Mountain Goats

[chep]

Anyone ever have a chance to go after them?

[Chessie_Guy]

Haven't.  But Snow Lakes/Snow Creek Wall is closed to goat hunting.  I checked.

It would be too easy.

[chep]

Yes it would be an easy find. But there are a number of other spots...

I may put in for a tag and see if I win.. Odds seem to be 1/1000

Mostly just interesed to see or hear about someone else's adventure.

[boneaddict]

I'm max on points if that really means anything.  My Dad has gotten a goat back in the glory days of lake Chelan.  Best bet for goat hunting for odds is Montana.  Idaho isn't too bad either as you have to choose a species to put in for unlike this state.  That makes much fewer people putting in for more tags.

[pacyew]

Been drawn once, on a partner tag with my brother. We hunted the Goodman Lake counry above Darrington and my bro was able to harvest a 9 1/4" barren nanny. 2 hours of belaying him down the side of a cliff on a 5/16" Polyprop rope (!) we were able to retrieve the whole critter. Prior to this he and I had made sneaks on  1/2 dozen other goats. We returned to the same area several years later with my Dad who was 70 at the time. Another great hunt, though no goat came home with us.

Good times.

[Ridgerunner]

I'm waiting for my tag too.  This year I'm really upping the ante and putting in for sheep in multiple states.  In some of the states the odds of drawing are higher than here in WA.  Pretty sad.

[boneaddict]

Hey Ridge, are you doing anything in Idaho this year?

[chep]

Anyone know how would getting a tag would be in British Columbia?

[boneaddict]

Its not bad if you have the cash. 

[Ridgerunner]

I haven't decided whether I'm going Idaho this year or not.  Perhaps, I'm in for Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, probably Nevada and Montana.  We'll see.  Maybe OR too.  I'm in deep trouble if I draw some of these tags.....

[boneaddict]

EXACTLY!
or if the wife finds out how much we've spent on fees.

[pacyew]

Anyone know how would getting a tag would be in British Columbia?

The guides hold a number of tags for their respective areas, so the opportunity is readily available. But, for non-res. aliens a guide is required. For example McKenzie Outfitters offering.
MOUNTAIN GOAT 10 DAY HUNT
(Moose, black bear and mule deer options available if time permits)
$6,900.00 US for trophy Goat hunt
$750.00 US trophy fee on Black Bear
$1,500.00 US trophy fee on Moose
$1,000.00 US trophy fee on Whitetail & Mule Deer
No charge for Wolf

[chep]

That's steep pricing for goats. 

[jackelope]

I'm in deep trouble if I draw some of these tags.....

sometimes easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, ridge...
good luck

[pacyew]

It is. AK can be hunted for a little less, but it makes our lower 48, and particularly our WA tags very special. If someone gets drawn, its worth them making it event of the year. Goats are very interesting to hunt. If a person makes a proper campaign of it, by the time they make a harvest, they should know about everything there is to know about the population they are hunting.

They live in a spectacular environment. They also, as a species, need all the help we can give them, management-wise. Infact, if a person wants to make a difference in our big game resource, in seeing that we have a heathy game population for future generations of hunters and goats, the biggest orphans are currently our goats. Number 2, our Mule Deer.

If you get drawn for goat, take that month, or all of it you can!

[GOcougsHunter]

I drew a Archery tag for the Olympics about 12 years ago...  Found enough goat wool to make sweaters for 30 people...  Got into about a dozen.  Only real shots available to me were nannies with kids...  The only lone animals I saw were a couple of thousand feet up the side of Mt Elinor.  Wet, rainy, mossy and slick.  Vine Maples are never your friend when trying to get thrrough them.  Still putting in for another tag.  It looks as though the WDFW is going to possibly increase the number this year.  It's also hard to tell what exactly they mean by number of applicants to understand what the draw chances are.  I have an idea that they are using the cummulative preference points in their application numbers as the number of applicants has increased significantly from year to year.

[bobcat]

They give the number of applicants if you go to "2006 Special Hunt Permit Drawing Result Summaries."

It shows there was 7,517 applicants last year. It has nothing to do with the number of points people have.

[boneaddict]

Those are real numbers and your chance to actually draw a tag now is really scarce.  You can look at it in two ways.  When you had to front the cash it really discouraged people from applying.  This method was great if you could afford it, but was using money as a way to discourage some from hunting, which is never really a good thing.  However, now that it is affordable and for everyone, it really makes it a lottos chance in heck to draw.

[PolarBear]

The main thing that I dislike about our big game lottery system is that there are far too many people putting in for tags who dont know what they are doing and are just in it to be in it.  I know several guys who put in for sheep, moose and goat for themseves and their family members who have never stepped out of their vehicle during hunting season except to take a leak or to glass the same clear-cut as everyone else in the county.  They have no idea what kind of actual work is in store if they do draw a tag.  Most that I know who are like this doubt if they can get away from work long enough  to hunt.  If you arent sure about being able to utilize the tag then do not put in for it!  Take the points if you have to but dont clog it up for those of us who are willing and able to make the best of a once in a lifetime tag.
I get pissed when I read of hear about tag holders who never bothered to go out on their hunt.  I (as many of you) have been putting in for sheep, moose and goat for 20+ years and still havent drawn anything.  Sometimes I think that I would have a better chance if I was applying from out of state.