Goat Packing in The Goat Rocks?

[bachto]

I have pack goats but I don't go into the goat rocks with them. Might take them into glacier peak for the high-buck.

[huntnnw]

Just get a horse or a mule.  Go in half with a buddy and find somewhere to board it during the year.  You don't have to be able to ride it, just lead it around.  Goats shouldn't be in the woods.

What a stupid statement, ignorance is bliss … probably never owned either

[300rum]

Put up the money, how much are we going to do? 

I am not trying to convince you Backcountry Goatmen, I am trying to convince guys thinking about it that there is a much better way of getting in the woods using real stock and it isn't that hard to do and you don't have to have your pet goat walking along side of you when you hunt, dumbest thing I've seen in the woods, along with lamas and alpacas, dogs with packs on.  I haven't seen sheep or kitty cats, as of yet, but I'm sure someone out there is thinking of it.  I don't even know how it is legal to have loose goats, not tied together, in the wilderness areas.

If anyone is interested in learning to pack a horse and they are even thinking of using goats, or sheep, or whatever, PM me and we can talk about it or maybe even set up a time (won't be for awhile) where I will show you how to pack a horse and lead them in. 

Just get a horse or a mule.  Go in half with a buddy and find somewhere to board it during the year.  You don't have to be able to ride it, just lead it around.  Goats shouldn't be in the woods.

What a stupid statement, ignorance is bliss … probably never owned either

[ghosthunter]

Well I had horses  50 years ago.  My buddy has horses now. I had a pack horse.

And I owned goats but not for packing.

I can see the lure of pack goats over horses.

You can transport them in a pick up or small trailer.
They do not damage trails like large stock Heck they don’t need a trail.
They are way cheaper to keep and sell if you want.
I having had both think the goats are smarter.
Goats can live off the land without a lot of help,  much better than other domesticated stock.
Goats are more fun for the whole family.
Goats require less space.
Goats are easier to handle.


twocents:

[ghosthunter]

Two years ago my buddy and I were driving up Little Bridge  Creek rd.

Down the road comes a pack goat that had got loose from a camp.
The goat walked right up to the truck and stuck his head in.

We drove up the road and he followed along for two miles. Found his camp and they tied him up. He was just looking for human I guess.

My buddy said “ A horse would have never done that.” And he is right.

[Mtnwalker]

Any pack stock has it's pros and cons. Plenty of cons to horses and mules for the average Joe. To say that a novice should "just get a horse" or that llamas don't belong in the woods is a silly statement. Goats can be somewhat of a ****show if they're not managed well and it would be a mess if there were a whole bunch of guys running them, but they can also be extremely efficient and way less demanding than owning and maintaining equines. Bottom line is horse guys saying goat guys or llama guys don't belong in the woods is no different than archery hunters hating on rifle hunters and so forth. It's dumb.

[2MANY]

Well I guess I'll never know who the 3 goats and their  human was last year during muzzy elk.

[skagitsteel]

My goats have been to the goat rocks before.  Many people doubt goats and I did too, until I got some.  I've taken some skeptics out on hunts, none were skeptics after seeing the goats work. Mine have packed out 15+ big game animals, and hiked probably over 1500 miles since I got them. the furthest they have packed an animal was 17 miles from the truck in a single day, the most distance they have done in a single day with a light camp is 25.  Mine routinely climb terrain that a mule, horse, llama or donkey would get stuck or tumble to its death.  They have crossed rivers goat beard deep and followed me up terrain that I needed an ice axe and crampons to do, they don't spook with gunshots and could care less about the smell of blood from a fresh kill.  They follow with no leash better than any dog I've owned.   A good 200ib pack goat can carry about 50 ibs max payload, I have owned two that could pack 70.  Most of my adults weigh 190-220, my largest weighs 307.   
The drawbacks are: -
-A very small % of goat genetics are actually suitable for packing, even with the very best genetics a certain % will still be duds (when compared to the best). 
-They don't do well being left alone back at camp (not to mention irresponsible) so they have to hunt with you, it works but can have its drawbacks
-They don't have the natural endurance of a horse or mule, so you have to keep them in shape with regular conditioning.  I find a 7-10 mile fast paced hike once per week keeps them in top shape, I start this 3 months prior to the first hunt of the year.
-They have a short pack life (6 years is what I plan for), so I'm always are raising younger 'prospects' to replace goats that are due for retirement, which means if I want 6 strong adult packers I need to plan on keeping a herd of 10-12 to allow for culls and wait for younger goats to reach packing age (3-4 yrs old)   

[High Climber]

My goats have been to the goat rocks before.  Many people doubt goats and I did too, until I got some.  I've taken some skeptics out on hunts, none were skeptics after seeing the goats work. Mine have packed out 15+ big game animals, and hiked probably over 1500 miles since I got them. the furthest they have packed an animal was 17 miles from the truck in a single day, the most distance they have done in a single day with a light camp is 25.  Mine routinely climb terrain that a mule, horse, llama or donkey would get stuck or tumble to its death.  They have crossed rivers goat beard deep and followed me up terrain that I needed an ice axe and crampons to do, they don't spook with gunshots and could care less about the smell of blood from a fresh kill.  They follow with no leash better than any dog I've owned.   A good 200ib pack goat can carry about 50 ibs max payload, I have owned two that could pack 70.  Most of my adults weigh 190-220, my largest weighs 307.   
The drawbacks are: -
-A very small % of goat genetics are actually suitable for packing, even with the very best genetics a certain % will still be duds (when compared to the best). 
-They don't do well being left alone back at camp (not to mention irresponsible) so they have to hunt with you, it works but can have its drawbacks
-They don't have the natural endurance of a horse or mule, so you have to keep them in shape with regular conditioning.  I find a 7-10 mile fast paced hike once per week keeps them in top shape, I start this 3 months prior to the first hunt of the year.
-They have a short pack life (6 years is what I plan for), so I'm always are raising younger 'prospects' to replace goats that are due for retirement, which means if I want 6 strong adult packers I need to plan on keeping a herd of 10-12 to allow for culls and wait for younger goats to reach packing age (3-4 yrs old)

That is badazz! Do you do any archery elk hunting? Curious how that would play out

[2MANY]

Any pack stock has it's pros and cons. Plenty of cons to horses and mules for the average Joe. To say that a novice should "just get a horse" or that llamas don't belong in the woods is a silly statement. Goats can be somewhat of a ****show if they're not managed well and it would be a mess if there were a whole bunch of guys running them, but they can also be extremely efficient and way less demanding than owning and maintaining equines. Bottom line is horse guys saying goat guys or llama guys don't belong in the woods is no different than archery hunters hating on rifle hunters and so forth. It's dumb.

Great info.

[skagitsteel]

That is badazz! Do you do any archery elk hunting? Curious how that would play out
[/quote]

I'm relatively new to archery elk hunting but I have done a few hunts with them. It would take 4 goats to pack a rocky and 5 or 6 for a big rocky or a rosie with camp.  For run and gun covering lots of ground they work great, I put 10 days of food on one, camp on another and can have a mobile camp without having to pack weight.  If I hear or glass elk, I typically like to tie them up a few hundred yards back and move in, we camp simply wherever we end up that night, typically up high in a glassing spot.  I had one solo call in set up blown by the goats when a bull came in so fast I had to leave all the goats milling around me, horns across a metal crossbuck with a bull charging in to a calf call sent the bull the other way.  The goats also called in a real nice bull all on their own raking a a tree while I was doing camp chores, I was not ready   Elk seem to be curious about them, certainly not threatened by their presence.  My experience is the sound of the saddles and panniers is the main negative.  When I am returning to the same camp that night, I let them hunt with me no saddles and panniers and we have walked right up on elk in the timber that simply thought they were being approached by more elk.  I have a few friends that swear by calling with the goats around them untied and  have had a few come in that wouldn't actually leave once they saw the goats. My only experience with them has been in heavy pressure OTC units where bulls hung up just out of range (prob has more to do with my calling and solo set up than the goats).   

[BUTTER]

We used pack goats hunting in some of the toughest country in the United States for elk period. Down fall is they get tired we've done 16 miles in one day where we carried the elk half that as they cannot. Other downfall alot of areas don't allow them as they can be terrible for wild goats. They must have there shots etc.  We've had three good ones go down at this point and are looking at switching to alpacas.

[HntnFsh]

My goats have been to the goat rocks before.  Many people doubt goats and I did too, until I got some.  I've taken some skeptics out on hunts, none were skeptics after seeing the goats work. Mine have packed out 15+ big game animals, and hiked probably over 1500 miles since I got them. the furthest they have packed an animal was 17 miles from the truck in a single day, the most distance they have done in a single day with a light camp is 25.  Mine routinely climb terrain that a mule, horse, llama or donkey would get stuck or tumble to its death.  They have crossed rivers goat beard deep and followed me up terrain that I needed an ice axe and crampons to do, they don't spook with gunshots and could care less about the smell of blood from a fresh kill.  They follow with no leash better than any dog I've owned.   A good 200ib pack goat can carry about 50 ibs max payload, I have owned two that could pack 70.  Most of my adults weigh 190-220, my largest weighs 307.   
The drawbacks are: -
-A very small % of goat genetics are actually suitable for packing, even with the very best genetics a certain % will still be duds (when compared to the best). 
-They don't do well being left alone back at camp (not to mention irresponsible) so they have to hunt with you, it works but can have its drawbacks
-They don't have the natural endurance of a horse or mule, so you have to keep them in shape with regular conditioning.  I find a 7-10 mile fast paced hike once per week keeps them in top shape, I start this 3 months prior to the first hunt of the year.
-They have a short pack life (6 years is what I plan for), so I'm always are raising younger 'prospects' to replace goats that are due for retirement, which means if I want 6 strong adult packers I need to plan on keeping a herd of 10-12 to allow for culls and wait for younger goats to reach packing age (3-4 yrs old)

Love the picture! Great Info!

[workstohunt]

Mike from Peak and Valley Outdoors has been in there probably the last 5 years. He has a couple videos on youtube.

[bearpaw]

Nice looking group of goats