A few thoughts on mountain goat permits

[Rainier10]

To all future goat hunters - watch them pee. Its the most effective way and can save you a ton of boot leather.

I watched one pee.  I had no idea what it meant.  Then Josh gave me a tutorial with charts and diagrams that he had on his phone.  Thank goodness had that.  After a lengthy discussion and 10-15 "I'm gonna shoot that goat" he finally did.  Absolutely smoked him.

Even with all the studying that he did on gender he was still nervous as all get out approaching the dead goat.

It was really important to Josh from a conservation standpoint to not shoot a nanny.  I really thought there was a chance that we were gonna walk away from that goat and go try to find another one.

The population is really fragile and it is important to shoot a billy.  I didn't get that before the hunt but after watching Josh be so strong minded about it I plan to be just as steadfast about shooting a billy if I ever "draw long before I am due".

[Rainier10]

To all future goat hunters - watch them pee. Its the most effective way and can save you a ton of boot leather.

This!!
It takes a lot of patience or just good/lucky timing.

Both of these, you were patient and I was darn lucky to see him pee, not to mention a little lucky to get across the rock face to where he was at.

[MisplacedAlaskan]

Get good glass...buy it, borrow it, whatever you need to do, get it. Look at the bases of the horns, billies have big bases, nannies don’t. In my experience this is the surest way to tell.

I agree that the long hair is the best part of the trophy, the nicest goats I’ve gotten have been in November and December. Good luck to everyone putting in, they are an amazing animal, my favorite to hunt.

[Bill W]

One tip I'd add is make sure the area you want to hunt has goats in it (before applying for the tag).  We hunted an area up above Mt Baker and just to the west of the North Cascades NP.  It had 10 tags available the year we hunted and 0 the next.  Didn't have the number of billies WDFW thought.  Also, check out the terrain first to be sure you can handle it.  The area we were in was the worst climbable stuff I'd ever seen.   Further down around Alpines Lakes has way better terrain.  The last goat we were after was a little over a mile from the parking lot and it took 8 hrs to get up there and 3 hours back down.

[Oh Mah]

I love seeing them,envy you all that have harvested them but ive never put in for it because i know i can't do it and wont have someone carrying me to do it. 

Great pics so far.

[jackelope]

Here’s mine 5.5 hours before we shot him.
I was not feeling confident with this view.

[Karl Blanchard]

Good advice Josh.  Big reason I wish it cost up front money to apply is the recreational applicant.  It's  $13 to apply so why not.    People need to be realistic about stuff like this.  A guy can get in real dangerous situations in that country if they aren't careful.  Not everyone is destined to be a goat hunter. 

[White Pass Outfitters]

Or spend the money and have an outfitter put you right on the goats and then does all the work for you afterwords. It is once in a Lifetime time tag...

[trophyhunt]

Josh, excellent post, information that most including myself don’t think about when applying.  Thank you, this is my year so I will invite you along!

[mp.hunter]

Josh, excellent post, information that most including myself don’t think about when applying.  Thank you, this is my year so I will invite you along!

You need to draw your WA elk tag first...😂



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[Jpmiller]

I can't wait to be the guy posting with the goat avatar in one of these threads. Thanks for the advice, whether it's here, bc, or ak I'm getting me a goat and I'll be sure to ask lots of questions of you fellas when I do.

[trophyhunt]

Josh, excellent post, information that most including myself don’t think about when applying.  Thank you, this is my year so I will invite you along!

You need to draw your WA elk tag first...😂



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shoot, the blues is going to heck, by the time I draw it, it will be the same quality of the toutle tag 😭.  Ghost pointing elk this year w wyoming elk a done deal.

[mp.hunter]

Josh, excellent post, information that most including myself don’t think about when applying.  Thank you, this is my year so I will invite you along!

You need to draw your WA elk tag first...😂



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shoot, the blues is going to heck, by the time I draw it, it will be the same quality of the toutle tag 😭.  Ghost pointing elk this year w wyoming elk a done deal.

I hear ya, excited for your hunt in WY...good luck


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[cem3434]

Or spend the money and have an outfitter put you right on the goats and then does all the work for you afterwords. It is once in a Lifetime time tag...

  this is an option for many guys that don't have the time to scout or aren't in shape to hike 10 miles per day.

[shanevg]

One tip I'd add is make sure the area you want to hunt has goats in it (before applying for the tag).  We hunted an area up above Mt Baker and just to the west of the North Cascades NP.  It had 10 tags available the year we hunted and 0 the next.  Didn't have the number of billies WDFW thought.  Also, check out the terrain first to be sure you can handle it.  The area we were in was the worst climbable stuff I'd ever seen.   Further down around Alpines Lakes has way better terrain.  The last goat we were after was a little over a mile from the parking lot and it took 8 hrs to get up there and 3 hours back down.

Oh man what I’d give to have some tags in that unit again!