Mountain goat now, or sheep later.. maybe never

[Folically_Challenged]

I took a Dall sheep in 2011, then a goat in 2017. The goat hunt was far harder. I harvested a majestic creature, and I don’t feel that he, or the experience, took a backseat to the sheep in any way. If I had not been able to get a sheep tag for 2024, I would’ve hunted a goat again, instead.

The “tender” age of 38 offers you the best opportunity to be in fine physical shape for a hunt. While certainly not impossible, it gets harder from there on out. It’s also my understanding that goat hunts have generally higher odds of success than sheep hunts.

You very well may find that the goat hunt gives you the drive to then pursue a sheep hunt. Once your mind decides to do it, you might be shocked to see how it goes about arranging your life to make that hunt happen.

Send pics of the adventures!

FC

 

[Sitkaspruce]

Go Goat Hunting....before you can't. When I was guiding for them, we called them the Poor Man's Sheep Hunt...LOL

Most people who hunted them had a whole new respect for Mt. Goats. They live where most sheep don't, you have to be in great shape to chase them, they are hard to kill and the meat is pretty damn good!

Go later in the year, the coats/hair are much better.

Get in good shape, get good, comfortable broken-in boots and a good pack that can handle some weight. Practice shooting up to 500 yards, practice shooting up hill and down hill at steep angles and learn the bullet drop at angles. You bring good bino's and the guide should bring the spotting scope (and bino's). A hint....don't sit back and let the guide do everything, help out packing the camp/food, the goat and other equipment as needed. Your guide will appreciate it, trust me...

Either BC or Alaska will produce good goats. The coast seems to have bigger goats, but don't say no to the interior of BC for goats. Some unsung country holds some great goats with limited access.

Good luck on your quest.

Cheers

SS

 

[Decker9]

Sheep hunting is for retired goat hunters.

Goats will take the cake any day of the week in my eyes. I’d take 2 goat hunts over a sheep hunt.

 

[FAAFO]

Goat are probably the easiest animal to kill. To make it any type of a hunt one should consider a bow or rock. After the hunt you can use the rock to try to tenderize the meat, because you’re going to need it. That’s right, they are easy to kill but the meat is not desirable. It’s the mountain goats revenge.

Honestly no one dreams of a mt goat hunt. They end up on one because they can’t afford sheep or if they are a resident connect the dots to get a ram.

As far as trophy quality no one walks into a trophy room and sees the mountain goat and comments on it. Even the WR mountain goat is not impressive. Not even the size of a big ewe. Even people that say they hunt MG over sheep will have a sheep as their avatar if they killed one. Goat horns are that pathetic. As a skull mount they look like something from grandpas farm. Or ranch if you live in the west.

Do yourself a favor, if you are spending money go shoot a sheep. A MT goat has NEVER made anyone happy if they have to pick one or the other.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Goat are probably the easiest animal to kill. To make it any type of a hunt one should consider a bow or rock. After the hunt you can use the rock to try to tenderize the meat, because you’re going to need it. That’s right, they are easy to kill but the meat is not desirable. It’s the mountain goats revenge.

Honestly no one dreams of a mt goat hunt. They end up on one because they can’t afford sheep or if they are a resident connect the dots to get a ram.

As far as trophy quality no one walks into a trophy room and sees the mountain goat and comments on it. Even the WR mountain goat is not impressive. Not even the size of a big ewe. Even people that say they hunt MG over sheep will have a sheep as their avatar if they killed one. Goat horns are that pathetic. As a skull mount they look like something from grandpas farm. Or ranch if you live in the west.

Do yourself a favor, if you are spending money go shoot a sheep. A MT goat has NEVER made anyone happy if they have to pick one or the other.

I mean, are you actually serious? Of course reading in satire, this is funny as hell. But in seriousness this is one of the more ignorant comments I have read in a while. Your point is masked by all of the overly insulting statements. You can't possibly know what other people aspire to or why. Goats themselves are hard to kill in accessible places - in many places the challenge is getting to them, not killing them. Where they live is unlike where any other hooved animal is carving out a life. Their social structure and habits are quite unique.

I mean I'm with you as far as sheep horns, they are incredible. But sheep die easy. And having been with multiple billys and a ewe bighorn, I'm here to tell you they are just built different, and there are most certainly billys that are much larger than ewes.

Meat: depends on the animal of course. Fresh steak has some incredible flavor. The ground is not bad.

I would take a sheep hunt over a goat, personally, if I could choose between the two straight up without financial consequence. Especially a large bighorn. That isn't really a thing though, and goats are a lot more accessible in terms of "buying" hunts/tags.

 

[9.1]

I mean, are you actually serious?

It's common for hunters to spread misinformation about hunts online to keep strangers from crowding their spots or driving the prices of hunts and tags up. Never trust anything you read on a hunting forum.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Goat are probably the easiest animal to kill. To make it any type of a hunt one should consider a bow or rock. After the hunt you can use the rock to try to tenderize the meat, because you’re going to need it. That’s right, they are easy to kill but the meat is not desirable. It’s the mountain goats revenge.

Honestly no one dreams of a mt goat hunt. They end up on one because they can’t afford sheep or if they are a resident connect the dots to get a ram.

As far as trophy quality no one walks into a trophy room and sees the mountain goat and comments on it. Even the WR mountain goat is not impressive. Not even the size of a big ewe. Even people that say they hunt MG over sheep will have a sheep as their avatar if they killed one. Goat horns are that pathetic. As a skull mount they look like something from grandpas farm. Or ranch if you live in the west.

Do yourself a favor, if you are spending money go shoot a sheep. A MT goat has NEVER made anyone happy if they have to pick one or the other.

Thanks for your absolutely worthless response. Every post has that one guy, and today that guy is you

 

[Mdfowlman2]

It's common for hunters to spread misinformation about hunts online to keep strangers from crowding their spots or driving the prices of hunts and tags up. Never trust anything you read on a hunting forum.

not sure that makes sense in this situation, I didn't as much as mentioned the country or state id be hunting in

 

[Navaluk]

I don't think there is wrong answer on sheep v. goat. Really up to you. I will give you my two cents. I have hunted RM and Desert sheep. I have hunted Mountain goat three times. I would rather hunt mountain goat if the hunting experience is the measure. It's not even a close question. As they say you have to hunt up through the sheep to even get to goat country.
You should be applying every year in the draws you can afford in the lower 48. For mountain goat you should at least apply in Idaho if no other state. You can look into adding other states, or if you are really into it you could move to Montana and apply there as a resident and Idaho as a nonresident for mountain goat. Better yet move to Alaska. Just depends on how much you are willing to give up to attain your goal.