Typing a message in the Big Game Forum I thought I'd better ask the esteemed and knowledgeable ladies and gentlemen here:

Why on earth do the results for the goat and antelope draw (in Alberta) come available so much later than for all the other species? Surely the system is the same, and the application deadline is the same...

Frans

I don't know about the goats, but for antelope I believe they wait until a summer census is completed. Then its guessing, witchcraft and voodoo to figure out how many the habitat will support next winter and from that and estimated hunter success rates, how many tags to give out.

Dean

For goats I know they fly the zones and count the goats, a last minute effort to ensure there is enough to allow the season, although I have never heard of them cancelling a zone after it was put into the book and people are allowed to put in for it, but just in case the population crash's they can still stop the tag from being drawn.
By the way I drew an alberta goat tag in 2003, west of Pincher creek and after a big sept snow storm shot a decent billy. Awesome experience all told, and it sits life sized in the basement. Anyone that gets drawn in the south I can give some good tips and spots to look.

Thanks for the explanations... makes more sense now. Jetboater, I'm trying to draw in the zone furthest NW.... I don't know any of the areas, so I chose for the zone with the best odds last year. It's about a 20 kkm bike ride in I guess... quite the adventure! Congrats on the goat, got job!

Frans