SD speedgoat

[klrbaer]

Just caught the show yesterday and then check out the site and signed up.
Great site and great info for the DIY kind of hunters out here.
A couple of co-workers and myself just started talking about goat hunting in SD. One of the guys has a relative with a huge ranch and lots of goats.

So here are the main questions.
1. Meade Co. SD. How likely is it for 3 guys to draw non-res permits for the upper part of the county? I see there were only 30 some tags issued this year.

2.I realize the season is only like 2 weeks long. Should I shoot for the first or second part of the season?

3. Cal. recomendations? 30.06, to big? to small?

4. 50 cal muzzleloader sabot rounds?

5. What distance should I prepare for? 200? 300? 400?

6. If I regularly can shoot a squirrels at just over 100 yards with my 17 Mach2 am I wrong in thinking I should have little problems with goats in the 200 to 300 yard range?

Thank you for the help.

 

[mconway951]

I hunted harding county this year just to the north we got drawn first chance with no preference points we went second season. the CO we talked to said that they had lost between 60-70% of the herd due to winter die off. Also we found carcasses everywhere we went from the first season. We did get 4 for 3 guys in 5 days. That being said i will put in for preference points and wait till the herd is a little healther for one. Two go the first season everyone we talked to leaving saw tons more antelope early in the first week. Three I had a couple long stalks and got within 150 on one small group and 200 on another but honestly practice out to the farthest range you possible can there can be some long shooting could have had some real nice bucks if I felt comfortable to 500 or beyond.
30.06 worked fine for one of our guys just use the right bullet you dont need tons of expansion cause you will get a huge hole with a SP bullet.
I have hunted lots with my .50 muzzy for deer no antelope but it would work just fine for them I am sure.
Any questions just drop me a pm I dont mind helping any way i can.
Mike