Thread: Help me shoot a big goat?

Hello team. Trying to get that majic 30”plus goat. I live in the naki and big goats don’t really happen I’ve heard the Wellington and coromandel area has some alright goats and that’s where majority are shot. I’m keen as so traveling isn’t a issue. Anyone bake to help me out. Taranaki bush is bad so clearings are the common way to shoot goats. How and wjere do I hunt them in the bush in the likes of theses areas. I’m open for DMs and could potentially swap for a hunt or some spots. (Reds in ruahines or a fallow DOC land) sorry not much worth swapping just a younger fella wanting to head in the right direction for a big goat

man,you are in goat central..........Taumarunui is riddled with them...go knock on some doors and ask politely.... strangely enough at 1AM I was reading an article written by Chaz F about this very thing...written in 1981 ish and so relevant its not funny..... if you are asking to look for a big billy only you may gain access.....alternatively cocky MAY say shoot every one you see...whatever they ask for,do your very best to comply... even if you look for big billy first and bomb up in afternoon before leaving....hint its USUALLY white billies with longest horns,the angora type with big sweeping curls,but dont discount other colours just use your binos to access whats biggest before shooting...by far the biggest set Ive ever seen was on a light blue billy...never saw it again or heard of him being shot.
good luck.

What he said but east coast wairoa way would be a close second.

Where you are is already a prime spot in terms of goat numbers.
I really doubt head size has anything to do with location.

At one point there was a trophy goat herd up in Northland, just about pure wild angora. I shot a billy near Ohura that just sneaks into record books. 30” tip to tip and each horn is 30” around the curve. Scores 100 1/8”. Record book is 100”

You're after big goats? Try the Beehive....take your pick.

Hey Clem,

I've got a few spots that seem to have escaped much hunting pressure. A bit of a walk for them though. There are certainly big goats in there. However, the big stinky billies are wily and I always shoot the younger nannies first so they look big but I don't know the head measurements of them they don't stick around after a shot. More interested in eating them than heads. It's typically the loners that are biggest I've observed. The bachelor mobs seem to hold small to average sized billies.
I'll send you a PM on a spot worth checking out.

SO going back to Chaz's article I read in wee small hours......he was using a fixed 4x scope and knew from measuring beforehand the size of average goats height....somewhere around 1mtr.....so if your cross hairs say take up from centre of Xhair to thick outer bar when goat is 100 yards away with goats height...and the horns take up same amount of Xhair...its a fairly safe bet horns are CLOSE to a meter wide...unless its a pigmy goat with short legs LOL.
Tasco used to market it as a 30-30 reticle and you could roughly range find using it.....

I shot a 36 inch billy on the banks peninsula a few years ago
Hung it in a tree in front yard
Got pinched along with 12 inch tahr head
Crazy
Must have stunk to high heaven

Gidday - Have a look at this link Feral Goat | NZ Bowhunters , what it tells me is there are big goats in several locations, and the NZDA record has shot in the Hunter hills. I shot a 39 1/4 beastie in 1980 in a forestry block handy to Napier on a NZSGSA trip. Boy was I cock-a-hoop after that trip - however my Wellington digs compatriots were less than pleased with me . . .

interesting the NZDA record was shot in hunterhills.......very interesting as goats are VERY few and far between there and have been for the 30plus years Ive been down here. the place gets hunted hard on regular basis for wallabies and goats stick out like dogs danglies by comparison.....

The kids have got a pet goat I'm tempted to get someone to 'accidentally' shoot.....

@Tentman And it tells you that the number of record goats over the last 10 years is declining just like the value of goats for dog food is increasing. Back in the days, no one cared about goats on their farms as long as there were not too man. Nowadays goats have a decent value so are getting harvested which means big billy goats also declined in neighbouring public land as well.
I started hunting 5 years ago and it has taken me that long to find the 27.5" goat hanging on the wall at the moment. I walked every public bush in the King Country and Waikato to get that one. And private blocks are cheating in my eyes...

We used to get the odd good Billy's in the Awakino area many years back but the DOC blocks have been heavily culled in recent times. There still seem to be goats about on the private land so door knocking may be productive. My best heads in the 33 - 37 inch area came from Tokomaru Bay above Gisborne but once again this was a long time back but no doubt there would be good ones still throughout that country. I culled in Coromandel in the early 70 s and never shot anything decent not sure what they are like now though. The country around Taumaramnui would probably hold some reasonable Billy's also. A bit of door knocking might get you onto something if you are lucky. A big goat head is a nice trophy for the wall, good luck.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Gidday - Have a look at this link Feral Goat | NZ Bowhunters , what it tells me is there are big goats in several locations, and the NZDA record has shot in the Hunter hills. I shot a 39 1/4 beastie in 1980 in a forestry block handy to Napier on a NZSGSA trip. Boy was I cock-a-hoop after that trip - however my Wellington digs compatriots were less than pleased with me . . .

Thats where I shot mine.

Must go back for the head,its only been 14 years.