What would be the best advise for NR DYI Mountain Goat hunt with no points?

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

I don't know if I qualify to even ask this question; but I can't stop dreaming about a DYI Mountain Goat hunt. I have 0 points and middle aged. Any advise on the best way to do this would be appreciated.

 

[rmyoung1]

Not to be a downer, but you’re gonna have to get lucky. As a middle-aged dude with no points, it’ll take a lot of good fortune to pull a tag in the Lower 48 before Father Time catches up with you. I’d look to nanny-only tags and apply everywhere possible if it means a lot to you. And then I’d start saving for an Alaska hunt concurrently. They’re one of a kind, and hunting them is a grand experience. Best of luck.
Do you live in a state with goat seasons? Obviously, that would help out.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Not to be a downer, but you’re gonna have to get lucky. As a middle-aged dude with no points, it’ll take a lot of good fortune to pull a tag in the Lower 48 before Father Time catches up with you. I’d look to nanny-only tags and apply everywhere possible if it means a lot to you. And then I’d start saving for an Alaska hunt concurrently. They’re one of a kind, and hunting them is a grand experience. Best of luck.
Do you live in a state with goat seasons? Obviously, that would help out.

Unfortunately, I don't live in a Goat State. I was trying in earnest to convince my Wife to move to Alaska after our last child graduates high school, but those Alaska TV shows kind of put a nail in that coffin. Something about the bugs and how everything in those Alaska shows seem to involve death or dismemberment. So, I've been working on her for Montana and WY as options.

I know that it's going to be a bit of a wild card as I should have applied in my 20s. I have certainly been looking into AK and BC guided hunts. I'm not opposed to booking a guided hunt but Covid kind of put a wrinkle in the finances for now. Even still, the dream is a DYI hunt in the wilderness mountains. I personally just get more out of that type of experience.

I'm just looking for the best advise of local knowledge given any best possible chance.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

P.S. I could use any legal weapon. I'd use a sling shot if I had to.

 

[BigHornRam]

Non resident status makes these odds suck even more but this would be your best bet.

Drawing Odds | Idaho Fish and Game

The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location.

fishandgame.idaho.gov

Last year was about 1 in 75 odds for non residents.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Non resident status makes these odds suck even more but this would be your best bet.

Drawing Odds | Idaho Fish and Game

The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location.

fishandgame.idaho.gov

thank you

 

[Red Fox]

Without any points other than saving and going on a guided hunt Idaho maybe your best bet. But you need to be really lucky, saving the cost to apply each year you will be able to pay for a guide before ever drawing. you are looking at less than 1% and having to front the cost upfront just to apply

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Non resident status makes these odds suck even more but this would be your best bet.

Drawing Odds | Idaho Fish and Game

The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location.

fishandgame.idaho.gov

Last year was about 1 in 75 odds for non residents.

Somehow 1 in 75 doesn't' actually sound that bad. Maybe I have a sickness?

 

[Bambistew]

If it was me, I'd book a hunt and go to Kodiak. Odds are you'll be too old and worn out before you ever draw a tag, if you draw one. You can also hunt deer as well. Start making connections and figure out logistics, get on cancelation lists. You can do it for $10k all in. A goat tag if you ever draw will cost to $2-3k, plus how many years of points and applying in all the states you can (which isn't many), for a handful of tags just to increase your odds. I think there is maybe 60-80 NR goat tags available in the L48, if that. You'll be eating $1000-1500/yr+/- for "points" and application fees, etc if you are serious about drawing. There are 10,000+ people ahead of you with points all chasing that one dream hunt. Odds are way stacked against you

No shame in a guided hunt.

 

[Bambistew]

Somehow 1 in 75 doesn't' actually sound that bad. Maybe I have a sickness?

you might want to dig into those odds a little more. It could be 1:75 or 0:75 depending on the quota and how the draw works. I don't think ID sets aside a specific # of NR goat tags. I haven't applied there in years, but they didn't used to. MT is "up to" 10%, and it usually works out to be 5-7% of the tags got to NR.

 

[Bgriffith]

I know they are even worse odds then ID but Oregon has no points for mountain goat as well...

 

[Hunt West]

Solid advice from bambistew.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

If it was me, I'd book a hunt and go to Kodiak. Odds are you'll be too old and worn out before you ever draw a tag, if you draw one. You can also hunt deer as well. Start making connections and figure out logistics, get on cancelation lists. You can do it for $10k all in. A goat tag if you ever draw will cost to $2-3k, plus how many years of points and applying in all the states you can (which isn't many), for a handful of tags just to increase your odds. I think there is maybe 60-80 NR goat tags available in the L48, if that. You'll be eating $1000-1500/yr+/- for "points" and application fees, etc if you are serious about drawing. There are 10,000+ people ahead of you with points all chasing that one dream hunt. Odds are way stacked against you

No shame in a guided hunt.

Thank you - I'm kind of planning on AK hunt anyway. I love the vastness and harshness of it. I just wish there were a non-guided option.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Please understand that I don't have anything against a guide who provides a service. I just want to feel like I earned it. Granted the physical aspect of the hunt would normally make anyone feel like they earned it; but I honestly get more out of the strategy and figuring it all out, than I do the necessarily with just the kill.

I'm plagiarizing or assimilating some previous statement from someone else here, but can't remember who: I don't hunt to kill an animal. The food is important to me but, I really kill an animal in order to have hunted.

 

[BigHornRam]

Somehow 1 in 75 doesn't' actually sound that bad. Maybe I have a sickness?

Idaho is up to 10% for NR. They gave out 47 tags in 2020 so max NR goat tags would be 4. About 150 NR applied but only 2 drew, hence the 1 in 75 odds I mentioned. If 4 drew the odds would have been 1 in 37.5. Still low but not impossible. Worse habits to waste your money on IMO.

 

[mtmuley]

I want to hunt one in the Bitterroot. The OP has better odds in Idaho than I do. mtmuley

 

[BigHornRam]

I want to hunt one in the Bitterroot. The OP has better odds in Idaho than I do. mtmuley

Bitterroot goes into Idaho. Nothing stopping you from putting in for Montana and Idaho, Muley.

 

[mtmuley]

Bitterroot goes into Idaho. Nothing stopping you from putting in for Montana and Idaho, Muley.

Nope. You are right. I want to kill a goat in Montana. mtmuley

 

[HighDesertSage]

I would do what Bambistew suggested 1st, if that's not going to work for you, look at Nanny hunts in CO. Your odds will be decent after ten years.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

For a sure chance at a DIY goat hunt, you have two options:

1. Create a time machine and go back in time and buy points.
2. Move to Alaska.

I would consider saving for a guided hunt and keeping an eye out for cancellation deals.

You best odds of drawing a tag is Idaho. You will have to front fees and be out $330 nonrefundable just to apply. Idaho will continue to raise this price. If odds stay the same, and they won't (they will get worse) you have more of a chance of not drawing. If the price stays the same, and it won't, you'll spend $10,000 in fees over the next 30 years and still most likely won't get a tag.

They are one of two states without a point system, and newcomers to the application game will do one of two things: continue to drive the price up so high it is ridiculous or get so many NR applicants the odds tank and become worse than just starting in a point state.

Colorado is no longer a viable option with several thousand more people entering as 3-0 point holders in the next few years. Many will be trying for one of two nanny tags given to nonresidents because they have best odds.