CO earlier and later seasons

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

For those more in the know I'm wondering about considerations between earlier and later seasons that I'm potentially not considering.

My impression is later season hides should be thicker/nicer but you're potentially gambling with weather problems. Also depending on the quality in the unit any known larger billys may already be harvested? Vice versa for earlier season, likely better weather, less developed hide, but goats aren't yet pressured or picked over?

 

[ckleeves]

Ya, I would say that covers it pretty well. It really depends on unit also, there are units that do become harder to access later and ones that are still pretty doable. Tag numbers play a huge role also, if there are real low tag numbers I’m not to worried about it being cherry picked but other units (you can figure out which one I’m talking about lol) there is no way I want a later season tag after 20 people have been in there.

Billy’s all hair out a little bit different, this is a sep 7th Billy and he isn’t short haired by any means.

This is a sep 8th Billy and he is still mohawked pretty good

My wife killed this Billy a week after this pic was taken and he had pretty darn good hair, knocking on 7-8” in places. Pic was taken sep 22.


From what I have seen anytime past mid September in most Colorado units you can find decent hair. Your gonna see some shorter and some longer but I feel like you would have to look pretty hard to find a mature Billy with truly bad hair.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

From what I have seen anytime past mid September in most Colorado units you can find decent hair. Your gonna see some shorter and some longer but I feel like you would have to look pretty hard to find a mature Billy with truly bad hair.

Great feedback, thanks. Basically unless you want easier draw odds don't bother holding out for the later hunt under the pretense of better coat is what I'm hearing.

 

[Coveyleader]

I like the 2nd seasons. hair is good enough, and weather is normally still decent.

Some units the goats really move a long ways once you get into later seasons from their summer hangouts.

I also don’t like bowhunting late.

Ive arrowed 3 Billies in CO all in September, all decent hair. It just depends on what you want out of your hunt. I’ve been on 4th season hunts and it can be rough depending on the units.

 

[Coveyleader]

2nd season hair.

 

[SW hunter]

I assume we’re talking billies. Theres nothing wrong with early season coats. Nobody but you and your hunting buddy would ever know the difference once its hanging on the wall.

I promise you will not care about the coat if you harvest one. You will be so excited. There is no disappointment involved.
Go with whichever gives you better odds.

 

[WCT3]

I didn't have any issues with the weather during 2nd season but that will obviously vary by area and year. However, I did see a lot more goats during summer scouting (last weekend I scouted was the day before 1st season opened). I think I would go for 1st season next time just due to the number of animals.

 

[Shadowden]

I hunted my goat first season due to concerns about weather. It was very easy to tell billies from nannies due to coat quality. I don't know how well nannies recover their hair between early and late season, but I liked having a pretty quick method of sorting animals. I was very happy with the hide, horns and full body mount the taxidermist did for me. He was aged at 4.5 yo. Mountain goat are amazing animals that live in amazing places.

 

[buffybr]

I've seen goats that are still shedding their previous winter's hair in August. They look like someone who just got a Mohawk haircut.

Because large goat horns start at 9", I think that a big part of their trophy quality is their long winter hair.

The Montana mountain goat season runs from early September through November. The year that I shot my goat I purposly left my tag at home when I went scouting them in September and October. I shot my goat on the 14th of November, it was -5* F and knee deep snow that day when I started up the mountain.

He did make a beautiful mount even though I only had a half mount of him done.

 

[strousek]

2nd season hair.

I actually took that picture opening day of first season.

 

[Fortboy22]

Early Sept season has the better weather (generally) and un-pressured goats. That's an advantage. The later Sept season is only a couple weeks later, so in my opinion, not much extra hair growth. Maybe comparing first day of 1st season with last day of 2nd season, there's time to see a greater difference. The 2nd season has greater chance of inclement weather... but generally if you get a snow storm, it tends to mostly melt out and not stick around quite yet The one advantage is that usually the 2nd hunt gives a slight draw odds bump.

 

[Coveyleader]

On a side note, there is a big difference between a front range goat unit and western slope/SW unit. I'm convinced you can get to goats in most of the front range units even if there is snow with some effort. Other side of the state, it could mean hunt over!

 

[Jimss]

You would be amazed at how quickly hair grows from the 1st through later season dates. Nannies get rid of their scraggly previous year's hair the longest into the fall while mature billies are the first to shed and grow long hair in the fall. If you want nice hair I would definitely advise a later season date even for mature billies. I've seen scrag still on nannies during the early seasons.

The downside of later season dates as mentioned above is access with deep snow. Some of the access two track roads may drift closed earlier in the season and remain closed through the remaining seasons. It may mean a longer hike in and out. Each year is obviously a little different and it could potentially snow any time. Most units along the Continental Divide can be a blizzard one day and blue skies the next. It can be tricky just about any month of the year....even in the summer months at 11,000 to 14,000' so take precautions!

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Another year to contemplate... next years application.