What would be the best advise for NR DYI Mountain Goat hunt with no points?

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

There ought to be a bounty on Park Service biologists! I don't know if the PS ever went through with it, but years ago the Yellowstone biologists wanted to eradicate the mountain goats in the Mt Baronet area because the goats were "evasive" as they had wandered in there from the A-B Wilderness just north of the Park in Montana.

Yet just downstream where Pebble Creek flows into the Lamar River, there used to be a small herd of bighorn sheep that wintered there. I used to go in there every winter to watch and photograph them. Then the PS released the Canadian wolves into Yellowstone. Talk about an invasive species! The wolves wiped out that small herd of bighorn sheep, and the PS closed that area to the public as it is now a wolf denning area.


I can understand the OP's desire for a DIY goat hunt. I shot my mountain goat back in 1978 on a DIY solo hunt. Back then that area was also a Unlimited bighorn sheep unit, and I shot two of my rams there, also on DIY solo hunts. The year that I had my goat tag there I made many trips in the summer and fall into that area scouting the goats. In the fall I had an unlimited sheep tag in my pocket, but purposely left my goat tag at home because I wanted a goat with long hair.

The entire time that I was scouting goats, and also the other years that I was in that unit just hunting sheep, I never saw sheep and goats within miles of each other. I'm not saying that the sheep and goat ranges don't overlap, but in my 40+ years of watching and hunting them, I have never seen them together.


I've posted this before, but as to the OP's question for advice on applying for a goat tag with no points...Montana's "bonus" point system doesn't mean that the applicants with the most points are drawn first, it just means that your name in "put into the hat" the number of times that you have points. A few years ago they changed it so your number of bonus points is squared, and your name in put into the hat that squared number if times. That means that those of us that have the maximum number of bonus points, which I think this year is 18, will have our name in the hat 324 times. But everyone's name goes into the same hat for each unit, and every year applicants with 1 or 2 points draw tags.

Montana's nonresident 10% rule means than no more than 10% of the tags in each Region can go to nonresidents.

Thank you - I was thinking about Montana because it still gives you a chance. I haven't calculated the odds on that, but I guess if we stick with Star War's Han Solo's philosophy; "never tell me the odds!" it might still be doable.

 

[Trap]

I tell that to my wife at least once a week!

Thank you - I was thinking about Montana because it still gives you a chance. I haven't calculated the odds on that, but I guess if we stick with Star War's Han Solo's philosophy; "never tell me the odds!" it might still be doable.

I only have 3 points in Montana but my best odds are .13 about one tenth of one percent I have 4-56 percent odds as Idaho resident and I don’t even want to know what my odds are in Oregon but I put in there and Colorado. I really want a diy goat hunt but this thread really gave me a dose of reality and I am going to start planning an Alaskan guided goat hunt. In these other states i think I will end up paying thousands anyway. Mountain goat would be my last oil species and I just want to go. I will still put in and if I get lucky I will get my diy hunt before I’m too old to care. If I compare goat to sheep etc it’s actually cheap ha ha funny to say 9-10k minimum is cheap but it’s all relative. Glad the op started this I’m planning a goat hunt !

 

[Trap]

I only have 3 points in Montana but my best odds are .13 about one tenth of one percent I have 4-56 percent odds as Idaho resident and I don’t even want to know what my odds are in Oregon but I put in there and Colorado. I really want a diy goat hunt but this thread really gave me a dose of reality and I am going to start planning an Alaskan guided goat hunt. In these other states i think I will end up paying thousands anyway. Mountain goat would be my last oil species and I just want to go. I will still put in and if I get lucky I will get my diy hunt before I’m too old to care. If I compare goat to sheep etc it’s actually cheap ha ha funny to say 9-10k minimum is cheap but it’s all relative. Glad the op started this I’m planning a goat hunt !

4-6 percent odds in Idaho not 4-56 percent ha ha I wish !!

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

I only have 3 points in Montana but my best odds are .13 about one tenth of one percent I have 4-56 percent odds as Idaho resident and I don’t even want to know what my odds are in Oregon but I put in there and Colorado. I really want a diy goat hunt but this thread really gave me a dose of reality and I am going to start planning an Alaskan guided goat hunt. In these other states i think I will end up paying thousands anyway. Mountain goat would be my last oil species and I just want to go. I will still put in and if I get lucky I will get my diy hunt before I’m too old to care. If I compare goat to sheep etc it’s actually cheap ha ha funny to say 9-10k minimum is cheap but it’s all relative. Glad the op started this I’m planning a goat hunt !

As I'm thinking about this, my wife is planning a post Covid Disney trip for the family. She's up to $10K so far and seems to think that it's reasonable. I'm thinking a Mountain Goat trip is in my future as well

 

[RobertD]

As I'm thinking about this, my wife is planning a post Covid Disney trip for the family. She's up to $10K so far and seems to think that it's reasonable. I'm thinking a Mountain Goat trip is in my future as well

Heck yeah. Hope you go and post about it here.

Also guys just did some Googling and there are hardcover copies of A Beast the Color of Winter available through some non-Amazon sources for much, much more reasonable prices.

 

[Huntin' Fool]

Idaho Mt Goat - In the 2020 draw 240 NR got 4 tags. $185. hunting license non refundable. Missed 2021 - deadline April 30.

 

[dennis47]

you might want to dig into those odds a little more. It could be 1:75 or 0:75 depending on the quota and how the draw works. I don't think ID sets aside a specific # of NR goat tags. I haven't applied there in years, but they didn't used to. MT is "up to" 10%, and it usually works out to be 5-7% of the tags got to NR.

Such a good advice

 

[ida homer]

I appreciate the commitment to DIY. But solid advice above. Save for a guided deal. The math does not pencil for DIY for NR’s.

Because it’s not linear, “if I apply every year for the next 20.” The odds and price continue to move in opposite directions.

 

[Trap]

Maybe I should start another post ? Let me know anyways- I have been resisting doing it but I’m going to book an ak guided hunt. Unless I draw this year . I think Kodiak would be my choice? I know most on here are dedicated to diy but any recommendations for Kodiak guide or really anywhere in ak? I know Kodiak is a draw for nr and it’s irritating to finally bite the bullet and still play the draw game even if it’s good odds. My opinion on a guided hunt is I would actually prefer an “easier” hunt versus doing it myself once I make the leap and hire someone. I have successfully done unlimited sheep and othe r very traumatizing hunts on my own already ha ha. So I think once I actually go guided might as well have a more comfortable hunt ? I don’t know I’m still going to put in for a diy hunt as long as I think I can do it. Any recommendations???

 

[jrabq]

Might have missed it when I read over the replies, but another option is Wyoming. Odds are bad, but there are no points for goats so that helps a newcomer. I believe a HT member (npaden) drew a WY goat tag a while back.

 

[ccc23454]

Might have missed it when I read over the replies, but another option is Wyoming. Odds are bad, but there are no points for goats so that helps a newcomer. I believe a HT member (npaden?) drew a WY goat tag a while back.

Several HTrs have drawn them including this year, most apply for zones they cant hunt without a guide. If you apply in wyoming make sure you apply for the right ONE with limited wilderness and ironically i think most goats. If you plan on diy its only zone you should apply for, others have some but little goat country out of wilderness. Every year i get several pms asking for help and unfortunately i cant.

 

[jrabq]

Several HTrs have drawn them including this year, most apply for zones they cant hunt without a guide. If you apply in wyoming make sure you apply for the right ONE with limited wilderness and ironically i think most goats. If you plan on diy its only zone you should apply for, others have some but little goat country out of wilderness. Every year i get several pms asking for help and unfortunately i cant.

Good note about the wilderness guide issue, I had forgot about that. But as you mentioned there are some goats outside of wilderness so it's at least one option.

 

[kodiakisland]

So, having lived in Kodiak and gone on many Kodiak goat hunts of my own and others, I don't necessarily recommend it for a guided hunt if you live in the lower 48 as your one and only goat hunt. There is nothing wrong with Kodiak if that's where you want to go, but for a guided hunt, I'd recommend BC. If you have never done a goat hunt, you owe it to yourself to do it in some truly awesome mountains. Depending on where you live, you may be able to drive to BC and actually bring the meat home. It's delicious. Really.

Again, I loved Kodiak and would still live there if my wife loved it as much as I did. It was the island or the wife, and I chose the wife. Goat hunting on Kodiak is great hunting. I prefer goat hunting in bigger mountains with bigger landscapes. If I was to only do it once, I think it would be BC.

You won't go wrong hunting goats anywhere though. It's the kind of thing that gets in your blood. You will think it's the worst thing you ever did, and then 3 days after getting home you'll start planning your next goat hunt.

Good luck where ever you go. Prices are only going up, so don't wait.

I'm on the back side of my goat hunting seasons and will now only do a SE BC guided goat hunt again and a MT DIY if I ever draw a tag.

 

[SCliving Outdoors]

I don't know if I qualify to even ask this question; but I can't stop dreaming about a DYI Mountain Goat hunt. I have 0 points and middle aged. Any advise on the best way to do this would be appreciated.

Apply everywhere and hope you get lucky that's what I do. I feel the same way about DIY and I always do it if all possible, but there are just some hunts where DIY isn't going to happen (or the odds are severely stacked against me). I save a little out of each pay check and all the extra money I earn from any side jobs or anything like that. Every couple years I do a special hunt where DIY just isn't possible or isn't realistic. In January I'm going ibex hunting in Tajikistan (I was supposed to go in 2020, but covid happened) and in September 2022 I'm going to BC to hunt goats. I know its not DIY but the dream to chase some of the animals on my bucket list with a tag in hand is stronger then my desire to maybe get to do it diy one day.

If your dream is a diy mt goat I truly hope you get to do that one day. That would be a great adventure.

 

[YoungGun]

Montana occasionally has a Nanny only hunt or two. This year it was 313-30, in the Crazy Mountains. As a resident, I'm not sure if it's available to you as a Non-resident, but the regs I checked didn't show any "restrictions". The Crazies were issuing 5 of these tags this year, and they *typically* have better odds than any either sex unit. That said, I'd look at applying in as many states as possible, go the guided route, or if you're willing to cough up a bit more coin and are set on the DIY process, you could honestly look at Governor's Tags. That statement usually fills a guy's eyes with $$$, and they're certainly getting more and more expensive (I think MT set a record price for the state last year with it selling for north of $60K) but Mountain Goat can occasionally be had for about the same as a guided hunt. It's a biiiig stretch, but I'd certainly keep an eye on those auctions, whether through the state, SCI, Wild Sheep Foundation, etc.

 

[geetar]

Montana occasionally has a Nanny only hunt or two. This year it was 313-30, in the Crazy Mountains. As a resident, I'm not sure if it's available to you as a Non-resident, but the regs I checked didn't show any "restrictions". The Crazies were issuing 5 of these tags this year, and they *typically* have better odds than any either sex unit. That said, I'd look at applying in as many states as possible, go the guided route, or if you're willing to cough up a bit more coin and are set on the DIY process, you could honestly look at Governor's Tags. That statement usually fills a guy's eyes with $$$, and they're certainly getting more and more expensive (I think MT set a record price for the state last year with it selling for north of $60K) but Mountain Goat can occasionally be had for about the same as a guided hunt. It's a biiiig stretch, but I'd certainly keep an eye on those auctions, whether through the state, SCI, Wild Sheep Foundation, etc.

313 Nanny hunt is available to NR as well.

 

[mevertsen]

Believe it or not, Nevada is a great state for Mt. Goats. Not sure of the draw odds, worth looking into. Also, in some states a NR, actually has a better chance of being drawn than do residents. You will have to study each states regs carefully.

No NR goat tags here in NV. And horrible odds.