Goat Guardians

Countless conservation efforts exist for Montana’s big game: elk, deer, and sheep all have organizations devoted to their continued wellbeing and population balance. But what about the mountain goat? For years, this integral part of our wildlife has been sorely overlooked—and the new Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance wants to change this.

Primarily focused on increasing the goats’ range and population, the Alliance hopes to spread awareness and increase the number of tags available to hunters. Drawing a tag is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the Alliance hopes to grant this opportunity to as many big-game hunters as possible. Recently, the Alliance made strides in this effort in the Henry Mountains, where goats were previously not thought to exist. When the FWP spotted 17 goats in the area, everyone thought it was a fluke. But when they sent in the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to verify the population—promising a hunting tag in the area if at least 20 goats were counted—the Alliance counted 58. Thanks to their efforts, two new goat tags may be available in the Henry Mountain area in 2014 (final confirmation won’t come until January or February).

For more information or to volunteer, visit their Facebook page or go to goatalliance.org.