I drew a Wyoming Mountain goat tag!! Any advice?

[HARPERC]

A good base camp is a helpful thing, and could keep him close.

Even a hardcore crew sometimes needs a recovery day.

 

[L.Sherm]

Try to stay above them when hunting goats, there typically looking for danger below them and the thermals can blow them out if they smell you.

 

[memtb]

First.......Congratulations! I wish you great success and lasting memories!

Secondly.......I'm envious, saddened, angered and maybe a little nauseous ! I've been trying for in excess of 30 years! Hopefully when/if I ever draw.....I can maneuver my walker around in the mountains! memtb

 

[BillLarson]

I am still in disbelief, but I checked the results today, and successful!!!

Area 4, the west side of the Grand Teton mountain range. I am a resident,, so the guide requirement in wilderness area is not a concern. I know this area is slightly different than the others, and I am going to spend the next 3 months scouting it out. I plan on contacting the local biologist and game warden for any tips, but has anyone here hunted the area or know someone that has? Or anyone that has hiked the mountains? I know grizzlies will be a concern, but I have never hunted goats, nor that area.

So, anybody have any insight?

Get your legs in shape.go high and lite.you can live on Jerry and water for a few days...

 

[whirlwindjml]

Get the credit card out and do a scout trip. I think finding the habitat they home in will be easy. Getting yourself positioned will be harder physically. I am excited for you.

 

[hunter67wa]

Cody, I know someone that drew that tag in the past. I will get a hold of them to get you some particular's.

 

[WYODAN]

Brother and I drew above Cody back to back the last two years. The hardest part was catching them in a spot you could actually retrieve them in. And get in shape.

 

[L.Sherm]

Taking some rope might be a good idea also

 

[P7M13]

Congratulations!
Given you're a WY resident, the acclimation shouldn't be that bad for you.
It's been a while since I've scrambled around the Tetons, and I don't know jack about goats.
That said, be wary of bunny huggers and tour-ons (tourist morons) on the Teton Crest trail (if you go that high). But, if you want to go the hard way (i.e. hike up), you can also use it to your advantage. There are plenty of trails from the east side where you can come up over the top in a morning's hike and then come down the west slope.
There used to be a weather station (IIRC NE of Driggs) where you could drive right up to 9K.
I always appreciated the marked difference between the East face (dramatic) and the west slopes (grassy and rolling). The west slopes remind me of the grassy meadows below Old Snowy in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, where you'd see goats at 1K+
Good luck!

 

[L.Sherm]

I'm envious Cody, 30 years ive been trying here in Montana.
Above all else stay safe and have fun!!
I've had the chance last 15 years to go on 2 friends goat hunts at 60 mine if I ever draw will probably be the last

 

[bullet man]

dam I hope you have some meat left, they are smaller than deer so that seems like overkill to me have fun and congratulations

 

[Chadp82]

Congrats on the tag! Best of luck!

 

[NoTasker]

I've been lucky to get two goats in the past couple of years (BC in 2017 and draw tag in Utah in 2020). One of the first things I'd recommend is to be able to determine the difference between a nanny and a billy. Also - you might want to join the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance (https://goatalliance.org/) as they are all about goats and I'd bet they have some folks that could provide pointers for the area you drew.

Here is one video they created specifically for identifying billies and nannies:

Here is another link to an identification quiz on goats: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/goathunting/pdfs/goat_long_quiz_for_web.pdf

Congrats on your tag!

 

[antelopedundee]

See if you can find anyone who previously drew a tag.
Since these are so rare, previous hunters are much more likely to be free with information since they'll probably never use it again.
They're your best source.

WGFD usually posts lists of those who drew tags so it shouldn't be too hard to find someone who has hunted that area previously.