Goat Rocks

[nanum]

 I am interested in hunting  the Goat Rocks. I am mainly curious about what the terrain and vegetation is like. I am planning a scouting trip in the middle of July and I'm hoping there is not to much snow. I am planning on hunting off my back for the Sept. archery hunt. Does it open up more into classic  Rocky Mountain elk country like the east side or is it real thick that is typical of the westside? Any info would be much appreciated. Nanum

[Houndhunter]

i was always happy this area never got brought up, its got some elk but your gonna need to hike IMO

i hunt it alot for everything, if ya want i can pm you to anwser some of your Q's

[SkookumHntr]

---Goat Rocks sucks for Elk hunting.

[MuleySniper]

Its actually a very populated area for hunters. Ive hiked way the hell in there before and had no problems running into lots of hunters. Its no secret if thats what you were wondering. Its cool, lots of goats and pockets of elk. I think it mainly depends on weather and how the elk will move into the area.
MS

[JPhelps]

ALOT of people - not a true wilderness experience.  I will not bother with going in there any more.  I would rather not see anyone on a hunt than fight with the people.

[Houndhunter]

the only probelm i have is the elk dont rut hard till late, unlike other places i go where there full on before the season. you dont need to worry about people, most wont go past 2-3miles

as far as not a true wilderness expeirence, you must not like to hike much


edit: another thing i remembered, more people will go there if timber companys close off there land due to fire danger and such. one year we ran into lots of rigs, but again go back to better and higher country and your good

[scudmaster]

I went on a bear hunt there last summer.  Never saw any bears of course, but we saw over 200 elk.  120+ of them just below the outlet of goat lake.  Never been their for hunting season, so could not tell you about that time of year. 

I would think you would need a mule packer to get one out from where we saw them.  Probably 5 miles in.  Good horse trail in their tho, so it might be busy. Below is a link to a map with photos along the trails.  This should give you an idea of the terrain.  If you want photos of our trip, just PM me.

Scud

http://www.populartrails.net/GPNFHike13.html

[JPhelps]

Houndhunter just to let you know I went on a 14 mile - 4000+ ft. change in elevation hike last Saturday just to give you an idea on hom much I dont like to hike.

I hunt with my camp on my back and I was 7+ miles in.  I ran into numerous horse camps.  I was just saying that the "Wilderness" may not mean that you will be one on one with the animals.

[shag]

Steep, deep,  Small pockets of elk that once spooked be a days hike away in less than an hour.  Tough.

[Houndhunter]

just bustin your balls, didnt mean to upset. i guess i'm lucky because i've had close family show me how to hunt it

[jstamp]

Just to put it in perspective, in 2006 i went in there with some friends archery hunting. I bugled right at daylight, and about 200 people answered me. We hiked all day and spent the night, I saw more hunters and hikers than in the winston unit in rifle season (well maybe not that many, but a lot). Needless to say the next day we hiked out and went to the winston unit. I figured if we were gonna hunt that hard and see that many people, i would go where there was some elk.

As for the country, there is a lot of thick steep stuff and some open country around goat creek. good luck on finding elk in the open country during archery season though. the only way to hunt the goat rocks is to draw a rifle permit, the rut is late and seems to peak in early oct.

[PolarBear]

There are some BIG bulls up there in areas that you would not suspect.  I know a group of guys who pull 2 or 3 really nice 6x6-6x7s out of areas up there that are usually reserved for mt. goats.  Most hunters are too chicken or lazy to hunt there.  Do some hiking and find out where they are.

[bucklucky]

SHHHHHHH

[PolarBear]

I think that they are pretty safe.     Where these dudes get them you have to have pack animals and then pack in on foot for a loooong tough, straight up and down hike.  Without knowing the area really well, there is practically no chance that a greenhorn would find them.

[TheHunt]

Here is what I would to tackle the problem.
1. Contact the Biologest.
2. Google earth it and use elk sense to guess their locations.
3. Fly the unit in a plane
4. Start going on weekend back packing trips.

It looks like it will take, money, money, work, work, work and more work.  You just have to figure out if you got what it takes.