Oregon’s Mountain Goat Hunting
At A Glance
Father and son, Dan and Lonnie Lay, with Lonnie’s billy in a snow field.
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1. Elkhorn Mountains
2. Wallowa Mountains
3. Strawberry Mountains
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SPECIES Rocky Mountain Goats
DESCRIPTION A unique hunting opportunity, a goat tag in Oregon is considered a “once in a lifetime”
The trail was narrow and had
a lot of loose rock making it a
challenge. It turned out to be
even more of a challenge as my
head lamp stopped working.
Smart thinking Lonnie turned
his cellphone flashlight on and
it got us down the hill. We all
arrived safely back to camp
well after dark but, still excited
from the hunt.
We ate “delicious” freeze
dried food for dinner and relived
the “once in a lifetime” hunt as
the Eagle Cap skies became
filled with millions of stars. The
next morning had more tasks to
get ready for the pack out and
we would be busy all day.
Wes and Joe made the trek
back to the snow field to re-
trieve the meat. It took six
hours round trip both return-
ing with heavy packs. While
they were packing the meat,
we packed up camp and re-
filled the large water jug from
the ravine. We also went to a
snow field closer to camp that
we had buried the cape and
horns in. I had not measured
the horns yet and we were all
curious to know. I came up
with (unofficially) 50 0/8 inch-
es, which is a very respectable
mountain goat anywhere. A
few more pictures and we saw
Wes and Joe coming over the
pass, with heavy loads on their
backs. We waited for them and
reburied the meat in the snow
field with the cape and horns.
The next morning, we load-
ed everything on the mules, and
headed for the trailhead taking
time to admire one more time
the beauty of the Eagle Caps. It
is a beautiful place and we all
considered ourselves lucky to
have been able to spend time in
the mountains and help Lonnie
fill his tag. Just before dark, Ty
and Shai arrived with the mules
and we loaded everything into
our respective vehicles and
headed for town for meal that
didn’t have the word “freeze-
dried” on its package.
The next morning, we
stopped in at the local ODFW
office and Lonnie registered his
goat with the local biologist, a
requirement for anyone who
draws a mountain goat tag. The
biologist scored it unofficial-
ly at 50 2/8 and aged it at 4 ½
years old. Indeed, it was a very
nice billy!
This past February, Lonnie
had it officially scored at the
Pacific Northwest Sportsman’s
show in Portland. The official
score was 49 6/8, which qual-
ifies for the Boone & Crockett
record book making Lonnie the
youth record holder for Oregon.
Talk about a once in a lifetime
hunt! WHJ
opportunity. Once a hunter is successfully drawn, he or she cannot apply for the tag again.
Goat Populations: Rocky Mountain goats are found in eastern Oregon, including the Wallowa, Elkhorn and
Strawberry mountains, and the central Cascades near Mount Jefferson. The highest populations of goats in
the state are found in the Elkhorn Mountains where as many as 312 goats were surveyed with as many as 233
adults. The Wallowa Mountains have seen as many as 223 goats of which adult surveys range from 103 to 175
depending on the year. The Snake River drainage has fewer goats with a high of 99 goats, and a high of ap-
proximately 60 and a high of 56 adults. Mountain goat populations in the Mount Jefferson area were recently
introduced and no survey statistics were available. The state currently does not offer a hunting season there.
SEASONS Varies per unit. Generally, most seasons take place in September and October.
CONTROLLED HUNT To apply for a Rocky Mountain goat tag, you must purchase your Oregon hunting
license and pay an $8 application fee.
APPLICATION DEADLINE May 15
RESULTS Available online in mid-June.
RESIDENT HUNTING OPPORTUNITY Oregon offers goat hunting in 14 different hunts in 9 different
units. There are 24 tags available to resident hunters.
NON-RESIDENT OPPORTUNITY Oregon allocates 2 non-resident tags (Elkhorn No. 2, Hat Point No. 1).
AUCTION, RAFFLE TAGS The state allocates 1 raffle tag and 1 auction tag. Last year the auction tag
brought $37,000. Both raffle and auction funds are used for habitat enhancement in Oregon and both of these
tags allow the lucky recipients to hunt anywhere there is an authorized Oregon Mountain Goat season and for
an extended season of about two months typically in September and October.
ODDS OF DRAWING Rocky Mountain goat hunts are random draw hunts where preference points do not
apply. Odds of drawing are less than 1 percent.
LICENSE FEES $33.50 resident; $167.00 non-resident.
TAG FEES $138 resident; $1,469.50 non-resident.
TAG SALE DEADLINE The day before the season end date.
HUNT AREAS Strawberry Mountain hunt (946A) falls within the general vicinity of the John Day River
drainage in the Murderers Creek Unit; Elkhorn Mountain hunts (951A1, 951A2, 951A3) are found in the Sumpter
Unit in the Blue Mountains; N. Weneha hunt (956A) takes place within the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness
area in northeast Oregon, which falls within the Wenaha Unit; the Hat Point hunts (959A1, 959A2) and the S.
Snake River hunts (959B1, 959B2) take place in the Snake River drainage in the Snake River Unit; the E. and W.
Hurricane Creek hunts (960A1, 960A2) and the Goat Mtn. No. 1 and No. 2 hunts (960B1, 960B2) take place in
the Minam Unit in Wallowa Mountains, Lostine River drainage; the Cusick Mt. Hunt (961A) takes place in the
Wallowa Mountains’ Eagle Cap Wilderness Area, which falls in the Imnaha Unit.
CONDITIONS Hunting Rocky Mountain goats in Oregon takes place in rugged mountain country ranging
from 8,000 to 11,500 feet in elevation. If you are not prepared physically and mentally for difficult hiking in
very steep, rugged and unforgiving terrain, it’s probably not the hunt to apply for. The tradeoff is a hunt of a
lifetime, one that select few hunters can say they experienced.
MISC. REGULATIONS Rocky Mountain goats taken by hunters must be marked by ODFW personnel prior
to leaving the hunt area. All hunters must check out through the local ODFW office in the district where the
hunt occurs within 72 hours after completing their hunt unless other arrangements have been made.
WORKSHOP ORIENTATION Held July 21 in The Dalles, the ODFW offers a Rocky Mountain goat orienta-
tion where biologists educate tag holders on hunting in goat country, how to differentiate a nanny from a billy,
population estimates, and how and where to hunt depending on the unit you’re drawn.
WEATHER Weather conditions during the September hunts will likely range from mild to warm; however
it is not unheard of to see cold, wet and snowy conditions. Late season hunts will almost always involve some
unfavorable weather ranging from temperatures in the 50s to 70s.
ACCESS Many of the goat hunts take place in areas where access is excellent ranging from 65 to 100 percent
public land.
INFORMATION Look to the ODFW’s website for more information on specific Rocky Mountain goat hunting
opportunities and the application process. www.dfw.state.or.us
MISC. If you draw a Rocky Mountain goat tag in the Eagle Caps contact Wes Gorbett at Eagle Cap Wilderness
Outfitters (541-962-5900). You will be very pleased with the efforts he puts into his hunts and the resulting
experiences.
www.westernhuntingjournal.com
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