Grand Teton park to kill invasive mountain goats

JACKSON, Wyo. — An operation to kill the mountain goats that have invaded Grand Teton National Park and threaten the existence of the park’s struggling bighorn sheep herd began Sunday, officials said.

A large swath of the high Tetons, including the north and west slopes of the iconic Cathedral Group, will be closed to the public as aerial gunners contracted by the park spend up to a week locating and shooting at the approximately 100 goats, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported.

“We’re trying to be efficient and effective — so doing this as fast as possible in the most efficient way — and we believe that the aerial operations does that,” park spokeswoman Denise Germann said.

Germann had no prediction about how many animals would be targeted, but said it’s possible that at least one more week of aerial shooting will occur, depending on how this operation goes.

“This will be our initial action, and we’ll see how it goes,” Germann said. “It’s a very unique situation for Grand Teton National Park.”

Park officials have also authorized ground-based hunters to kill goats, but that will not occur this winter, she said.

Flights to locate the goats began Sunday and the shooting, contracted to Oregon-based Baker Aircraft, was set to begin Monday, depending on the weather. Shooters will use nonlead rounds from a shotgun or rifle, with the weapon type depending on the conditions.

The mountain goat population, migrants from the Snake River Range, has risen from estimated 10 to 15 animals seven years ago to recent estimates of more than a hundred.