Mountain goat help...

[Rigs]

Greetings All,

I drew a goat tag here in Montana and would like to talk with experienced goat hunters for some advice.  I drew 16 years ago and didn't fill the tag and am looking for tips and pointers from those with more experience.  I'm strictly a stickbow hunter and will not pack a rifle (I haven't killed anything with a gun in 14 seasons except birds behind the dogs).  I would be willing to call and bs with you on my dime.

Thanks in advance!

Happy hunting,
Jason

[Daz]

Jason,
There are some things to remember about goat hunting:
1. Know how to tell nanny vs. billy. Do the homework.Unless you are on a nanny only cull tag, don't shoot a nanny.
2. Goats don't move too much between late august and october. If you find a billy, don't sweat it. He's not going anywhere. Spend the next day or two planning your move. Pattern him. They tend to feed down early morning/late afternoon and bed high.
3. As part of planning, be sure to plan for where you are shooting him. Can he make it to a spot to die where you can't retrieve him? They are tough animals with a strong will to live.
4. Be patient. They live in an environemnt where slow is smooth and smooth is fast. They are used to the sound of rocks falling, but will see you from a long way off, and if you are scented they are gone.
5. Look for that lone goat. 90% chance it is a billy, and more approachable than a herd.
6. Goat hunting is kinda cool, because there is no rushing. Steady and methodical is everything.

I'm off in 36 days to chase goats again, and i can't wait.

Enjoy!
D.

[will_hunt]

Call Neil Jacobsen at Bear's Paw Bows in Lakeside, Montana.  He killed a nice goat with one of his T/D Longbows a couple years ago up in the Crazy Mountains.  He is a top shelf guy that is one of the finest bowhunters on this planet.

[stalkin4elk]

Congrats! Those tags are tough to come by. I never get a tag but have been on about a dozen hunts over the years with friends.
Which area did you draw?
Learn the different stance when they take a leak so you can tell if it's a billy or nanny from far with optics.Don't laugh because a lot of dudes don't know!
Billies have that dark gland at the base of their horns that you can see with a spotter.
If you do see a group later in late Oct-Nov they may have a Billie getting in the rut and his body will be a lot bigger compared to the others, enough to tell with a spotter.
You will find goats with a spotter on the same ridge you missed with binos.
When the horses in the valley have their guard hairs then the goats will have their prime fur.
Make a base camp and a spike camp in a prime high basin so you don't waste all your energy going back to the trailhead and you can wait out a storm.
If we get the normal early Sept-Oct snow don't worry cause it usually melts off and any remaining snow will crust hard and make easier hiking....if you are lucky.They will have better fur later anyway.
We ran out of water high in the peaks a few times and that sucks. Sometimes the last water is quite a hike lower and a lot of effort getting back up.
Don't take stupid chances in bad cliffs. Live another day and the goats will move to a better spot.
One goat hunt we almost crashed a truck and horse trailer at 2:30 a.m. on the interstate by falling asleep at the wheel after an exhausting day...should have followed my own camping advise.
Good luck.

[TURKEYFOOTGIRL]

Awesome can't believe you drew! Mountain goats are my favorite critters.  If you need help or need someone to go I'd be willing to do it.  What area did you draw in?
  A few things I earned on my goat hunt.
They have amazing eye site and can be much more wary than I would have guessed.  Just because they don't seem like they would be skittish they can be.
   Goats hear stuff falling all the time and just because you loose some rocks on a stalk don't think they will bust.
  Stalk from above and look for goats in stalkable country.
 Don't be afraid to be aggressive to close the distance when needed. Goats can disappear real easy in the cliffs.
  Make a good shot they are tough!
Good luck and have fun those tags are hard to come by.
Call if you need help or someone to go:-)  (406) 381-3899

[juneaulongbow]

A Beast the Color of Winter by Douglas Chadwick is a good read. Not hunting stories more biology, life cycle stuff.

Get above them. I used a drive to push a goat up to my buddy who shot it at about 10 yards with a recurve.

[twitchstick]

I am not an expert but have hunted them once last year with a nanny tag. I only hunted them one day but made 5 or 6 stalk attempts before I got the shot I needed. Getting above them and having the best stalking situation possible was the key for me. I watched a group feed down into some tight finger washes and I new it was my golden egg at that point. I sprinted down the canyon about a mile and when I peak over the wash I seen one bedded under a small knoll. I repositioned myself and peeked over for it for a 4 yard shot. The lost wallet technique seem to work quit well during my scouting. If they seen me in anyway acting like a predator it was over. If they seen me hiking in I would just act like a tourist and it calmed them down.

[damascusdave]

Originally posted by will_hunt:
Call Neil Jacobsen at Bear's Paw Bows in Lakeside, Montana.  He killed a nice goat with one of his T/D Longbows a couple years ago up in the Crazy Mountains.  He is a top shelf guy that is one of the finest bowhunters on this planet.

Even if you do not call Neil at least read his account of the goat hunt on his website...I laughed until I cried...great hunter and one of the most entertaining writing styles I have ever encountered

DDave

[T Lail]

Call Marv Clynke.....you should be able to get a number off of Compton's web site.....

[Rigs]

Thanks for all the good info folks!  I'm really hoping this time I seal the deal.  I'll be calling some of you real soon!  Turkeyfoot and Stalking 4 elk, I drew in 330...south and east of Livingston.  It's where I drew before...  I've had 16 long years to think of things I would have done different amd connaot wait to get up in that country again!

Happy hunting,
Jason

[Missouri Bowman]

Make sure to take pictures and share the hunt!

[Hummer3T]

I'm no expert, but have went on several adventure share are a few things I learnt.
practice lots of down hill shooting
prepare mentally and physically all you can and then do some more
use you eye for spotting goats and sign, but really use your nose, you will smell when they are close.
enjoy the alpine
take and camera and friend if you can.

[Walt Francis]

Rigs,

Several of my friends have drawn the tag and taken goats in unit 330, and others have not been as successful.  Most often it is a five mile hike to the base of the mountains where the goats are.  First thing I would do is beg, borrow, or rent,  horses (if you do not have them already) to get to the hunting country without wearing yourself out.  They can get to the mountain but you will have to leave them at the base most often.  Start running/hiking straight up the hills right now, the season is getting close.  There are lots of bears in the unit, both black and grizzly, be careful and arm yourself accordingly.  Pepper spray is often good for the initial encounter but seldom works if the bear decides to return.  The trophy quality in that unit is mediocre, a 9” Billy is exceptional: I haven’t seen one in the unit.

[Iowabowhunter]

Congrats!!! One of my dream hunts for sure. Keep us posted and take a nice camera for your hero shot