They are Really HERE!!

[Vance Brewer]

#5531

Well I have lived in the great State of WYOMING,long enough now to own my very own PIONEER huntin and fishin papers. Seems like forever that I have been tolt that we had these rascals here. Yea Yea just like the Yeti. But I ain’t never seen one so till I do, I’ll watch the TV program.

Well Crow tastes a bit like Spotted Owl which is a lot like Balding Eagle.

Day for Christmas I was called upon to take a road trip to a small vill called Alpine. This small hamlet is actually bout 40 miles down wind as the crow flies, from the Hammers back door.

On my way to Alpine there they were, a whole flock of em, Roosters;Hens and chicks. They were on the side of the mountain just havin a fine lunch. AND I got so see some real live Wyoming………….

I got to see the REAL DEAL

50+ years I have heard tales that we have these furry critters and these are the VERY FIRST real live Goats I have ever seen in Wyoming, I was and still am PUMPED…

Now I will be tryin for a once in a LIFETIME permit

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#42329

Yes! Rumors of the wily beasts in the vicinity are true. In fact, from what I understand, they were transplanted to the Snake River Range a while back (they’re not native) and they’ve spread to the Tetons and are at risk of displacing the native Bighorns, who are having a hard enough time already.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/goats-invade-teton-park/article_e9d1bdfb-f62b-5aeb-b201-d723e9df5b5f.html

I haven’t hunted WY for anything other than small game since the licenses have gotten so expensive for us non-residents – how much is a billy tag goin’ fer?

[Charles Ek]

#42382

The feds have a good resource describing the species at Oreamnos americanus.

[Vance Brewer]

#42859

Bruce; I completely agree with you on the costs. I can almost hunt, more species in MT. than I can here…Only saving grace for me is my, VA disability rating as well as time in country, affords some perks, not much but some.

Resident Goat tag will cost $122.00…there were 21 permits in 2014 with a .6o% chance of success.

Now.. If you are unfortunate enough to be a Non-Resident the tag was $2,152.00….There were 7 tags with a 1.03% chance of success.

These tag costs are just a start, if you want to hunt with a “BOW” there is a $16.00 Archery license for Resident..Yep $30.00 for Non-Resident…..Then you’ll need a $12.50 Conservation stamp.Both Res. and Non-Res. pay the same.

That makes a Total cost for just a TAG…..Resident will pay…$150.50..Here comes the REAL disparity, the Non-Resident needs to come up with $2194.50 Just for the right to hunt these Hairy UN-shaven beasts…. All this is if you make the cut. Now ya gotta get here to use that tag!!

It was still very cool to see them after all this time hearin about them….50 +or- winters….. Now a Spring / Summer stumpin trip might be in order to see them on their summer range

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#42874

Iron Bull wrote:

Now.. If you are unfortunate enough to be a Non-Resident the tag was $2,152.00….There were 7 tags with a 1.03% chance of success….

Holy #&@%!!! :shock::shock::shock:

But yeah, native to these ranges are not, I just think mountain goats are a really cool animal.

I was on a sheer cliff trail in Glacier NP one time years ago, and here comes a billy up the trail, completely unconcerned about me. The trail wasn’t wide enough for both of us, so I had to flatten myself against the cliff wall to let him walk by. That was a close encounter! Of course, these things never happen when you’re hunting….:wink:

[Vance Brewer]

#43011

I’ve always been under the impression that Goats were native. The ones in Jellyrock / Cody would then be transplants?

I was thinking that I remember reading in Osborn Russell’s (Journal of a Trapper) of them seeing the white hairy animals that resembled Goats… and they traveled up the Canyon.………..Remember I have a scrambled thinking machine, so I must defer to those of sounder body and sharper mind………… Yet we both enjoy the tension of the Brown Trout Tug………………….

[Charles Ek]

#43448

Smithhammer wrote: I was on a sheer cliff trail in Glacier NP one time years ago, and here comes a billy up the trail, completely unconcerned about me. The trail wasn’t wide enough for both of us, so I had to flatten myself against the cliff wall to let him walk by. That was a close encounter! Of course, these things never happen when you’re hunting….:wink:

You wuz lucky. This didn’t turn out as well in 2010 for another guy: Mountain goat kills man in Olympic National Park

[Charles Ek]

#43454

Iron Bull wrote: I’ve always been under the impression that Goats were native. The ones in Jellyrock / Cody would then be transplants?

I was thinking that I remember reading in Osborn Russell’s (Journal of a Trapper) of them seeing the white hairy animals that resembled Goats… and they traveled up the Canyon.

The FWS resource I linked to above describes the history of transplantations.

I took a look at Journal of a Trapper and didn’t find any references to goat-like critters. But I did find this passage that will cause some to smile:

“It is an exercise which gives vigor health and appetite to a hunter to shoulder his rifle at day break on a clear cold morning and wind his way up a rugged mountain over rocks and crags at length killing a fat old Ewe and taking the meat to Camp on his back: this kind of exercise gives him an appetite for his breakfast. But hunting sheep is attended with great danger in many places especially when the rocks are covered with sleet and ice. I have often passed over places where I have had to cut steps in the ice with my butcher Knife to place my feet in directly over the most frightful precipices, but being excited in the pursuit of game I would think but little of danger until I had laid down to sleep at night, then it would make my blood run cold to meditate upon the scenes I had passed thro. during the day and often have I resolved never to risk myself again in such places and as often broken the resolution. The sight of danger is less hidious than the thought of it.“

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#43463

eidsvolling wrote:

You wuz lucky. This didn’t turn out as well in 2010 for another guy…

Yeah, believe me, it was way too close for comfort. If I’d had another option to put a little more distance between us, I would have taken it!

eidsvolling wrote:

“It is an exercise which gives vigor health and appetite to a hunter to shoulder his rifle at day break on a clear cold morning and wind his way up a rugged mountain over rocks and crags at length killing a fat old Ewe and taking the meat to Camp on his back…during the day and often have I resolved never to risk myself again in such places and as often broken the resolution. The sight of danger is less hidious than the thought of it.“

Classic.

[Charles Ek]

#43478

For those who might be interested, may I suggest you consider joining and supporting the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance.

I joined this past summer. Having been involved in other nonprofits as a founder, board member and executive director, I am impressed with this organization’s early accomplishments and credentials.

[Vance Brewer]

#43539

That’s the artificial that came to the top when first I read Bruce’s post…..Darn LUCKY….He does have a way of livin RIGHT on the EDGE. Living in Idaho; buying all that neat stuff (Bows & Knifes) and still stays married 😀 In my case think I may opt for the chances with the goat

Great excerpt Eidsvolling

[grumpy]

#44537

And after you spend all of that time money, and risk… If you get one they smell like a goat!!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#44976

grumpy wrote: And after you spend all of that time money, and risk… If you get one they smell like a goat!!

I think my mother-in-law had similar advice for my Better Half.

[oldcentaur]

#55129

I have seen goats in the Beartooths, but didn’t know that they were introduced around Alpine. You learn something every day, I guess.

And Iron Bull, you aren’t the only old fart in Wyoming with a Pioneer license. Got one right here in my pocket.

Smithhammer, a similar encounter for me this year in Glacier. No problem telling a billy from a nanny from this perspective.

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