Too few goats, too easy to reach: South Baranof stays closed

Mountain goat hunting on South Baranof will stay closed for a second straight year, shutting down the night of July 31, a day before the rest of Unit 4 opens.

The reason is a bad combination. The zone has never held enough goats to support a sustainable hunt, and it is easy to get to — which means the few animals there would absorb the pressure. "Harvest in the South Baranof zone could result in over-utilization due to low population levels and good accessibility," Fish and Game said.

The department is working somewhat blind. It has not completed an island-wide goat survey in two years, though it believes the population is holding steady.

Every other Unit 4 zone opens Aug. 1, with quotas similar to last year's.