Have goats will travel

Hi. I am in SLC. I have five goats which pack and hike with me. A couple years ago I couldn't walk without two canes, so I adopted a couple goats and started hiking with them, literally crawling up the mountain at times. Now I can hike but still not carry a lot, so my goats do the packing.

Two of them are experienced packers. Two are two years old and a bit on the smaller side, but hike well. I'll start packing them lightly this year. The fifth is only a year but is 140 pounds and will get to be 250 - 300 pounds when grown. He is being trained to canoe with me so that he can portage.

Always looking for places to hike with them, and for people to hike with. I still have one kid at home so my schedule is not my own yet. But the goats should be well trained by the time I am on my own.

We went through Little Wild Horse canyon last year on the 4th of July. The goats carried about 100 pounds of gear total. Mostly water. Where the canyon was too narrow we just pushed the packs on top and the goats dragged them down the slot.

We camped at the far side and returned the next day.

They bouldered great, and at one place crawled through on their knees.

I do a bunch of short hikes up Mill Creek and out on Stanisbury Island to keep everyone in shape.

Crazy cool! Goats to carry your stuff. :haha: Welcome to Bogley!

Thanks, they surprised me at how well they do. As herd animals they just stay with me. I don't have to lead them except through crowded areas so they don't join a different herd. The youngest one is buddied with me, so that when I stop and sit down, he'll lie down by my side as a pillow. When in the green places we don't carry food or water for them. They browse off the neighborhood like deer. In fact, other herd animals are attracted to them like deer and elk and moose. We have had them join us for breakfast and follow us on the trail.

Coolness. Welcome to Bogley!

I went into the Wind Rivers a few years ago with a group and one guy had two goats. They didn't haul any of my gear (there was about 14 people in our group), but they were a blast to watch!!! The guy even took them with us on our day hikes to fish various lakes! They'd follow along like a dog follows! When we'd get to a "tough" spot we were all wondering how the goats where going to make it through. They did better than us!!! We took them over some steep, rough terrain on some of those day hikes!

I just got back from Cat Canyon and Little Horse Heaven near the Utah Nevada border. Four people and five goats. Only four of the goats packed. We spent a couple of days where there is no water, so the goats were loaded up with it.

The youngest "Pig" is only a year but already 140 pounds. He sleeps underneath my hammock. The nuisance that you have to get used to is that they are so well bonded to me that they won't let me out of their sight. I sat under a juniper for shade to give them rest and they all laid down. So I tried to slowly walk off just to scout over the hill, and before I could get 10 feet away they were all on their feet ready to follow.

I put up my hammock away from those with tents just so the goats stay out of them.

Pictures!!!

wow that is pretty sweet, now we need to see the goat cam!

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Originally Posted by GoatHerder

...In fact, other herd animals are attracted to them like deer and elk and moose. We have had them join us for breakfast and follow us on the trail.

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No problems with predators? Or other hiker's dogs?

Welcome to Bogley!

That is very cool.

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Originally Posted by Don

No problems with predators? Or other hiker's dogs?

Welcome to Bogley!

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The first summer I had them we hiked Mill Creek to Dog lake frequently. Most dogs are just curious so I would have the goats just ignore them and keep on walking. If I saw one that was aggressive, I would blow a Boatswains whistle and gather them to my side to face the dog. I'd first use a Dog Dazer to startle the dog, then my staff to hold it at a distance if it continued to harass us. This training has given them much confidence.

Diego was named Diablo when we got him. I am told that he will let a dog chase him a bit, then turn and toss the dog through the air. I haven't seen him do it yet. My preference is to have the situation under control so that the flight instinct doesn't kick in.

One of the first times we got to dog lake there were several dogs off leash and I turned the goats loose to see what would happen. Sort of a worst case scenario. A chocolate lab started chasing them for fun. One came directly to me when he saw the dog. One came to me with the dog on his tail and the third jumped in the lake and outswam the dog to dump him.

Predators eat familiar and easy stuff. And there is still human scent in the camp. No one I know from other goat forums has ever lost a goat to a predator or had a close run in. There are stories of someone who tied the goats in camp all day while he went out and hunted that lost some. But that is kind of like setting bait to have bleating goats unattended all day.

Domestic dogs are a much larger threat. When five goats of 160# to 210# gather to my side and face a dog, a Dazer, staff, and five pair of horns lowered for action present a pretty formidable front.

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Originally Posted by GoatHerder

I still have one kid at home so my schedule is not my own yet. But the goats should be well trained by the time I am on my own.

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When you say "kid", are we still talking goats? :lol8: