Olympic National Park Goat Hunt Group Anyone?

[Skyvalhunter]

your right it probably wont happen but theres a lot of guys banking on it

[Jpmiller]

I have pretty limited experience in the Rockies of Wyoming but it wasn't exactly nice welcoming country. I wouldn't say someone from out of state doesn't know steep country like the Cascades or Olympics. That feels like a local bias to me.

[James]

I have pretty limited experience in the Rockies of Wyoming but it wasn't exactly nice welcoming country. I wouldn't say someone from out of state doesn't know steep country like the Cascades or Olympics. That feels like a local bias to me.

It's more than just steepness, Olympics have a lot of factors that make them challenging. They are steep and jagged and much of the rock is chossy and loose.  It's a high humidly coastal range, so the snow/glacier is...umm... interesting. The weather is something that you don't get outside of maybe SE alaska. That is why they are putting emphasis on local experience.

My team is pretty solid and well rounded, hoping we get lucky in the lottery.

[Jpmiller]

The weather is definitely different here, and not in a good way.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Do you guys really think they will do any real research and reading all these applications? Highly unlikely.  I don't care how "qualified" your team is, whether they have summited every peak in the Park and Everest twice are a goat guide and live in a cave. Unless that application is pulled it is irrelevant. When overwhelmed with applications      ( yes I believe they are), it becomes a triaging process. They have a criteria. The baseline is pretty clearly outlined.  They don't care who gets picked as long as they are at or above the minimum qualifications. If there was 30 applications, sure they very well might rank them. But 200? 500? 1000? No way. They will cut any incomplete, or incompetently filled, then begin picking from the rest. Several folks have commented here and other places and the good lady at NPS is overwhelmed. She is telling folks whatever they need to hear, and moving them down the line. I could be wrong but that is how I see it. Good luck to all!

[idaho guy]

I have pretty limited experience in the Rockies of Wyoming but it wasn't exactly nice welcoming country. I wouldn't say someone from out of state doesn't know steep country like the Cascades or Olympics. That feels like a local bias to me.

I have hunted selway and a ton in hell’s canyon Idaho most of the units. Also did quite a bit in se Alaska do it yourself. Also successfully harvested a sheep in one of the unlimited Montana sheep hunts. That hunt was solo but I had a buddy help with final pack out. I am least qualified on my team but agree that’s locals thinking most guys don’t know how “tough” it really is. There is places with worse weather and terrain all over the west. I think more local hunters feel like it’s a Washington thing (I get that) it’s not it’s federal. I don’t think we will get picked because my teams applications were actually modest compared to actual experience and I think there will be a lot of exaggeration involved. Plus one guy said he would send his direct on his own and I think they may toss us for incompleteness. I agree they will use any small error or incomplete app as a way to toss just to whittle the number quick

[birddogdad]

its a lottery guys... can spin anyway we want, able body folks was the only criteria completely spelled out with DR note if selected..... Dr Happe and crew will screen through apps and then from the NPS site draw if over 18 groups are eligible.. The unknown is the "actual" selection criteria, sure we can infer or assume but they were not cited in the applications process.

[stlusn30-06]

I had a pretty solid  conversation with Dr. Happe.

Did she say whether she had over 1,000 team or individual applications?

I spoke to her two days after the announcement. Unfortunately no insight on number of apps.

[Karl Blanchard]

Do you guys really think they will do any real research and reading all these applications? Highly unlikely.  I don't care how "qualified" your team is, whether they have summited every peak in the Park and Everest twice are a goat guide and live in a cave. Unless that application is pulled it is irrelevant. When overwhelmed with applications      ( yes I believe they are), it becomes a triaging process. They have a criteria. The baseline is pretty clearly outlined.  They don't care who gets picked as long as they are at or above the minimum qualifications. If there was 30 applications, sure they very well might rank them. But 200? 500? 1000? No way. They will cut any incomplete, or incompetently filled, then begin picking from the rest. Several folks have commented here and other places and the good lady at NPS is overwhelmed. She is telling folks whatever they need to hear, and moving them down the line. I could be wrong but that is how I see it. Good luck to all!

I can completely see this being the way it goes down. She starts in on the apps. Sets aside the qualified as she gets to them. When she hits 30 then does the draw. Why go through all 500 or 1,000.

[Stein]

If there are 1,000 apps and she spends 5 minutes on each one, that would be a fairly short period of time to read about each person, figure out where they were and some type of ranking system.  That's not a bunch of time, but that would take 83 hours to do.  Nobody is going to invest anywhere near that amount of time, nor should they.

If there are 1,000 there will be a quick pass through, spending the minimum amount of time, like 5 seconds, and then draw.  Check the winners more thoroughly to make sure they are all complete and meet the minimum and send it.  It's a draw, not an award.

[Rob]

From the website:

Selection Process:
Update: We will accept applications until the original cut-off date of April 17 because enough qualified groups have submitted applications. Emails must arrive by 5:00 pm PDT on April 17 and mail in applications must be postmarked by April 17 to be considered. Group applications will be evaluated using objective ranking criteria. We will select a maximum of 18 highly qualified groups (6 groups will be selected for each session). If more than 18 highly qualified groups apply, we will use a lottery system to randomly select which groups will participate. Groups that are selected for further consideration will be notified by June 1, 2020 and be required to submit forms signed by a physician by June 30.

We cannot accept incomplete applications. Please review your packet before you submit it.

Bold and underlined added by me.

They will probably remove all incomplete apps, and apps where someone checked a box saying they were not able to get a physicians note.  Then I read the criteria as; they will assign some kind of numerical ranking to the key skills they think they want.  Based on the application format, I would expect categories such as:
1.  Back country experience
2.  Mountaineering experience
3.  First aid training
4.  Experience volunteering with government agencies and interacting with the public/diffusing conflict
5.  Backcountry navigation skills
6.  Physical fitness
7.  Marksmanship

From there, they will likely set a target minimum score, either per category or rolled up.  This gets them their pool.

From there it becomes a drawing.  So if 500 of the 1000 applications meet the minimum, and there are 18 team positions, the odds of winning would be 1 in 55.6 of winning the drawing.

Pretty simple!  But all just deduction on my part.

[Limhangerslayer]

And saying you can't hunt A certain season hurts you too she said.  You need to be open for all seasons all huntable areas that have goats.  And we did our application as if it was an application for employment.  Cover letter and the whole nine yards.  If you don't stand out, you aren't noticed as much.  My guess is quite a few people missed signing the social media code of conduct.
 Did everybody on here make sure their while group signed and submitted it?

[luvmystang67]

And saying you can't hunt A certain season hurts you too she said.  You need to be open for all seasons all huntable areas that have goats.  And we did our application as if it was an application for employment.  Cover letter and the whole nine yards.  If you don't stand out, you aren't noticed as much.  My guess is quite a few people missed signing the social media code of conduct.
 Did everybody on here make sure their while group signed and submitted it?

I asked and these were not required unless you were selected.  This, drivers licenses, Dr notes, only were required after you were selected per an email from her.

I did limit my dates and areas due to a wedding.  Plus there were several areas where there were 0-5 goats total.  I didn't really want to miss the elk rut to hunt for one nanny for 10 days.  Hopefully it doesn't kill our team's odds.

[Rob]

Yeah, The way the application process reads on the website, the social Media contract is not required to apply.

If, after reviewing the above materials, you would still like to apply, please have all members of your group:
Complete this application
Sign the health, firearms and background check form

https://www.nps.gov/olym/getinvolved/mountain-goat-management-how-to-volunteer.htm

[milldozer]

I'm wondering how many people missed the clickable blue "Unit Descriptions" link in the above webpage.  I didn't notice it at first, but there lots of good info in there.