Goats vs Grizzlies

[Big G Hunter]

Went goat hunting in region 5-4 for my goat last weekend for three days. I pre-scouted the area the week before and saw nothing but grizzlies. When I went hunting I saw a sow with 2, 2 year old cubs that were cruising over the whole area I was hunting. Didn't see any goats at all but I did see some older sign, tracks and scat. The area was mostly north facing with 3-4" of snow.

My question is will the goats move to the nastiest steepest areas to get away from the bears? The 2 areas I hunted you could see bear tracks going straight up from the valley to the top of the mountain. Still grass and shrubs growing for feed for goats.

How much snow would be to much before the move to southern exposures? Obviously a lot more than what's there I realize.
Any tips for spotting them in patchy snow? A ting of yellow, escape routes, all that?


Thanks for any info
Jeff

[chilcotin hillbilly]

Bears are really hard on goat populations as are hunters killing nannies. Finding goats in snow is not tough you can spot tracks from a long way off.

[GoatGuy]

Goats will move with the snowline if they can. September snows can sometimes push them right into the scrub down low and they move back up as it melts.

[.330 Dakota]

Were you in 5-04-J,,,if so pm me,,Ive hunted there a bit,,,,big boar hangs around Marion Lake,,has for years,,,

[j270wsm]

Last year I watched 5 goats hanging out with in 200yds of 2 grizzlies. Goats were in the rocks below the bears.

[ducktoller]

Last year I watched 5 goats hanging out with in 200yds of 2 grizzlies. Goats were in the rocks below the bears.

Makes sense, goats are less fearful of animals above them.

[Big G Hunter]

No it was around Yohetta Lake. Saw lots of tracks in the snow alright, grizzly tracks.

[.264winmag]

I've always found the two to coincide, quite close to each other in fact. Far from chasing goats out of an area in my experience. Could you imagine the energy exerted to chase down a sure footed goat! Found the same scenario with stone sheep. No doubt they could be hard on kids/lambs as newborns, and they definitely love digging fallen animals out of snow slides in the spring. I've even heard a Billy can be successfully in fending off a grizz with his horns, even killed one. Never seen it personally but a fellow with a lifetime of mountain experience told me.

[swampthing]

The most grizzlies I have seen on one hunt has been goat hunting. I am sure the bears will kill every one they are lucky enough to get. Its always great settin up your little tent in goat country knowing there are more bears than goats in the area!

[Andrewh]

I was South of Yohetta the other week, 5-04b

Saw 8 grizz in one day and all within 300 yrds of us.

Goats where there too;)

[jessonml]

Yep, the population is exploding up there. Andrewh and I saw one sow with 3 cubs that came in 120 yards from our alpine camp.

[Sylus]

In the book "a beast the colour of winter" the author, Douglas Chadwick, seems to think that grizzly predation on goats is more on an opportunistic basis. Grizzlies will predate on the goats they can get at but it isn't a food source they really key in or rely on. Chadwick was of the opinion that large birds of prey posed a greater threat to goats than grizz do.