How long does it usually take to draw a goat tag?

[LopeHunter]

Being from NC I don’t know a ton about the application process for western big game. ( most of our hunting here is otc license for deer bears and turkeys ) so do you have to pay up front all these tag costs and then return the check if you are unsuccessful or do you have to just pay an application fee?

Most states do not require you pay for the entire tag cost as go to apply. Most do require you to purchase a hunting license. There will be an application fee and sometimes a credit card fee and preference point fee and conservation tag fee or whatever add-on fees that state likes to require as apply.

If you apply to 10 or more Western states then when the dust settles you will be out around $2000 in non-fundable costs. The tags vary in price from around $300 for NM deer up to over $4000 for WY bull bison.

You can subscribe to Epic Outdoors or Huntin' Fool to get details on how to apply to each of the Western states and some of the hunts they suggest. They tend to focus on trophy opportunity.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Divorce her & make the move. Women are easier to find than an easy to draw goat tag in the lower 48.

I was under the impression there weren't any women in Alaska...

 

[geetar]

Most states do not require you pay for the entire tag cost as go to apply. Most do require you to purchase a hunting license. There will be an application fee and sometimes a credit card fee and preference point fee and conservation tag fee or whatever add-on fees that state likes to require as apply.

If you apply to 10 or more Western states then when the dust settles you will be out around $2000 in non-fundable costs. The tags vary in price from around $300 for NM deer up to over $4000 for WY bull bison.

You can subscribe to Epic Outdoors or Huntin' Fool to get details on how to apply to each of the Western states and some of the hunts they suggest. They tend to focus on trophy opportunity.

Thanks for the help.

 

[BigHornRam]

Here's a good goat link for Wyoming.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Wyoming Hunt Planner

Plan your Wyoming big game hunt. Our hunt planner has application dates and deadlines, season dates, drawing odds, harvest statistics, access information and more.

wgfd.wyo.gov

Have you ever considered taking a trip out west and shooting a sheep or goat with a camera? You can do that 365 days a year without a tag. Bring the wife, she might enjoy it as well.

 

[kimbersig]

my opinion on goats is if you aren't actively applying for other species in a state or don't live in a state where you can apply as a resident then you would probably be further ahead to book a hunt in AK or Canada. its a no brainer as some have pointed out you could be in $6k in just application fees over 10 years and still not have a tag. or you could come up with $10k and just go hunt now. hell you can find deals as low as $7k on goats if you can go last minute on a cancelation hunt.

Idaho and WY have the "best" odds and even those for a NR are around 2% so that tells you that you could apply for 50 years and never draw. I also know guys that have drawn 2 tags in different states in 10 years or less. I live in Idaho so its a no brainer for me to apply here but I still struggle not just paying for a hunt to avoid waiting in Idaho to draw. I'm bailed out of MT and CO this year and already got out of WY. just gotta make up your mind on what you can afford and how lucky you feel

 

[BigHornRam]

I was under the impression there weren't any women in Alaska...

For women finding a man in Alaska, the saying goes "the odds are good, but the goods are odd".

 

[brownbear932008]

Seri

Seriously considering doing the same myself. I consider myself an experience hunter not a meat hunter or trophy hunter. I’ll eat the meat off of whatever I kill but I’m not chasing animal just for meat or just for horns I want to have a good experience enjoying God’s beautiful creation and get a nice piece of meat at the same time so the eww tag sounds like a good option. I think I’ll start putting in for it. Does the ewe tag costs the same as Ram tag?

y

Depends on the states. For most states in order to apply you will have to buy a hunting license or pay an application fee + a preference point fee, both of which are non-refundable. Let's say on average $150 to apply per state per year, then when you draw you pay the tag cost. So Say you apply in 4 states for 10 years (150*4)*10 = 6000. That's just to apply.

Every state is totally different, WY is $150 for a pref point Utah is $10... I'm just trying to ball park it to give you an idea.

This is exactly why you should be realistic in trying to draw a goat tag and save your money that you would donate to state draws and put that money to the side and go outfitted after 10 years. Wish I'd done that from the start and not be as much as 13 years in with some states and still my odds are around 3%. Don't fall for the point games and money grabbing state draw fees is my advice if your starting on the ground floor. Just my two cents honestly.

 

[npaden]

Thanks! Where can I find more info on those goat hunts. I’ll go to the Wyoming Fish and Game website but is there a good thread here about them like there are for unlimited sheep.

This is the first year for these hunts. No one has ever done them before. There is still pretty limited information about them on the Wyoming Fish and Game website.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

@geetar honestly before you go down the sheep rabbit hole just apply for archery mule deer in a high alpine unit. Deer will be at the exact same elevation and areas as sheep, do that hunt and afterwards decide if you really need to kill a sheep/goat.

You can do that muley hunt every year.

 

[BuzzH]

This is the first year for these hunts. No one has ever done them before. There is still pretty limited information about them on the Wyoming Fish and Game website.

Rumor has it that Unit 5 may not even have goats in it. Supposedly unit 4 has 8-10. Most, if not all, wander in from Teton Park and are mainly nannies and kids.

I also heard from the same source, that the WYGF is calling all those that applied and letting them know the details of what they applied for. These goat hunts are probably going to get talked about by the Commission at the season setting meeting next week.

This isn't a hunt I have any interest in.

 

[jtm307]

That's why I am going to advocate for preference points for both residents and nonresidents in Wyoming and hopefully we get others to follow, least for a percentage share of the licenses.

Um... no. HELL NO!

I've calculated the probability of me drawing an area 38 moose tag in the next 40 years under the current preference point system and under a random draw system. The probability under the preference point system is half of what it would be in a random draw system.

 

[geetar]

@geetar honestly before you go down the sheep rabbit hole just apply for archery mule deer in a high alpine unit. Deer will be at the exact same elevation as and areas as sheep, do that hunt and afterwards decide if you really need to kill a sheep/goat.

You can do that muley hunt every year.

Thanks for the tip. I’ll look into that.

 

[geetar]

y


This is exactly why you should be realistic in trying to draw a goat tag and save your money that you would donate to state draws and put that money to the side and go outfitted after 10 years. Wish I'd done that from the start and not be as much as 13 years in with some states and still my odds are around 3%. Don't fall for the point games and money grabbing state draw fees is my advice if your starting on the ground floor. Just my two cents honestly.

Yea so I watched a hunt this weekend where Randy Newberg accompanied a friend who finally as a Montana resident drew his bighorn tag after 42 years. I am realizing honestly I can just save up the money and go outfitted for less than 40 years of application fees in several states.

 

[geetar]

Rumor has it that Unit 5 may not even have goats in it. Supposedly unit 4 has 8-10. Most, if not all, wander in from Teton Park and are mainly nannies and kids.

I also heard from the same source, that the WYGF is calling all those that applied and letting them know the details of what they applied for. These goat hunts are probably going to get talked about by the Commission at the season setting meeting next week.

This isn't a hunt I have any interest in.

Thanks for the info. I really know nothing about these hunts.

 

[geetar]

Thanks for all the info guys. What I’m seeing is that if I put aside $20-35 a week for the next 10 years I can do an outfitted hunt in Alaska. Seems like the better option to me.

 

[Gellar]

Divorce her & make the move. Women are easier to find than an easy to draw goat tag in the lower 48.

Dont believe the hype that there are no good looking women in Alaska. I found when I lived in An

I was under the impression there weren't any women in Alaska...

Don't believe that hype. When I lived in Anchorage there were lots of good looking women who liked to mingle. With the oil field schedules of 2 weeks on, 2 weeks away and the military bases I have a feeling many of them were lonely housewives.

 

[BuzzH]

Yea so I watched a hunt this weekend where Randy Newberg accompanied a friend who finally as a Montana resident drew his bighorn tag after 42 years. I am realizing honestly I can just save up the money and go outfitted for less than 40 years of application fees in several states.

That all sounds good, but having the discipline to put away 20-50K for a sheep hunt isn't easy...and its a lot of coin to let loose of once you have it.

It was one thing when sheep hunts were 4-6k when I paid for a hunt in 1995...20-50K now...that's a whole new level of money.

Goat hunts are a lot more affordable and doable if you're looking to just pay for a hunt, but I wouldn't wait around for the price to drop. Do it ASAP, not many hunts have gone down in price lately.

 

[Gellar]

Thanks for all the info guys. What I’m seeing is that if I put aside $20-35 a week for the next 10 years I can do an outfitted hunt in Alaska. Seems like the better option to me.

If you find a reputable outfitter now, they may let you lock in at this years rate with a down payment and make payments on it. Many of the good guides for sheep and goats will book up early and may be a year or two out already. But finding a reputable guide who you can trust will be in business is paramount because there are more than a few shady guides in Alaska.

 

[geetar]

That all sounds good, but having the discipline to put away 20-50K for a sheep hunt isn't easy...and its a lot of coin to let loose of once you have it.

It was one thing when sheep hunts were 4-6k when I paid for a hunt in 1995...20-50K now...that's a whole new level of money.

Goat hunts are a lot more affordable and doable if you're looking to just pay for a hunt, but I wouldn't wait around for the price to drop. Do it ASAP, not many hunts have gone down in price lately.

What do the goat hunts usually run to just pay for it?

 

[grandejuan]

FYI, In a previous post I related that last year in the Nevada NR Desert Ram drawing one guy drew with 2pts, another with 5pts, another with 6 pts and another with 7 pts. These are all for NR Ram tags. Don't sell yourselves short. Just for perspective, I have 25 NR sheep pts in Nevada. Maybe this year. GJ