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Native populations of mountain goats Oreamnos americanus are sensitive to harvest. To assess the potential effects of limited hunting on population dynamics,
we analysed long-term data obtained from aerial counts of 12 native
mountain goat herds in Alberta, Canada, during 1973-2001. Seven herds were
hunted until 1987 and five were not hunted. Despite a decrease in the number
of permits issued, mountain goat numbers declined in most hunted herds
between 1980 and 1983. Hunting was closed in 1987. Only three of seven herds
increased after hunting was closed. Unhunted herds also showed substantial
among-herd differences in population trends. Our results suggest that factors
other than sport hunting contributed to the population decline. Future harvests
should target adult males, but the adult sex ratio of one intensively studied population
was heavily biased in favour of females. A herd of 100 goats may only
sustain the harvest of 1-2 adult males per year.
Gonzalez-Voyer, A., Smith, K. G. and Festa-Bianchet, M. 2003. Dynamics of hunted and unhunted mountain goat Oreamnos americanus populations. Wildlife Biology. 9: 213-218.