Scouting for Goats

In the spring of 2003 I found that I was drawn for a fall 2003 Mountain Goat hunt in the Seven Devils Mountains of central Idaho. That gave me the summer to scout for them. Scouting for goats can be as much fun as hunting them. Mountain Goat territory in my opinion is some of the prettiest and most spectacular on the planet.

I made several calls to people who work in or around the Seven Devils mountains to see what information I could glean about the Mountain Goat whereabouts, how and when I could get in there, road and trail information, and what restrictions there are in the area, as it is overlapped by designated wilderness.

The main road into the area opened up a week or so early … late June. The sun is at its highest this time of year, and at elevations of 8000 ft plus where there was less air in the sun's way, it seemed almost possible to stand and watch the snow come off. Water was abundant, the weather brilliant, and the days long.

Watching Mountain Goats takes some getting used to. The nannies take their kids as high as possible as soon as possible. When we first saw the nannies with their `pint-size' kids in the most rugged terrain imaginable, we were worried for their safety. We later realized that the Fish and Game Department didn't need to come rescue them up there - they were there the safest - as the nannies were taking their kids above the predators.

The nannies can look pretty ragged during the early summer - evidently more concerned with their young than their appearance. The billies look awesome - as though they do a thousand pushups and lift weights when not being watched. Some of the goats are a light brown, as they clean themselves by taking dust baths.

Interestingly, the high country is very dynamic in its short summers. Each week things are different. The terrain dries quickly after the snow leaves and the groundwater stored in the relatively scant soils is quickly depleted. By the end of August some of the lakes we used for swimming earlier and thought would be good places to watch for game - disappeared. Springs on the topo maps quit `springing'.

Billies appear to enjoy summer. I used to think they climbed as high and into as rugged of places as possible to avoid people, but now I think they do it for the view, maybe for the exercise, but certainly because they enjoy climbing. We saw them in terrain that offered no other explanation than that the billy was going to sit down and enjoy the view from the most dangerous, rugged spot in the entire mountain range.

I had read that they can climb 1500 vertical feet with apparent ease - but I think the writer of that statement was watching from a distance. Up close - they suck air just like you and I. But unlike you and I, they climb a lot faster. If you get up there high with them - you can get some fabulous pics. They don't seem particularly bugged by people. At a distance of 10 yards or less, their sharp, shiny black horns look pretty deadly - maybe that's why they don't worry much. So look in their eyes, instead, and you'll have a better idea what they're up to.

They'll let you get amazingly close - but once they don't like being around you anymore - they run across rugged terrain at incredible speed. Don't be in their way.

As the summer ends along with the water supply, the billies head for the timber for shade and water. During fall hunting season you might find them anywhere. Be willing to head below `mountain goat terrain' in.