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SPECIES GUIDE: MOUNTAIN GOAT
REGULATIONS & MAPS
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Regulations
Regulations for upcoming seasons are posted online throughout the year. Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat regulations are typically posted late February.
Reminder
In Regions 1, 2, and 4, it is unlawful to take a female mountain goat accompanying a kid or female in a group that contains one or more kids.
Mandatory Inspection Requirements
A hunter harvesting a mountain goat must present the complete head with horns attached or the top portion of the skull with horns attached to an FWP official within 10 days of the date of kill.
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SEASONS
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These dates are provided only as a general reference. Check current regulations or use FWP’s online Hunt Planner for specific dates.
2022 Mountain Goat Season Dates
Mountain Goat
September 15 – November 27**NOTE: Some districts vary; check regulations for more information.
LICENSES
Mountain Goat License
Details: Prerequisite licenses are Conservation and Base Hunting in order to apply. There is an additional $10 resident or $50 nonresident nonrefundable application fee for each license or permit you apply for.
License holders may legally take one mountain goat subject to all specifications on the license issued.
An applicant who receives a mountain goat license is not eligible to apply for or receive another license for mountain goat for the following 7 years.
Fees:
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Resident: $125
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Nonresident: $1,250
SPECIES GUIDES
MONTANA OUTDOORS
Mountain Goat Hunter ID
Look for as many of the following features as possible when choosing a mountain goat. These characteristic help determine sex:
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solitary animal or a small group without juveniles
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urination posture
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dirty flanks, rump and knees
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facial features and beard length
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body configuration and size
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horn curvature, basal circumference and length in relation to the ear
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if a female, determine whether she has a kid (avoid harvesting females with kids).
Helpful Info
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Body Size and Configuration
Body size differences between male and female goats 3 years of age and younger cannot be reliable distinguished in the field. In animals 4 years of age and older, males are usually larger than females, standing 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 cm) higher at the shoulder and slightly longer in body length.
Muscular development of the males’ shoulders and the depth of the chest is greater than that of females. Subtle facial features may include a more angular appearance in males, although 1 and 2-year-olds retain a blocky appearance due to the shorter snout typical of juveniles.
Horns
Males and females both have shiny, black horns which grow from a bony core. Mountain goats do not shed their horns. An increment of growth is added to the horn annually. During the first year of life, the horns continue to grow throughout the winter so a distinct ring is not created, although a ridge or indentation in the horn often occurs. The majority of horn growth occurs during the first 2.5 years. The age of a goat may be determined by counting the annual growth rings which are formed each winter except the first year. For example, the horns of a 5- year-old goat harvested in the fall will show 4 visible rings.
The male’s horns curve back in a greater, more uniform arc. The female’s horns tend to curve more toward the tip although this feature is variable. Average horn lengths for adult males range from 8 to 10 inches (20.3 to 25.4 cm), and adult females from 7.5 to 10 inches (19.0 to 25.4 cm) depending on the area of the state from which they are taken. Although the length of a male’s horns may not exceed those of a female, the circumference of the horn at the base is greater. A careful observer will notice that there is less space between the horns of males then females. Basal horn circumference for males ranges from 4.3 to 5.8 inches (1.7 to 2.3 cm) while in females circumference is from 3.5 to 5.0 inches (8.9 to 12.7 cm).
Length of the horn in relation to the ear is one field indicator of age. From the age of 1 year the ears are at least 4 inches (10.2 cm) long, reaching 5.5 inches (14.0 cm) in some adult males. In yearlings, the horns are equal or less then the length of the ear. In 2-year-olds the horns exceed the ear length by 1 to 2 inches, or up to half again the length of the ear. The horn to ear length ratio in adults is variable, but the horns are at least half again as long as the ears, and they may achieve double the length of the ears. If the horn appears to be full-length, but the nose seems short, the animal is probably a 2 or 3 year old, and other body characteristics should be checked.
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