Moose

Other Big Game Animals in Wild Skies Outfitting Territory

Moose, Bighorn Sheep, and Mountain Goats-Draw Only

We currently do not have Moose, Bighorn Sheep, or Mountain Goats permitted within our 300,000 acres, but we are working with the Forest Service to do a NEPA analysis to allow a Special User Permit for this. So while you’re hunting elk and deer or enjoying a once in a lifetime [pack trip] or taking a day trip horseback ride throughout our incredible area, be sure to bring your camera

Moose Hunting:

With Moose Lake clearly part of our hunt area, you can imagine that we see a lot of moose. In fact last year coming out of elk camp leading the mules back to the trail head, Dana came across a very large bull moose with his nose in the spring that was bubbling over the trail, now the lead mule immediately stopped in his tracks and refused to go any further as the moose looked up at them. This guy was quiet a bit bigger then our largest mule and fortunately they startled him. While she was preparing to get her camera out he swung around made a very large grunting noise and took off down the mountains. The lead mule would not budge, but that’s another story for around the camp fire. We have even seen them swimming across one of our great mountain fishing lakes. [insert pic-in summer pics]

We continue to watch them, study their patterns, count their numbers, admire them and of course take pictures. If you are interested in hunting with us in the future for these animals, please email us or call us, so that we can put you on our waiting list, and inform you when we receive our special use permit approval.

Some Moose Facts:

Moose bulls are reclusive by nature doing their own thing, eating, sleeping and moving on their own. However during the rut they become much more aggressive with antler to antler confrontation. This aggressiveness ends rather quickly as the rut ends and the moose are forced to survive the winter, the bulls become more social, hanging out in bull groups together. However, remember that female moose (cows) are also very aggressive in protecting their young. To survive long winters with chest deep snow they must concentrate on eating, sleeping and conserving energy. Understand the dynamics of moose can really increase your chance of caping the BIG ONE.

Moose have a life span of 15 to 25 years, an older bull will weigh around 1000 lbs, and a cow around 900 lbs. They are massive animals with muscular bodies and long, lanky legs, not to mention very large horns, and they can be a frightening opponent. They can run up to 35 miles per hour and swim up to 10 miles. Moose prefer plenty of evergreen coverage, forest wetlands and willow parks, but can also been seen on the foothills of our mountain region.

Big Horn Sheep

Montana produces some of the largest bighorn rams in the lower 48 states. Wild Skies Outfitting is pending a NEPA analysis that would allow us to offer Bighorn Sheep outfitting services in our hunt area. Our hunt area has an established Bighorn Sheep population, so send us an email address and we will send you a notice when we receive a special use approval from the Forest Service. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park Service determine yearly permits available for draw. This year the population is down due to n

While Montana has never before produced a comprehensive plan for bighorn sheep management, it has a 60-year history of successfully reestablishing bighorn populations across the state. That success has helped Montana to acquire an international reputation for managing robust bighorn sheep populations.

There are now 45 populations of bighorns across Montana with 36 sustaining limited hunting. Officials estimate that 5,700 bighorn sheep inhabit Montana excluding Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. Go here to get more information about Montana Bighorn Sheep.

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/huntingGuides/msg.h tml

Mountain Goats:

Mountain Goats-Draw Only (see top of this page).

Please contact us to be place on our e-mail list, and we will let you know when our NEPA study is done, allowing us to provide outfitting services for hunting Mountain Goats in this fantastic Mountain Goat country!

There have been many times (summer and winter) that as we rose early in the morning to start coffee and breakfast from one of our back country designated camps, that we were able to watch the Mountain Goats hanging out on one of the

massive East Pintler Peaks. Several times we have counted up to 25 or more Goats. We would also see them in the evening right before dark making a picture perfect silhouette.

The following information is from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Parks, web site:

Mountain goats occur only in northwestern North America. In Montana, they are native west of the Continental Divide and have been introduced into several mountain ranges east of the Divide. Although goats do not typically venture far from cliffs and broken terrain, which provide escape cover from predators, they do use dense timber and creek bottoms for security and thermal cover against extreme heat, cold and wind. Within their range, mountain goats may be found at any elevation or exposure at any time of year. Some goats move down in winter to steep cliffs with good snow shedding properties while others move up to windswept ridges to feed on exposed forage.

Size
At birth, kids stand about 13 inches (34cm) at the shoulder and weigh 5 to 7 pounds (3kg). Yearlings may average about 45 pounds (20kg) and 2-year-olds about 55 pounds (25kg). Mountain goats continue to grow through their fourth year achieving average weights of 125 to 155 pounds (57 to 71 kg) for females and 135 to 180 pounds (61 to 82kg) for males.

Age
The breeding season occurs from mid November through early December. Females do not breed until 2.5 years. After a gestation period of 6 months, kids are born in late May or early June. Kids closely follow their mothers for the first year, relying upon them to expose winter forage in deep snow conditions. Adult females rank highest in the social order. By association, kids also assume the superior status of their mothers who vigorously defend them until the kids are 1 year old. Yearlings drop to the bottom of the peck order and are forced to forage last in areas pawed out by other goats. Kid and yearling survival may be less than 50 percent depending upon the severity of the winter. Mountain goats have one of the highest natural mortality rates among big game animals due to the dangerous terrain and hostile climate in which they live. If a goat survives the juvenile years, longevity is normally 10 to 13 years.

GO HERE for more information about Mountain Goats:

http://fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/brochure_goat.html