Hunting with Pack goats.
My friends and I have been bow hunting some pretty inaccessible areas along the Wasatch Front in Utah. We have also been packing into some other areas that are a little harsh. We started out packing everything in on our backs. That was ok but it seemed like you would hike in for the day and then be a little tired for the next few days. We started looking at ultra light packing getting the packs, bags, hammocks, stoves etc. It would still be a pretty heavy pack for a good stay on the mountain. We started looking for ways to help us take a camp up the hill and still have a comfortable camp. We originally looked at llamas and by some fluke found out about pack goats.
At first we thought the goats were a strange way to go but the idea stuck and I started to do a little more research. I found a guy that rented them and we spent some time learning about them. I was very impressed to say the least. The first picture of my buddy and I was up one of the nastiest trails that I know. We took two goats from that friend to try and they were awesome. The big horned goat had about 65 lbs and the other had about 40. It was a great trial run.
For those of you that aren't familiar with pack goats they are very easy to pack with. Goats by nature are very social. After a week or so of visiting them with treats in your pocket, they will follow you anywhere. They are kind of like big dogs in that manner. You don't have to worry about lead ropes or anything else. Just get up and take off and they will be behind you.
On our first trip we came up to some fallen trees that were very hard for us go get across. My friend and I jumped across. The mountain was VERY steep on both sides of the trail. It was also incredibly thick. Clay Zimmerman who let us use the goats said to just go over the obstacle and don't look back. If we could make it over they would find a way because they didn't want to be left behind. We did and so did they. They can go up and down things with full packs that I don't think I could.
Besides being able to walk almost anywhere with a full pack they are great with food and water. They are able to go a couple of days without water as long as they can get good green feed. And speaking of feed they can eat anything. Sometimes we highline them at came others we let them roam. They never go far. They love pine, weeds, dear leaves (sounds like a kid with a bag of potato chips) and grass…about anything that they can get too. Makes for great packing companions because you don't have to bring them in any food.
Goats also seem to put big game animals at ease. We have walked up to both deer and elk with the goats. A couple of years ago we were bow hunting in a spike elk unit. The elk were in the rut and we were having a great time. We were camping a few miles in and the elk were coming into camp every night. During the day we could walk right up to them with the goats. On one occasion we heard a bull bugling and headed into his direction. We caught up to him in an aspen thicket. We had seven goats with us and were quite a group. The elk was about a 320 six point. We walked to within about 20 yards. He noticed us but didn't seem to care. One of the larger horned goats walked right up to him. The elk was raking the heck out of an aspen. The goat walked up to the aspen right next to him and started to rub. The elk stopped for a second and gave the goat a look. He then started to rake again. We always seem to see big animals up close when we have the goats with us.
They also do well in the cold. My friends took the goats up a couple of weeks ago in the snow and had a great winter camp.
The goats can pack about 50-60 lbs. They are very easy and fast to load. They follow you and make good companions. We now have some great light weight gear and can take quite a bit with us. I like camping a little more when I can bring some good food and comfort gear….especially when I'm not carrying it. We just load our packs heavy and use the goats to pack out any animals we might harvest.
One last thing about goats. They are much cheaper than horses. One goat eats about a bail of hay every two weeks. They also need a much smaller living area and I can throw a few in the back of a truck.
Anyway here are a few pictures of us and the goats out packing.
Here is also a website with some more info on pack goats.
High Uinta Pack Goats
My friends and I have been bow hunting some pretty inaccessible areas along the Wasatch Front in Utah. We have also been packing into some other areas that are a little harsh. We started out packing everything in on our backs. That was ok but it seemed like you would hike in for the day and then be a little tired for the next few days. We started looking at ultra light packing getting the packs, bags, hammocks, stoves etc. It would still be a pretty heavy pack for a good stay on the mountain. We started looking for ways to help us take a camp up the hill and still have a comfortable camp. We originally looked at llamas and by some fluke found out about pack goats.
At first we thought the goats were a strange way to go but the idea stuck and I started to do a little more research. I found a guy that rented them and we spent some time learning about them. I was very impressed to say the least. The first picture of my buddy and I was up one of the nastiest trails that I know. We took two goats from that friend to try and they were awesome. The big horned goat had about 65 lbs and the other had about 40. It was a great trial run.
For those of you that aren't familiar with pack goats they are very easy to pack with. Goats by nature are very social. After a week or so of visiting them with treats in your pocket, they will follow you anywhere. They are kind of like big dogs in that manner. You don't have to worry about lead ropes or anything else. Just get up and take off and they will be behind you.
On our first trip we came up to some fallen trees that were very hard for us go get across. My friend and I jumped across. The mountain was VERY steep on both sides of the trail. It was also incredibly thick. Clay Zimmerman who let us use the goats said to just go over the obstacle and don't look back. If we could make it over they would find a way because they didn't want to be left behind. We did and so did they. They can go up and down things with full packs that I don't think I could.
Besides being able to walk almost anywhere with a full pack they are great with food and water. They are able to go a couple of days without water as long as they can get good green feed. And speaking of feed they can eat anything. Sometimes we highline them at came others we let them roam. They never go far. They love pine, weeds, dear leaves (sounds like a kid with a bag of potato chips) and grass…about anything that they can get too. Makes for great packing companions because you don't have to bring them in any food.
Goats also seem to put big game animals at ease. We have walked up to both deer and elk with the goats. A couple of years ago we were bow hunting in a spike elk unit. The elk were in the rut and we were having a great time. We were camping a few miles in and the elk were coming into camp every night. During the day we could walk right up to them with the goats. On one occasion we heard a bull bugling and headed into his direction. We caught up to him in an aspen thicket. We had seven goats with us and were quite a group. The elk was about a 320 six point. We walked to within about 20 yards. He noticed us but didn't seem to care. One of the larger horned goats walked right up to him. The elk was raking the heck out of an aspen. The goat walked up to the aspen right next to him and started to rub. The elk stopped for a second and gave the goat a look. He then started to rake again. We always seem to see big animals up close when we have the goats with us.
They also do well in the cold. My friends took the goats up a couple of weeks ago in the snow and had a great winter camp.
The goats can pack about 50-60 lbs. They are very easy and fast to load. They follow you and make good companions. We now have some great light weight gear and can take quite a bit with us. I like camping a little more when I can bring some good food and comfort gear….especially when I'm not carrying it. We just load our packs heavy and use the goats to pack out any animals we might harvest.
One last thing about goats. They are much cheaper than horses. One goat eats about a bail of hay every two weeks. They also need a much smaller living area and I can throw a few in the back of a truck.
Anyway here are a few pictures of us and the goats out packing.
Here is also a website with some more info on pack goats.
High Uinta Pack Goats