WA Mt. Goat Hunt (Bearhunter)

[Crowns]

Deadline to buy raffle tickets isn't until july 13th. Congrats on the purchases/draws by the way guys. Looking forward to some stories.

[Bearhunter]

Nimrod, I heard somebody like your brother had a Chowder tag as well?

[Nimrod]

Its my sisters, half sisters husband  who
Drew also what our the odds of that

[carpsniperg2]

Wow looks like we really get to see some goats get smacked this year

[Nimrod]

Wow looks like we really get to see some goats get smacked this year

Man I hope we all get a great billy make a sweet group picture of all the 2012 Billy's

[3nails]

 If the raffle winner (drawing hasn't happened yet) joins in the hunt I'm sure it will be the last year for the Chowder ridge tag. More than likely will be anyways so make sure you guys get the big ones!

[Nimrod]

Once I figure out what a big one is 

[Nimrod]

Does washington state loan u a gun for this hunt...    

[blacktailer]

If the raffle winner (drawing hasn't happened yet) joins in the hunt I'm sure it will be the last year for the Chowder ridge tag. More than likely will be anyways so make sure you guys get the big ones!

I am afraid you're probably right 3nails.  The logic behind the Mt. Goat tag allocation absolutely astounds me and makes no sense whatsoever.    I hope James and Nimrod get a couple of beauties up there.  They are definately there...

[Nimrod]

Thanks blacktailer it should be a fun hunt..

[shanevg]

Knock on wood but the natives haven't hit the Chowder Ridge herd that hard yet. Seems to be one of the herds with the harder access in the area.

The tag allocation is a bit strange but hunters on all the units last year reported low goat numbers. I know the aerial survey counts were low this year. The biologists say they have set up rules to allow them to close and open units in a reactionary way year to year. As long as they react equally quickly when herd numbers are more visible because of a more normal snow year I am OK with it.

As for the Chowder Ridge unit having so many potential hunters this year - I wouldn't worry too much about it. The Lincoln Peak and Chowder Ridge herds are both easily big enough to sustain 4 hunters in a given year. I think WDFW wants to have at least one Baker unit open for the governor tag and raffle tag and they are trying to take some pressure off the Lincoln Peak herd for a year or two.

Hopefully we have less snow in the hills this fall than last year and the goats return to their more normal habitats this summer/fall so the aerial surveys are back up again this year.

[Nimrod]

Thanks for the info Shane...

[Special T]

With our very mild spring beginning of summer i think that will be harder shanvg.

[shanevg]

With our very mild spring beginning of summer i think that will be harder shanvg.

You might be surprised at how much less snow there is than last year. Not as low as some years but significantly less than last. The real determining factor is the next 4 weeks. We need to get some warm weather soon to get the snow melting again.

We actually had a pretty warm April and first part of May. Our last 3 weeks have been really lame though.

[3nails]

With our very mild spring beginning of summer i think that will be harder shanvg.

You might be surprised at how much less snow there is than last year. Not as low as some years but significantly less than last. The real determining factor is the next 4 weeks. We need to get some warm weather soon to get the snow melting again.

We actually had a pretty warm April and first part of May. Our last 3 weeks have been really lame though.

Lame for you and your goats. Great for me and my bears! (and deer)