A massive, woolly mountain goat slowly lifted her head above a granite outcrop, silhouetted against the thin alpine sky.
For years, photographing a mountain goat had been a personal goal of mine. But as a Texan who lives at just 14 feet above sea level on the Texas coast, I felt every step as I climbed near 14,000 feet on Colorado’s Mount Blue Sky. The altitude slowed me down, sharpened my breathing, and reminded me just how far from home I truly was.
As I carefully made my way toward the rock, I realized the goat was a nanny—and tucked close beside her was a beautiful, very young kid. The moment was brief but powerful. I raised my camera, capturing her strength and grace, and I made sure to focus on the collar and ear tag she wore, knowing those details mattered beyond the photograph itself.
When I returned home, I contacted Rebecca Boyce with Colorado Parks & Wildlife to learn more about the goat I had photographed. What I discovered was fascinating. The nanny, identified as Ear Tag #1128, had been fitted with a GPS collar in October 2016. At the time of capture, she was estimated to be five years old or older and in good body condition. Her collar transmitted data until January 2017, when it likely failed due to a malfunction.
According to Boyce, the data revealed that from October 2016 through January 2017, the goat spent her entire time within just 2.2 square miles around Mount Blue Sky. Even in its short lifespan, the collar provided valuable insight into how these animals use the rugged alpine landscape.
That experience reinforced an important lesson for me and my family: turning in any tag or collar information you encounter truly matters. Those small details—often overlooked—help wildlife biologists piece together the stories that guide conservation and management decisions.
Sharing this moment with my daughter, Faith, and my wife, Lisa, made it even more meaningful. Standing together on that mountain and later learning how one observation could contribute to conservation became a highlight of our conservation awareness work. It reminded us that meaningful conservation doesn’t always start with grand actions—it starts with paying attention, respecting wildlife, and choosing to share what we see so it can make a difference.
Chester Moore
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“He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to climb on mountain heights.”
Those words echoed through my head as I watched my daughter Faith take photos of a beautiful Rocky Mountain goat at 14,000 feet in Colorado.
We live at 14 feet elevation on the Texas Coast, so being 1,000 times higher is like stepping into another world, a place of stunning beauty and unlimited possibility.
Look up about 40 feet and there’s a mountain goat looking at Faith.
Sixteen years ago, we got word about an opportunity to adopt a little girl who at age two couldn’t walk or talk and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I felt this was the child we had prayed for but I needed confirmation.
So, I did what all great spiritual people do (not)-I played Bible roulette.
I walked over to my Bible and picked it up.
“Lord, you know me. I am hard headed and sometimes cannot see things the way you want me to see them. I am on faith going to open up this Bible and believe the page I land on is the place that will give me confirmation this is our girl or is not. I do not need a cryptic answer but a direct one Lord.”
With some apprehension, I sort of flipped the Bible open and flung it down on my table.
At first I thought it landed on a blank page but I quickly realized it was on a page with only one verse and it was the very end of the book.
“Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to climb mountain heights.”
I was stunned.
I read those words from Habakkuk 3:19 over and over as tears rolled down my face and I felt the presence of the Lord in an incredibly profound, powerful way. This was not some distant God who sat on a throne and handed out decrees and judgements but one who descended down to my home and gave me a powerful word and ultimate confirmation of what would be a destiny-changing event for our family and a special little girl.
Faith at six years old.
I knew she would walk. I knew she would talk. And I know God had special things to be done through her.
In a stunning way just two weeks after our adoption was completed, Dodie Osteen the Matriarch of Lakewood Church in Houston laid hands on Faith and declared she would walk in the name of Christ.
The next morning she stood up and walked.
And she moved like she had been mobile for months!
Over the years we have faced many challenges, especially emotional ones. There were times it looked like the full promise of “mountain heights” might not happen.
There were times I cried myself to sleep seeing the challenges she was going through at a young age.
There were times me and my wife Lisa were frustrated and exhausted but we had a promise and we stood on it.
We prayed that promise through and stood on God’s word that this precious child would climb on mountain heights physically, mentally and spiritually.
As she turned back to me on Mount Blue Sky I snapped back into the present and could see her beaming with pride.
“Dad, I got a really good picture. Look!”
This was in the cell phone photography category and thankfully this one mountain goat was in a perfect position, in good light and Faith has a great eye for composition and capturing little moments.
Faith’s winning photo. (Photo by Faith Moore)
“Look at this one. It looks like he’s talking to me.”
That photo was entered into a national fine arts competition for Assemblies of God churches around the nation. Both her cell and digital photo (of an elk) earned her an invite to national competition in Columbus, OH.
Faith with her “Award of Merit”.
In front of 15,000 people at Nationwide Arena, Faith learned that her mountain goat photo not only received a “superior” rating but earned her the top photo and the prestigious “Award of Merit”.
Out of a possible three judge rating of 120, she earned 119 points, which is super rare in these competitions.
Faith is not the most emotional young lady but she broke down and cried when she heard the announcement and received the support of her fellow Community Church (C-Student) youth group members. It was a huge moment for her and for our family.
A child that wasn’t supposed to walk or talk, was in front of thousands of people taking home a serious award for a photo she took at 14,000 feet in Colorado.
That certainly qualifies as “mountain heights” to the literal zenith of its meaning.
And it was an important moment for us as a family for another reason. She won for wildlife photography and as a family of dedicated wildlife conservationists, this was special.
If you believe God gives you a word-stand on it. Pray on it. Fast on it. Never give up.
This is especially true when it comes to promises for our children. Even children in the most loving, well-balanced homes face an onslaught of darkness in our culture.
We believe standing on God’s word and the promises purchased through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Faith Moore made me very proud with her awesome photo and winning at such a high level.
But more importantly, she’s made me proud because of who she is and doing her part to work hard and trust in God to overcome the obstacles she has faced.
We look forward to seeing what great things come through her in the future and remain in awe of what the Lord brought into our lives 16-years ago.
It wasn’t just a daughter but it was hope and a promise.
A beautiful promise.
Chester Moore (Better known these days as Faith’s Dad!)
On Sept. 4, visitors to a popular Canadian hiking trail found the body of a young (154 pound) grizzly bear.
According to an article at livescience.com, park rangers airlifted the carcass so it did not attract predators to the popular trail and to ascertain the cause of death.
Wounds around the neck and armpit at first confused officials.
A necropsy, however, revealed the culprit.
“The forensic necropsy subsequently confirmed that the wounds incurred before death were consistent with the size and shape of mountain goat horns,” David Laskin, a wildlife ecologist at Parks Canada, told local news outlet Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Mountain goats are large animals capable of defending themselves against even bear attacks. (Photo by Chester Moore)
So, a mountain goat killed a grizzly.
When attending my first-ever journalism class in high school, I remember hearing, “Dog bites man is not a story. Man bites dog is the story you’re looking for.”
Well, mountain goat kills grizzly is that kind of story.
Yes, it was not a full-grown grizzly, and a 154-pound female was probably a year-old cub.
But even at that size, they are formidable predators.
While the size of the goat implicated in this interesting predator-prey scenario has not been determined, a mature billy can weigh as much as 300 pounds.
These are big, strong, incredibly agile animals that can flee or fight.
“Regarding the recent article about the mountain goat potentially injuring and killing a grizzly…that’s something you don’t hear about every day,'” said Lee MacDonalds, Operations Coordinator with the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance (RMGA).
“I think the takeaway from that article and information from the biologists is that mountain goats (like any large animal, not just predators) have the potential to injure and even kill human-size animals.”
RMGA’s mission is to conserve mountain goat populations and educate the public about these beautiful and unique animals.
“Every year, there are reports of large ungulates in parks injuring humans when they push too close and prompt a defense response. Mountain goats are no different and should be respected,’ MacDonalds said.
“Here in Montana, we have partnered with Montana, Fish Wildlife & Parks, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to have laminated signs at trailheads in mountain goat areas, helping to warn people not to approach them should they run into one. “
Along with wild sheep, mountain goats represent the best of the American West’s wildlife.
Able to live at the highest elevations and easily move across rocky terrain that few can navigate, they are creatures worthy of our admiration.
And any ungulate that can kill a grizzly in defense is worthy of our respect.
It’s great that a group like RMGA exists to forward the cause of mountain goat conservation.
And this story getting out is a good thing as well.
Maybe it will remind hikers, campers, and others who too often view wild animals on public land as wayward pets to give mountain goats a wide berth.
They might not take too kindly to any attempt to take a selfie with them.
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A desert bighorn ram crossed the steep, rocky opening with incredible ease.
I had struggled to quietly get within photo range without slipping and falling to my death for longer than I would like to admit. The ram, however, crossed through a much more treacherous spot with impunity-in seconds.
A beautiful desert bighorn ram walks across a steep, rocky slope. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
Seeing their ability to survive and thrive in such habitat is one of the things that draws men to seek out wild sheep-whether with a camera, rifle or bow and arrow.
And Jan. 15-17, thousands of sheep enthusiasts gathered in Reno, NV. at the annual Sheep Show hosted by The Wild Sheep Foundation.
It was my first time attending and I came both as a fan of wild sheep and a wildlife journalist wanting to get the story on what makes this group of people tick.
The fan was satisfied as soon as I walked through the doors of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
The author with a beautiful Dall sheep mount at the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show in Reno, NV. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
Anyone into wild sheep would be impressed with incredible wild sheep taxidermy displays and hundreds of booths ranging from outfitters specializing in argali hunts in Tajikistan to Colorado’s grass-roots Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society.
An incredible argali display created by Wildlife Revolutions-Taxidermy Studio. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
A melanistic desert bighorn taken in Mexico was of particular interest as well as a mountain-style display of wild sheep and goats from Asia.
A melanistic desert bighorn taken in the 2019 season in Baja Mexico on a hunt arranged by Bo Morgan of Go With Bo, a well known outfitting company. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
Sheep hunting is not for the out of shape was evidenced by conversations with outfitters who start some of their hunts at upwards of 12,000 feet.
And it’s not for the out of work either.
While lottery-style draw permits gives the working-class man access to sheep hunting, much of it is a wealthy man’s game.
But that has come as a benefit to wild sheep.
Whereas whitetail deer can pay for themselves through standard hunting licenses fees due to their huge distribution and strong populations, sheep can’t survive through that model.
Auctioning off a portion of tags to wealthy hunters at banquets like those held at the Sheep Show funds a huge part of wild sheep conservation efforts. And whereas whitetail need studying and observation, sheep need an entirely different level of management.
Moving sheep from areas with high population densities to low and making sure they do not co-mingle with domestic sheep that can pass on the deadly pathogen M. ovi is incredibly expensive.
Without groups like The Wild Sheep Foundation which according to president Gray Thornton spent more than $6 million on conservation efforts in 2019 along with regional groups like the Texas Bighorn Society and Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation, sheep would be in real trouble.
Tags at these auctions regularly go more than $100,000 and some coveted tags like those for Montana’s giant rams have fetched more than $400,000.
The hunters with that kind of coin could easily hunt big rams with outfitters who have tags and spend less. But these hunters believe in conservation and don’t mind spending to make it happen.
The most impressive part of the event came at the beer reception for the Less Than One Club. It’s a subgroup of The Wild Sheep Foundation for members who have never taken a wild sheep.
More than 2,000 people attended this year’s event, shattering the previous record and showing an incredible diversity of people.
I’m a member and despite having traveled and written all over North America have never taken a sheep.
Neither had the lifelong sheep biologist who I sat with or the 28-year-old girl I met who dreamed of sheep hunting. Virtually very income level, background, ethnicity and state in the union was represented and everyone was truly excited.
Pete Muennich of the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance announces the winner of the annual “Billy Goat Club” drawing for a mountain goat hunt. The Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance partners with The Wild Sheep Foundation on this event. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
And although I don’t have official demographics, I estimate a third of that room was 35 years and younger and half under 45. In the hunting world those are impressive numbers and they show hope for the future of wild sheep.
Enthusiasm for these great animals is not limited by age, income bracket or location. It’s universal to those who have somehow found a fascination with wild sheep.
Three Dall sheep hunts were given away that night in draws that had everyone on their edge of their seats. Asian ibex hunts were given away for the international component of this unique club that everyone in the room inherently wants to be disqualified from.
The day after the show, I drove seven-hour span from Reno to Las Vegas to attend the SHOT Show on behalf of Texas Fish & Game magazine. It was an incredible drive through stunning country with frequent “Bighorn Crossing” signs.
Bighorn crossing signs are a common sight in many areas of Nevada, highlighting the state’s high level management of these ungulates. (Photo by Chester Moore, Jr.)
I had learned about a tract of public land with a good sheep population and hoped I would be able to photograph my first sheep in Nevada and by God’s grace and good information there was the sheep at the beginning of this story.
I could not help but think back to the Sheep Show and wonder if this beautiful, young ram would even be here without the love of those in the sheep-hunting community.
Just as I decided to head back down as not to spook the ram, he made his way down toward me.
He stopped about 75 yards away, highlighted perfectly by the brilliant desert sun and essentially posed while looking right at me. I could now make out a tag in his ear with a very easily identifiable number.
This ram had at some point been captured, documented and maybe even moved from another area to here.
That kind of management doesn’t come cheap and it does not come without people who believe in wild sheep management like the Nevada Department of Wildlife and The Wild Sheep Foundation.
The beautiful creature turned and headed back up the slope, this time journeying to the peak and over.
I left Nevada with great hope for the future of sheep and sheep hunting thanks to the Sheep Show and a deeper curiosity about Nevada and it’s three varieties of wild sheep.
More on that to come soon.
Chester Moore
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The blessing of have numerous media platforms is the ability to get conservation messages on mountain wildlife out to a diverse group of people.
When a Texas Fish & Game columnist was not able to turn in a column due to an emergency, I used the space to the readership informed on mountain goat conservation and the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance.
Mountain goats are truly fascinating creatures who deserve more attention from hunters and those who simply enjoy seeing wildlife.
We will be doing more on mountain goats and other mountain wildlife through a series of expeditions as well as continual communication with the top people at the private, state, tribal and federal level of wildlife management.
Read this article in the Nov. 2019 edition of Texas Fish & Game and don’t forget to check out the podcast with Pete Muennich, founder of the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance we posted here a couple of weeks ago.
You can subscribe to this blog by entering your email address at the subscribe prompt at the top right of this page. You can contact Chester Moore by emailing chester@chestermoore.com. Subscribe to the podcast by visiting thehighercalling.podbean.com.
Check out my hour-long interview with Pete Muennich, founder of the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance, on “Moore Outdoors” on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI.
We discuss the following:
*Mountain Goat Ecology
*The Challenge of Hunting Mountain Goats
*Conservation Of The Species
*Formation of Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance and membership/volunteer opportunities.
You can subscribe to this blog by entering your email address at the subscribe prompt at the top right of this page. You can contact Chester Moore by emailing chester@chestermoore.com. Subscribe to the podcast by visiting thehighercalling.podbean.com.
