2011 Montana mountain goat

[mdunc8]

Thanks for the info Theat. I figured the area gets pounded since it's the easiest to get to. Hopefully I'll have time to wander south. MHMT, you just doing some camping or scouting for this fall?

 

[mtmiller]

Hunted that area twice for goats. Killed two mature billies and never saw another hunter.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Only gotta wait until 2015 until I can apply again. Mike you're a lucky dog. I love that country.

 

['Ike']

Beautiful...

Can't wait to hear about/see this hunt unfold...

 

[MT2011]

mdunc8,

I have the same tag this year for the same HD.

Funny thing is, I was in the unit scouting the same weekend you were, trying to formulate the beginnings of a plan for this fall. What amazing country!

Also, I have read a couple of goat books so far, including "A Beast the Color of Winter".

I felt kind of cliche once I read your posts and saw how unoriginal I was.

Like you, we saw plenty of goats once we got up and in. We also saw 4 bighorns and a dandy blonde bear.

Planning to try to go back and scout one more time just for fun.

Good luck! Seems to be some goats around.

 

[mtlion]

I felt kind of cliche once I read your posts and saw how unoriginal I was.

LOL Whatever it is we're doing out there you can count on the fact it's already been done

 

[mdunc8]

Good luck to you too. I think it's gonna be a great hunt. I'm sure you could make a lot of friends on here with your bighorn sightings.

 

[MT2011]

Goat Hair

So a question I would like to throw out for discussion here is, what is the consensus on when billy hair gets decent enough to be considered fit for a trophy?

I am under the impression that the mature billies start to get a good coat of hair first, before the young males or nannies and kids. However, I have not been able to get a firm answer on when that typically is. Obviously, the later in the year, the better it will be, but the season is when it is, and the later you wait, the higher your chances of fighting snow.

The weather is more pleasant for hunting in late Sept and early Oct, but the nights still cool down enough where I would think the goats would want some hair to stay warm.

I am going to be hunting in MT this fall, same area discussed above. The season in the district opens early. However, I am planning to wait till mid-September to even start trying for a goat, with the hopes that the hair is decent enough to make a beautiful trophy by then. It may take more than one or two trips in also, so the sooner I start, the more chances I have.

It looks like several guys who have successfully hunted this HD before have commented on this thread, so I am curious dates when you hunted, what you saw for hair, and when you ended up harvesting a goat, and how the hair was on those animals? Any pictures would be spectacular.

Also, just any general information or suggestions would be very helpful. Send me a PM if you would like to get specific and have some good stuff to help out with.

I know I am jumping in on Mdunc's thread here, but I thought maybe we could all benefit from the info since we are trying to do the same thing.

Thanks,

 

[Brentster7189]

Awesome country, and great fish! Good luck to you on your hunt.

 

[mtlion]

So a question I would like to throw out for discussion here is, what is the consensus on when billy hair gets decent enough to be considered fit for a trophy?

I am under the impression that the mature billies start to get a good coat of hair first, before the young males or nannies and kids. However, I have not been able to get a firm answer on when that typically is. Obviously, the later in the year, the better it will be, but the season is when it is, and the later you wait, the higher your chances of fighting snow.

The weather is more pleasant for hunting in late Sept and early Oct, but the nights still cool down enough where I would think the goats would want some hair to stay warm.

I am going to be hunting in MT this fall, same area discussed above. The season in the district opens early. However, I am planning to wait till mid-September to even start trying for a goat, with the hopes that the hair is decent enough to make a beautiful trophy by then. It may take more than one or two trips in also, so the sooner I start, the more chances I have.

It looks like several guys who have successfully hunted this HD before have commented on this thread, so I am curious dates when you hunted, what you saw for hair, and when you ended up harvesting a goat, and how the hair was on those animals? Any pictures would be spectacular.

Also, just any general information or suggestions would be very helpful. Send me a PM if you would like to get specific and have some good stuff to help out with.

I know I am jumping in on Mdunc's thread here, but I thought maybe we could all benefit from the info since we are trying to do the same thing.

Thanks,

I can tell you if I had the tag I would be in there ASAP. Not only for the possibility of making several trips, but also once the bad weather hits your hunt will change big time. When does the bad weather hit? Any time it wants.

I had a buddy who had a goat tag a few years ago (extreme premium unit!) and screwed around and didn't get in when the country was accessible. He figured long season plenty of time, let the hair grow. It snowed a bunch up high and after a very miserable hunt in deep snow he didn't shoot a goat. This guy hunted until the very last day, and he likely could have got it done on the opener.

 

[Breaks Runner]

You'll get snowed on....that's a given. I've seen five feet of snow in there on October 15th.

 

[mdunc8]

I'm planning on getting in there as early as possibly. However, my wife is due on Sept. 18th. Unless this kid decides to show up early, I don't think I'll be in there until the first week of October.

 

[Breaks Runner]

October goat from that area....south of where you where. If you wait until then you wont see anybody else in there.

 

[mdunc8]

I'm quickly learning one of the drawbacks to spending all of my time in the woods alone -- finding someone (I like and trust) to go on a five day goat hunt in the backcountry.

 

[THWAK1]

This is the same district I shot my mtn goat in, in 2006. I agree 100%! There are not many elk up in that country anymore though, lots of wolves. I did see one grizzly bear and a few black bears also...along with some sheep.

 

[Oak]

It's harder than you might think to find someone you trust to tag along on a premium hunt, or any hunt for that matter. Most dedicated hunters are spending all their free time on their own hunts.

 

[THWAK1]

A few pics from my mountain goat scouting trip up Boulder Pass, and into Buffalo Creek to glass Sheepherder, Roundhead, Hummingbird and Iron.....5 days over 4th of July weekend, 2006. Lots of goats and some really nice billies spotted.

(You'll notice that the last 5 pictures, if placed side by side, would form a panoramic view of my location, to the west, south, and lastly east)

 

[THWAK1]

More pics from another mountain goat scouting trip up and into the Hellroaring area to scout and glass Middle, Iron, Wallace and Crow. Lots of goats seen in this area also. 4 days, 2006. Also spent a couple of days up around Monument and Baboon...wasn't worth my time or my tag!

 

[THWAK1]

After 3 scouting trips, the begining of my 2006 mountain goat season was delayed due to the Derby forest fire. Once they opened up the area I had my tag for, I decided on an area that held some nice goats and was accessible to my dad, as he decided to join me on my hunt. The weather was calling for lots of snow and I didn't want to get weathered out and eat my tag, so even though we carried in my bow and my rifle, I shot my 9 1/4" billy with my .300 Win Mag and 180 gr Barnes bullets. I saw some bigger billies in my preseason scouting, but the fact that my dad was able to join me on my hunt made this billy well worth the 14 year wait to draw the tag! 3 more years and I can start applying again...lol!

 

[kansasdad]

Noticed the "bear repellent" on your left hip in the map picture.