Wild Harvest

Being a hunter is all about being one with the natural environment. Harvesting food from the land is one way to enhance your understanding of nature. When you harvest an animal here with BCTMO Conservation Club, you have a huge variety of choices for your wild meat – mule deer, mountain goat, moose, black bear or cougar. But it isn’t just the big game animals you can harvest and enjoy here. You also have the opportunity to enjoy grouse, ptarmigan, goose or duck, or one of the many fish species in the lakes and creeks, including brook trout, Dolly Varden and rainbow trout. Our guide territory is rich with many other foods from white bark pine nuts, wild potatoes and wild onions to berries including thimbleberry, soopalallie, juniper and Saskatoons. Every hunt with BCTMO Conservation Club is a package, an all encompassing connection to nature and a connection to yourself.

The Lodge

Want to see what your accommodation will look like during your lodge-based hunt, or on the arrival and departure days of your camp based hunt? Our lodge rooms each have a double bed and en suite bathroom. You will enjoy three meals a day with your fellow hunters, guides and the rest of the ranch team. We also have private cabin upgrades available – chose one of our log cabins set among the trees in our horse pasture. These accommodations make our lodge-based hunts very popular with families, couples and new hunters – being able to enjoy a hot shower and warm bed every night makes this environment great for all ages and abilities of hunters. Many of our hunters also bring non-hunting friends and family members. These non-hunting group members then have the opportunity to join the hunt as an observer, relax in the lodge or take part in any of our ranch-based activities from trail rides and guided hikes to multi-day trips into the mountain.

Check out the ranch accommodation options here

Challenge Yourself

Are you looking for a more challenging hunt? Our late season mountain goat hunts require an extra level of physical fitness and stamina, as you will be snow-shoeing through deep snow to access the goats. But the rewards are worth it – we have a high success rate on these hunts and the goats have exceptionally long winter hair.

To find out more about this hunt, and all our others, visit our conservation hunts page

Mountain Cabins

And what about the accommodation for our camp-based hunts? We have 3 camps throughout our guide territory, many with a cabin and all with canvas wall tents. Our cabins are great to dry off your gear and warm up after a long day’s hunting. On our most challenging mountain goat hunts, you might spike camp, to stay as close as possible to the wildlife. Our mountain cabins make our alpine hunts accessible to more hunters, but our spike camps are for our hunters who are most experienced with the back country.

Chapter-outfitter partnerships in fundraising for conservation
Receive a discount on your hunt while contributing to conservation through your local chapter!
With hunting opportunities shrinking, less location, less species available, collaboration between hunters and outfitters is paramount. Outfitters are on the ground 365 days a year protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat. Not only is it the right thing to do but all hunters depend on it to continue enjoying their hunting lifestyle. Every year, we donate hunts and hunt credits to chapters, affiliates and hunt associations such as SCI chapters, Dallas Safari Club, Wild Sheep Foundation and many others. This allows you to benefit from discounted hunts while making your contribution to conservation, supporting your local chapter and helping preserve hunting opportunities. We have been implementing environment, social governance (ESG) in all that we do long before it became trendy. Please contact your association if you are interested in supporting wildlife conservation through bidding on a hunt auction. Contact in person at a fundraiser or online at https://onlinehuntingauctions.com, search BCTMO or BCTMO.

Mountain Goat Hunt

Mountain Goat Hunt Specs

Mountain Goat Hunt

Base: 5 1/2 – 6 1/2”

Length: 8 1/2 – 10 3/8”

Hair (by mid-September):

Billy’s Back: 6-8” long

Front Pantaloons: 14-16” from tip-to-tip

A mountain goat hunt in BC has many hunt options, starting with a long BC mountain goat hunting season beginning September 1st and ending November 30th.

Some of the variables this long goat hunting season provides are that a November mountain goat hunt has longer hair than a September mountain goat hunt. The weather conditions are tougher on a November mountain goat hunt with lots of snow, whereas the September goat hunt usually doesn’t have any snow.

Mountain Goat Hunt - Camp Based hunt

On a September mountain goat hunt we ride horseback to the mountain tops and stay in a cabin on the top so there is very little walking required.

Season: Sept 1-7, 10-16, 19-25, Sept 28-Oct 4, Oct 7-13, 16-22

Accommodation: Camp, Cabin

Hunt Style: Horse, Foot

Add-on Species: Mule deer, Black bear, Grey wolf, Coyote, Upland Birds and the scarce White-tailed deer or Black-tailed deer

Mountain Goat Hunt - Lodge Based hunt

We can also hunt mountain goats in September from the lodge, goat hunting each day by 4 x 4 vehicle, and hike up to the mountain goat from the road. We see more mountain goats by vehicle than by horseback because we can cover more mountain goat territory in a day.

On an October mountain goat hunt the weather can be good or bad, the goat hair is longer than September, the mountain goats may be a little more concentrated, we usually hunt mountain goat out of the lodge by 4 x 4 and on foot.

Canadian bull moose can be an add-on species as October 1st to 15th is high moose rut time. Usually hunters book a rut moose hunt as the primary hunt, but if we have a tag available a bull moose can be an add-on to the mountain goat hunt.

In November there is for sure lots of snow but these mountain goat hunts reap the reward of the longest goat hair and the opportunity to see the big billies with the nannies during the rut.

Season: Sept 1-7, 10-16, 19-25, Sept 28-Oct 4, Oct 7-13, 16-22, Oct 25-31, Nov 3-10, 12-19, 21-28

Accommodation: Hunting lodge

Hunt Style: 4×4 vehicle, Snowmobile, Foot

Add-on Species: Mule deer, Black bear, Grey wolf, Coyote, Canadian moose, Upland birds and the scarce White-tailed deer and Black-tailed deer and after November 15th Cougar, Bobcat, Lynx

Highlights: November billies have exceptionally long winter hair

Mature billies make the SCI record book, with bases ranging from 5 1/2-6 1/2” and lengths of 8 1/2-10 3/8”. Most of our hunters choose to mount their trophies full size because of their exceptional body size and hair length. If you want a treasured trophy, this is your opportunity.

To connect with us about a mountain goat hunt, submit our contact form and let us know your interest

Mountain goats are in fact antelopes and so not a true goat. Both male and female mountain goats have a long, thick white pelage which is much longer in winter. Mountain goats have huge forequarters and relatively short, thin sharply-pointed, black horns.
Size is not a definitive measure of sex, billies and nannies can be extremely difficult to tell apart and there are few sure indicators.
Mountain goats are found in alpine areas from Colorado to Alaska. They are native to western Canada, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Alaska, all other goats have been transplanted to their new locations. British Columbia is home to more than 50% of the American mountain goat population, making this province a significant player in conservation of this species.

The mountain goat is a relic from the ice age. As such it is well adapted to mountain top habits and deep snow.
Billies weigh on average 155 to 265 lbs and nannies 120 to 165 lbs. They are between 45 and 60 inches long on average. This overlap of weight illustrates how size is not a reliable method of sex identification.
Black horns are permanent features of billies and nannies. Annuli on the horns can be used to determine the age of a goat, but these are not easy to determine until after harvest. Mountain goat horns can be up to one foot long for adults. Billies’ horns are more heavyset, with a smaller gap between horns at the base with a gradual curve to the tip. Billies have a large pair of leathery glands at the base of each horn. Nannies’ horns are thinner, with a wider gap at the base and a sharp horn curve. However, there is a lot of individual variation meaning a mature nanny may be confused for a billy.
Some other differences between billies and nannies include a more stocky body in the billy, with a more pronounced hump and pantaloons as well as the distinctive Roman bulge of a mature billy. Nannies are often found in larger groups and accompanied by kids, whereas billies are often alone except for during the mating season in November where the billies join with the nannies. However a lone goat is never a sure sign of a billy as old nannies are often seen alone and their bodies can be as big or bigger than younger males.
While adult male and female mountain goats are legal to harvest (as long as the nanny does not have kids), this legislation is because males and females are so difficult to differentiate. To ensure the conservation of the mountain goat, hunters are encouraged to target billies only as over-harvesting females will quickly lead to population declines.
Mountain goats’ bodies are well-adapted for steep rocky terrain and built like a bison, in fact the first white explorers called them “little white buffalo”. The muscular forequarters of the goat’s body seem out of proportion to the hind quarters, but ideally positions them for climbing mountains and pawing through snow. Although sheep are known for their acrobatics, goats are highly methodical animals, moving in a slower, more calculated manner. However, when threatened, goats are also able to move at great speed and has no competitor when it comes to navigating narrow ledges. Mountain goats are expert at ascending mountains, descent is more difficult for them. Mountain goats have short legs, positioned close together and a low centre of gravity which allows the goat walk on extremely narrow ledges with poor footing. Mountain goats’ cloven hooves have rough-textured traction pads which make them highly specialized for rocky, slippery terrain. Their toes are able to spread widely to distribute their weight over more ground. Their toes can close like pincers around rocky projections to provide extra traction on downhill slopes.
A goat’s hair is white across the entire body although kids often have brown hair on their back. Mountain goat hair is long and stiff around the neck, creating a mane. Hair is the longest on the dorsal ridge and on the pantaloons of the upper legs. A beard of long hair covers the chin.
Mountain goats have the thickest and longest pelage of all the North American ungulates with the exception of the musk ox. Mountain goats also have soft, blubber-like fat. This makes them well-adapted to survive harsh winters, perhaps only the polar bear is better able to withstand cold. Their winter coat is essential two coats, one of coarse hollow guard hairs up to 8” long on the goat’s and very fine, interwoven underfur that is 2-3” long. This enables goats to withstand the most severe wind chill. On our September hunts, mountain goats are transitioning to their thick winter coat, November is the time to harvest mountain goats with their longest winter hair. While a mountain goat’s horns might seem less-than-impressive when compared to a mountain sheep, the long, luxurious coat is what defines a mountain goat from a trophy-perspective.

Mountain goats are found on steep slopes and rocky cliffs in alpine or sub-alpine areas, generally in places sheep fear to tread. Sitting on the top of bluffs allow mountain goats to see predators coming. Feeling safe here, mountain goats are often seen resting in these positions. Mountain goats are present in most mountainous ranges in British Columbia except for the coastal islands including Vancouver Island. Statistics suggest there are 50,000 in BC, with a total of 75,000 to 100,000 in North America. This means that more than 50% of the goat population of North America lives in BC. Not only does this create unparalleled hunting opportunities in this province, but also an important conservation responsibility.
Single adults and groups of two or three with no accompanying kids or yearlings are usually billies. If there are kids present, the adults are almost certainly nannies, except for during the mating season. Most nannies will breed for the first time at two years old. Billies are often older before they mate because dominant billies control the majority of the breeding. Mating season occurs in late November and early December. This is a particularly exciting time to hunt mountain goats because not only do the goats have their long winter coats, but the big billies are more easily seen as they have moved into the nannies’ herds.
After six months of gestation, nannies give birth to a 6-7 lb kid in late May or early June. Sometimes, twins are seen. 40 to 60% of the kids die from starvation or predation from golden eagles in their first winter. Predators like cougar and wolves will occasionally attempt to ambush goats, but because of their alertness, preference for steep terrain and ability to use their horns, mountain goat are less susceptible to predation than most big game animals. As with all the species that BCTMO Conservation Club hunts, we carefully record the number, age and sex of any goats we see. Year by year, this allows us to determine herd recruitment and how many kids survive their first winter, influencing our conservation management practices.

In spring, mountain goats are seen at lower elevations to take advantage of the first of green vegetation where they eat a variety of food. When summer starts, they follow the snow melt and new growth upward, meaning they benefit from its most nutritious early stages for several months. In summer and early fall most mountain goats graze at and above the timberline on the north side of mountain slopes, particularly during the day to allow them to stay cool. Mountain goats are more often seen on the warmer south slopes overnight or early in the morning. In the alpine, they feed on alpine swales and boulder meadows beside steep cliffs.
When the cold weather sets in, mountain goats move down the mountain to where the snow is less deep. But don’t let this fool you into thinking this makes the hunt any easier. There is still snow, ice and steep terrain to deal with. A mountain goat’s winter range is usually a steep site that sheds snow and has a warm south-to-west exposure. Mountain goats survive the often harsh winters by eating a wide variety of plants, including lichens, ferns, grasses, herbs, shrubs and deciduous or coniferous trees. Depending on location, their diet varies considerably; in dry region they eat mostly grasses and in wet areas woody browse. Mountain goats are strongly attracted to mineral licks and dry alkaline earth licks, travelling many miles to reach them to satisfy their craving for sodium and other minerals throughout June, July and August.
Mountain goats eat all tree and shrub species with the exception of spruce. Mountain goats are one of few species to eat buffalo-berry and hemlock.

Mountain goats are not considered at risk as they are widespread, numerous and stable in most areas of British Columbia and western North America. However, activities such as helicopter skiing and snowmobiling in goat winter ranges should be managed, as well as general human activities that disturb the goats. These activities can cause localized groups of goats to migrate out of these areas making them more vulnerable to predation as they leave the safety of the alpine. Changing travel routes to avoid mountain goat habitat and careful scheduling of disturbing activities can resolve these problems. Mountain goats have a low reproductive rate, are easily visible in steep terrain and do not easily repopulate ranges after they have been removed, mountain goat hunting needs to be closely monitored.
The difficulty of determining billies and nannies by mountain goat hunters is another hunting pressure. Increasing mountain goat hunter education and hunting with a licensed guide outfitter reduce the risk of inadvertently harvesting a nanny.

Challenge yourself with a mountain goat hunt

Mountain Goat Hunt

Mountain Goat Hunt Specs

Mountain Goat Hunt - Camp Based hunt

Mountain Goat Hunt - Lodge Based hunt

Mountain Goat Identification:

Mountain Goat Biology:

Mountain Goat Behaviour:

Diet and Seasonal Range:

Mountain Goat Management:

5% of every hunt goes towards

conservation initiatives in the Chilcotin Ark

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