What gun for Mt goat?

buffalo · Jun 10, 2008

I would like to hear from people that have hunted Mt goats. Last year both my cousin and my son shot goats with a 300 and a 338. Both of them took a few well placed shots, with good bullets. Are they really that tuff or was it just the way it happened? I ask because my wife drew a tag this year and I'm thinking her 270 might be a bit on the small side. She is a good shot and has got quite a few animals. But I hate to see a wounded one run off in that type of terrain. I don't track good strait up and down.
Regards Buff

nochawk · Jun 10, 2008

270 will work fine. Use a well constructed bullet.

It is not that they are tough, you usualy just want to anchor them where they are at so they dont fall off a cliff. you just have to choose your terrain that they are on before you shoot them.

dwalton · Jun 10, 2008

My wife killed hers with a 7-08. Use a well contructed bullet and break the front shoulders. A 270 will work just fine. Just like elk, keep shooting until the animal is down.

Cacher716 · Jun 10, 2008

I shot one in BC in 2001 at a honest 400 yards. One shot and it went 10 yards. Shoot one in CO in 2006 at 172 yards, one shot, and he went 40-50 yards. Both times I was using a Winchester M70 in 7mm-08. I'll take my "girlie" gun over a magnum everytime. I can practice all day long and put 200-500 rounds thru it every year. Good bullet, good placement, will out do a magnum with improper placement everytime.

ColoradoBob · Jun 10, 2008

I killed my Colorado mtn goat with a 30/06. Your 270 will be be just fine--CB

bighorn191 · Jun 10, 2008

I've killed two goats in CO. One with a .338 Win. Mag. that took three shots and the other with a .340 Wby that just rolled over and dies in his bed. One of my friends guides numerous goat hunters every year and he has had more multiple shots on goats than any other game species. They are tough indeed. Good bullet placement is paramount on anything and a .270 will be fine. I just like my .340 and how it kills whatever I point it at...

buffalo · Jun 11, 2008

Thanks for the replies. Not something you get to hunt much so I was a little unsure. I know those two last year took a few Barnes X and Nosler Partitions that were pretty good hits.
Regards Buff

ktc · Jun 12, 2008

buff,

A 270 will be what my wife uses. I personally would use my 300, but the 270 will work fine. My only concern would be the premium bullet with a thick winter coat? They are not that big, the hair may cause some problems though? JMO.

Packout · Jun 12, 2008

My wife shot hers with a 280 and 150gr Nosler Partitions at 325 yards. My buddy shot his with a 7mmMag and 160 accubonds at 17 yards.

Shoot them high shoulder, break the shoulder and hope. Lung shoot them and they always seem to find a cliff to fall off. Always wait as long as you can before the hunt. Goat hair can grow 3-5 inches in a couple days if you get some cold. Of course you always run the risk of getting snowed out (watch the weather), but the trophy of a goat is the hair, and after the 1st of Oct the hair only gets better. Best of luck on your hunt, it should be a blast.

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www.sagebasin.com
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ELKOHOLIC · Jun 12, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jun-12-08 AT 08:39PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-12-08 AT 08:39?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Jun-12-08 AT 08:38?PM (MST)

I shot mine bedded down at 300 yards with a 7mm mag. I waited for 40 minutes for it to stand up and then the fog moved in so I took the shot. I knew I made a good shot because I seen a chunk of white hair floating in the air. The goat still stood up and managed to get to its feet and head towards a cliff. I then shot it in the spine as it was getting ready to take a plunge to the valley floor.

They are really tough animals, but it all comes down to bullet placement. The 270 should be just fine.

As others mentioned, the later in the year you can shoot them the better. Here is a picture of the back half of my goat that I got tanned. I shot it October 14th. I couldn't talk my wife into a full body mount so I had to do something with it.

wymoosehunter · Jun 12, 2008

An old goat guide told me to draw an imaginary line up its foreleg and then draw an imaginary line from the base of its ear to the base of its tail. Where the two imaginary lines intersect, shoot. If you hit the imaginary intersection, you will break both shoulders and the spine.
I took his advice on a Colorado goat and literally folded the goat at approx 300 yards. When I boned it out, both front shoulders were destroyed and the bullet had demolished the spine as well. It is bullet placement...but on goats, a quality bullet is also key because they are tough animals. The guy I was hunting with shot his 6 times (several through the lungs-the rest looked like a shotgun pattern) and his managed to go 100 yards and jump off a cliff.
I used a 168 Barnes Triple Shock out of my 300 WBY. The goat did not know what hit him. I would shoot a goat with a 270, but I would follow that old timer's advice.
Good Luck

buffalo · Jun 13, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jun-13-08 AT 11:27AM (MST)[p]wymoosehunter
Thanks, that sounds good.
elkoholic
Thanks. We have a picture of my sons goat by that same tree. That is where my wife has a tag this year. I think I ran into you up there last year. Do you know if it's still snowed in?
Regards Buff

ELKOHOLIC · Jun 13, 2008

It's possible that I did talk to you. I ran into quite a few people up there. Was it on the late hunt?

Good luck on the hunt. I think your wife ought to shoot this one if she see's it. I never seen it on the hunt. The DWR said it has dissapeared on the hunt three years in a row.

buffalo · Jun 13, 2008

Looks like you were looking for the same one that we were. LOL
Regards Buff

ELKOHOLIC · Jun 13, 2008

Thats a cool picture. Post up a picture of your sons goat by the tree. I would love to see it.

buffalo · Jun 13, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jun-13-08 AT 05:30PM (MST)[p]This is looking East from that tree. He shot it just above the cliffs off to the right of his left shoulder.
Buff

ELKOHOLIC · Jun 13, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jun-13-08 AT 08:03PM (MST)[p] Nice pictures! I believe that one goat was shot the same time
mine was. I watched the rest of the goats head down off them
cliffs after he shot. It sure don't look as steep in that
picture as it felt that day packing it back up to the trail.

Chesterwyo · Jul 1, 2008

Awesome pics guys. That looks like pretty good deer country too. Any big bucks running around up there?

Zigga · Jul 1, 2008

I shot mine with a .257 wby. It went 20 yards and piled up with a busted shoulder. I love that gun.

buffalo · Jul 2, 2008

Chesterwyo
There are some deer, but not many. But then Utah is kind of hurting on deer.
Buff

mtmiller · Jul 2, 2008

7WSM drops them in their tracks.

Califelkslayer · Jul 2, 2008

Break bone!! Thats what I do with bull elk. Can't go too far with only back legs to propell them. My $.02.

Idahotrophyhunter · Jul 3, 2008

There is not a Mt Goat that walks that a .270 won't flatten. I have completed my Idaho slam with a .270 and 130 grain partition. I did shoot my goat twice, but the second shot was only to keep him from kicking over a 500 foot cliff.