Goat hunt
 

Got the good news the other day on the Goat Hunt. Drawn in area I in the Willmore. Anyone been in that area and have a few tips.

Ohh you lucky dog ... good luck and hope to see some pics and a story

Only way your getting there and hunting is horses. I can give you a couple guys to call.

Where is area 1 ? Is that Deveber?

Yes it is deveber

good luck with your hunt!

Good luck! Super cool opportunity and should be some good ones in there.

As suggested, horses would be key. I believe the start of the area is 4 hours from the nearest road. So plan on being 6-8 hours in to camp i'd imagine. Prepare for the worst weather, no matter when you are in there, it always seems to snow, rain, blow and be 30 degrees all in the same day.

It is beautiful country, bring lots of batteries for your camera and take lots of pictures.

If you're willing to use an outfitter, they've got horses in there already and would know where the goats are. If you have horses, you'll be much better off.

Also - lots and lots of grizzly in that country. Make sure you have tags for bighorns, elk, etc as you never know what you may run into.

Deveber is a long ways back, and country that very few will ever see. (Someday I’ll get there...)

Hire horses to access and set up a base camp, then spike out from there with backpacking equipment geared for overnight. Plan for 1-2 nights out as needed then back to base camp.

Get to the high ridges and glass, as you would for sheep, but focus a bit more on the craggy stuff.

Treat this like a once in a lifetime hunt. It probably is! Book 10-14 days, bring a buddy or two, and enjoy it to the fullest.


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Might be tough to book anyone this time of year. I would think the outfitters have things planned out already. Tyler Mcmohan is one that I would contact to see if he can do it. Deveber is a real long ways in there. Great country tho! Good luck on your hunt

Please post a story and photos so we can live it through you.

another guy you could talk to is Kipp Kelly. Not sure if he has time though.

Congrats on drawing that tag!

I wonder how bad it would be to get in there on foot, anyone here tried it?

No question that you could get there on foot. It would take 2 days of hard hiking. The issue is that for a 10-day hunt (the minimum that I would consider worthwhile to go after goat in this area), you would be carrying around 65lbs on your back. That’s factoring about 20lbs worth of food.

Now subtract most of the food weight and add 80lbs for a goat cape, horns, and meat. Your pack now weighs 125lbs, or 85lbs if you are with a buddy to share the goat.

The hike out with that load is beyond the reach of most fellas.


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In my opinion you can’t do Deveber on foot and pull a goat out. Unless you have 3 guys going minimum.
It’s 2 full days on horses just to get to many faces, then on foot up the valley. The trail up the valley for the first part is hard to find, stay on the north side of the creek until you hit the avalanche slide then climb. Also there’s no water other then the creek in the main valley floor. it’s a good climb getting to the slide, then above that there’s no water. None I could find anyway.
West of the slide is where you’ll find the goats, they’ll be there, if you can get to them that is.
Two days in, two days out, a second meat trip if you get one adds 4 more days. You better be in pretty awesome shape if you’re going to try this hunt on foot. And I can almost guarantee the fish cops are going to want to see meat you packed out 35 km’s or so as the crow flies. I’m going to guess it’s close to 60 km’s one way.
I’d say with 3 guys if you packed ultra light and killed the goat in the first 3 days you could get it done. But that’s a lot of suffering coming out of that place on foot. With 80-90 pounds on.

:test:

You ever tried crossing the Muddywater on foot? Something to think about as well. It isn't so easy as one thinks.....

I have, but about 15 miles up from the main trail in. I do remember it being fairly swift on the horses when we crossed it though.

Don't you think a great big THANK YOU to Torkdiesel would be a good idea?

Info like he just shared is invaluable.

Would be nice if they released the draw info for these hunts sooner so you can plan for these hunts better

Couple times I have crossed it was dang near scary with a horse even. You got a pack on and you go down you are done. 2nd crossing is worst than the first and I am sure it is all possible but it is something not to take lightly for sure

That is what I was thinking after reading this! I can understand how many of these tags would not get filled even with the best intentions.

Surveys are done much later than other species...why they cone out so late.

LC

Which there is no reason for.

Antelope I understand, goats ? They’re giving out 1 tag for a Billy and most zones are already closed up here from meat sticks shooting Nannies because they’re lazy and don’t care about anybody else.

They could easily award the tag in July with everything else. Maybe not if they were giving out dozens of tags, but 1 tag per area will change nothing.

Exactly... it’s not like they are going to add 10 tags to that zone

Do we honestly believe they survey all the goat and antelope zones annually? Then determine tag numbers.

When you use the term "meat sticks" do you mean meat hunters and are you talking about alberta or B.C. sometimes not sure what areas your talking about

Im guessing alberta since its MUs in B.C. not zones

Sage he means idiots that are too lazy to determine a billy from a nanny.

I’m talking about Alberta. There’s no antelope or an August goat draw in BC.

Not meat hunters no, as ram crazy said I’m talking about the “people” who ruin it for others. Was trying not to call them idiots.

BC has a ton of goats in lots of areas and although if it continues to happen (killing nannies) it could develop into a problem, it’s not likely because of remoteness.

Alberta doesn’t have the numbers, and it’s clearly spelled out if a Nannie is killed that area will be closed for the following 5 seasons. Heck they even give you a course on identification so you don’t screw up.

There is no competition up there chasing the same goats, all you have to do is watch the animal that has never been hunted carefully and determine if it’s a billy or not.
Yet every zone up north is closed now except Deveber. Because after all, you shot a goat, who cares if they close the season for the next 5 years.

Yet Alberta lets BC residents apply for our coveted tags that 99% of residents will never get. BC government saves those rights for its citizens and we have to pay an outfitter to kill a Goat, sheep etc,etc.