Mountain Goat Hunting?? Reg's info?

[Cmdrtron]

This year will be my first attempt to hunt mountain Goats. I have been given some good info on a few places to go close to home. My luck i probably wont' see S@*#t but I'm up for the adventure and the peace in the backcountry. plus the exercise. I'm not scared of the hiking, i do long backpack hikes for camping with my wife.

What i'm trying to find out is more info not found in the Reg's about hunting Mountain Goats. more or less the ethic's behind it. I have never hunted them before and not sure if i do come across any which ones are fair game. how do i tell if they are older. I figure i'd hunt same as i do for Deer. males only and try to find older ones as to let the young ones alone to reproduce. I'm aware that the terrain i'll be in will be steep and unless i'm sure of my shot and where the Goat is not to pull the trigger unless i know it's not going to fall off the back side of a peak or fall hundreds of feet to only waste or destroy the meat.

So then i guess in a nut shell anyone have any tips for me? thanks.

[Amphibious]

If you're thinking about the Tantalus Goats, bring rope. lots of rope lol.

a goats ears are 6" approx, that's a good way to judge horn lenth through the spotter. Lots of reading online about telling the difference between a Billy and a Nanny. Do some searches on HBC, numerous threads on goat hunting.

Every billy is a trophy, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Good Luck!

[604redneck]

I'm with amphibious on the trophy part...hike farther and glass more than the next guy is willing to and u will see goats eventually

[358jess]

Easiest way to know its a billy is when it turns its butt towards you and you get an eyeful if hairy fruit bowl. I accidentally shot a large dry nanny my first goat because her horns looked just like a billy's smooth curve. 10.75" long too.

[Amphibious]

Easiest way to know its a billy is when it turns its butt towards you and you get an eyeful if hairy fruit bowl. I accidentally shot a large dry nanny my first goat because her horns looked just like a billy's smooth curve. 10.75" long too.

Fruit bowl, lol.

10"+ is a huge nanny.

[rcar]

Duncan Gilchrist penned a few books about goat hunting. I am actually re-reading Hunt High right now. It is really hard to find but his earlier version of it is " Hunting The Rocky Mountain Goat" is much easier to find. You would have to get pretty lucky to get a copy before your planned departure though. If you can find your way to North Van. I'll loan you a copy. There is a ton of great goat specific information but also a ton of great thoughts on mountain hunting in general.

Send me a PM if you want the book.

Alternatively, another good read is "The Beast The Color Of Winter" by Chadwick. It is a more technical read focusing more on goat behavior and habitat but still great background on the Goat.

[rob77]

There is a link in the hunting regs to the MOE web sight with good information on goat identification.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

There is a link in the hunting regs to the MOE web sight with good information on goat identification.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/docs/goat_orientation_08Utah.pdf

And here's another one from Alsaska......
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=goathunting.billyid

[Wild Images]

There are two billies and a nanny in this pic, you want the big dirty looking goats like this fella
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/wildimages/GoatHunt2011115.jpg (http://s123.photobucket.com/user/wildimages/media/GoatHunt2011115.jpg.html)
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/wildimages/goat2.jpg (http://s123.photobucket.com/user/wildimages/media/goat2.jpg.html)

[Chuck Norris]

I am by no means an expert, but as others have said do lots of looking online at the difference between the two, there are a few good ID sites, then google goat pics and look at as many as possible. Typically Nannies will be with Nannies and kids, and billies will be running solo or in twos or threes until the rut starts, then they will seek the ladies. As wild images said above a billie will tend to be "dirtier", also males will typically have large black scent glands at the base of the horns, but I have seen them without, or too small too see from a distance. Personally I will never call a goat a billie until I have confirmed several characteristics. I havn't been fooled yet but I know a many that have. The best way to learn is to get out and look at lots of goats, the more you see the more confidence you will have when judging them come your hunt! Best of luck to you, and remember it's easier to go up a cliff then it is to come down... learnt that one from experience.

[Cmdrtron]

Awesome, I love this site. thanks to everyone for all the useful info. I was trying to find the regs on the app for iphone but it seems to omit some pages. just dragged out my paper copy and found some of what i was asking there. I will definitely follow up with how my hunt went. :-D