Oregon › Species › Rocky Mountain Goat
Big game
Rocky Mountain Goat Seasons in Oregon, 2026
21 tags in 12 controlled or premium hunts for mountain goats, with dates, units and ODFW rules.
Photo: USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Oregon mountain goats: the short version
There are 21 2026 mountain goat tags in 12 hunts; by type that is 12 any legal weapon. The 2026-27 window for mountain goats spans August 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026; 900 series Rocky Mountain goat – Any legal weapon opens it. The mountain goat bag line is: one controlled Rocky Mountain goat tag per lifetime.
From 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Rocky Mountain Goat: controlled and premium hunts
Big game regulations for 2027 are not out yet, so these are the 2026 mountain goat hunts.
| Series | Hunts | Tags | 1st choices 2025 | First day | Last day | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900 series Rocky Mountain goat | 12 | 21 | – | Aug 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | 0 |
| Hunt | Hunt area | Weapon | Season | Tags | First choices | WMUs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 950A1 | Elkhorn No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Aug 1–Aug 31, 2026 | 3 | – | |
| 953A | S Wallowa Mtn | Any legal weapon | Aug 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 2 | – | |
| 946A | Strawberry Mtn | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 950A2 | Elkhorn No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Sep 30, 2026 | 3 | – | |
| 956A | N Wenaha | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 959B1 | Snake Rvr No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Sep 30, 2026 | 2 | – | |
| 960A1 | E Hurricane Cr | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 960A2 | W Hurricane Cr | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 960C | Copper Cr | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 961A | Imnaha Unit (Cusick Mtn) | Any legal weapon | Sep 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 1 | – | |
| 950A3 | Elkhorn No. 3 | Any legal weapon | Oct 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 3 | – | |
| 959B2 | Snake Rvr No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Oct 1–Oct 31, 2026 | 2 | – |
From 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations and controlled hunt applications (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Units and counties for mountain goats
| Unit page | Oregon side | Rows | 2026 tags | County overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minam Unit (60) | East | 4 | 5 | |
| Desolation Unit (50) | East | 3 | 9 | |
| Sumpter Unit (51) | East | 3 | 9 | |
| Snake River Unit (59) | East | 2 | 4 | |
| Murderers Creek Unit (46) | East | 1 | 1 | |
| Catherine Creek Unit (53) | East | 1 | 2 | |
| Wenaha Unit (56) | East | 1 | 1 | |
| Imnaha Unit (61) | East | 1 | 1 | |
| Pine Creek Unit (62) | East | 1 | 2 | |
| Keating Unit (63) | East | 1 | 2 |
Use the county list to find towns and ODFW offices, and the unit list to decide where mountain goats may actually be taken.
From WMU maps and 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat harvest and success, 2025
In 2025, 22 mountain goat tags across 13 hunts produced 21 animals.
Top of the 2025 Rocky Mountain goat report
| Number | Hunt name | Tags | Animals | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 950A1 | Elkhorn No. 1 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 950A2 | Elkhorn No. 2 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 946A | Strawberry Mtn | 1 | 2 | 200% |
| 950A3 | Elkhorn No. 3 | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 953A | S Wallowa Mtn | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 959B1 | S Snake Rvr No. 1 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 959B2 | S Snake Rvr No. 2 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 916A | Central Cascades | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| 956A | N Wenaha | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| 960A2 | W Hurricane Cr | 1 | 1 | 100% |
From 2025 Rocky Mountain goat summary (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat limits from the ODFW booklets
Each mountain goat limit is shown with what it applies to, straight from the ODFW text.
| Kind | Text |
|---|---|
| Lifetime | One controlled Rocky Mountain goat tag per lifetime. |
| Hunt limit | One Rocky Mountain goat |
From bag limit table and species table (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
How mountain goats may be taken in Oregon
The legal and not-legal lists come from ODFW's weapon pages; the right list for mountain goats depends on the season.
| Hunt type | Lawful | Unlawful |
|---|---|---|
| Game mammals – any legal weapon |
|
|
The species table says of mountain goats: any legal weapon for the species (centerfire rifle, handgun, shotgun, muzzleloader or bow meeting the species caliber/draw-weight rules); see Legal Hunting Weapons for Game Mammals.
From species table, legal weapons and general hunting regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat license, tags and validations
Everything a mountain goat hunter might need, with residency and the 2026 price.
| Purchase | Buyer | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Resident | $39.00 |
| Hunting | Nonresident | $193.00 |
| Combination (hunt and angle) | Resident | $86.00 |
| Youth combination (12-17) | Either | $10.00 |
| Sports Pac | Resident | $253.00 |
| Youth Sports Pac | Resident | $75.00 |
| Rocky Mountain goat | Resident | $159.00 |
| Rocky Mountain goat | Nonresident | $1,695.00 |
| Big game application | Either | $10.00 |
Every hunter needs a valid hunting license (calendar-year, January 1 or purchase date through December 31; only one annual hunting license) plus a big game tag (electronic or paper) valid for the dates, area and species. Documents must be shown on request.
Youth 17 and under must complete a hunter safety education course (any US state, Canada or Mexico) and carry the certificate or an ODFW document with the certificate number to hunt anywhere except land owned by their parent or legal guardian (Mentored Youth Hunter Program exception). No hunter education requirement for adults 18+ in the regulations.
From 2026 license and tag fees and license requirements (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat hunting rules in Oregon
The rule lines below come from the regulations; the source links give the full text.
| Topic | ODFW rule |
|---|---|
| Evidence of sex | Edible portions of game mammals (except cougar) and game birds must not be wasted; deer, elk, pronghorn, sheep and goat need evidence of sex (head/scalp with antlers or horns, or a reproductive organ attached to meat; option 1 for antler-point hunts); game birds keep the head or a fully feathered wing in transit. |
| Tags | Party hunting is illegal; a hunter must have an unused tag; no hunting or killing wildlife for another person; no selling, lending or borrowing big game tags. |
| Tagging | Paper tags: immediately write date, time and WMU in ink and attach; electronic tags: validate in the app and attach a record with name, date of birth, ODFW ID, harvest date and confirmation number. |
| Reporting | Report every deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, cougar and turkey tag (hunted or not) online or at a license agent: by January 31, 2027 for hunts ending April 1-December 31, 2026 and by April 15, 2027 for hunts ending January 1-March 31, 2027. Late deer/elk reports cost $25 with the 2028 license. On-time reporters are entered to win a special deer, elk or pronghorn tag. |
| Wildlife crossings | No hunting or taking game mammals within 500 feet of ODOT wildlife crossing structures on US 20 (MP 18-19) and US 97 (MP 149-153) (new for 2026). |
| Check-out | Bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat hunters must arrange check-out with the local ODFW office within three business days of finishing the hunt. |
| Hunter orange | Hunters younger than 18 hunting any game mammal or upland game bird (except wild turkey) with a firearm must wear a hunter orange hat or exterior garment (shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater) visible from all directions; hunter orange camouflage is acceptable. No hunter orange requirement for adults. |
| Sunday | No statewide Sunday restriction appears in the 2026 big game or 2026-27 game bird regulations; seasons run every day. Some wildlife areas limit hunting to set days (for example certain units open only Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). |
From tagging and reporting and ORS chapter 496 (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat: wildlife areas, forests and refuges
Where a card names a source, that agency lists mountain goats there; acreage is the record's figure, and posted closures still apply.
In White River Unit, White River Wildlife Area keeps its own access rules.
Klamath National Forest (Oregon part) sits in Applegate Unit; read the page before you go.
Public ground in Wagontire Unit and Silver Lake Unit: Summer Lake Wildlife Area.
In Biggs Unit, Lower Deschutes Wildlife Area keeps its own access rules.
BLM Vale District sits in Columbia Basin Unit and Fossil Unit; read the page before you go.
Public ground in Keno Unit and Klamath Falls Unit: BLM Lakeview District.
From land records (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Rocky Mountain Goat legal hours by date
The dates are the mountain goat openers on this page plus the shortest day of the year.
For mountain goats, legal light opens a half hour before sunrise and closes a half hour after sunset.
| Date | Wallowa County centre | Union County centre | Baker County centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | 5:01 a.m. to 8:49 p.m. | 5:05 a.m. to 8:52 p.m. | 5:06 a.m. to 8:49 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | 5:39 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 5:42 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 5:42 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 6:33 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 6:56 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 6:56 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | 6:24 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
Hours rule from the ODFW general hunting regulations; times worked out with the NOAA solar formula on Pacific Time for each county centre; checked November 8, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: Brandon Olafsson (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about Oregon mountain goats
How much are Oregon damages for an unlawful mountain goat?
Civil damages under ORS 496.705: moose, mountain sheep, mountain goat $10,000 ($50,000 trophy class). Unlawful taking is a Class C felony (ORS 496.992). Courts may add license revocation to the mountain goat damages.
How many mountain goats were taken in Oregon in 2025?
The 2025 ODFW report lists 13 hunts with 22 tags and 21 animals taken.
How often can I hunt mountain goats in Oregon?
Rocky Mountain goat: one controlled tag per lifetime. Bighorn sheep: one ram tag per lifetime (ewe hunts exempt). Bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat and premium hunts are fully random (no preference points).
What are the 2026-27 Oregon mountain goat dates?
From August 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026, depending on the mountain goat row. 900 series Rocky Mountain goat – Any legal weapon: August 1, 2026. All mountain goat rows have closed for the year.
Is there a bag limit for mountain goats in Oregon?
One Rocky Mountain goat.
What paperwork do Oregon mountain goat hunters carry?
Every hunter needs an annual Oregon hunting license ($39.00 resident, $193.00 nonresident) plus a tag ($159.00 resident, $1,695.00 nonresident). Controlled hunts also need the $10.00 big game application.
Is the Oregon mountain goat hunt a draw?
12 in the 900 series Rocky Mountain goat. Apply by May 15, 2026; results by June 12. 75% of deer, elk, pronghorn and spring bear tags go to first choices with the most preference points and 25% are random; sheep, goat and premium hunts are fully random.
Can I use a rifle for mountain goats in Oregon?
Any legal weapon for the species (centerfire rifle, handgun, shotgun, muzzleloader or bow meeting the species caliber/draw-weight rules); see Legal Hunting Weapons for Game Mammals.
Where do Oregon mountain goat hunts take place?
Rows tied to units name 10 Wildlife Management Units touching 6 counties. The unit table above links each unit page.
Can I hunt mountain goats at night in Oregon?
Half an hour either side of sunrise and sunset; ODFW prints no mammal table, so the mountain goat times here are calculated.
Who must wear hunter orange when hunting mountain goats?
Hunters younger than 18 hunting any game mammal or upland game bird (except wild turkey) with a firearm must wear a hunter orange hat or exterior garment (shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater) visible from all directions; hunter orange camouflage is acceptable. No hunter orange requirement for adults.
Is mountain goat harvest reporting mandatory?
Report every deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, cougar and turkey tag (hunted or not) online or at a license agent: by January 31, 2027 for hunts ending April 1-December 31, 2026 and by April 15, 2027 for hunts ending January 1-March 31, 2027. Late deer/elk reports cost $25 with the 2028 license. On-time reporters are entered to win a special deer, elk or pronghorn tag. Bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat hunters must arrange check-out with the local ODFW office within three business days of finishing the hunt.
Other photos on this page: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington (CC BY 2.0); Brandon Olafsson (CC BY 2.0); Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0).