How common are B&C qualifying mountain goats?

[diamond10x]

Recently killed my first goat. A "trophy" billy in my opinion, and a "trophy" to most hunters probably at 6 yrs old scoring 47.25". The billy mine was with was a little bigger but was inaccessible. I saw plenty other billy's that were around the size of mine + or - an inch or two. This has me curious... are B&C qualifying goats fairly common or is it a pretty hard bar to reach no matter where they come from?

 

[FAAFO]

I’m not sure if anyone could answer that. Depends on the area etc. Some areas may produce a book goat every 10 years and some areas produce multiple in one year.

Regardless of the species a true record book animal is special and not that common.

Congrats on the goat!

 

[diamond10x]

I’m not sure if anyone could answer that. Depends on the area etc. Some areas may produce a book goat every 10 years and some areas produce multiple in one year.

Regardless of the species a true record book animal is special and not that common.

Congrats on the goat!

Goat is from AK and being a draw tag I would think the likelihood of getting one that is around that mark would be fairly common?

Seems the southeast registration hunts are hit or miss as far as trophy horn size?

 

[Coveyleader]

No such thing as an easy B&C anything. Maybe a moose in CO, but a B&C goat is not an easy task. Heck the amount of goats smashed after being shot, just having two horns intact is a blessing.

 

[FAAFO]

Goat is from AK and being a draw tag I would think the likelihood of getting one that is around that mark would be fairly common?

Seems the southeast registration hunts are hit or miss as far as trophy horn size?

Just my opinion but I don’t think a net book goat is more common in a draw tag vs OTC/registration in AK. Alaska doesn’t manage mt goats for trophy potential. Likely if it’s a draw it’s just to regulate harvest more closely due to ease of access etc.

I’ve seen a lot of book animals that are not book animals. The amount of shrink on many animals is exponentially higher once an official scorer picks it up. There’s a big difference between one that grosses book and nets book.

IIRC book is 50” on a mountain goat. Just not a lot of those running around.

 

[280Ackley]

Recently killed my first goat. A "trophy" billy in my opinion, and a "trophy" to most hunters probably at 6 yrs old scoring 47.25". The billy mine was with was a little bigger but was inaccessible. I saw plenty other billy's that were around the size of mine + or - an inch or two. This has me curious... are B&C qualifying goats fairly common or is it a pretty hard bar to reach no matter where they come from?

Is this measurement after or before the drying period?

 

[BrooksRanger]

It seems like you’re trying to find out where to find the biggest billies. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s almost like asking which specific units you should go hunt at.
As it pertains to mountain goats specifically, I think the most important thing to make it a real trophy is first to identify it as a Billy, and second respect the animal enough not to shoot it unless it is a Billy and recoverable. Once those two conditions are met, whatever size the horns are, it is a trophy of an animal.
The memories are really the only thing that matter in the end.

 

[Decker9]

Book goats aren’t hard to come by if in the right areas, ime. Often we see 4-5 year old goats make book in the coastal regions (BC).

Let’s hear the story on your trophy!! Congratulations!!!

 

[justin davis]

Definitely not in Colorado. They are few and far between here

 

[Jimss]

As Justin mentioned, B&C in Colo is just about impossible. There are only around a dozen listings from Colo. I helped a buddy get one years ago before the CPW started increasing tags and killing off older age class billies.

As Decker9 mentioned, B&C is quite common in the right locations in BC.

Alaska has a bunch of listings but they are still pretty tough to find. If you harvest one in Alaska you should be proud!

I would get bondo on them ASAP to prevent as much shrinkage as possible.

 

[Nick Muche]

I would get bondo on them ASAP to prevent as much shrinkage as possible.

I wouldn't, if you want it officially measured.

 

[Jimss]

Here is what I found in regard to horns and bondo:

Horn Preparation
Shrinkage of horns (pronghorns, goats, etc.) has been a concern of many trophy owners over the years. It is acceptable to remove horns from the skull, clean them, and then have them reset with bonding substance as long as the horns are not altered in the process. If a bonding substance is used to enhance the horn's circumference, the trophy may be disqualified.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Here is what I found in regard to horns and bondo:

Horn Preparation
Shrinkage of horns (pronghorns, goats, etc.) has been a concern of many trophy owners over the years. It is acceptable to remove horns from the skull, clean them, and then have them reset with bonding substance as long as the horns are not altered in the process. If a bonding substance is used to enhance the horn's circumference, the trophy may be disqualified.

Do folks actually use bondo to make horns bigger?

 

[Steve O]

99% of hunters have no idea what a net all time B&C animal looks like. Watching TV hunters definitely will give you a skewed perspective…their scores are almost always estimates and exaggerated. A B&C animal in the field will take your breath away and look almost fake. They are the cream of the crop and are very rare, no matter the species.

Mountain goat are the toughest to judge for B&C in the field for my money.

 

[Jimss]

Steve O is right about mtn goats being tough to field judge. In fact the average Joe often has trouble telling Nannie’s from billies. It is obviously an inches thing with goats. Getting relatively close with great optics certainly helps!

A 9” billy is pretty common but a 9 1/2+ billy is big. A billy with around 4 6/8” bases is fairly common but a billy with 5 4/8+ bases is exceptional.

Looking through the all time book the minimum to qualify is around 10” length and 5 4/8” bases. Obviously the mass has to continue all the way to the tips.

Some may be unaware, but I believe B&C also changed things a few years ago that if a critter breaks a tip and you find it that you can bring it in for scoring. The original length can be added rather than subtracted off the score. I hope that is the case because it certainly gives respect to an awesome critter!

Mtn goat horns are super thin at the bases. If someone tried to enlarge the bases it would split the horn at the bases. It would also be nearly impossible to enlarge a horn without looking obvious. I’m sure scorers are aware of this and immediately disqualify a billy.

 

[Jimss]

Here is a list of B&C policies:

Policies of the B&C Big Game Records Program

General Policies for the Boone and Crockett Club and Pope and Young Club Record Programs From How to

www.boone-crockett.org

 

[diamond10x]

Is this measurement after or before the drying period?

Net score before drying being broke on one side from falling

Book goats aren’t hard to come by if in the right areas, ime. Often we see 4-5 year old goats make book in the coastal regions (BC).

Let’s hear the story on your trophy!! Congratulations!!!

This is kind of what I suspected especially if they are allowed to get at least some age to them. I’ve always knows BC was the place for big goats but wasn’t sure if other places had consistently produced them or not. Thanks, I might do a short write up on it. It was my first goat and goat hunt and it got me addicted and now scheming so I can hung them every year.

Steve O is right about mtn goats being tough to field judge. In fact the average Joe often has trouble telling Nannie’s from billies. It is obviously an inches thing with goats. Getting relatively close with great optics certainly helps!

A 9” billy is pretty common but a 9 1/2+ billy is big. A billy with around 4 6/8” bases is fairly common but a billy with 5 4/8+ bases is exceptional.

Looking through the all time book the minimum to qualify is around 10” length and 5 4/8” bases. Obviously the mass has to continue all the way to the tips.

Some may be unaware, but I believe B&C also changed things a few years ago that if a critter breaks a tip and you find it that you can bring it in for scoring. The original length can be added rather than subtracted off the score. I hope that is the case because it certainly gives respect to an awesome critter!

Mtn goat horns are super thin at the bases. If someone tried to enlarge the bases it would split the horn at the bases. It would also be nearly impossible to enlarge a horn without looking obvious. I’m sure scorers are aware of this and immediately disqualify a billy.

I’m by no means great at field judging other than what’s mature and sub mature. I brought up the question/thought because while I was hunting I saw several goats that were bigger than what I killed but there was no possible way to be able to retrieve them. Minimum is 47” and all time is 50” for B&C.

I just wanted a mature Billy was my goal. When I checked him in the person taking samples made a comment that he was a nice one, I didn’t think too much about it and just thought he was an average Billy. Looking at pics of other goats and the scores people claimed made me put a tape to mine, and was pretty shocked. I guess my reasoning I ask is because I don’t/didn’t know if I had a truly special goat or just something that is pretty typical if you kill a goat that’s mature and has horns the length of its nose to the end of its eye.

 

[Jimss]

It doesn’t seem like Alaska goats get much respect from Alaska res but that may be changing as dall sheep numbers seem to be dwindling. Most AK res seem more interested in sheep and moose. I’ve seen BC prices starting around $15k and going up to around $28k.

I always thought when I was growing up I would be able to afford these type of hunts. I’m getting close to retirement age and still can’t afford these hunts! I guess I could move to Alaska or get a 2nd job!

Unless a nonres has a relative, guided goat hunts are close to the price of what guided sheep hunts were not too many years ago.

 

[FAAFO]

It doesn’t seem like Alaska goats get much respect from Alaska res but that may be changing as dall sheep numbers seem to be dwindling. Most AK res seem more interested in sheep and moose. I’ve seen BC prices starting around $15k and going up to around $28k.

I always thought when I was growing up I would be able to afford these type of hunts. I’m getting close to retirement age and still can’t afford these hunts! I guess I could move to Alaska or get a 2nd job!

Unless a nonres has a relative, guided goat hunts are close to the price of what guided sheep hunts were not too many years ago.

Plenty of residents hunt goats and mt goats get just as much respect as any other animal. Not sure where you are getting your info or perspective.

Of course more residents hunt moose . For one thing they cover a lot more of the state. They taste better, provide more meat, etc. A lot of the moose hunting done falls under subsistence. While there is subsistence mt goat hunting it’s only in a small part of the state.

That’s too bad you can’t afford an alaska mountain goat hunt. But what hunt hasn’t went up in price over time? Of course they are the price sheep hunts where 15 years ago. It would only be abnormal if they were the same price as sheep hunts currently are.

 

[Jimss]

I definitely can’t afford a guided sheep hunt but that doesn’t mean I haven’t hunted them. I was just making a point that both guided sheep and mtn goat hunts are extremely expensive, which isn’t a surprise.

I’m fortunate to have a next of kin relative in Alaska. Ive been lucky in the draw and have drawn 2 dall sheep and multiple mt goat tags.

I have family and friends in Alaska and they aren’t really that excited about hunting mtn goats. The Alaska res goat draw odds are a testiment that overall there is high demand for goat tags.