4-22b Goats

[Crazy_Farmer]

Now before reading I have to say, for years I've always laughed at guys applying for lehs then as soon as they get them post up on here saying they've never been there, and look for general help. Well I hate to say it but I fell into this group. But after reading a few members posts sticking up for posts like these with hunters helping fellow hunters I felt better about making this.

I applied and got a mountain goat tag for 4-22b. Very excited, this has seriously kicked my butt back in gear. Walked, ran and hiked every single day since finding out I got the draw.

It's gonna be a 12 hour drive most likely to get there but I'm planning on heading up there for a 3-4 day weekend and scouting the area.

Any info or help at all, as basic as it could be on the area would be greatly appreciated. Any road closures or access issues, I'm sure I'll find them out when I head out there but be nice to know beforehand.

Planning on backpacking 7-10 days with my dad, the regs looks pretty promising too for other oppurtunites that may come up, may see some other critters on the way up and down in the lower altitudes. Also I would like to go early in the season sometime sept but wonder about when the snow starts to really fall.

Thanks for any help or PMs.

[.270]

Walked, ran and hiked every single day since finding out I got the draw.


Haha! you mean the last 3 days? I say you are ready to climb any mountain:-D

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[ufishifish2]

I don't hunt them there, but closeby. Snow can fall at any time, but normally melts pretty quickly in Sept and early Oct. I prefer to hunt goats around Thanksgiving due to better beards, etc as well as the Billies are easier to id from far away due to the brown stain on their rear ends!!
Best of luck!

[Trapper]

PM sent
Trapper

[uraarchr]

thats an area id like to go to but never been(besides driving the long road from white r to the hwy wardner ft steel rd) nice country.if i could help you i would,but i dont know much about there.i drew 4-24 c have seen some there in a few places.good luck.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Haha! you mean the last 3 days? I say you are ready to climb any mountain:-D

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Hahaha I knew it would sound like that it's pretty funny. But honestly the last time I ran on purpose for working out has been a few years easily. I just go to work and I guess carrying a lot of tools on me all day is a good workout. But now I know I gotta put in the time and effort to give myself the best shot at it.

[Skinny]

I got my goat around that area last year first time hunting goat we spotted some hunting elk an decided to go next day and hike after one i dont have much experience other then go high , we saw quite a few up there so they r there in that area good luck

[Farmer]

My brother got a goat in that general area about 25 years ago. At that time, there were quite a few around. I haven't been back for close to 20 years, but we were normally in the area around thanksgiving. Some years there was snow up high by then, but the goats were often lower down. One year, that my brother got drawn along with a friend, they were in early, but it was all fogged in so they had no success. We went back with one day left in the season (Oct 31 ) and saw 12 goats low down on the slide areas. We screwed up and he came away empty.
Good luck and who knows, you may run onto an elk or a big muley.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Good luck and who knows, you may run onto an elk or a big muley.

Yeah I wouldn't mind that either. Good thing dads with me he might get the chance at something too hopefully.

[Buckster]

got mine in 420 last year November 11 but do know that area reasonably well. I typically hunt them later in the year as I like to focus on elk/moose bow hunting then elk for rifle season, all the while spotting high country rocks and taking notes and marking my GPS I think in september around here you will have to climb alot higher as I find they quite often follow the snow line as it comes down the mountians on south facing slopes.

[dutchie]

lucky guy!! New MR pack and a goat draw... you make me jelous!

I personally would go later on in the draw because the hair will start to get longer and thicker. For me, I want my goat to have some good undercoat, but with that being said they keep a decent coat all year round.

All of the goats I have seen have been right in the timbers or very close to the timber and usually early in the AM and later in the day. I have also never been on a hunt for goats but I have purposely hiked in behind chilliwack to see the goats in and around there. As others have mentioned, south faceing slops are a good place to start.

I would also invest (if you have not already) in a good quality spotting scope because it makes life alot easier while looking for the goats.

Good luck

Dutchie

[Crazy_Farmer]

Yeah it has to be all about timing for me. Our world revolves around waterfowl for the most part so I try to hunt big game during the splits and inbetween Early goose and the opener should make the perfect time. I know the coat may not be a nice as it could be but last week of sept into first week of oct I feels a good time. May have to go just a little bit higher to get that Billy early in the season.

Yeah I have a good spotting scope for a couple years now so I'll be doing lots and lots of glassing.