Olympic National Park Goat Culling Oportunity.

[Sockeye66]

I'm with MZmoose on this one, I live on the South end of the Olympics and as much as I'd like to take a goat it should be an opportunity for those putting in for those hunts year after yesr.. WDFW doesn't operate with vision on anything other than razor clams.

 

[MZmoose]

If you draw a permit in WA and you harvest one you are required to take the meat. I'm not sure about the goat rope they're planning in the Olympic National park slaughter. And I agree it may not be much of a hunt if the goats have no fear of man. I'm going to hope I draw a permit while I'm still in good enough shape to get one on a real hunt.

 

[DNADave]

One wrinkle is that while going through the application process, this hunt is being run through and by the National Park Service, not WDFW. I agree it's not fair to everyone who's put in for a tag for years. When the NPS first started airlifting goats out of the park, the NPS said there would come a time when the remaining, difficult to get goats would have to be lethally removed. I had thought that would mean a special hunt we all could apply for through WDFW. That doesn't seem to be the way NPS wants to run this.

 

[codyadams]

Better than what they did here in Wyoming, the feds came in and shot them down from choppers and left them, with zero opportunity for the public to harvest the animals. I have wanted a mountain goat tag for years as well, but Wyoming draw odds range from about .01% - .04% for residents, with no preference point accumulation. What they are doing here might not be perfect, but it's an improvement. I wish they would have done this instead in Wyoming.

My group is applying for it because if we get selected, at least we know our group will for sure harvest the meat and utilize the resources, and it will be a 10 day pack trip hunt 15+ miles back into the wilderness in absolutely beautiful territory. The only thing different from any other mountain goat hunt, will be the legal quantity of animals that can be taken. And the animals won't go to waste like what they did in my home state. I feel part of the reason they are spending the extra time and money to offer it to the public instead of just gunning them down on their own is because of the uproar that the sportsman of Wyoming (and likely elswhere) made about them wasting the resources in our states National Park. There was opportunity there for absolutely fantastic hunting adventures for the public, that was simply pushed aside in the name of efficiency. This way takes more effort on the hands of the NPS, and allows opportunity for sportsman.

If you want your chance to harvest a mountain goat, here is your special hunt, right in your face, apply for it. It's no different than applying for any other tag. Want to hunt? Apply. And whats more, is it is free, no license fee or $20,000 guide fee like a BC goat hunt. If you want to voice your concerns about how the program is being conducted, use your rights and write a letter or make a phone call to National Park Services. Voicing your concerns on this forum, while it may make one feel better, does absolutely zero to contribute to your cause. I know I wrote a letter and made several phone calls to different agencies and Government offices about what they did in Wyoming, and while I don't feel like my efforts alone made the difference, I feel I am seeing the cumulative affect of the publics voice with my opportunity to do this. I wanted it, now I got it. So I am absolutely taking this opportunity. I hope I get the chance to see some good people on the mountain.

 

[flyguy1]

What's a little weird to me (and I'm not against it, go for it) is that typically the folks in that area are a bunch of radical anti-gun liberals (and I realize not all are); until they need them. Kind of like all the libs who were anti-gun until they thought they might need one and then were shocked to find there was a waiting period for a handgun. Sorry, end of rant.

 

[jjmp]

Happy to hear their letting the Rite people ( US Hunters ) help solve this over population problem ,Hurray for Common Cense !!!

 

[antelopedundee]

Happy to hear their letting the Rite people ( US Hunters ) help solve this over population problem ,Hurray for Common Cense !!!

Kind of like cities around here with high whitetail populations where instead of hiring "exterminators" there are plenty of folks willing to pay to help them solve the problem.

 

[sp6x6]

Dna Dave ,Said you need to pack 50# and do that for 15miles ,ten days.Thats insane,first almost no one could do that in true mountain terrain,no trails. I live right next to Glacier Park,on a trail,way different than bushwack.I grew up mountain hunting,raised my kid that way.Hes one the few that could do that after 6 years in Marines,and being Mt mountain man,deadlifting 400#,put 1/2 elk on him bone in multiple times.I could kill goat anywhere in MT,been trying draw my whole life.

 

[DNADave]

Dna Dave ,Said you need to pack 50# and do that for 15miles ,ten days.Thats insane,first almost no one could do that in true mountain terrain,no trails. I live right next to Glacier Park,on a trail,way different than bushwack.I grew up mountain hunting,raised my kid that way.Hes one the few that could do that after 6 years in Marines,and being Mt mountain man,deadlifting 400#,put 1/2 elk on him bone in multiple times.I could kill goat anywhere in MT,been trying draw my whole life.

Yeah, when I read that I thought the pack weight was right for that length of trip, but no way was I going to lug that whole pack around every day. I'd set up a base camp every couple of days and pack light out from there in between.

Daily distance might be right, but no way I'm lugging that whole pack around every day.

 

[sp6x6]

Ya even a fit guy,15 miles a day for ten days.In elevation is a crazy amount,could done that in my fortys,but Im mid fifty now.My kid spent last year working and hiking NZ,some of that 9000 vert,since you basically start at sea level

 

[DNADave]

Ya even a fit guy,15 miles a day for ten days.In elevation is a crazy amount,could done that in my fortys,but Im mid fifty now.My kid spent last year working and hiking NZ,some of that 9000 vert,since you basically start at sea level.

The Olympics will be a lot like Fiordland. I've backpacked both and while the possible elevation gain is less in the Olympics, it's every bit as steep. No huts in the Olympics, either. And, just like Fiordland, there's a wet and a "dry" side.

Being cooped up for a month and a half has me giddy at the opportunity. Can't even go to the range to finish the almost dozen new loads I've begun with even more appearing each week we're stuck inside.

 

[sp6x6]

Ya my son spent night in total rain,so steep he could hardly dig in.Then had 6+ river crossings,with 100# on his back,wasnt sure if he was going make it solo stuff,that really tests you.

 

[antelopedundee]

Dna Dave ,Said you need to pack 50# and do that for 15miles ,ten days.Thats insane,first almost no one could do that in true mountain terrain,no trails. I live right next to Glacier Park,on a trail,way different than bushwack.I grew up mountain hunting,raised my kid that way.Hes one the few that could do that after 6 years in Marines,and being Mt mountain man,deadlifting 400#,put 1/2 elk on him bone in multiple times.I could kill goat anywhere in MT,been trying draw my whole life.

Anyone remember when JFK mused about whether or not our military troops were physically fit enough to hike 50 miles with a fully loaded pack? kinda spawned a can you hike 50 miles craze. I was in high school at the time.

 

[MZmoose]

I love mountain hunting and making camp and doing it my way. But I would not be surprised if a NPS person is mandated to accompany the groups. It's a national park that doesn't allow any hunting, there is now way they are just going to let hunters in there unsupervised. And like others said it may not be much of a hunt if the goats are not fearful of man. I'm actually surprised the liberals of Seattle and PETA haven't freaked out about it.