Help me age this goat

[ketchadeer]

Alright armchair biologists/wannabe goat experts like myself, how old is this goat? I realize unless in hand it is harder to tell, but humor me. Almost everyone I asked says a different age. I was completely off with my guess stacking up against the local biologists.

As you may already know, here in Alaska when a goat is reported the local biologists record a "confidence level" of A, B, C decreasing in order of certainty. They ended up circling C meaning hard to tell/not super confident with their answer.

 

[as.ks.ak]

I would say 9 for sure and could see argument for more.

Those mature billies with horn rot make it really difficult to ever discern exactly how old they are using the annuli.

Either way, great goat! What were measurements?


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[Antares]

Boy, that's a tough one for me. Horn rot plus false annuli. I'd say 8 at least. Love the mass. Can we see a pic of the whole animal? Looks like he was a good one! Nice work!

 

[mtnrunner260]

Great looking goat.
Between 8 and 10? Can see why the confidence level was lower.
Be a good one to send a tooth in for an age.

 

[ketchadeer]

Thank you for the kind words.

Here he is with my kid. For reference my kid is around 100 pounds.

Not very long at 9 1/2”, bases measured at 5 1/2”.

Also attached a pic of his teeth or what was left of them.

He just appeared arthritic in how he walked and had some pus pockets from injuries? I thought he was a few years older but fish and game (a few were at the desk) all came back with 8, 9 and 10 agreeing with you guys.

Good call on sending a tooth in. I just read an older post mentioning Matson’s lab in Montana. I’m going to do just that, I have some others I want checked too.

Nothing like paying money to prove myself wrong, haha. Happens with the wife all the time so I’m used to it.

 

[Decker9]

That’s a heck of a fine Billy!! Congratulations! I was about the same age as your son when my dad took me for my first goat, iv been addicted to goats and mountains ever since lol.

When im judging goats, I always say an old goat, moves like an old dog. We all know how slow and methodical our old dogs get.

I’m seeing 10/11 years (starting at the 4th year) , but boy it’s tough to tell. Just know you took probably the best Billy in the area to take!! I bet he’s had a few toothaches in his day.

Any plans for a mount?

 

[AK Troutbum]

My guess is 9ish. Very nice early season billy indeed!

 

[Andrew11]

I am in the 9.5/10.5 camp. Hard to tell though, gets tight towards the base. Old goat for sure. Be interesting to see what the tooth ages at