Applying for my first tag this year

[flatlander51]

I'm finally in the position to start playing the tag game and I was wondering what states I should really consider for a goat hunt. I'm def. gonna apply for Idaho and buy a point for wy. Are there any other states I should look at? Or should I save all my money and just go to Canada or Alaska when I'm ready? Thanks

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I would put in for Washington and Utah as well. Both are cheap to apply.

 

[rpm4463]

Put in for Montana (cheap tags) and Colorado also. You must have 3 points in CO before you get in the draw but that is part of the game. I've been applying in Idaho, Montana, and Colorado for the past two years. I've looked at hunting in Alaska and BC and most of the prices are around $10k+travel and possible trophy fees. If you are young and have the money go to AK or BC. Once you get married and have kids your chances dwindle very quickly.

 

[flatlander51]

Well to late for not being married and having kids. I'm only 28 but baby # 4 will be here in two months. Ten grand is quite pricey I just might have to try and draw a tag in the lower 48 then when the kids are grown if I haven't drawn yet I can head north. Thanks for the advice.

 

[NDHunter]

I'm finally in the position to start playing the tag game and I was wondering what states I should really consider for a goat hunt. I'm def. gonna apply for Idaho and buy a point for wy. Are there any other states I should look at? Or should I save all my money and just go to Canada or Alaska when I'm ready? Thanks

Wyoming is strictly a random draw for mountain goats and Idaho you have to buy a $150 non refundable license and can't apply for anything else. Just some FYI...

 

[flatlander51]

I didn't know wy was random ND, thanks!

 

[shanevg]

Mountain goats are my passion and I can't wait to hunt them. As far as applying...

WA has huge goats and awesome hunts but very few tags. Your best odds are going to be 1 in 750 and you are a LONG ways behind in the points game considering here are hundreds of applicants with 15, 16, or 17 points that are getting their points squared every single year.

ID has great draw odds but as previously stated as NR you have to buy a hunting license (roughly $150) that is non-refundable. If you are going to be hunting ID anyways, not a bad investment, otherwise it gets pricey. ID does not have a point system which gives all applicants the same chance but NR can only get up to 10% of the tags. Also, if you apply for goat you cannot apply for any other species in ID that year.

MT has a lot of hunts with decent odds and tags are cheap. They just started squaring points which is really going to shoot the odds for people just starting to apply but you got to start somewhere.

OR does not allow applicants for NR. Hopefully that changes soon as they have some great hunts.

WY has some good odds (better than 1 in 100) but it is completely random. No points at all.

NV has horrible odds but it only costs an extra $5 or $10 bucks to apply for goat if you are already applying for other species there.

UT has some very good hunts but odds are not great. They are one of the few states that has a nanny tag with some OK odds on those hunts (1 in 80 or so). Again, if you are going to be applying there for other species you might as well apply for goat as it only costs an extra $5.

CO is probably your best bet. You have to apply for 3 years to even be eligible (although a NR drew a tag in 2011 with less than 3 preference points as the hunt was undersubscribed.) Once you have your 3 points there are 4 or 5 hunts that actually give you decent odds of getting drawn including a couple of nanny hunts.

Outside of that you are left applying for raffle tags in the different states, bidding on governor tags, or going to BC or AK for a hunt. If you get in touch with a number of outfitters you may be able to get a last minute cancellation hunt in the $6-7k range.

I'm pretty much taking advantage of all of the above options I just don't have the cash to fork over for a guided hunt at this point in my life. Hopefully I can get drawn for a tag sooner rather than later!

 

[flatlander51]

Thanks for your reply Shane you just saved me hours worth of research. Now I can focus in which ones to start applying for. Thanks again for the great information it's greatly appreciated and good luck to you on your quest for a goat.

 

[shanevg]

Feel free to PM me with any more specific questions. As you can tell I'm kind of obsessed with goats!

 

[NDHunter]

Thanks for your reply Shane you just saved me hours worth of research.

That is a very true statement and was an excellent post by him. Just a few things to add. In NV, you'll have to buy a $140 non refundable license to apply. If you do that, you might as well apply for other species too. That'll cost you about $15 or so per species. In CO, it is a paper app only and you MUST have the sheep goat and moose booklet to get the app. You CANNOT download it online. Request the booklet from the DOW. Like Shane said, you will have to get 3 points before your name goes in the hat. Then after that it is a crazy messed up system as to who gets drawn. Also, you'll have to submit the full cost of the tag to apply, around $1,900 or so but there is no bonus point fee. Also for Idaho, I'm pretty sure you can only get one mountain goat, sheep and moose tag in your life. So you better apply in a unit that you will forever be satisfied if you are drawn. If I'm wrong about that though, someone please correct me. Good luck!

 

[shanevg]

I'm pretty sure that in ID you can only harvest one goat/sheep/cow moose/bull moose in your lifetime but if you don't harvest then you can keep applying. An ID res could probably pitch in and let us know for sure.

 

[MTNRCHR]

Alaskan Frontier Guides has a first rate operation and is alot cheaper than 10K.

 

[flatlander51]

Mntrchr pm sent

 

[MTNRCHR]

I cant reply till you make room in your PM box flatlander.

 

[MTNRCHR]

Not sure what this years prices are but contact Ben Stevenson on Alaskan Frontier Guides web site. He can work something out for ya.

 

[weaver]

I'm pretty sure that in ID you can only harvest one goat/sheep/cow moose/bull moose in your lifetime but if you don't harvest then you can keep applying. An ID res could probably pitch in and let us know for sure.

Yes this is correct except there are usually some cow moose tag leftovers that anyone can apply for whether they have harvested a moose or not. I dont know if id continue applying if i dropped over 2 grand on a tag and didnt fill it:banghead:

 

[flatlander51]

Pm box is clear

 

[TooFarEast]

wyoming

Quick question on Wyoming. The random draw sounds good, but how much of the goat country overlaps with Wilderness Areas? Because you can't hunt a wilderness area without a guide correct?

 

[robby denning]

ID has great draw odds but as previously stated as NR you have to buy a hunting license (roughly $150) that is non-refundable. If you are going to be hunting ID anyways, not a bad investment, otherwise it gets pricey. ID does not have a point system which gives all applicants the same chance but NR can only get up to 10% of the tags. Also, if you apply for goat you cannot apply for any other species in ID that year.

I'd give an "Amen" to that and add this:

You CAN apply for Idaho's unlimited controlled hunts for deer and elk even if you apply for goat in the same year. This limits you to way less units (and is why our goat draw odds are pretty good) but makes the $150 license purchase requirement a little easier to swallow.

Obviously you'd want to apply for the unlimited hunts that are close to your intended goat units then you could combine an elk or a deer hunt with a scouting trip for goats. With this strategy, you'd be way ahead if you finally drew a goat tag. Our goat populations seem to remain pretty stable, so scouting years ahead likely won't be a waste.

If you draw the unlimited tag, you don't have to pick it up (and spend the tag fee) unless you are going hunting for sure, so if you don't go, you don't lose that tag fee.

 

[flatlander51]

Let me make sure I'm understanding this right. In ID i can apply for deer and/or elk the same year I apply for goat just not two trophy species in the same year right?