Drew a Montana Mountain Goat Tag

[Peaks&Creeks]

I got lucky this year and drew a Crazy Mountains goat tag. Just wondering if anyone has hunted this unit and what access is like? I understand there are some issues with USFS roads being illegally gated by landowners. I spoke with the district biologist yesterday about it but he said it’s an ever changing situation with the landowners. I plan on entering from the west side, but am not fully sure which roads are accessible or not. Any info would be greatly appreciated.


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[Jason Snyder]

I can’t help you with access, but I will offer up this advice. Don’t get in a rush with a goat tag. Get in the best shape of your life, and savor every minute. Goats won’t hair up until October, and the difference in capes is night and day.

I had a tag for a unit south of you a couple of decades ago. I killed a goat on the first trip in September. If I had a do over, I would have made several trips and enjoyed every second up in the nosebleed section. Unfortunately I had a new job and a new baby and couldn’t commit the time the tag deserved.

Good luck.

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

Nice, thank you. I am also planning on a late September hunt, and like you, I just started with a new company and will really only have one trip for this. I plan on taking a 10 day window and have 2 friends already committed to help, one of which was a guide and has a few goat hunts under his belt already. I live in Montana so getting in that unit this summer won’t be an issue. I’ll figure it out, but would love to not run into any unforeseen road closures.

How long did you take until you had your goat figured out? You think 9-10 days is a good amount of time to get it done?


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[Tdonat]

I spend a good amount of time up in the crazies, access is extremely limited compared to all the other ranges near by.
PM me, I can help you out possibly.

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

PM sent


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[MT_Wyatt]

Spent some time up there - traveling overseas at the moment but will try and return a PM when I’m back stateside. Certainly have a line on a few areas we could discuss - take a look at the last goat survey report for that herd and where they are sighted in aerial counts, which will help focus down your areas.

I’d watch weather and try and stay flexible. The shale up high gets rough in that range, and dangerous in snow. That late September snow that hits hard some years. Or it could be like this year! To answer on Time to get it done - you can get a goat area dialed with some overnight scouting and make the hunt a bit more focused on “the” one for sure. Billies are going to be mostly separate from nanny/kid groups in summer and early fall; easy to find goats, but try to find where those billies are chilling. Would suggest a spotter and digiscope setup.

Disappointed again this year not drawing that tag!

 

[Jason Snyder]

I’d try and go early to mid October if possible. I think I killed my goat about halfway through the week.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I’ve been a part of 4 successful goat hunts in that unit (2007, 2008, 2009, 2015). Here are a few thoughts…

I would recommend hunting 9/25 - 10/5. Play the weather.

In my experience, 9-10 days will be plenty.
I would not go in for an extended period of time into 1 spot. Scout, and then have a Plan A, B and C that are 2-3 nights each.

I prefer access from the West, but in all honesty, I’ve never come in from the East. A good friend of mine came in from the East and got a good billie.

If you are debating on going in 6mi, or 9mi… do 9. It’s worth hunting a series of chutes and knowing you’ll be alone.

If you scout in the summer before frost and when the bugs are out, quite a few billies will still be up high in the skree. They will come down after the first good cold spell.

Disclaimer… last hunt was my brother in 2015. I know after they did the stupid nanny tag, things have changed in the last few years. We literally killed 4 good Billies within 500 yards of each other, even if the numbers are down a bit, I can’t imagine you having too hard of a time finding a shooter. We saw 1 hunter in the 4 years.

 

[Maxhunter]

I’ve killed two goats in my bowhunting career. One was in BC the other in my home state WY. IMO goats aren’t hard to kill but where they live requires you to be in top shape. Like stated enjoy the adventure. Here’s the one I killed in BC early October. He had really long hair which I wanted.

 

[Jason Snyder]

^^^Now that’s what I’m talking about! I saw a Billy that was shot late November in an easy access district. The hair was phenomenal.