Transplanted goats have taken to Utah's rugged mountains

There was, in the beginning, some doubt whether Rocky Mountain goats would ever take to Utah's mountains.

The six goats, two yearling males and four adult females, that were released on the north slopes of Little Cottonwood Canyon in 1967 mysteriously vanished.

Several years of searching brought little more than possible sightings reported by hikers. Nothing was ever confirmed. The transplant project was considered a failure.

Then, about seven years after the release, a goat was spotted, then two and three and eventually it was determined there was a whole herd. But they were now on the south slopes of the canyon.

In 1981, the herd size was estimated to be around 60 animals.

Today, spring, fall and winter, the sleek, white bodies of the goats can be seen negotiating the steep rocky faces near the mouth of the canyon. They are also frequently spotted during the summer by hikers in other areas of the state.

Now, the goat program is considered one of the state's true success stories. Goats are doing well at all of the transplant sites.

"They've really taken off in the Uintas," said Jim Karpowitz, former big game manager and now director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. "Last summer we counted 586 goats (in the Uintas). They're really doing well. They're also doing well in the mountains along the Wasatch Front from Big Cottonwood to Provo Peak.

"At this time we have only one more location where we'd like to put goats — on Mount Nebo. There are already a few goats there that moved down from Provo Peak, but we'd like to see more transplanted in that area."

Even though this is the southern-most tip of their range, the goats have, in fact, taken to Utah's rugged, mountainous terrain.

And, even though Utah has a large number of goats, hunting is limited. For example, on the Uinta unit, only 10 permits have been issued annually.

The reason, said Karpowitz, is the goats "go through a rapid growth when first introduced, but then they level off, and the population stabilizes, which is why we hunt them pretty conservatively."

As noted, goats can be seen in the lower elevations in the spring, fall and winter, but move into the high country in the summer. Hikers, especially those on trails on Mount Timpanogos and in the Lone Peak Wilderness Area, frequently report sightings.