Pack goat hunting

[Sassquatch]

Anyone use pack goats to go into the backcountry?

[Jason]

If you do a search there's a few topics on here.

[Sassquatch]

OK thanks. I have some goats just wondering if anyone else does.Be nice to know how other people like there goats. Thanks I'll make a search.

[brushhunter]

i am getting two alpine kids in a couple weeks will let you know how i like them in a couple years lol

[The scout]

great idea have them pack your gear up the mountain then butcher them and eat them the rest of the week, don't have to worry about them and you don't need to eat mountain house all week. genius

[Tbob]

I have a buddy in AK who uses pack goats pretty often. He says they're  great! He says one of them though doesn't like crossing the streams, but other than that he really like them.

[Alpine Mojo]

There is a good article on pack goats in the April issue of Fur Fish Game.

[Chesapeake]

Ran goats for a few years. Don't run goats now.......

You get to go goat speed. If this is good or bad is up to you.
You get to stay on pack stock allowed trails, depending on individual forest rules of course.
You get to take care of goats 365 so you can use them a few weeks a year. This again is purely personal taste.
They add a whole nother element to trying to keep your spot secret.
They may get you further than backpackers, but then your just out there with the outfitters and folks with pack stock. Likely varies per location.
They are very much like big dumb dogs, so add an element of humor and pain to most any event. Again personal taste.

I'd say get pack goats if your whole intent/goal is to live the lifestyle of a pack goat owner. If your just looking to use goats to be able to get in deeper and stay longer, you may not be happy.

You can rent pack goats in several places. You might want to try that first and see if that's your thing.

 

[Rainier10]

I have heard if you have them it gives you a free pass to take any and all trail cameras you find in the woods.

[Bushcraft]

Ran goats for a few years. Don't run goats now.......

You get to go goat speed. If this is good or bad is up to you.
You get to stay on pack stock allowed trails, depending on individual forest rules of course.
You get to take care of goats 365 so you can use them a few weeks a year. This again is purely personal taste.
They add a whole nother element to trying to keep your spot secret.
They may get you further than backpackers, but then your just out there with the outfitters and folks with pack stock. Likely varies per location.
They are very much like big dumb dogs, so add an element of humor and pain to most any event. Again personal taste.

I'd say get pack goats if your whole intent/goal is to live the lifestyle of a pack goat owner. If your just looking to use goats to be able to get in deeper and stay longer, you may not be happy.

You can rent pack goats in several places. You might want to try that first and see if that's your thing.

Spot on.  You can walk them into the ground pretty easily, especially if they are carrying a load.  I wasn't aware there was a restriction on trail only use.

If you are going to go the pack goat route...make damn sure they are pack goats.

[NoBark]

And not to mention the spread of pneumonia to wild sheep is possibility as well.    I foresee a time when they will be excluded from areas the wild sheep may roam either winter or summer grounds.

[Bushcraft]

Yes.  I think they may already be banned from certain areas in other states.

At a bare minimum, they need to be certified Movi free.

[Chesapeake]

Most every forest limits what trails, camp sites, ect... can be used by "Pack stock".

The clincher is whether or not a particular forests managers categorize goats as "pack stock".

This is a cut and past from the "Enchanted area, Wenatchee forest" as an example of typical verbiage:

Pack and Saddle Stock:
Certified weed free feed is required on ALL National Forest Lands. Click here for more information.
Groups with pack or saddle stock may not exceed a total of eight persons plus head of stock. (4 people + 4 mules = .
Stock are prohibited on the Snow Lake and Colchuck Lake Trails, and are only allowed on the Stuart Lake Trail in the fall from the first Saturday after Labor Day until the end of that year.
Stock may not be grazed, tied, hitched, hobbled, or held within 200' of any lake or pond.
Camping with stock in the permit area is allowed only at suitable sites more than 200' from water, including the designated stock site at Upper Caroline Lake. No camping with stock is allowed within 1/2 mile of the Eightmile Lakes.
Stock may be tied directly to trees only for short periods of time, not to exceed 4 hours, and not to trees of less than 6 inches diameter.

And yes, there is the disease issue. Some locations have banned "domestic sheep and goats" from areas where there are wild sheep and or goats.

[muleracks]

There is a guy using pack goats out of Trinity; Glacier Peak Wilderness.  He leads one and the other two or three just follow along.  It looks like they carry 25 or 30 pounds each.  It is a pain when we meet him on the trail because we have to stop while he gathers up his goats and gets off the trail so we can go past  with out pack string and saddle horses.  They as classified as pack stock so are not permitted in areas that are closed to stock.

[timberghost72]

There is a guy using pack goats out of Trinity; Glacier Peak Wilderness.  He leads one and the other two or three just follow along.  It looks like they carry 25 or 30 pounds each.  It is a pain when we meet him on the trail because we have to stop while he gathers up his goats and gets off the trail so we can go past  with out pack string and saddle horses.  They as classified as pack stock so are not permitted in areas that are closed to stock.

Do you have a link to that last statement? I've read they are not classified as stock. It would be nice to know for sure. You can't ride them (saddle) them and you don't need feed or hay so what classifies them as stock?

[Sassquatch]

Pack goats are great if you go where horses can't go. I go to a place where my horses just can't get into, and I've found if horses can't get there either can the people. I hunted the high hunt last year in a popular wilderness and never saw another person, but I did see some deer and elk, and killed a nice little buck. I don't mind going goat speed if I don't see any people.

[trophyhunt]

I have heard if you have them it gives you a free pass to take any and all trail cameras you find in the woods.

Sounds like there is more to tell!  You know a camera thief? 

[jackelope]

I have heard if you have them it gives you a free pass to take any and all trail cameras you find in the woods.

Sounds like there is more to tell!  You know a camera thief?

Old thread here from a while back. Can't recall the guy's handle that started the thread. Essentially the guy was advocating for stealing people's cameras that he found on public land because they were on public land. I think the guy also had pack goats. Can't remember the exact details.

[Rainier10]

I have heard if you have them it gives you a free pass to take any and all trail cameras you find in the woods.

Sounds like there is more to tell!  You know a camera thief?

Old thread here from a while back. Can't recall the guy's handle that started the thread. Essentially the guy was advocating for stealing people's cameras that he found on public land because they were on public land. I think the guy also had pack goats. Can't remember the exact details.

Yep that was it.  I can't remember the specifics either.    

[Rainier10]

Pack goats are great if you go where horses can't go. I go to a place where my horses just can't get into, and I've found if horses can't get there either can the people. I hunted the high hunt last year in a popular wilderness and never saw another person, but I did see some deer and elk, and killed a nice little buck. I don't mind going goat speed if I don't see any people.

If I was doing this type of hunting I would think that the pack goat thing would be the way to go.  A couple of them could really help with the weight.

[2MANY]

Pack goats are great if you go where horses can't go. I go to a place where my horses just can't get into, and I've found if horses can't get there either can the people. I hunted the high hunt last year in a popular wilderness and never saw another person, but I did see some deer and elk, and killed a nice little buck. I don't mind going goat speed if I don't see any people.

If I was doing this type of hunting I would think that the pack goat thing would be the way to go.  A couple of them could really help with the weight.

Plus you can drink their milk and then eat em if need be.

[teanawayslayer]

The area I hunt on the high hunt, horses only can get you 1/4 of the way in. Goats would be the way to go. I see a few in my near future.

[seth30]

Pack goats are great if you go where horses can't go. I go to a place where my horses just can't get into, and I've found if horses can't get there either can the people. I hunted the high hunt last year in a popular wilderness and never saw another person, but I did see some deer and elk, and killed a nice little buck. I don't mind going goat speed if I don't see any people.

If I was doing this type of hunting I would think that the pack goat thing would be the way to go.  A couple of them could really help with the weight.

Plus you can drink their milk and then eat em if need be.

From what I have read, you can only use fixed males.  Unfixed males are too unpredictable and the packs would rub against the utters..

[Special T]

Additionally goats have a inclination to head button. A friend that has pack goats said not to touch thier heads and it works best if they are raised by you so you become thier natural herd leader.

Are they cool I asked my buddy? Yes they will get you a long way back. It may be slower than you plan, & if you have never heard the term "goat roping session" you will live the definition.

I think they would be like any kind of stock. If they are used a couple weeks of the year they aren't worth it if your gona use them a lot they they may be worth the time investment... I don't think stock.counts as bait so perhaps they would work great calling predators  like bear cats and coyotes.