Just booked a Mt. Goat Hunt in Southern BC.
I need a to know what a great Mt. Goat caliber is so I can decide what Weatherby rifle to buy.
I do enjoy .300 win mags, but I was wondering if theres something better.
Thanks,
W.

I used a 7mm Rem Mag shooting 160 gr Noslers for the only Mt. Goat I've taken. It worked well. Goats are pretty tough but not bulletproof. I'd feel safe saying anything from a 270 to a 300 would be about perfect.

Like most game, where you hit them is more important that what you hit them with. As long as the bullet gets to the vitals you can get the skinning knife ready. The actual caliber isnt too important in my admittedly limited experience.

The only Sheep and goat I've taken were with a 30/06 and it worked perfect. If I were to recommend something it would be .25 to .30 cal and fairly flat shooting using decent bullets.
In my opinion there are some instances where you want to anchor a Goat or Sheep "right there" so it doesn't run off a steep section while its dying and thats where the .25's seem light, with that said I still stand behind the .25 cal with the right bullet as a good choice on up through .30's.
Like the previous poster said its more about how you hit them than what you hit them with. Whatever you choose learn to shoot it well and know your limits.
Also in my opinion I think a bullet that does some good internal damage is important and extreme penetration with a "hard" bullet is not needed on these mid sized animals.

The "best" choice here is a light rifle in a chambering you can shoot really well and using a good bullet, such as a Nosler. I like .270Win. and .280Rem. rifles for my mountain hunting and the old .30-06 has been a very popular choice in that area since it's inception.

The one issue here, is that there are LOTS of Grizzlies there and they have been VERY aggressive this year, due to large snowpack and other factors. This is NOT "machoing", it is a serious concern. I prefer a light .338WM where these bears are commonplace as I will mever rely on a guide to defend me....if, you can shoot a .338WM, well, with premium 225-250s, that would be my first choice.

Both my closest friend and I got goat draws in the area for this season and will be scouting in August. This is VERY tough country, among the toughest anywhere in western Canada and you MUST be in VERY good shape and have GOOD boots, preferably two pairs.

Do as much exercise as you can and toughen your legs and lungs or you WILL suffer and your hunt might be compromised. I am walking stairs with a 75 lb, pack to do what I can for my elderly, battered bod in anticipation of my hunt.

Thanks everyone.,
Dewey, as always, thanks for your advice.
I am hunting the Kooteney lake region. Hopefully when I do my goat hunt in late oct the grizzlies will be sleeping.
Thanks again everyone, and keep the suggestions coming.
W.

I'm taking my 300WSM to BC this Oct for my goat hunt.

270 Winchester and premium 130s... Jack O'Connor shot lots of sheep and goats with that caliber! Recoils like a small caliber rifle, and hits like a magnum.

quote:

Just booked a Mt. Goat Hunt in Southern BC.
I need a to know what a great Mt. Goat caliber is so I can decide what Weatherby rifle to buy.
I do enjoy .300 win mags, but I was wondering if theres something better.

I killed my goat with a 180 gr Partition from my .30 Gibbs, I have one friend that killed his goat with his .270 Win, another friend killed his goat with his 7 mm Rem mag, and two other friends that killed their goats with their .22-250s. All were one shot DRT kills on DIY Montana hunts.

In over 35 years of hunting in Montana, Alaska, and Canadian wilderness grizzly country, I've only had one encounter with a grizz, and a well thrown rock made him dissappear. I respect them, but I don't lie awake at nights worring if I have enough gun to stop one.

I would not hesitate for a second to hunt mountain goats or mountain grizzlys with a .300 Win mag.

I would NEVER throw anything at a Grizzly and consider such behaviour foolhardy. I have had several dozen close encounters as one would expect, given my former occupations and where I was born, raised and have lived for my 65 years. I am not afraid of these animals, however, I respect what they can do, have had colleagues severely mauled by them and close relatives chased in the city limits of my home town, they should not be trifled with.

In any event, the most important aspect of this is to use a GOOD bullet in a chambering YOU can shoot quickly and well, then, to be in shape and listen to the advice offered by experienced locals. These are the three problems most of the B.C. guides I have known have commented on concerning "non-resident" hunters and, your enjoyment of a costly hunt really depends on them.

No offence intended to anyone here, I am merely trying to assist this chap with what I know since I have worked and hunted exactly where he is going and know the situation very well.

i've grown up around grizz also
and have thrown alot of rocks.
had a camp cook wack one in the head with
a cast iron frying pan, through the tent.
bear was pushing in the side of the tent.
them camp cooks are no one to triffle with

The calibers mentioned above will all work well. Goats really aren't all that touch, but you do want to anchor them in most situations. I've used 270, 30.06 and 300 wsm all with success on goats. Nothing wrong with the 300 Win, but typically these are chambered in heavier rifles.
My current preference is a 300 wsm or 30.06 in a lightweight rifle like the Kimber 84L or 8400 MT. There is no need to pack a heavier rifle around in most goat country.
Bill

We've shot them with 150gr Partitions out of 280s. They died fast enough. Helped friends shoot them with 270, 30-06, 7 Mag, 300 Win, 30-378. They all were anchored and died quick enough when hit properly with the above cartridges, but a couple ran when hit farther back (lung) and then died. We shoot them front, high shoulder, anchors them much better than the standard "deer lung shot". They are tougher than I'd have expected only because anchoring them is more important, but as stated above, they are not bullet proof.

--Oh and I threw a rock at a grizzly, also. Of course the pistol was ready to go if needed (and a whip in the way of a Sage 6wt fly rod). I just find I am a better shot with a rock than with a pistol. I'd wager any decent mtn goat gun would also kill a grizzly bear..... I'll admit that others do know better than me.

I drew a CO goat tag this year. I'll be taking my M-97 Light weight hunter in .300 Wm shooting 180 Gr Hornandy IB's @ about 3K. I'd like to take my M-70 in .270 Weatherby mag if I can get it ironed out by then. I just bought it and it's in need of some tuning in the accuracy department.

Only been on a couple of goat hunts, so, experience is limited. I agree wi others, anything between .270Win. & .30Mag is good. I took my billie wi .300WSM. You want to get a quick expanding bullet into the vitals; so, the usual admonition about shot placement never more true in salvaging your trophy.

Also, if you are determined to get a Weatherby, get the lightweight model. (My goat rifle above is a Kimber 8400 Montana; wi scope topping out 7.5lbs.) Where you will be hunting goats you will quickly appreciate weight factor, especially if, as likely you will also be carrying a backpack. And, good climbing shoes cannot be overemphasized.

Absent the grizzly risk, I'd think a .257 Weatherby with a 115-120-grain Barnes Triple X or Hornady GMX would be a death ray for goats.

Use to own a .270 Weatherby and I wish I still had it for such hunt.

My .270 WSM with a 130 grain North Fork at 3450 fps would do nicely. Good shooting.

Thanks everyone.
I just talked to my outfitter. He says he perfers a .300 win mag.
I can get an Weatherby ultra lightwieght that should wiegh 7 3/4 pounds with scope and all in this caliber, that will be 44 5/8 long. thats with a 24 inch barrell.
Thanks so much for everyones help.
W.

This has been a really interesting thread to read.

I am not going goat hunting,but I'll ask anyway. The consensus seems to be that one can kill a goat with anyting from .25 caliber on up "if you hit them in the right place to anchor them where they stand", or as some people say, DRT. What is that place on a goat?

I hunted my Mountain Goat in Nevada with a 270 Win. with 130 gr. Rem corelokt. With excellent placement and a dead goat, I would use a larger caliber in a heavier weight. Next time I go for the animal that lives above the socially acceptable sheep, it will be with a different cal..

quote:

Originally posted by woodsie:
Thanks everyone.
I just talked to my outfitter. He says he perfers a .300 win mag.
I can get an Weatherby ultra lightwieght that should wiegh 7 3/4 pounds with scope and all in this caliber, that will be 44 5/8 long. thats with a 24 inch barrell.
Thanks so much for everyones help.
W.

I have only had one .300Win., pulled the barrel and installed a .338WM tube, but, I do have both a .308Norma and a .300H&H. With good bullets such as the 200 NPs, these are excellent all-around cartridges for hunting in the part of BC you are going to.

A bit of factual reality here and it is that in the southeastern corner of BC, the current population of Grizzlies is about 3500 and the total in BC is 20,000+ for 365,000 sq. mi. Alaska, has 30,000+ and the Lower Fortyeight has about 1000 all told.

Those here who post on dealing with this aspect of RM Goat hunting and live in a state where there are a few hundred Grizzlies, might want to live in the bush in Alaska or BC for a few years and then reconsider some of the comments made here as they do not reflect the current reality of the situation here.

A larger cartridge, with appropriate bullets IS a "better hammer" in this situation and it seems that your outfitter, Tim Faiers, would agree and that, IMHO, is the way you should go.

One of my cousins from Nelson, BC, one of the closest towns to where Tim and his wife live, just phoned me last night and he has shot a LOT of trophy game all over BC, including some goats and two Grizzlies, plus some monster Elk on his trapline on Kootenay Lake, and he can afford any rifle he wants. He tells me that he uses the old Ruger 77-.338WM that he got from my youngest brother, one of a pair I had customized about 30 years ago and they have shot a WHACK of big game with it.

His office is in Nelson, in the heritage brewery building there, built by our family some 115 years ago and it is full of the trophies he has taken. He is one of many serious Kootenay and BC hunters I know and have known over my 53 years of shooting here that uses the .338 and .300 mags in preference to smaller cartridges and with great success.

JMHO, but, based on actual experience where you are going to hunt.

Just bought the Ultra lightweight in 300 winnie.
Thats 3 Weatherby's in 6 months. Dont tell my wife
W.

I too am going goat hunting in nov and I have not made up my mind what gun to use. I have shot goats before with 7mm rem mag and it worked but i saw some goats that people have shot and the goat goes to the worst possible place to die or jumps off a cliff to make it hard to retrieve so I am leaning towards 300 RUM with 200 grain ttsx in hopes that if a longer shot is all i have i still have enough to anchor him.

I would think a .300 with a 180 gr premium expanding bullet like an Accubond would be perfect. I shot mine with a .30TC with a 165, he was dead on his feet, but I think a 180 is a better choice...

I would use my .270 WSM with a 130 grain North Fork at 3450 fps and not blink an eye. My Model 70 Winchester Feather Deluxe puts them in tiny groups when I do my part. Good shooting.

woodsie,
The 300 winnie will be perfect. I got my first one 44 years ago and it's been my primary cal. ever since. I have a light weigth Brown Precision that was built in 1982 that I've used on countless sheep hunts plus goats. Goats are tough to kill and the 300 throws a big bullet quite a long ways, plus it will handle any bear you run into.
I'll be in Southern BC again this fall, but for another Bighorn hunt. I'll be carrying that well worn 300 winnie.
Good luck an the goat hunt, you should have a ball.

I also used a .257 Weatherby Magnum Mark V and 115 grain Nosler Partitions with excellent results at 250+ yards.

Steve