Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: sakoshooter on October 02, 2012, 10:01:28 PM

Title: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: sakoshooter on October 02, 2012, 10:01:28 PM: The Mt Elenor(Olympic Mts) hiking trail has been closed untill just the other day because of aggressive mt goats.
About 10 +/- yrs ago I sent a letter to the WDFW concerning opening up the Olympics to special draw goat hunts when they were considering killing off a bunch of them for over grazing via hiring professional hunters. My idea fell of deaf ears at that time.
These goats are not native to the Olympics.
Is it just me or does it seem that our game dept cares more about taking our money than managing animals or providing more hunting opportunities?
Lately all I"ve heard about is the WDFW trying to kill off the Wedge wolf pack during hunting season. Seems to me that opening it up to ALL hunters could have provided a rare opportunity to a lucky few rather than spend more hunter $$$ killing them off themselves.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: RB on October 02, 2012, 10:04:32 PM: I would gladly donate my time and a 180 grain Noseler Partition from my 300 winmag to the cause to help with the pesky Goat problem :chuckle:
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: Scottystyle on October 02, 2012, 11:08:29 PM: Could you imagine the $$$ that they would get on application fees if they opened it up. I think the nly reson they cant is because there is no hunting in National Parks, and openng one would open a whole can of worms of exeptions in other parks.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: Hunter mike on October 02, 2012, 11:21:27 PM: Mt. Ellinor is in the Olympic National Forest (outside the park). It should be opened for at least a special draw IMO... those guys are getting kind of nasty attitudes! It's probably bad PR for the WDFW/Forest Service because most of the problem goats surround heavily used trails (used by hikers pretty much every day). We all know how that crowd and hunters don't always mix too well, but that's another thread!
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: Humptulips on October 02, 2012, 11:26:33 PM: Never get it in the ONP but they used to have a drawing for archery goats outside the park. That went away when the ONP decided they were going to exterminate the goats.
Looks like that didn't work.
It would seem it would be easy for WDFW to reinstate the goat hunt. Why they don't is anyones guess but I think the goats pretty much stay in the park. Might be they think selling a goat tag there would be false pretenses.
Anyone know how often the goats stray out of the park?
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: big J on October 03, 2012, 07:54:16 AM: I don't know how often but we saw 2 goats last weekend in the olympic unit outside the park. i spend allot of time in there and that was the second time i have seen a goat.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: hillbillyhunting on October 03, 2012, 08:55:26 AM: I know of MULTIPLE places outside the park where goats hang out. I would be excited to say the least if I could have the opportunity to harvest one of these goats.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: JimmyHoffa on October 03, 2012, 09:07:08 AM: Quote from: Humptulips on October 02, 2012, 11:26:33 PM
Anyone know how often the goats stray out of the park?

Quite often. There are a few I know of on the northeast side that are almost always around on the NF land. At times there can be as many as twenty, but seems the bigger groups like to hang out by the border.

My guess is if they try to reinstate, then greenies will get all kinds of petitions and be bugging the governor..and maybe even call up Sen Wanker.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: wrongway on October 03, 2012, 09:11:24 AM: They have used hired hunters to kill the goats in the Olympics before, a friend did this years ago for the game department, he shot several goats and had to leave them where the were shot, could not even go up and look at them.
Title: Re: Goats in the Olympics
Post by: bradslam on October 03, 2012, 09:42:13 AM: There are several places where the goats stray outside of the park. The area around Mt. Ellinor, Mt. Pershing and Mt. Washington is all forest service. However, some peaks like Mt. Skokomish and The Brothers are half in the park and half out. I had one of the Hamma Hamma archery tags back in '94 and it was very frustrating standing on top of those peaks looking down at the big billies on the park side with nothing I could do about it.