1st time goat hunt CO G12

Skibum81

Member
Sep 18, 2015
50
18
Denver, CO
I got extremely lucky in the application season this year and struck gold on a CO G12 1st rifle goat hunt. This is my 1st ever goat hunt and I am now just starting my research. Has anyone hunted this unit that may be willing to talk to me? Or anyone who hasn't, have any good resources for learning more about Colorado goat hunting in general? Thanks all, wish you all luck on remaining draws to post.
 

Colorado T

Active Member
Aug 28, 2011
455
114
Littleton, CO
The sheep and goat orientation that Colorado Parks and Wildlife holds is a good resource. Since you drew they should send the information with your license on when this will be held. They have a few seminars as well as different vendors and booths.
I don't know a lot about that particular unit but scout as much as you can before the hunt. Look at the CPW hunting statistics (harvest reports) for goat in that unit and it will provide you with a lot of info.
 

hunter25

Very Active Member
Sep 8, 2016
520
360
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Congratulations on the tag!
I've only hunted g13 so no help there.
The statistics are good info and show where past hunters harvested.
Have more than 1 area scouted so you have multiple goats located .
Unless you're way back in its not uncommon to have other hunters watch a goat then camp under him for opening morning.
Learned that the hard way after running up after work after watching goats all summer. Lol
3 died I never got a chance at

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

Horniac

Member
Jul 14, 2011
148
12
NorCal
As Colorado T suggested, the harvest statistics found on the CP&W website will give you the drainages the goats were harvested in as well as the age and horn measurements. They used to have the coordinate locations of the kill sites but the reports have been stripped of that information. When I had my G7 goat tag in 2017, I was able to input the coordinates into Google Earth from these reports and map the kill sites to visually see where the goats were being taken. I also found this company that had a printed map with this information;

http://www.huntdata.com/products.asp?cat=14

They should have a map of your unit with the kill sites plotted at least through 2016. Might be worth the purchase for you.

Assume you have an either sex tag, but some good mountain goat billy/nanny ID courses and other mountain goat info on other state sites;

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=goatidentification.mai

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/huntingGuides/msg/default.html

https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/main-hunting-page/big-game

Hope this helps. Good luck on your hunt and stay safe on the mountain!

Horniac
 

sheephunter

Active Member
Jan 29, 2012
245
10
Colorado
That's over in Maroon Bells. I hunted G11 years ago and haven't spent time in G12 but have looked at it from a distance. Just be aware, goat hunters die up in there with surprising regularity, so just be safe. I came close enough to punching my ticket in G11, but G12 terrain is pretty extreme.
 

ColoradoV

Very Active Member
Oct 4, 2011
797
818
Yea G12 will find the sheep in some pretty extreme terrain be safe as a first priority. One of my uncles has been on mountain rescue in that area for many years and there are a lot of accidents not only with hunters. I never hunted for sheep but look some of that over for deer on a regular basis feel free to shoot me a pm if you are wondering about access and certain areas.

V
 

Skibum81

Member
Sep 18, 2015
50
18
Denver, CO
Thank you for all the info gentlemen. This is certainly one I am really looking forward to. At this point with all the snow I am wondering how long it will be before I can get up there and scout? I am guessing I will have to wait until after July 4th.
 

sneakem

New Member
Jan 17, 2018
3
0
Colorado
There are plenty of goats in every drainage. Most hunters will be in the Snowmass Creek/ Maroon Creek areas. There are goats in Conundrum and around Castle although in fewer numbers even a few on the Marble side. There terrain is extremely vertical, loose rock, many people have died in the bells. Remember to be patient and not put yourself into dangerous areas to kill a goat. They will eventually wonder into retrievable areas. Pressure pushes them into inaccessible areas, remember that its way steeper than it looks too...

You can easily drive up West Maroon to the lake and spot goats from the parking lot on Pyramid peak and Siever Mountain...
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,070
8,347
70
Gypsum, Co
Depending on when the hunt starts the access to the Maroon Lake area is restricted due to too much traffic. For information about access you should call the White River National Forest office in Glenwood Springs.

Also I believe that it was two years ago when a hunter slipped and fell while packing out his goat. While crossing a area. He never made it home
But then he had his goat, rifle, and a bow all in one load.

Good luck on your hunt.
 

sheephunter

Active Member
Jan 29, 2012
245
10
Colorado
Another guy died up in there yesterday (7/10) descending off South Maroon Peak. According to news, body's still up there, they have to send a chopper up in there to recover it. Brutal country up in there.