South Dakota Mountain Goat Hunting
Mountain Goat Hunting in South Dakota 2010
The white and shaggy mountain goat is reclusive and inhabits areas such as the Needles area near Custer State Park.
The season for mountain goat is currently closed as work continues to strengthen mountain goat numbers in mountainous terrain of the southern Black Hills.
Take a look around at the tools and information on the left to find Season Dates, License and Application Requirements and much more.
South Dakota Mountain Goat Information
The mountain goat is an even-toed ungulate of the order Artiodactyla and the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. It belongs to the subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), along with thirty-two other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois, and the musk ox.
Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15–28 cm in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their woolly white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In spring, mountain goats moult by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 °F (-45.6 °C) and winds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).
A billy stands about one meter (3 ft) at the shoulder to the waist. Male goats also have longer horns and a longer beard than nannies. Mountain goats typically weigh between 45 and 136 kg (100–300 lb);[2] females are usually 10-30% lighter than males.
The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can be spread apart as needed. Also, the tip of their feet have Dewclaws that are sharp to keep them from slipping.
In lower regions below the tree line, nannies also use their fighting abilities to protect themselves and their offspring from predators, such as wolves, wolverines, cougars, lynx and bears. Even though their size protects them from most potential predators in higher altitudes, nannies still must defend their young from golden eagles, which can be a threat to very young kids. Nannies have even been observed trying to dominate the more passive bighorn sheep that share some of their territory.
If you are ready to hunt Mountain Goats in South Dakota, or need more information, stop by our Galleries, Forums or Blog to get the latest scoop on the the 2010 South Dakota Mountain Goat Hunting Season.
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