Pack Goats

[royinidaho]

I am on the lookout for a big sanaan. If you come across one in your goat trading let me know.

I growing a big one. He's @ 110 lbs now and will packing lightly, very lightly, next year.

I traded for a butt ugly Nubian/Alpine cross. He's a big sucker. 32" tall and 200+ Lbs. He's doing well in the temperament/attitude area. Though he is a few cards short of a full deck. Even for a goat.

Saanans are the best temperament goat of the bunch. If I come across one I probably won't let you know. If I come across 2, your odds are better.

 

[deadlift]

I've been running/training Kiko and Kiko Boer crosses for 2 years and have 2 out of 3 great goats. My 3rd is lazy with a pack. Next year they will be 3 and ready for a load over 40. The big problem I had to overcome with the goats was they get excited and want to be in front, then you have to stop alot! The other trick I learned is on the starting day only hay them half the normal amount and no grain. If they are full, mine atleast can be sluggish. If you get a Kiko be sure and spend alot of time with it as they are a more demanding breed, but once you have there respect they rock!
Chris
Benchmark Barrels

 

[royinidaho]

Chris,

Mine get no hay and if anything else besides minerals only a cup of oats or sweet feed a day for the little one. The others only when working.

Mine follow well with only a few raps on the knoggin if they attempt to pass me. Staying behind me is only a problem, if at all, for the first 50 0r 100 yards if on a trail that they remember. After that its simply plod along.

The baby Saanan wants to be the leader as does, at times the Alpine doe. They are sorting it out.

I will packing out a coyote that was shot yesterday. We'll see how that goes.

 

[deadlift]

Have you had problems with soft feet on rocks? And how about water crossing?

 

[royinidaho]

Buford the Yote Tote Goat.

Shooting buddy got a yote yesterday and today. shot off of elk carcass. I figured a pack goat training session would be in order.

Ol' Buford has been a pen goat all of his life until I got him. I think he ate his first weed ever from my pasture. He had no manners or social skills.

Took him out alone today and packed out the yotes. A good solid mile in soft sand. He was a real dork going out. He's never been handled much. After about a half mile things settled out pretty well.

Yote weight was 58#. 12 pounds short of his limit when in packin' shape. At this point he ain't in no shape at all.

He started complaining about 200 yds from the house. I loosened the cinch a bit and every thing was good to go.

This is the first time he has packed anything.

Both yotes were taken @ around 150 yds w/a 22 Hornet pushing a 35 grain bullet.

 

[royinidaho]

Have you had problems with soft feet on rocks? And how about water crossing?

Not yet on soft feet question.

RE: Water. Goats naturally don't like to get their feet wet. My pasture has a large are of standing sub water. The Saanen doesn't mind at all. The Alpine is a bit more concerned. The Nubian/Alpine will do anything to get around it, but can't.

I give them plenty of unenforced practice wading.

When in the hills, we'll see. One day I'll find a lake and we'll go swimming.

 

[royinidaho]

What a boring time of year!!!! No snow in the valley. Temps in the high 30s low 40s.

Can't get to my LR shooting spot. No ATV or Snowmobile.

All projects are pretty much finished. Including the goat packs.

Found some items at the army surplus place which turn out to be nearly perfect. Minimal effort to rig them for goat packing.

Made corrugated plastic liners for them to keep a nice crisp shape. Worked really well.

Used some left over local political campaign signs that the folks were too lazy to pick up. Nothing gets by me.

Stuck 'em on the goats this morning loaded with 26 pounds of stuff for each of the larger goats. The little one packs nothing. He's just a kid.

Worked on getting through barbed wire fences. It worked out quite well. The goats caught on really quick. It seems that goats have some kind of inherent drive to go through fences. Pretty much like Angus cattle.

It's as simple as spreading the fence sufficiently than asking the goat to go through. Once the head goes across its total commitment from then on. Be careful to keep fingers from between fence wire and saw buck. I said a bad word or two.

Next summer and season is gonna be fun....

 

[barnesuser28]

why arent you woof hunting?!?!?!?!?! gun)

 

[srhaggerty]

Just wanted to share some photos of my pack string to be. They are still at the pack goat breeders place in Western Washington and will pick them up this elk season if ready or next. I am pretty sure on next though. They will be 4 1/2 next september I believe. Also attached some other photos I got off the pack out forum.

Mine:

Other goats:

 

[royinidaho]

Your gonna luv packin with them

FYI a 1/2 ton, 10 bales, 100# ea will do me this winter for 3 goats. That's $90.00.

They are butter ball fat.

Am looking forward to a long summer of 2, 3 & 4 day scouting trips.

You should look pretty nifty with those uniform goats. Nice sized too.

Mine are mix & match. Kind of like lookin @ 1/3rd of the dirty dozen

Good luck!!

 

[srhaggerty]

Yeah I can't wait. I want to get into some back pack elk hunting as well.

That is nice on the cost of feed. One of the reasons I chose goats.

I really like the look of Obers which was just a bonus for the reasons I chose the breed.

 

[NLS1]

This is one great forum.

And this thread is awesome!

Just last weekend I spent the day at a goat farm and was impressed with a sense that I should have a few.

Now enter this thread, perfect timing.

Thanks everyone for all the great input, time and humor here.

I will keep ya posted as I make a plan for a few pack goats....only kicker is I just saw all this this morning, might take me a day or two to get the kinks worked out!

Dan

 

[royinidaho]

This is one great forum.

And this thread is awesome!

Just last weekend I spent the day at a goat farm and was impressed with a sense that I should have a few.

Now enter this thread, perfect timing.

Thanks everyone for all the great input, time and humor here.

I will keep ya posted as I make a plan for a few pack goats....only kicker is I just saw all this this morning, might take me a day or two to get the kinks worked out!

Dan

Welcome aboard.

Once u reduce your IQ to that of a goat you'll be right there with the rest of us sorry suckers.

After harvesting a 3 year old cow elk last year I'm confident that 4 good goats can pack out about any size bull.

60 or so pounds of coyote wasn't a problem for an out of shape over weight 190 pound goat. It was the first load he ever packed.

They are pretty cheap keepers.

 

[NLS1]

Welcome aboard.

Once u reduce your IQ to that of a goat you'll be right there with the rest of us sorry suckers.

After harvesting a 3 year old cow elk last year I'm confident that 4 good goats can pack out about any size bull.

60 or so pounds of coyote wasn't a problem for an out of shape over weight 190 pound goat. It was the first load he ever packed.

They are pretty cheap keepers.

Well I am set on the IQ department!

The farm I was at the other day had Alpine, Toggenburg, Saanen, Nubian, and maybe one other kind.

Which of any of those kinds would be a good breed for pack goats? I thought I read on this thread someone said stay away from lop eared ones, which the nubian are.

The nubian have a nice color, and so do the Toggenburg in relation to being pretty close to a natural wild animal color, which maybe doesn't make any difference for hunting?

Dan