Mountain goat hunts are in a category all their own. The steep, unforgiving country far from roads demands full commitment from both hunter and guide. For me, this hunt was a milestone, one I tackled with Worldwide Trophy Adventures and Extreme Outdoor Adventures in British Columbia. It’s a challenge I won’t forget, resulting in a trophy I earned every step of the way.
Booking the Opportunity
In the spring of 2025, I received an email from Worldwide Trophy Adventures about a cancellation opening for a mountain goat hunt in British Columbia. A few years earlier, I’d been on two mountain goat hunts with an outfitter in the same province, neither of which was successful. When this opportunity showed up at a discounted rate, I reached out to WTA for the details.
Matt Gindorff, Senior Hunting Consultant at WTA, responded quickly and we jumped on a call. Matt had hunted with the same outfitter, John Sievers of Extreme Outdoor Adventures, in 2024 and harvested a solid mountain goat. After discussing the hunt in detail, I booked the slot for August.
Matt was clear: the hunt would be demanding, but worth it. If successful, this would make number nine in my quest for the Super 10 of North American Big Game. Matt’s firsthand experience and transparency gave me confidence that this was a genuine opportunity to finish what I had started years earlier.
Arriving in Goat Country
I used Travel with Guns to book flights to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. After an overnight stay, I boarded a Cessna floatplane with three other hunters bound for base camp.
After meeting John and the guides, I climbed into a Super Cub floatplane headed into the mountains of British Columbia. We landed on a small glacial lake, surrounded by rugged peaks in every direction.
My guides were Brad Baldwin, a veteran with over 30 years of experience with guiding mountain goat and moose hunts, and Charlie Bingham, a newer guide who also appears in the YouTube film GOATLAND. After stowing my gear in my tent, we reviewed our strategy.
The moment I stepped into this country, I felt the grand scale. Towering peaks rise on all sides, and it becomes immediately clear that everything from this point forward must be earned on foot.
Tough Country and Long Miles
This is the definition of a backpack hunt. Glacial runoff creates constant crossings—knee- to thigh-deep streams at nearly every turn. To reach the cooler elevations that goats prefer, we crossed these streams repeatedly while glassing mountain faces.
After hunting for a couple of days with the main camp as our base, we hadn’t turned up any goats. The guides suggested we pack five days of supplies and move to a spike camp near where Matt had taken his goat the year before.
The trek to spike camp was tough. I had trained with a loaded pack, climbing hills and stairs, but nothing fully prepares you to navigate swift, icy water in waders while carrying a full load. After crossing a glacial lake by small, motorized boat, we continued on foot.
Not far from spike camp, I lost my footing in the current and went down hard, injuring my right knee. After some ibuprofen and a reset, we pushed on and set up camp. (After returning from the hunt, I learned that I’d suffered a slight MCL tear.)
It was a reminder that no matter how prepared you think you are, the mountain always finds a way to challenge you.
Finally Spotting Goats
From spike camp, the guides made multiple climbs into the surrounding mountains, which rise 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the valley floor. The lower slopes were thick with vegetation and insects., which the upper terrain transitioned to steep, loose rock.
After a couple of days, they finally spotted goats.
We moved out early the next morning. Brad and Charlie located a good goat bedded on a rocky ledge. Charlie moved to flank the goat from the right, while Brad and I approached from below.
At about 500 yards out, we paused on a rockslide. I asked if we could close the distance, and we worked our way in to about 380 yards on a solid rest. The goat stood, and presented a clean, broadside shot.
I carried my Christiansen Mesa 308 with a Sig Sauer BDX scope paired with a Sig range finder. I’d never taken a shot at that steep of an angle in the field, but the system proved invaluable.
My first shot missed. The second found its mark.
The goat moved behind the ledge and bedded down, and it didn’t get up again.
A Hard Earned Trophy
Relief and exhaustion set in all at once.
Brad and Charlie climbed up broke down the goat, and gathered the meat. Darkness came quickly, and we chose to spend the night under fir trees. Layered up and wearing head nets to fend off the bugs, we endured a cold but satisfying night on the mountain.
The next morning, we returned to spike camp, rested, and then packed out to the main camp the following day.
The sense of accomplishment is hard to describe. There is something deeply meaningful about earning a mountain goat in terrain like this. It’s more than just a harvest, it’s the whole experience.
Closing Out an Incredible Experience
A few days later, a Super Cub returned me to base camp, a welcome bit of comfort after days in the backcountry. A hot meal and clean clothes felt like a luxury.
I made a point to thank John and recognize Brad and Charlie. The entire operation is top-notch.
This area holds quality mountain goats, but success comes only to those willing to put in the work.
For hunters seeking a real mountain adventure with seasoned guides, challenging country, and a legitimate opportunity at a mature goat, this hunt delivers.
Worldwide Trophy Adventures provided clear communication, an experienced outfitter, firsthand insight, and the confidence to move forward. Contact WTA to book your own mountain adventure!
