Feral goats are widely spread throughout the county and live in a range of different environments, from sea level to alpine including forestry, native bushland and farmland. They enjoy the sun, so can often be spotted on sunny slopes in bush clearings, tussock hillsides, farmland on the edge of bush and rocky areas.
The Department of Conservation considers wild goats a pest, and does its best to use employed hunters to eradicate them from DOC land. Goats can cause considerable damage to native forest and their amazing agility means they can reach places that deer cannot.
Goat are most often found in a mob, and are easily spotted and stalked due to their smell (especially billy’s) and their bleating. Unless they have been previously shot at many times, goats will not run away after initially seeing you. However a mob of goats that have been hunted numerous times can get fairly cunning.
Many hunters will consider a good set of horns on a big billy a rewarding trophy to get. The New Zealand Record for Billy trophy is 120cm shot North of Auckland. Bow hunters especially like hunting goats as they can get within range to safely and humainly make the kill. The lowest caliber rifle I would consider adequate would be a .22 magnum at close range although a .222 or .223 is preferable.
Due to limited money and resources, DOC rely very much on sport hunters to keep animal numbers down, therefore they are happy to give hunters permits and will often let you know of areas where the populations are high.
I hate the thought of goats been shot and wasted especially when young goat and small nanny’s can be great eating. They also make great dog food.
