Pack goat success story!!!

swbuckmaster

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?Ever heard of Hunting with pack goats.?

Hunting with pack goats for me began in the fall of 2003. I had located a very large deer several weeks before the beginning of the archery season. On the opening day I had my chance at him and I blew the shot. Unfortunatly for me a lot of other hunters had located him also. My quest ended on a Saturday afternoon when the deer didn't show up like I expected. I went looking for him in the direction he had been coming. I came on a blood trail and started to follow it fearing the worst. I hadent followed it more than 20 yards when I noticed a pile of quake branches piled up and under the leaves lay the deer I had been after. I held it in my hands wishing I had a camera to take a photograph. After admiring it and having bad thoughts run through my head. I graciously covered it back up the way I found it. I then headed off to finally meet the hunter who had killed the deer and had been camping in my favorite spot. I never formally meet him, but I'll never forget the buck. Knowing a deer of this caliber wouldn't go unnoticed I kept looking in sporting good stores for photos. It was nearly a year later when I noticed an article in bowhunter magazine there was a picture of the deer I had been hunting. The hunter Chris Cox had a picture of a Pack Goat he had been using for scouting and packing gear into remote locations. He also had a web page. I quickly looked up his webpage and there I found another picture of his pack goat. Well this time I decided to do a search on google for pack goats. It came up with several hits. After weeks of research I decided to purchase a few for my self. My goats weren't old enough to pack anything except lunches and water in 2004, so I mostly let them follow me when scouting a few new areas. The goats always followed me not needing to be led and not being too much trouble. Although I never used them on my buck in 2004.
I couldn't weight to use them in 2005.

The 2005 season began by renting a coulple of goats from High Uinta Pack Goats located in Toole Utah to see what I could expect when my goats fully mature. My friends Andy Adamson and Gary Wilson loaded up One of Clays goats named Goatee and headed out in the dark. Goatee packed 60lbs of dead weight 4000 vertical feet up and back. He also packed it without a lead rope following us every where. This really surprised me because we have never used this goat before. Goatee packed the gear where no horse or mule could ever get. Over and under the nastiest dead fall I have ever seen. I kept on scouting nearly every weekend with my goats but I never put on more than 20lbs of gear per goat because of their age.

When the 2005 elk archery season arrived, I took a week off during the rut. My goats packed all of the heavy gear leaving me with only my bow. On the first day my friend Jerry Slaugh and I passed up a cow at a water hole hoping the rest of the heard would follow. But the elk just played around out of bow range. The next two days Andy and I covered about 12 miles of new terrain in an open bull unite and didn't see a deer or an elk. My goats carried every thing. On the forth day my friend Burton Christianson and I went to a spike unite and located a herd of elk in the first 15 minutes of light. Wanting to get on the heard as quickly as possible and get a shot at a cow or spike. We dumped the goats and gear and headed off after the elk. My goats started crying and making a lot of noise. I thought this isn't going to work by the time I get back to camp they would be bear or coyote bait. So we left the gear and let them come along with us. Not knowing what to expect we ended up closing the distance to 15 yards. The bull never got nervous. But the cows did and started to run. I let out a cow call and it stopped the heard at 30 yards. I picked out a spike and let an arrow fly. My arrow hit an unseen branch and fell short. I have never hunted elk with a bow before and elk fever was now running in my veins. What a rush! The rest of the week we called in several other 6 point bulls to as close as 20 yards with my goats right by my side. I don't know if the elk would be this easy if I were in a Limited entry unite with a tag. But I hope to find out before I need depends diapers and a hip transplant.

Continuing on with the archery deer hunt I didn't use the goats very much because deer are more skittish then elk. But when I finally connected on my second to last day of hunting I used them to pack out this beautiful 3 point with a drop point.
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My 11 year old nephew Michel Johnson and I brought every thing to bone out a deer including extra water, game bags, extra batteries, baby wipes, tarps, rope, and knives. ?He also took all of the photos on that day which turned out ausome.? Thanks Mike! The goats carried every thing allowing us to enjoy the afternoon. I boned the deer out on the tarp and weighed the packs carefully. One goat packed the hind quarters and another one packed the front shoulders neck and back straps, the last goat carried everything else, leaving me the hide and horns.
This was the easiest deer I have ever packed out without mules.

Pack goats are very friendly and easy to use. My kids love to go scouting with the goats and I, it becomes a family outing. The goats carry diapers, garbage, food and extra gear for a guy to take his wife and 2 little ones several miles into wilderness areas for day hikes.

Not all goats can be used for packing. If you are considering trying pack goats only buy from a reputable pack goat breeder. I have found out that most barn yard goats won't cut it. They might be to small, skinny, odd shaped, or what ever. Pack Goats that have been bread for packing will cost more but are worth it considering it takes a goat 4 years to reach their full size. My first three goats might be on the small side reaching only 160 lbs when fully grown. Pack goats that are bread for packing will get a lot bigger I have bought 2 new ones that will get over 230 lbs when fully grown. A pack goat that is in shape can carry 30% of its body weight, but don't expect it to keep up with you when you aren't carrying anything. You will still arrive at your destination in the same time it would take you to carry the weight but you will arrive in better hunting shape. I have found that goats are like people, some keep up better than others. I usually only pack mine 20% of their body weight and they can keep up all day long.
 
Great Story! I live in Tooele and am familiar with the Zimmermans and their goats. Although I've never talked to him, I contemplated trying a couple of goats out on last years Bowhunt. I didn't though. Where did you buy your goats and how much would it costs to get into it....goats, panyards, bags, leads...whatever else you need? Whats the monthly cost to keep two goats? I would like to get some and get into it. I know that the goat is hardy on the mountain foraging on whatever is available. That makes it nice. Let me know all the details. Thanks
 
I think the best way to buy a goat is to get on line and do a search on pack goats. This will bring up several options most goat that have good big blood lines will run any were from $80 to $150 for kids. Clay has connections to a lady in Nevada that is breading goats that are huge They will get close to 300lbs. These goats are experimental but have been doing really well.
I have a couple of Bucks that havent been cut yet that if bread to the right doe will push 230 to 250lbs or bigger, and will Be close to 40" high at the shoulder. Bottle fed goats are a must because they bond to humans better.
Panyards and saddle cost between $130 to $250 depending on who you get them from. There are several different companys that sell them.
Lead roaps are cheep $15

It cost me $800 for a fenced in 5' tall area about 140' by 80'. Goats need a fence this big or bigger because they can jump as high as a deer. Some goats can be escape artists My goats havent got out yet!

$150 for a cheep shelter that I will have to do bigger and better this year.

$1500 for a 8'x 10' trailer with 4' tall sides.

I feed 6 goats 1 bail every day at $2.00 to $4.00 depending on who I get it from.

Goats need to get their feet trimmed, which is easy I do it my self and only takes half and hour for 6 goats every other month.

Last thing shots. It cost me about $20 to $30 every six months to worm 6 goats.

The cost to start up is the most but when you finish it is pretty cheep to keep them going.

Hope this helps you out.

Scott
 
Now that is pretty cool. Too bad my yard isn't a bit bigger or I would be tempted to get a few.
 
That's pretty cool. And if you don't get a buck you can always have that big goat mounted. That is a pretty nice set of horns he has there. :)
 

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