Wyoming unit 3 Mountain Goat
Mountain Goat
Looked at the draw results and I drew a Resident Unit 3 Goat tag. I so excited about this hunt, I can't even find words. I have left messages for the appropriate biologist and warden. Spent a couple hours on google earth and have also ordered a bunch of topo maps. I am searching for any info I can get so I can start planning some scouting trips. Before getting too crazy (which would be easy and probable at this point) I wanted to post here and see if I could get some advice from the members. Anyone been in this unit? Also Ive been searching the web for harvest stats that will allow me to mark previous kill sites on a map but can't seem to find anything. I know HUNTDATA sells such a map for Colorado but I came up empty there too. I must be searching for it wrong. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Congrats on the tag. You can get the hunt maps at Cabelas. They have the WY GPS cards in stock at the store in Thornton CO. If you cant find one let me know and I will buy one for you, and meet you in Cheyenne, Im up there a lot any way. I also have a job to do in Burns here in a week or two. Here in CO the Goat units are way different than the regular Game Management Units, which is what the paper maps with migration routes of animals are usually based on here.
I have never been in that unit, but have been on a couple Goat hunts so I can probably answer some general questions. Right off the bat I am going to tell you boots on the ground is the best way to find THE goat. We always go scouting every weekend 4 to 5 weeks prior to opening day. The Game & Fish will probably point you in the general area that holds animals, then the boots help find the Goat you want. My experience is they move around but are generally within a few miles of where they were, if not in the same basin.
We go in the day before season and find the goat, set camp 1/4 to 1/2 mile from it. opening day were on it first thing. But be warned their hair is not "prime" as it would be later in the season, but less risk of getting snowed in.
PM me if you need advise ect...
Thanks Stick. Spoke with the Biologist today and he was a TON of help. I'm going down to Cabelas anyway but appreciate the offer.
You may be able to get the harvest data with GPS coordinates from the WG&F. You may have to contact the right person in the Cheyenne office. I know Wyo used to have that for moose and they likely have the same thing for goat if goat hunters have to fill out a survey and list coordinates. You can definitely eliminate a lot of country doing this..plus if there are goat movements later in the season you have a feel for where they may wander.
Jims, You are correct. The Biologist actually emailed me the harvest data and coordinates back to 2011. Extremely helpful.
