Mountain goat now, or sheep later.. maybe never

[Mdfowlman2]

I’ll try to make this shirt and sweet. Like many of you I’ve dreamt of a Bighorn Sheep hunt since I was a very young boy,with mountain goat being a distant second choice. unfortunately I didn’t get into the point game 25yrs ago like I should’ve, so I’m stuck with BC as my only option.
Fast forward, I’m 38 and feeling the pressure to “shit or get off the pot” on the big mountain hunts, I have almost pulled the trigger on booking a mountain goat hunt because from what I see sheep hunts are maybe out of my price range $20-$25k, but the mountain goat hunts are less and quite doable.
Question is do I go on the mountain goat hunt now and likely have to squash the sheep hunt idea or wait and potentially never make it on the sheep hunt or mountain goat hunt ?
Also anyone know of any “affordable”(in sheep terms) outfitters in BC?

 

[cbeard64]

I’m not aware of any bighorn hunt within your price range (unless maybe if you are a BC resident).
I will say this about mountain goats: I have taken all 4 sheep and have always had sheep fever. But I drew a WY mountain goat tag in 2018 and it’s that goat that hangs above my fireplace. I loved that hunt every bit as much as my sheep hunts. They are incredible animals. IMO they don’t take a backseat to any animal and are the best bargain in North American hunting.

 

[z987k]

People also say Mt. Goat doesn't taste very good, but my goats have all been incredible. Use them exactly like you would sheep. Steaks, shanks, frenched roasts, make the grind into gyros and kafta, etc.
Sheep is better, but goat is right there.
I like the fur on the goat more to, especially if you're not one to spring for a full body. Just get a really nice soft tan done and it's an amazing blanket.

 

[North River]

I guided sheep hunts for 6 years and was big sheep snob. Goats were a second class citizen. Sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell. Then I moved to goat country and hunted them because I had to. Too far from sheep country. Demeaning.

They grow on you. They’re actually an amazing animal that can thrive where sheep can’t tread. Meat can be good or bad depending, but I’ll take good goat over any sheep. It’s now my personal hunt of choice. And I hunt them every year and look forward to it. I guess I’ve slipped from the heavens and fallen far bellow…. But WTH it’s good fun.

 

[North River]

The only trophy I have on my wall

 

[Scottf270]

I have never hunted sheep or goat but have had to make decisions on what animals I hunted based on money constraints. My advice is this.
Do some sole searching and really decide what animals trip your trigger. I would then put all my effort and resources on the top one. None of them are gonna get easier or cheaper.
At times, because my top animal seemed so far away, I hunted lesser animals to fill in the gaps. While I enjoyed these hunts all it did was put me further behind on the animal and hunts I really wanted.
I will say that sometimes your wants and desires change and that's okay. Life is not constant and neither are we. And in the end, I guess there are no wrong choices.
I will also say this. Go on the best hunt in the best area with the best guide you can. I have failed miserably at mt. lion hunting. I have had no luck at all. I started in 2002 and have been on numerous hunts and spent well over $20,000 and still don't have a big tom.
I hesitated on a guy around 2010 that was $8,000 when everyone else was $4,500. He's now $15,000 which is what my 2010 moose hunt was in NWT. It's great when you go on a cheaper hunt and have success but it can cost you more in the long run if you fail.
Main thing is, chase your dreams and live your life. You only get one.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Go on mountain goat hunt. Don't wait. Do it while you can and enjoy

 

[TheGrayRider]

Only you can make those decisions after careful thought, planning, and consideration.

Alaska dall sheep hunt (Brooks Range) - 190 days, 17 hours, and 20 minutes…but who is counting?

Very blessed, grateful, and thankful for the opportunity to return to hunt in sheep country. Truly majestic animals in beautiful and wild terrain.

Nothing gets cheaper or easier over time. And remember, you can’t take it with ya! Happy hunting to all, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[9.1]

The earlier you make your memories, the longer you'll have to enjoy them.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

The earlier you make your memories, the longer you'll have to enjoy them.

That’s an incredible quote and outlook!

 

[ReddingArcher]

I haven’t hunted goats yet, but plan to. On my way back from my NWT hunt this year I was talking to a guy in the Norman Wells airport who had also been on a sheep hunt, I want to say it was something like his tenth sheep, he said he was done sheep hunting and going to hunt goats from there on out. You can do 2-3 goat hunts for the price of a sheep hunt he figured. I asked if mountain goats scratched the itch like sheep do and he said absolutely.
You have to figure out what is going to make you happy in the long run. If you go in a goat hunt I’m sure it will be an amazing adventure but are you going to have any regrets if it makes you miss out on a sheep hunt?