

[ProAlpine]

Just don’t shoot the big billies. Nanny and small billies are fine as long as you take care of the meat. Nothing to write home about but they eat fine. Nothing compares to Axis in my opinion. Worse case just make curry and it blocks any off flavors

Copy that. But a Euro Mount of a a big billy would be cool!

Funny, everyone raves about Axis deer as being the best but if I had to choose I'd pick my Muleys from Idaho any day. The Axis, like all game meat, need to age IMO otherwise they're chewy. And unless you've got the time or strategy to age them and bring them home, you're in for a mouthful.

Here in Idaho I age my deer 4-5 weeks and the difference is very noticeable.

 

[diverc18]

Copy that. But a Euro Mount of a a big billy would be cool!

Funny, everyone raves about Axis deer as being the best but if I had to choose I'd pick my Muleys from Idaho any day. The Axis, like all game meat, need to age IMO otherwise they're chewy. And unless you've got the time or strategy to age them and bring them home, you're in for a mouthful.

Here in Idaho I age my deer 4-5 weeks and the difference is very noticeable.

I never really have had an issue with them being chewy or gamey. Sometimes I age them for a week or sometimes I will clean and vac seal it same day depending on how busy I am. Never eaten a muley so I can’t compare unfortunately.

 

[SquirrelyDan]

I hunted Billy's on Maui, and it was on Private land. From what my family tells me, the public land out there isn't great. I have heard that the Big Island is the way to go. This was the archery Billy I shot this year. Cant say I have ever had chewy axis meat, even when it wasn't aged.

 

[TaperPin]

When I was on the big island doing tourist things, I couldn’t help thinking goat hunting in many places would be a lot of fun. I had no idea there are so many different climate zones on the island from wet green on the east side to dry on the west (I saw some prickly pear cactus and felt at home) - from goats by the beach to big herds way up on the volcano.

I’m a basic eater and traveling around it’s hard to mess up French dips, hamburgers, carne asada, fish and chips, short ribs, etc, and it’s hard to do one that is really really good. For each I can remember the place and year I’ve had the best. Ono (wahoo) fish and chips at one of the gated condo restaurants was the best ever. Holy cow it was good.

 

[ProAlpine]

I hunted Billy's on Maui, and it was on Private land. From what my family tells me, the public land out there isn't great. I have heard that the Big Island is the way to go. This was the archery Billy I shot this year. Cant say I have ever had chewy axis meat, even when it wasn't aged. View attachment 812693

That's a sweet Billy! And way to go with the bow! How'd he taste?

I didn't mean to derail the goat conversation by discussing Axis. In my limited experience (a buck and a doe), they are a very light colored meat with great flavor and no gaminess. However, when I didn't age the meat, it was noticeably chewier than the muleys that I shoot and age here in Idaho. This las time I shot the doe, I processed and vac sealed the meat the day I shot her, then put it in the frig to "wet age". I made broth with the bones and froze that, then when it came time to fly home I used the frozen bone broth as my ice to keep the vac sealed meat cool. It worked out great. After continuing to wet age the meat for a total of 4 weeks I threw it in the freezer. I just made Steak Diane the other night and it was delicious! Tender and mild... yum yum!

Next time I'd really like to get a pig in addition to axis!

 

[SquirrelyDan]

That's a sweet Billy! And way to go with the bow! How'd he taste?

I didn't mean to derail the goat conversation by discussing Axis. In my limited experience (a buck and a doe), they are a very light colored meat with great flavor and no gaminess. However, when I didn't age the meat, it was noticeably chewier than the muleys that I shoot and age here in Idaho. This las time I shot the doe, I processed and vac sealed the meat the day I shot her, then put it in the frig to "wet age". I made broth with the bones and froze that, then when it came time to fly home I used the frozen bone broth as my ice to keep the vac sealed meat cool. It worked out great. After continuing to wet age the meat for a total of 4 weeks I threw it in the freezer. I just made Steak Diane the other night and it was delicious! Tender and mild... yum yum!

Next time I'd really like to get a pig in addition to axis!

I didn't or haven't eaten the meat as of yet. I left the meat in Maui with my Family, I am sure I will try it when I go back in a few months. The meat is vacuum sealed and then goes right into the freezer. We haven't had any issues going this route and have been really satisfied with the quality. My wife will eat the axis and pig, but not the game in our state. I quit hunting my state (WA) and go to Maui 3 times a year to fill our freezer. The pigs are fun and easy to hunt. We usually go after them in between Axis hunts for a morale booster. Where we hunt, the pigs eat mac nuts as their main food source, and the flavor is great.

 

[SquirrelyDan]

The euro

 

[Tahoe1305]

When we ate our goat many years ago (from Oahu) we just seasoned it well in a crock pot and slow cooked it. Got that idea from folks who ate a lot of goats overseas.

It was a bit greasier than deer or elk, but it tasted fine. It can be tough on the Oahu hunts to get the meat off the mountain in a timely fashion in 80+ degree heat. The one I shot took 2.5 hrs. Based on the above post about having to trek another few miles of be guessing that would go to 3-4hrs pretty easy.

 

[ProAlpine]

I didn't or haven't eaten the meat as of yet. I left the meat in Maui with my Family, I am sure I will try it when I go back in a few months. The meat is vacuum sealed and then goes right into the freezer. We haven't had any issues going this route and have been really satisfied with the quality. My wife will eat the axis and pig, but not the game in our state. I quit hunting my state (WA) and go to Maui 3 times a year to fill our freezer. The pigs are fun and easy to hunt. We usually go after them in between Axis hunts for a morale booster. Where we hunt, the pigs eat mac nuts as their main food source, and the flavor is great.

That mount is bitchin! Cool, I'll have to get on some pigs next time. Yeah, we go at least a couple times a year as well. My wife's brother lives in Olowalu with his family and her cousin lost her home in Lahaina. They're hoping to rebuild soon, but it's still caught up in red tape. There are certainly some great hunt opportunities in Maui vs the once in a year opportunities here on the mainland.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I never really have had an issue with them being chewy or gamey. Sometimes I age them for a week or sometimes I will clean and vac seal it same day depending on how busy I am. Never eaten a muley so I can’t compare unfortunately.

I’m in Hawaii right now, I’ve eaten a bunch of that stuff in the past week and it can be pretty good, glad to have a buddy here with a bunch of friends here that get out hunting and fishing regularly.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Yeah agree. I enjoyed my axis and think it was similar to white tail. Folks say white tail/axis is better than mule deer and my mule deer last year I’d argue was as good as the smaller deers.

I’ll say too we got a mouflon and axis in same trip one weekend. Came home and did blind taste test with three folks. All preferred the sheep which was surprisingly (back strap on both).

 

[diverc18]

I’m in Hawaii right now, I’ve eaten a bunch of that stuff in the past week and it can be pretty good, glad to have a buddy here with a bunch of friends here that get out hunting and fishing regularly.

Yah it is definitely nice. If I had access to a place to hunt them regularly I would hardly ever buy meat

 

[diverc18]

Yeah agree. I enjoyed my axis and think it was similar to white tail. Folks say white tail/axis is better than mule deer and my mule deer last year I’d argue was as good as the smaller deers.

I’ll say too we got a mouflon and axis in same trip one weekend. Came home and did blind taste test with three folks. All preferred the sheep which was surprisingly (back strap on both).

I’ve heard great things about the meat quality of mouflons. Heard mixed reviews about the feral hybrids though. Haven’t got a chance to hunt them on Big Island or Lanai but hopefully that will change

 

[ProAlpine]

You Hawaii guys need to stop thinking about goats and start thinking about bonefish with fly rods, I landed 3 of them yesterday all of them were over 30”, I’ve caught bones down in Mexico a few times and these Hawaii fish were on another level.

Sick! I've yet to fly fish on Maui. I typically spearfish with moderate success. I'm pretty new to it and using only a 3 prong, but have brought some several reef fish for dinner. I'll have to look into the bone fishing there.

I did some bone fishing in Belize and it was fast action! It took me several tries to un-learn the typical hook set of freshwater fly fishing. Those bone fish are tough!

 

[ProAlpine]

The euro from the Billy.View attachment 813051

SquirrelyDan, who did the mount for you? Or did you do it yourself? I've done several muleys and elk myself, but boiling a head at the beach front condo in Maui might not go over so well...

 

[diverc18]

You Hawaii guys need to stop thinking about goats and start thinking about bonefish with fly rods, I landed 3 of them yesterday all of them were over 30”, I’ve caught bones down in Mexico a few times and these Hawaii fish were on another level.

Shh. There’s still time to take this down lol

 

[high_hunter]

Great info on meat care, cooking, and other adventures while there. I may have to try speer fishing if time allows and I can rent equipment. Will do some research on it but welcome helpful PMs. Getting excited!

 

[Antares]

Beeswax gives the horns a nice look, I think.