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MuleyHntr227
Guest
Do you guys have any information into which area I should put in for for Mt Goats. I was thinking about the Crazy's but do you guys have any other suggestions.
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hntnhrd
Guest
You really can't go wrong in any zone in MT. If there is a hunt scheduled there are goats in it. Some real good goats come out of the crazies but 9+ " billies can and do come out of all the units. No zones are real easy hunts.Plan on alot of hiking in Steep country miles from any roads. I had a buddy draw in the Bitterroots last year. The day he killed his goat we decided to do a day hunt. 14 miles round trip and 14 and half hours later we were back at the truck with his goat.
Good luck and if you draw it will be an awesome hunt.
Good luck and if you draw it will be an awesome hunt.
songdog
Active Member
- Messages
- 294
Hey hntnhard,
So is there one particular mountain goat unit in Montana which has a better than average chance of killing a 10" billy? I understand it won't be an easy hunt but I would like to apply for the very best mtn. goat unit Montana has to offer.... I think I've got about 5 preference points going into the 2008 mtn. goat draw....
Many thanks!!!
So is there one particular mountain goat unit in Montana which has a better than average chance of killing a 10" billy? I understand it won't be an easy hunt but I would like to apply for the very best mtn. goat unit Montana has to offer.... I think I've got about 5 preference points going into the 2008 mtn. goat draw....
Many thanks!!!
H
hntnhrd
Guest
I am no expert but from what I understand the Bridgers kick out 10" plus billies. I think it is zone 393.Odds are anout 1%. If your a non resident the 300 districts are your best shot at drawing a tag. I think they give out a total of 200+ tags for all the 300's. The Crazies have a pile of tags and good chance of drawing. I have 5 points also and applied for an area last year that was like 1 in 16 chance of drawing with out regards to points and still didn't draw. So good luck
Bambistew
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,959
You want to hunt MOUNTAIN goats but don't want to be bothered to familiarize yourself with the mountian ranges in which they live?
LMFAO
The Crazies are by Big Timber... Are you familiar with towns or do you want me to dig out my regulations booklet and post the acutual unit?
;-)
LMFAO
The Crazies are by Big Timber... Are you familiar with towns or do you want me to dig out my regulations booklet and post the acutual unit?
;-)
T
thecrittergitter
Guest
I have spent as much time or more than most in the bridgers and that 10+ bridgers comment is crazy. Not saying there might not be ONE there but there is no better chance of seeing one there than any other unit.
Im with Bambi on this........grab a map and set of regs, it will tell you pretty much everythign you need to know. I also agree with the fact that pretty much every unit that gives tags, you have just a good a shot of getting one no matter what unit you draw. I do however know of an outfitter that takes clients in the Crazies and do come up with what seems to be above avg size goats each year.
Im with Bambi on this........grab a map and set of regs, it will tell you pretty much everythign you need to know. I also agree with the fact that pretty much every unit that gives tags, you have just a good a shot of getting one no matter what unit you draw. I do however know of an outfitter that takes clients in the Crazies and do come up with what seems to be above avg size goats each year.
R
ram100
Guest
I have some specific questions on access on some of the goat units and I was wondering if someone would be willing to visit via email or PM? I'd like to choose a unit I can hunt after around Oct 15 If such a unit even exists. Not sure how fast you guys get snowed in up there.
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hillrunner
Guest
I had a goat tag for the head of the boulder river several years ago. With no snow if you don't have horses it is tough to access. You can get into some goat country with a atv till the snow flies. That year it was mid october and the more accesibile areas were no longer easy to get to. This unit has basically no easy to get to country, by mid october it was very difficult. Did see quite a few goats and man it is beautiful up there. PM if you want more on this unit, not sure of the unit number. The unit starts just north of box canyon trailhead and goes to yellowstone park on the south.
CAelknuts
Moderator
- Messages
- 3,825
I hunted goats in 2006, in one of the 300s units south of Ennis. We hunted in early November. Access was easy, though the weather was horrible when I was there.
Getting a 10" goat isn't easy anywhere, but it's a lot tougher to do in Montana than BC or Alaska. I never thought about it until I hunted there, but the guide I hunted with made a good point about goats in Montana compared to BC and Alaska. He said that the winters in Montana are harsher than most mtn. goat country in BC and Alaska and that as a result it is tougher to find a giant goat.
Chances are, if you haven't hunted goats before, you'd be just as happy with an 8" goat as a 9" or 10". If you shoot it late, the hide is more of a trophy than the horns. November goats are beautiful!
Getting a 10" goat isn't easy anywhere, but it's a lot tougher to do in Montana than BC or Alaska. I never thought about it until I hunted there, but the guide I hunted with made a good point about goats in Montana compared to BC and Alaska. He said that the winters in Montana are harsher than most mtn. goat country in BC and Alaska and that as a result it is tougher to find a giant goat.
Chances are, if you haven't hunted goats before, you'd be just as happy with an 8" goat as a 9" or 10". If you shoot it late, the hide is more of a trophy than the horns. November goats are beautiful!
SPAZ
Active Member
- Messages
- 568
From what I've heard from the FWP over the year is the best genetics for horn length, generally, come from the smaller isolated ranges like the bridgers, crazies, tobacco roots, square butte and the highwoods. I'm not sure why that is. I do know there is certainly more than one 10" goat in the bridgers alive today. Problem with goats and especially units like 393 that only give 5 tags is that 3-4 of the tag holders don't have a clue what they are doing and subsequently don't shoot a goat that represents the unit's potential. Goats are damn tough to judge and I'm probably going to be most hunters aren't going to be able to tell an 8" billy from a 10" billy. Some of the folks who draw some of those premium and easy to hunt goat areas end up shooting a nanny and younger billies because they 1) can't tell the difference, 2) don't care and are not motivated, and 3) aren't willing to spend the time passing up decent mature animals. I know of nannies and young billies taken from the bridgers that horns get over 10" in just 2-3 years of age.
If you want an easy hunt with big goats, go with any of the above mentioned units. I'm going to stick to applying for a more wilderness backcountry experience and hopefully find a big mature billy with good hair and 9" or better horns.
If you want an easy hunt with big goats, go with any of the above mentioned units. I'm going to stick to applying for a more wilderness backcountry experience and hopefully find a big mature billy with good hair and 9" or better horns.
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