Last year went down as Idaho’s most successful mountain goat season on record, with each of the forty-one hunters successfully notching their tag. Even more impressive, all but two of the goats taken last season were billies. The state has never recorded 100% overall success or a billy harvest percentage as high as last season’s 95%. This bodes well for potential higher tag allocations in some units across the state in coming years and, at the very least, should help prevent any cuts. Excessive nanny harvest usually leads to reductions in productivity and herd size, which in turn limits permit levels. Hats off to last year’s hunters for their successful role in helping manage towards the future of Idaho’s goat populations!
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Unit 18 is the best hunt in the state for a top-end billy. Over the past three seasons, 1 in 3 goats harvested here has had a horn length close to 10” or more, and hunters have maintained a 100% success rate on billies for the past four seasons. The only hunts with a longer run of billy-only success are 36B and 51 (at seven seasons) and 36A-2 (with eight seasons). 36B is also Idaho’s longest running goat hunt to maintain a 100% either-sex success rate. For the past eighteen years, every hunter on the unit has come home with a goat. While there are other areas that will provide a better chance at surpassing the 10” mark, this is a great hunt for a solid billy that will score in the upper 40s. Unit 22 continues to be a great hunt as well, offering some Boone and Crockett potential, but has struggled with a higher nanny harvest rate. Since 2020, six of the eighteen successful hunters here have taken a nanny, setting the stage for what could be a missing age class of mature billies over the next few years.
As is the case with all of Idaho’s once-in-a-lifetime species, applying for mountain goat in the Gem State isn’t cheap. Non-resident applicants have for the almost $3,000 to apply and will still be out $330.78 after their refund if unsuccessful in drawing. If you can justify these costs, Idaho is about as good as it gets for non-resident draw odds. Non-resident applicant demand held steady for goat last year, with 246 individuals entering the draw in applications in 2025. Four tags were drawn out of the non-resident applications, resulting in roughly 1.6% non-resident draw odds for most hunts. If a goat hunt is on your hunting bucket list, you should be looking hard at putting your name in the hat in Idaho. Good luck in the draw!
For specific units and season dates, please check the current regulations brochure.
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The Idaho Mountain Goat application deadline is April 30, 2026.
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| Adult Up-Front Fees | ||
| Annual Hunting License and Access Fee | $195 | Non-refundable |
| Trophy Species Application Fee | $45.75 | Non-refundable |
| Online and Phone Application Processing Fee | $90.03 | Non-refundable |
| Mountain Goat Permit | $2,626.75 | Refunded if unsuccessful |
| Adult Application Subtotal | $2,957.53 | $330.78 total non-refundable |
| Youth Up-Front Fees | ||
| Annual Hunting License and Access Fee | $95.75 | Non-refundable |
| Trophy Species Application Fee | $45.75 | Non-refundable |
| Online and Phone Application Processing Fee | $87.05 | Non-refundable |
| Mountain Goat Permit | $2,626.75 | Refunded if unsuccessful |
| Youth Applicant Subtotal | $2,855.30 | $228.55 total non-refundable |
ID Mountain Goat Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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