Pack Goats - Anyone else used them?

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I'm feeling somewhat confident that I'll score a Wyoming deer tag this year and I'm kicking around using goats for the archery hunt. Just curious if any of you have used them recently and what you thought.
My dad owned a couple goats back in the late 90's and they worked well for packing, but I think we only used them one year.
 
A couple friends I worked with used and swore by pack goats. They lived over in Arco and Mackay and hunted and hiked the rough mountain country around Mt. Borah all the time. They will go anywhere you can climb, and much more nimble. Used to hunt with 4, and sometimes up to 8 of them. They raised them as pets, and tried from about 6 months of age to get them carrying panniers. They were pretty big by 2 years old, and fully mature around 3. Packing 20-25% of their weight for a couple days at a time was never a problem. If you get them used to being tied up overnight, they are really quiet, but make good alarms too

My DIL up in Swan Valley has them, and they are almost too friendly, damn things can be annoying always wanting attention! :)
 
Ok, pack goats. They shouldn't pack til they are 3 year Are you hunting with someone they don't like being left alone..they are typically loud when you do leave them.. they have to be in shape. If not you'll be walking slow and cussing at goats for laying down. . Other than that they are amazing and go everywhere I take them.
 
I talked to Mark W yesterday, am going to check out his goats next week, he has quite a few good videos on his website, but he said the same as above as far as how long it takes to get them really ready, so it is a long term prospect until you can start really using them
 
Please lets us know what's happens at Mark place.
Does he sell 3 yr goats that are ready to go might be a option for a guy that wants they before they get to 3 years.
 
When I read your post I was thinking of one of these. I guess it’s a pack wheel not a pack goat . But that may be a different brand . No need to feed it all year . ??
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I'm not sure I'd want them on the mountain during the hunt though. So I thought about just using them to pack our gear in a few days prior and then returning them.

That wheeled cart there looks interesting, but is something like that legal on NF trails?
 
Not legal in national forest trails designated as “non motorized”. But I would think they would be legal on BLM and national parks where electric bikes are now legal.
 
At least in the San Juan National Forest in Colorado:

Hi,



Thank you for your question about motorized use on non-motorized trails. You cannot use an electric single wheel game cart on a non-motorized trail. You could use one of the non-motorized ones shown on the website—similar to a mountain bike.

Let me know if you have further questions, and thank you for caring about your public lands.

Christy



Kathryn (Christy) Garrou
Forest VIS Lead
Forest Service
San Juan National Forest
p: 970-385-1298
[email protected]
15 Burnett Court
Durango, CO 81301
 
I'm feeling somewhat confident that I'll score a Wyoming deer tag this year and I'm kicking around using goats for the archery hunt. Just curious if any of you have used them recently and what you thought.
My dad owned a couple goats back in the late 90's and they worked well for packing, but I think we only used them one year.
We recently got into pack goats. One of the best decisions I ever made. We actually took them on a deer hunt in Wyoming last year. I will leave a link to the video. Biggest thing I noticed is its important to get them in shape and keep them in shape. Which requires taking them hiking a couple times a week. We currently have 5 goats which is plenty for what we plan to do. Feel free to ask me any questions you have. I am fairly new to it but happy to help where I can.
 

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