Mountain goat solo or guide?

[Montanahunterjon]

If you draw a mountain goat tag would you hire a guide or try to get it done on your own? I know lots of people have different finances and time that they are able to hunt. I'm just wondering what you think? If you were lucky enough to draw a tag would you rely on friends to help or just do some scouting and pray that the hunting gods smile down on you so you don't have to eat a tag and wait another 7 years.

 

[shoots-straight]

Whatever your comfortable with. If you confident in your abilities to judge, find, and process the trophy, then go it alone. You'll have a higher sense of fulfillment in doing so.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I'd let your scouting time help you decide, and proximity to the unit - if it was me, I'd go for it without the guide as long as I could get a good amount of scouting in before the season. I also think age has a little to do with it, if things didn't work out, would you be OK with it, and what are the odds you draw again down the road? I'd also want to be totally confident in my ability to deal with the trophy if going at it alone.

I've actually been thinking about this same thing lately, I don't have a goat tag yet though. Good luck I you do, and post some scouting pics!!

 

[LopeHunter]

Have a goat tag for this fall that I drew in Colorado. Not using a guide. I can drive to the base of the ridges that are within 4000' elevation of the summit. I have the gear. Horses are not needed. Plenty of public land. No legal requirement to use a guide though I am a non-resident hunting in a wilderness area hunting (yes, I am looking at you Wyoming).

 

[Redwood]

Had a tag last season, didn't fill it. Buddy and I scouted and found a good number of goats. I did everything I felt was right to be successfully. Unfortunetly weather was always problematic when I went out and I never had an opportunity. Had I hired a guide, I wouldn't have had to work so hard. Just getting gear in was so much work in the snow. What did I learn, record snows don't lead to high success in goat hunting. I would have filled that tag had the snow not been as bad as it was. Had I hired a guide, the snow wouldn't had been as big an issue. So the question you really need to ask, how much snow will we get next year and how early will it come.

 

[1_pointer]

If I lived close enough to scout I'd probably go it with a friend or two. Living where I live now, I'd think long and hard about hiring a guide. The exception is if I drew a tag where I already know the unit and can get there for at least one scouting trip. Time on a goat mountain with a good friend makes for a great memory...


PS- I realize I've posted this pic a lot... That said, it was quite the experience even though I wasn't the one with a tag.

 

[quarterhorse]

I would only consider a guide when it is physically impossible to access the unit on my own. Too far pack gear and meat.

 

[Montanahunterjon]

Love the pic 1 pointer! Where is that? Looks amazing. That's where I'm having a hard time, I have always dreamed of hunting mountain goats and if I was ever to draw I would not want to fail in harvesting one. I am preparing physically as much as I can now but I'm a ways from being in top shape, hopefully by September. 1 pointer was it difficult to harvest that goat? How much time was spent in the field? And redwood I understand the snow last year was ridiculous! If you had to do it again would you hire a guide?

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks for the compliment on the picture. It was taken in Idaho. I was just along to help, as my buddy (the skinny one) had the tag. I helped him scout a different area over 4th of July that year for 4 days. He spent another few days scouting the area he shot the goat in during August. He hunted 2 weeks in the part of the unit we scouted in July without seeing what he wanted. I went with him on this last ditch effort, final 4 days of the season, and got this goat on the next to last day. So, I'd say about 18ish days hunting and probably another 10 or so in scouting. That said, once he found what he was looking for, it wasn't all that hard getting it on the ground. The pack out is a completely different story...

 

[Ultrahunter]

No guides for me

 

[T Bone]

Goats are easy to spot, usually not difficult to get close to, or kill. If you're able bodied and have good gear do it DIY.

Solo is more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge.

I solo sheep hunted in some remote Wilderness in Idaho for a week +.

For me, the down time in the afternoons were when I'd get lonely. A nap, fire, and a warm beverage does wonders to refocus.

I currently have a goat tag in my wallet for CO. I'll probably have my oldest son with me. If he can't do it, I'll invite friends. If they can't go, It'll be solo.

 

[Redwood]

My buddy and I hit it hard and had a great game plan for success. The early snow screwed me and I was never able to readjusted my plan to accommodate it. I still wouldn't hire a guide, I would study the area better to id alternative routes that my not have been so snowed in. I also waited for them to hair up, great idea but had I went for the goat right away instead of archery elk I wouldn't have been snowed out like I was. All that said, had I hired a guide the majority of these problems could have been handled.

 

[mtmiller]

I went with a guide on Kodiak (required) and had a fun hunt.

I have done two solo goat hunts in MT and these are my best hunt memories ever. I hope I am blessed to pull another one out before the knees take me out of the game.

What is most important, the goat or the experience? Both can be had and never forgotten.

 

[npaden]

It would depend on the unit that I drew. If I felt like I couldn't get good information on the unit and get some scouting in I would consider hiring a guide. Also if it was a serious issue getting back to where the goats were (like 10 miles into a wilderness area) I might consider it.

Also, what are your expectations on the hunt? To shoot the absolute biggest billy in the unit? Or just harvest a mature goat? If you are going for the absolute biggest billy in the unit, a guide would probably be the way to go unless you can get some serious scouting in.

That's my 2 cents.

I will also be hunting goats this year in Wyoming. I've talked to a couple of the previous tag holders and feel like I have a very good plan in place for my hunt already. I'm also going to get to visit my unit at least a couple times before the season as well and have some good friends that live about an hour from the area where I'm planning on hunting that are going to help me out on the hunt.

Even with all that it was still tempting to check in with some of the outfitters that sent their ads out when I drew the tag. For me it comes down to if I will be happy with a average representative billy or not. I think I will be, so I don't think I'm going to hire a guide. I'm going to hunt hard and try to shoot a nice one, but if I end up with an average goat I'll be happy. If I end up eating tag soup I will still have the memories and will save a whole bunch of money on taxidermy!

 

[big28hunter]

Flying thousands of miles to hunt an areas I haven't been before. Having no clue where mature goats may be. In terrain that is truly dangerous. This east coaster will take a guide!

 

[Montanahunterjon]

How much is taxidermy on a goat? Can you do shoulder mount and a rug?

 

[T Bone]

I did a shoulder mount on my goat for around $600.

I did skin out the back half of the billy and rugged it. It sits at the foot of my bed.

It's not as soft as it looks and still smells "goaty" after 7 years. Who knew that it would set the mood?

I'm not sure what I'll do with this year's goat assuming I get a good billy. A full rug (headless and hoofless along with a euro skull mount is the way I'm leaning.

 

[brownbear932008]

This year seems to be the year for goat tags hope one is in store for me in the next few weeks. I would rather go DIY no doubt but depending on info found on herd and location I would consider a guide since it would most likely be a one time deal for me. I'd love to put one on my fireplace full body........

 

[big28hunter]

This year seems to be the year for goat tags hope one is in store for me in the next few weeks. I would rather go DIY no doubt but depending on info found on herd and location I would consider a guide since it would most likely be a one time deal for me. I'd love to put one on my fireplace full body........

A life size mountain goat to me is one of the most impressive mounts out there. If I get one on Kodiak in 2016 I plan to full mount it also. Good luck!

 

[hk_willow]

I did mine solo last year with a friends scouting with me on most of my trips. I ended up getting my billy solo. I however wish I had friends with me when I shot the goat would have made it that more memorable. The area I was in however was a fairly easy hike. If it were a 10 mile pack in before you started looking for goats I'd consider someone packing your gear in for you. I'm getting a life size mount done on mine and I think in total it'll be about 3500 when its all paid for.