High Uintas West Mountain Goat

[D_Hoyt]

Now that I’ve drawn a mountain goat tag () for the High Uintas West unit, I’m looking for suggestions on where to put my boots on the ground this summer. Where should I prioritize my scouting to find a mature Billy? I’ll be on foot scouring, but I should have access to horses for part of the actual hunt. I do have a four wheeler, but I recognize it won’t get me close to the majority of the goats. I also recognize that the herd hunters are down a lot from where they once were.

Thank you for your suggestions and good luck to everyone that pulled tags for this fall.

Feel free to send me a personal message and please follow my hunt adventure thread (Adventure Is Out There).

Dillon

 

[elkassassin]

Check Your PM Dillon!

Now that I’ve drawn a mountain goat tag () for the High Uintas West unit, I’m looking for suggestions on where to put my boots on the ground this summer. Where should I prioritize my scouting to find a mature Billy? I’ll be on foot scouring, but I should have access to horses for part of the actual hunt. I do have a four wheeler, but I recognize it won’t get me close to the majority of the goats. I also recognize that the herd hunters are down a lot from where they once were.

Thank you for your suggestions and good luck to everyone that pulled tags for this fall.

Feel free to send me a personal message and please follow my hunt adventure thread (Adventure Is Out There).

Dillon

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

Hey there how many points did you have? I have been eyeing this hunt and will be scouting a little bit this summer for future years. Send me a PM if you're interested in what I see this summer. After not drawing this year I have 19 points so I should be dang close

 

[mtnrunner260]

Congrats on tag.
Hope to be there myself in next couple years.
Hunted with buddy two years ago. Did a but of scouting and he killed a 3.5 yo Billy opening day. He had scheduling conflicts for majority of hunt.
If you've got the time don't pack bullets for first couple weeks. You and another in shape buddy can get a goat to horse support barring cliffs. We hiked in on south slope, killed on north, thought we'd have to hike out and back in but found a goat trail that got us down and back up.
Super jealous you drew and hope you have a great hunt!

 

[greysriver]

Now that I’ve drawn a mountain goat tag () for the High Uintas West unit, I’m looking for suggestions on where to put my boots on the ground this summer. Where should I prioritize my scouting to find a mature Billy? I’ll be on foot scouring, but I should have access to horses for part of the actual hunt. I do have a four wheeler, but I recognize it won’t get me close to the majority of the goats. I also recognize that the herd hunters are down a lot from where they once were.

Thank you for your suggestions and good luck to everyone that pulled tags for this fall.

Feel free to send me a personal message and please follow my hunt adventure thread (Adventure Is Out There).

Dillon

Very fun hunt! This unit is one you could kill from the road side (not my cup o tea) or make it a hunt of a lifetime. I didn’t later and my buddy drew it the next year and we did it again! Amazing place! I’m a little jealous! Good luck on your hunt!

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

I hear the herd is struggling. Anyone know the details or reasons behind it?

 

[Tikka]

I hear the herd is struggling. Anyone know the details or reasons behind it?

Over hunting is a start, that right there decimated the goats across the highway to the west…

 

[elkassassin]

Maybe They Can Start Telling Hunters They're Mature At 1-2 Years Old!

 

[mtnrunner260]

Over hunting is a start, that right there decimated the goats across the highway to the west…

Over hunting of females for sure.

 

[D_Hoyt]

I hear the herd is struggling. Anyone know the details or reasons behind it?

I’d say the decline started before the winter of all winters when we lost 20-30% of what was left. Several nannies got harvested. I think the saddest thing is what has happened on Willard Peak and the Kamas units. They are almost extinct in those units. Unitas west still has hundreds of goats, but it’s nowhere near where it once was. I’m sure it will be challenging to find a mature billy, but not impossible with boots on the ground.

 

[elkassassin]

So The Joe Blows Hunt For A Billy Till Right Near The End Of The Hunt!

What Do They Do When Time Is Running Out?

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

I’d say the decline started before the winter of all winters when we lost 20-30% of what was left. Several nannies got harvested. I think the saddest thing is what has happened on Willard Peak and the Kamas units. They are almost extinct in those units. Unitas west still has hundreds of goats, but it’s nowhere near where it once was. I’m sure it will be challenging to find a mature billy, but not impossible with boots on the ground.

Well, I sure hope it comes back. I live right by Willard. At any time during the summer or fall I could look up there and find goats from my house. I can't remember the last time I saw them now. My brother had the tag 7 or 8 years ago and shot a Boone and Crockett billy.

 

[bingo]

I hunted it 10 years ago and had a hunt of a lifetime. Happy to help. Just reach out. Ryan

 

[velvetmonster]

I drew that tag last year. Things have changed up there since my buddies hunted it (Bingo, Hunterturbo, and others). Hit me up if you want to know what I learned.

 

[Wyo_Roadhunter]

Awesome hunt! You can make it whatever you want (a road hunt or 100 mile pack trip). If you're going to pack in you'll see plenty of people but once you're off the main trails it was pretty rare to run into anyone. I will say this isn't like a timp hunt. There wasn't bowls of 40 and 50 goats. There was a handful in each canyon I looked at. And it's a long ways round trip so scout and have one picked out so you don't waste days hiking. If you see "white spike" in the sign in books that was me haha.

 

[schoolhousegrizz]

Awesome hunt! You can make it whatever you want (a road hunt or 100 mile pack trip). If you're going to pack in you'll see plenty of people but once you're off the main trails it was pretty rare to run into anyone. I will say this isn't like a timp hunt. There wasn't bowls of 40 and 50 goats. There was a handful in each canyon I looked at. And it's a long ways round trip so scout and have one picked out so you don't waste days hiking. If you see "white spike" in the sign in books that was me haha.

What year did you have the tag?

 

[Wyo_Roadhunter]

What year did you have the tag?

2022

 

[littlebighorn]

OIL tags always make a year special. Congrats on the tag D_Hoyt and keep us posted on your adventure.