CANADA: BC - MOUNTAIN GOAT HUNT COMBO (HORSEBACK)

The Mountain Goat hunting season in these northern Rockies commences in August and runs until mid-October. Prime time for Mountain Goat hunting in BC, Canada, is the entire duration of the season, until snow makes the alpine treacherous or impassable.

-Western Canada Moose: Best combined with Mountain Goats in the last half of the season.
-Rocky Mountain Elk: Best combined with Mountain Goats in the first half of the season.
-Black Bears: Best combined with Mountain Goats in the first half of the season.
-Wolf: Low success rates, but no extra cost. Available throughout the entire outfitting season.
-Fishing: Excellent in the early half of the season, but still good until the end of the season.

This horseback Mountain Goat hunt in BC, Canada, is 10 full days, and professionally 1x1 guided. Each morning the wrangler assembles the horses while the guide makes breakfast and packs lunches. Depart camp early and arrive at a strategic glassing spot for the first part of the morning. Move to various other key glassing locations while hunting on horseback throughout the day, day after day, if that’s what it takes. Move spike camps to different areas as needed to locate the biggest goats. Once a shooter is identified, the guide examines the best routes up the mountain, with shots ideally staying inside of 300 yards. Depending on the scenario, it’s not uncommon to “put goats to bed” with a plan to return first thing in the morning and spend all day focusing on a certain Billy. Once a Mountain Goat is down, capture it with photos and pack the hide and meat off the mountain. Once the Goat is cared for and frozen, attention can be turned towards secondary or bonus species such as Moose, Elk, Wolves, Black Bears or fishing!

Most clients bring proven, personal rifles from home when Mountain Goat hunting in BC, Canada. It’s relatively quick and simple for non-residents to enter Canada with firearms for the purpose of hunting. Mountain Goats live in higher elevations, and typical shot ranges would be around 250-350 yards. Recommended calibers should be flat shooting, roughly 6mm or larger, especially if planning to combine a BC Mountain Goat hunt with Moose or Elk. Quality rifle rentals/ammo can, at times, also be rented for international clients at a price of $500 for the duration of the hunt.

Archery hunting is catered to, and while more feasible for Moose and Elk - which can be called in - is possible for Mountain Goats in the hands of an experienced and practiced archery hunter. Typical shooting ranges would be 40-50 yards or slightly further.

This region of the central Rock Mountains is largely subalpine with steep, green, mossy or rocky slopes above vast conifer forests. Meandering ridge tops separate various large basins carved out by several prominent local rivers. The timberline rises to roughly 6000 feet but the Goats are not always up high, often spotted in the timber or caught trading across valleys. White Spruce, Aspen, and Balsam forests prevail, Huckleberry crops seem endless some years and the low country is laced with Alder thickets. This wilderness is also home to Grizzly Bears, Pine Martens, Porcupines, Lynx, Beaver, Chipmunks, Bald & Gold Eagles, Ravens, and Grey Jays.

In this land of extremes, the weather is no different. Early season for Mountain Goat hunting in British Columbia is generally warm, while late season can expect snow. Precipitation is not generally prevalent, but quality rain gear is always encouraged. Early season can be buggy in the low country, while late season can see strong winds in the high country. Temperatures should generally be above the freezing mark, but late season or higher elevations will see temperatures drop. Hunters are encouraged to come prepared for anything, as all weather types can be experienced over the course of these 10-day Mountain Goat hunts.

Accommodations while Mountain Goat hunting in British Columbia will vary and can depend on the specific hunting areas. Hunters initially arrive at the main lodge, with several lakeside log cabins that include a main building with common areas, kitchen, and dining areas. There is also a shower, bathhouse, and sleeping cabins. The lodge is complete with Wi-Fi and phone service. While hunting on horseback, established camp locations with a rustic trapper cabin or nice wall tents are both used. Most have outhouses, single-frame beds with sleeping pads, lanterns, propane cooking stoves, chairs, and picnic tables. Portions of these hunts also occur from spike camps which are simple but effective. Nice dome-style tents, with lanterns and stoves position hunters exactly where they need to be at dawn each morning.

While out on the land, the guides cook over campfires or Coleman stoves. Meals are filling but effort is made to pack light while Mountain Goat hunting in BC, Canada. Typical breakfasts consist of hash browns, eggs, bacon, coffee, juice, toast, and porridge with berries. Plan on packing a lunch made up of sandwiches, trail mix, protein bars, some fruit, and juice crystals. Dinner time brings items like Hamburger Helper, beans, smokies and sausages, Mountain House, pork chops or wild game steaks with instant rice, potatoes or sidekicks. However, while transitioning through the main lodge, you can enjoy hearty, wholesome home-cooked meals!

Destination City: Hunters are asked to arrive to either Prince George or Fort St. John, BC, and usually overnight in a hotel before hunting. Greet the outfitter or his staff in the lobby early the next morning, and depart for an approx. 2-hour charter flight directly to the main lodge airstrip.

Travel Suggestions: The destination cities are most easily reached from several major western Canadian airports, especially Vancouver, Calgary, or Edmonton, with the best airline options usually being Westjet or Air Canada.

Upon successful Mountain Goat hunting in BC, trophies are carefully prepared and labeled, with hides hung on meat racks in the shade, and frozen once back at base camp, along with the deboned meat. Clients can at times fly home with horns and some meat, or arrange for shipping. After the Mountain Goat hunting season, the outfitter delivers all trophies directly to his preferred taxidermy partner in Northern BC, who can both complete the final work, or prepare the crate and export documents, and deliver trophies to an expeditor to be shipped. Turnaround time can range from 8-10+ months. The meat can either be donated to the outfitter, or be delivered to a local butcher for specialized meat products, if desired, which can then be packaged and shipped (separate from the trophies).

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