ESPN Hunting

They call it God's country — the rugged vertical terrain that makes up the Alpine landscapes found in mountain ranges across western North America.

And it's here in this steep terra firma that one of the continent's most majestic big-game animals resides.

The sure-footed mountain goat with its distinctive black horns and flowing white cape is among the most challenging to pursue. Mountain goat hunts are at once dangerous and beautiful.

Just ask Joel Bedgood, an enthusiastic hunter from Sherman, Texas, who has chased whitetails, mule deer, elk and sheep across much of the continent.

Several years ago, he added mountain goats to that hunting resume, discovering the allure of tracking the mountain monarchs when he drew a Montana goat tag on his first try.

Hunt Planner facts

Species: Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) Range: The mountain goat's high Alpine range includes portions of southeastern Alaska, western Canada and the western United States. Population: While up-to-date figures are hard to come by, estimates place North American mountain goat numbers between 75,000 and 100,000. Hunting seasons: Where such seasons are held, mountain goat hunting typically occurs between late August and the end of November. Rut: Mountain goats typically breed in November and December. Top hunting areas British Columbia: With a population reported to be as high as 50,000 goats, British Columbia's rugged mountains are king when it comes to chasing big billies. The Canadian province is home to seven of the top-10 goats in the Pope & Young record book, in addition to having 140 overall P&Y record-book entries to lead all states and provinces. In the Boone & Crockett Club record book, B.C. has five of the top-10 billies, including the two top goats in the world. Non-residents hunting big game in British Columbia are required to have a big game guide. Alaska: With a population ranging anywhere between 10,000 to 25,000, the 49th state is tops in America. As for record-book entries, Alaska has five of the Top 10 goats in the Boone & Crockett record book. The state has one of the top-10 goats in the Pope & Young record book, along with 77 total entries, fourth best among states and provinces. While it is too late to apply for this fall's draw hunts, hunters hoping to obtain a 2005 mountain goat permit via Alaska's draw system face a Dec. 6 winter deadline. Colorado: While Colorado doesn't have a lot of mountain goats (about 2,000), the state isn't a bad place to hunt, as evidenced by the Centennial State's claim to the Pope & Young Club's world record. The state has a total of 102 Pope & Young Club entries, second most overall. That includes 10 P&Y mountain goat entries in 2001 and 2002. Tags aren't easy to come by, since non-residents must have three preference points to be eligible to draw a tag. The application deadline this year was April 6. Washington: The Evergreen State boasts a population of about 4,000 goats and a reasonable chance at a trophy. Washington has 99 total entries in the Pope & Young Club record book, good for third best all-time. Hunters hoping to draw a mountain goat tag in Washington may apply between May 15 and June 20. Idaho: The Gem State offers perhaps the best drawing odds in the continental U.S. And when hunters do draw a tag, success rates are fairly high and trophy goats are a distinct possibility. In fact, Idaho has produced 57 Pope & Young trophy mountain goats, fifth best all-time. The application period to apply for mountain goat tags is May 1-31. Montana: The Big Sky Country has some good mountain goats and unsuccessful applicants can build up preference points there. Montana has produced 42 Pope & Young mountain goats, good enough for sixth best all-time. Applications must be postmarked no later than May 1 and on-line apps also are available with the same May 1 deadline. Hunting keys Get in shape: Mountain goat country is tough, rugged, and almost always vertical. If you're going mountain goat hunting, get in the absolute best shape of your life! Why? Because goats inhabit high, lonely, and tough to access places. You spot these critters first, then try to stalk into shooting range. If you show up in the mountains in poor physical condition, your odds of success will decrease dramatically. Learn to distinguish between billies and nannies: Want a top-end trophy? Then learn how to tell mature males and their bigger horns from the mature females, which generally carry smaller horns. Develop mental toughness: Hunting goats is hard work and can be dangerous due to the Alpine environments that these critters inhabit. To stay sharp and ready to seal the deal when a shot opportunity presents itself, work on your mental toughness before heading for the mountains. Carry top-grade optics: Before you can tag a goat, you've got to find him or her first. And since mountain goat country is tough and vertical, that means plenty of glassing. Optics — the best you can afford — are an absolute must when chasing goats on their home turf. Carry top-grade equipment: As with optics, good equipment is a must when chasing mountain goats. Use the best boots, clothing, backpack, tent, sleeping bag, stove and weapon that you can afford before chasing mountain goats in their inhospitable terrain. Learn to shoot at steep angles: Whether you use a bow or rifle, there aren't many flat shots in the rugged Alpine terrain that mountain goats inhabit. Learn to make the tough angled shots because that's generally what you'll get. Trophy field-judging tips Since both billies and nannies possess horns, it can be tough to even pick out a mature male. In fact, field judging a mountain goat trophy billy is among the toughest of all chores in hunting. Just a small amount of difference in horn length and circumference can spell the difference between a good goat and a great goat. To find a trophy billy with good horns, learn their preferred habitat, habits, distinguishing body characteristics and horn qualities that make up a mature male goat. Look high: Big billies are often loners, spending their time up high by themselves, or at most, in a group of two or three Body size: Adult billies are typically larger and blockier than nannies. Rump stains: Billies will typically have stains on their hindquarters from urination, while nannies usually do not. Stretching: Billies stretch themselves out to urinate, nannies squat to urinate. Narrow width: Adult billies will have a narrow space between their horns, while nannies will possess a wider space between horns. Good base circumferences: Trophy billies have large base circumferences at the bottom of their horns, usually 4 4/8 inches or better. Nannies have slender horns and typically have base circumferences of 4 4/8 inches or less. Good horn length: Most trophy billies will have horn lengths of 8 0/8 inches or better. Top goats have horn lengths of 10 inches or better. Some females listed in the record books can also display similar horn lengths, although the circumferences for nannies are almost always less. Use the average ear length of 4 ½ inches on a mature goat to help judge horn length. Horn curvature: Mature billies exhibit a gradual curve of their horns, while nannies usually have a sharp curve near the end of the horn. Avoid broken tips: For good scoring, look for horns that are intact. Best coats: If you're interested in a mountain goat sporting a prime, thick white coat, best plan on hunting later rather than earlier. (Sources: "The Bowhunter's Handbook" by M.R. James; "Bowhunter's Encyclopedia" by Dwight Schuh; Various state and provincial conservation agency websites; Mountain-goats.org website; Boone & Crockett Club Records of North American Big Game, 11th Edition; Boone & Crockett Club's 24th Big Game Awards; Pope & Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 5th Edition, Pope & Young Club's 22nd and 23rd Recording Period Statistical Summaries; and ESPNOutdoors.com files.)

While drawing any hard-to-get, limited-entry tag across the West is easier said than done, getting the coveted permit proved to be among the easiest aspects of Bedgood's goat hunt in the Big Sky Country.

After seeing a good number of mountain goats on his first two days of hunting, Bedgood and his outfitter, Larry Altimus, finally saw a big billy on the third morning of the hunt.

Sounds easy enough, right? Spot the goat through your optics, hike into position and take a shot.

Not. After spotting the billy, the pair made the decision to try for the goat early that morning around 8. Hours later, however, they were still hiking into position.

It was nearly mid-afternoon after a strenuous hike through deep snow before Bedgood was finally in position to take his shot.

"We went straight up," Bedgood said. "It took all we had because we were fighting our way through knee and thigh deep snow.

"I'll promise you we burned some calories."

Finally, Bedgood was in position to put the scope's crosshairs on the mountain goat and touch off a shot from his rifle at a distance of some 200 yards.

While the first shot was on target and lethal, mountain goats are tough critters and Bedgood was forced to administer two follow up shots to put the goat down for the count.

But in such steep terrain, when a mountain goat does in fact go down for the count, they also sometimes go downhill.

"It literally rolled for what seemed like a couple of minutes down the mountain," Bedgood said.

"It probably wasn't any more than 30 seconds, but they cover a lot of ground when they start rolling."

When the goat finally came to rest, Bedgood and Altimus were faced with the difficult task of maneuvering into position to retrieve the billy.

With the pack mules on the other side of the mountain and darkness closing fast, the pair found themselves facing an unexpected overnight stay on the side of a Montana mountain … in November, no less.

"I was exhausted," Bedgood said. "We ended up spending the night out there. We got into the timber and built a fire. I was so glad to stop and to sit down. I was worn out."

But it was a fitful night of rest waiting to pack the goat out.

"I didn't sleep well," Bedgood said. "I slept off and on until daylight. I'd huddle next to the fire on one side until it got pretty hot, then I'd roll over and let the other side warm up.

"You don't get to do that (when you're) deer hunting very often."

The following morning, none the worse for wear, the pair was able to get Bedgood's mountain goat off the mountain.

Today, a beautiful mount grabs the attention of anyone who enters the hunter's home.

It also serves as a constant reminder of one of Bedgood's top hunting odysseys.

"It's as tough an animal to hunt as any sheep that you'd ever kill, as far as having to work for it," Bedgood said. "I guess the fact that they don't have big horns makes them a little less desirable in some people's eyes."

But certainly not in Bedgood's eyes.

"When I get eligible again, I'll start putting in for (a goat tag) again," Bedgood said. "I just like the mountains and I like being up there where they live."

Up there where they live, right smack in the middle of God's country.

Top-10 Boone & Crockett mountain goats

(Score, hunter, location, year.)

1. 56 6/8, E.C. Haase, Babine Mountains, British Columbia, 1949
1. 56 6/8, G. Wober/L. Michalchuk, Bella Coola, British Columbia, 1999
3. 56 2/8, W.H. Jackson, Helm Bay, Alaska, 1933
3. 56 2/8, Picked up, Hedley, British Columbia, 1969
5. 56 0/8, Peter Bading, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, 1963
6. 55 6/8, Picked up, Blunt Mountain, British Columbia, 1970
7. 55 2/8, Patrick P. Moleski, Oliver Creek, British Columbia, 1994
8. 55 0/8, Elmer W. Copstead, Cleveland Peninsula, Alaska, 1939
8. 55 0/8, James Wilson, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska, 1969
8. 55 0/8, David K. Mueller, Cleveland Peninsula, Alaska, 1997

Sources: Boone & Crockett Club Records of North American Big Game, 11th Edition; and Boone & Crockett Club's 24th Big Game Awards.

Top-10 Pope & Young mountain goats

1. 52 4/8, Lyle K. Willmarth, Park County, Colo., 1988
2. 52 0/8, Mike Jennett, Atlin, British Columbia, 1994
3. 51 4/8, C. Wayne Treadway, Wrangell, Alaska, 1988
3. 51 4/8, Reg Meisner, Nanika Lake, British Columbia, 1995
3. 51 4/8, Duncan Henderson, Kispiox Mountain, British Columbia, 1998
6. 51 2/8, Dan Brockman, Nahlin Mountain, British Columbia, 1995
7. 51 0/8, Dave Ramsay, Terrace, British Columbia, 1982
8. 50 6/8, Randy Svisdahl, Bella Coola, British Columbia, 1995
9. 50 2/8, Kurt Kuehl, Ketchikan, Alaska, 1989
10. 50 0/8, Bob Haugen, Kittitas County, Wash., 1971
10. 50 0/8, Edward M. Beitner, Snohomish County, Wash., 1984
10. 50 0/8, Bob Fromme, Wrangell, Alaska, 1987
10. 50 0/8, Gregory White, Klastline River, British Columbia, 1992

Sources: Pope & Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 5th Edition and Pope & Young Club's 23rdRecording Period Statistical Summary.