Montana Mountain Goat

Unit 519-20 (Beartooth Mountain Goat 519-20)

Montana Hunting Guide — Mountain Goat

HD 519-20 is a once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat permit in the Beartooth Plateau country of south-central Montana. Mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and moose are OIAL species in Montana — winning this draw is a career-defining tag. We recommend starting with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Plan-a-Hunt to identify cliff complexes, alpine basins, and approach trailheads before summer scouting trips.

View Draw Odds Montana Hunting Guide

Mountain Goat Hunting in Unit 519-20

Where to Find Mountain Goats in HD 519-20

Goats in HD 519-20 inhabit the high cliff bands, talus slopes, and alpine cirques of the Beartooth Plateau above 9,000 feet. The best populations use the broken granite ridgelines around the headwater lakes of the Rosebud, Stillwater, and East Rosebud drainages.

Nannies with kids concentrate on gentler alpine meadows near cliffy escape terrain, while mature billies hold on the most vertical, difficult-to-access crags. Glass cliff edges at sunrise and again late afternoon when goats are most active.

How to Hunt Mountain Goats in HD 519-20

We approach HD 519-20 as a multi-day backpack hunt. Base camp at an alpine lake, then day-hunt to surrounding basins. The key is glassing from the opposite side of a drainage to locate billies, then planning an approach that uses terrain folds and wind to close the distance without bumping the goat off the mountain.

Shot selection is critical — a wounded goat can tumble hundreds of feet into unrecoverable terrain. Only take high-percentage broadside or quartering-away shots at moderate range, and prefer the animal to be positioned away from cliff edges before pulling the trigger.

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Mountain Goat Success Rates

Rifle68%

Mountain Goat Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	1	106	0.9%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Montana mountain goat is a once-in-a-lifetime (OIAL) species and uses the state's preference-point system (not a weighted bonus formula). Each unsuccessful application adds one point; higher-point applicants are considered first. HD 519-20 saw roughly 84 applicants for 1 permit across the most recent three-year window — expect maximum-point pools to dominate the draw. Confirm current-year quotas and the applicant-by-point table on FWP Drawing Statistics.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Camp Sites

Custer Gallatin National Forest trailheads (East Rosebud Lake, West Rosebud, Mystic Lake trailhead) access the plateau. Backcountry camping unrestricted on forest land, with use restrictions near some alpine lakes.

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Water

Abundant. Alpine lakes and snowmelt streams across the Beartooth Plateau provide reliable water. Filter or treat for Giardia.

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Road Conditions

Trailhead access roads (Forest Route 2072, East Rosebud Road) are paved-to-gravel. Early-season storms can close the Beartooth Highway (US-212) over the pass with little warning.

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Terrain Difficulty

Extreme. This is high-alpine Class 2–3 scrambling terrain with real fall exposure. Expect 3,000–5,000 foot elevation gains from trailhead to goat country and regular route-finding around cliff bands.

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Nearest Town

Red Lodge (1 hr via Beartooth Highway) or Cooke City (1.5 hr) for supplies, fuel, and lodging.

Note: Weather can turn life-threatening quickly above treeline. Pack shelter, layers, and emergency gear as if you're winter mountaineering — because you might be by late September.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is HD 519-20 mountain goat a once-in-a-lifetime tag?

Yes. Mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and moose are OIAL species in Montana. Drawing an HD 519-20 permit removes the hunter from all future Montana mountain goat draws.

How physically demanding is HD 519-20?

Extremely. The Beartooth Plateau is high-alpine terrain with exposed Class 2–3 scrambling, 3,000–5,000 foot elevation gains, and volatile weather. Train for months and plan for a multi-day backpack hunt.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

FWP Plan-a-Hunt — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks · supports: HD 519-20 boundary geometry, Alpine public-land overlays · accessed 2026-04-17
FWP Hunt Regulations — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks · supports: Mountain goat season structure, OIAL (once-in-a-lifetime) rules · accessed 2026-04-17
FWP Drawing Statistics — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks · supports: Historical applicant and quota counts, Preference point progression for mountain goat · accessed 2026-04-17