Colorado’s mountain goat population is doing great and was estimated at 1,400 individuals in 2025. Populations out have been higher over the last decade, and herds have been above objective across most units. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is stepping off the gas now that they have finally reduced herds to where they want them. This reduces competition with high priority bighorn sheep herds and protects sensitive alpine plants. After being introduced in the late 1940s, they have thrived in the rugged Rocky Mountains. The release of these Montana mountain goats into these untouched high mountain areas was one of the best calls Colorado ever made. Witnessing what a success this introduction was, the Colorado Wildlife Commission officially recognized the mountain goat as a native species in 1993. This gave mountain goats much needed protection, preventing them from being classified as invasive species and being eradicated as has been done in other states. Colorado has given some lucky hunters an opportunity to pursue one of the most challenging species in the West and will hopefully continue to do so for many years to come.

Colorado has a good reputation for access into the high country, which is good news for mountain goat hunters. That said, Colorado isn’t known for its record-class mountain goats, with only twenty-four total qualifying entries in the B&C books to date—the most recent of these having been taken in 2023. Trophy potential is average throughout the state, with most mature billies topping out in the 8 to 9” range. For the 2026 season, non-residents have been allotted a total of twenty-one permits, broken down into seventeen either-sex rifle tags, two nanny tags, and two either-sex archery-only permits. This amounts to a total reduction of three permits from the year prior. Still, with the number of permits currently available, you owe it to yourself to be picking areas to apply for if you have three or more points. Draw that tag while the hunting is great!

Colorado has a reissue policy for limited licenses that are turned in after the draw. A returned license that took five or more preference points to draw will be manually reissued to the next eligible person. CPW will start by contacting the next five people from the current year’s draw order and attempt to reissue it. If none of those five accept, the license will be added to the leftover list. If a non-resident returns a license, it will be reallocated to a non-resident. Any returned license that took fewer than five preference points to draw will be placed on the leftover list. Colorado will issue any tag surrendered after the initial leftover license availability webpage. They will release a list of available permits each Tuesday and transfer them to the leftover list for purchase each Wednesday at 11 a.m. MT.

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