Utah Mountain Goat

Unit Chalk Creek/kamas, Uintas (Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas)

Utah Hunting Guide — Mountain Goat

The Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas mountain goat unit covers the western High Uintas and the Bald Mountain/Mount Watson corridor in Summit County. UDWR draw statistics show about 530 applicants chasing just 5 permits over three years — classic once-in-a-lifetime odds under 1% per year. The 2025 Utah Big Game Guidebook lists mountain goat as a once-in-a-lifetime species, and this unit sits almost entirely on Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest above 10,000 feet.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Mountain Goat Hunting in Unit Chalk Creek/kamas, Uintas

Where to Find Goats in Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas

High Uinta goats live on alpine rock — we hunt cliff bands, talus, and scree basins above timberline.

Bald Mountain and Mount Watson Cirques

The alpine basins north of the Mirror Lake Highway hold the core western-Uinta goat population. Glass from high vantage points across drainages.

Hayden Peak and Reids Peak Rimrock

Mature billies use the steep north faces of Hayden and Reids where few hunters push.

Cliff-and-Meadow Mosaics

Goats bed on rock and feed on adjacent alpine meadows. Any meadow-cliff interface is worth an hour of glassing.

Remote Basins Behind Notch Mountain

A handful of basins 3-5 miles off the road hold less-pressured groups. Pack-in camps and multi-day trips reach them.

How to Hunt Goats in Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas

This is a once-in-a-lifetime tag. Our plan is to scout aggressively, pack in, and hunt the full season if needed.

Pre-Season Alpine Scouting

Late July and August scouting trips above 10,000 feet identify billy groups and confirm which cliff bands are in use.

Identify Billies Before the Shot

Billy vs nanny identification is the number-one skill on this hunt. We study UDWR and MGFW identification guides until it's second nature.

Backpack Hunts Beat Day Hunts

A 3-night pack-in camp in a productive basin outperforms day-tripping from the trailhead by a wide margin.

Safe Shooting and Recovery

Goats falling off cliffs can end a hunt. We only shoot when terrain allows a safe stop and recovery, even if that means passing a bigger billy.

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Mountain Goat Success Rates

Rifle65%

Utah mountain goat tags are once-in-a-lifetime, and hunters dedicate the full season. Success typically runs 85-100% unit-wide. Mature billies harvested here routinely exceed 9 inches on horn length, with occasional 10+ inch billies. The western Uintas are known for dense coats and classic alpine scenery.

Mountain Goat Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	2	202	1.0%	10

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

With about 530 applicants chasing 5 permits over three years, raw annual odds sit well under 1%. Utah's weighted bonus-point lottery sends 50% of permits to the highest point holders and 50% through a point-weighted random draw, but with such a small permit pool even max-point applicants may wait many years. Mountain goat is a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah, so a successful draw ends goat applications for life.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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RV Sites

Developed Mirror Lake Highway campgrounds accept mid-size trailers. Backcountry is foot-only.

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Camp Sites

Multiple USFS campgrounds along the Mirror Lake Highway (Moosehorn, Mirror Lake, Trial Lake). Dispersed backcountry camping inside the High Uintas Wilderness per USFS rules.

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Water

Abundant lakes and streams at elevation. Filter everything.

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Road Conditions

Paved access via the Mirror Lake Highway (UT-150) — closes seasonally for snow. Side roads are gravel and dirt.

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Terrain Difficulty

Extreme. Alpine rock and exposure. Altitude sickness is a real risk for un-acclimated hunters.

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Hunting Pressure

Minimal goat-hunter pressure, but Mirror Lake Highway recreation traffic is heavy.

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Weather

Alpine weather changes hourly. September snow is common; October hunts can see severe storms.

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Cell Service

Poor to none above Kamas. Carry a satellite communicator.

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Nearest Town

Kamas and Park City to the west, Evanston (Wyoming) to the north. Full services at all three.

Note: Mirror Lake Highway closes for winter — confirm open status before a late-season hunt.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Utah mountain goat once-in-a-lifetime?

Yes. Mountain goat is classified as a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah, so a successful draw on Chalk Creek/Kamas or any Utah goat unit ends goat applications for life.

How many points do I need?

There's no fixed cutoff. With only 5 permits over three years and Utah's weighted bonus-point lottery, even max-point applicants may wait many years. Apply every year and treat it as a lottery.

Do I need to identify billy from nanny before shooting?

Yes. Utah has billy-only hunts where nanny harvest is a violation. Study UDWR identification resources before the hunt — billy vs nanny ID is the most important field skill on this 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.

UDWR Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas mountain goat unit — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Authoritative unit boundary for Chalk Creek/Kamas mountain goat · accessed 2026-04-17
2025 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook and Field Regulations (mountain goat) — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Mountain goat is a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah, Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas listed as a limited-entry mountain goat hunt · accessed 2026-04-17
UDWR Big Game Harvest Data — mountain goat harvest and composition — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Annual goat composition surveys support permit numbers in the western Uintas · accessed 2026-04-17
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — Kamas Ranger District — USDA Forest Service · supports: Western Uinta goat habitat falls on the Kamas Ranger District of the UWC NF · accessed 2026-04-17