Pack goats

[Wild Country]

I am looking at purchasing a few pack goats and would like to know what breeds you other goat packers think are best. With the online research I have done I am favoring togg's, kiko's, oberhaslis and finally alpines. I would like to know if you all think its better to buy a trained goat or go through the bottle feeding process....I am leaning towards trained due to being able to hunt this coming year but would like to hear your thoughts! I would like to hear anyones thoughts on any part of packing with goats.....poitive or negative. I know Montana packs with goats and I would like to know your thoughts most as you are the only one that I know that's uses goats for sure! Thanks for your time and thoughts.

 

[Fink]

Pack goat = griz snack?

I would think it would take a bunch of goats to haul your stuff, might spend more time herding goats than hunting?

 

[Never in Doubt]

Goats can smell strongly, need their hooves trimmed, need shots, medicine, etc etc. Prepare to spend time just taking care of them if you want them to do well.

 

[elkmtngear]

From what I've read, and from speaking with goat packers, you should raise your own wethers from kids, because the whole point of packing goats is they will follow you wherever you go. They are like dogs that way, and they will always stay with you and the lead goat. The right breed can take around 50 pounds apiece. I have a buddy with a string of pack goats, they are all like his little buddies.
I have long entertained the thought of doing it for several reasons:

1. You do not have to pack in food for them
2. They can go places that are hard for horses to get
3. You can simply stake them out at night, they are relatively low maintenance

 

[hardstalk]

From what I've read, and from speaking with goat packers, you should raise your own wethers from kids, because the whole point of packing goats is they will follow you wherever you go. They are like dogs that way, and they will always stay with you and the lead goat. The right breed can take around 50 pounds apiece. I have a buddy with a string of pack goats, they are all like his little buddies.
I have long entertained the thought of doing it for several reasons:

1. You do not have to pack in food for them
2. They can go places that are hard for horses to get
3. You can simply stake them out at night, they are relatively low maintenance

+1 bottlefeed them as kids and they are much worse than dogs. They follow you everywhere and jump all over you like a play pen. I would suggest females due to the stench of males. Not sure if castration of goats is a normality but that would probably cut the stench down also. That was my first taste of entrepreneurship. Bought a male and a female when I was about 11-12 years old. And would sell the offspring to the mexicans around town for 150.00 a piece. Another benefit is if you end up stuck and in a bad spot you've always got food

 

[elkmtngear]

Not sure if castration of goats is a normality but that would probably cut the stench down also.

Most packers as far as I know, use castrated males for that reason, plus they get superior size and muscle if castrated, but are less beligerant


Best of Luck,
Jeff

 

[hardstalk]

Most packers as far as I know, use castrated males for that reason, plus they get superior size and muscle if castrated, but are less beligerant


Best of Luck,
Jeff

We would do that on cattle, pigs and horses. There is a fine line of proper time as to when cutting/ banding should take place. After superior size growth and muscle growth. But before the dominant dic$(;ad stage.

 

[Wild Country]

I am thinking i will start bottle feeding but am thinking of getting 2 or 3 trained to start with so I can hunt this year and then start the bottle feeding process once I have all the items to start the heard from bottle feeding. I will only use withers as all the research suggest this. I did not find much on how a mixed heard would be (trained & bottle feed) but that is my current plan. I was hoping the forum could do better then this but I guess we just don't have many goat packers here. If anyone has any experience good or bad with goats please share any info, thanks, again

 

[Old Hunter]

Horses an be like dogs too.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

+1 bottlefeed them as kids and they are much worse than dogs. They follow you everywhere and jump all over you like a play pen. I would suggest females due to the stench of males. Not sure if castration of goats is a normality but that would probably cut the stench down also. That was my first taste of entrepreneurship. Bought a male and a female when I was about 11-12 years old. And would sell the offspring to the mexicans around town for 150.00 a piece. Another benefit is if you end up stuck and in a bad spot you've always got food

Hahahhahaha that's hilarious!

 

[nebowhunter]

I have a string of 9 goats. they are very little hassle. It costs me less than $500 a year to keep them. They can carry 25% of their weight for up to 12 miles a day depending on the terrain. PM me and i will answer any questions you might have. I can also give you some ideas on how to aquire them.

 

[Wild Country]

I have a string of 9 goats. they are very little hassle. It costs me less than $500 a year to keep them. They can carry 25% of their weight for up to 12 miles a day depending on the terrain. PM me and i will answer any questions you might have. I can also give you some ideas on how to aquire them.

PM sent but this was the first PM I have sent and did not get conformation it sent so let me know if you did not receive it!

 

[Montana]

Ahh... Goat packing. I could go on forever.. Love'm. Go with Saanen, Oberhasli, or Alpine. Get a whether not a billy, because yes... they do stink. Newborn is a better man than I, I could never do that many. I have had as much as 3 but found 2 is better for me personally. But he probably packs with his. I mainly hunt with mine.4-5 days on the max end is all I do. But they are tremendous and great to have along. Let me know if I can help. I have always purchase previously trained goats, never went ground up.

 

[Wild Country]

Ahh... Goat packing. I could go on forever.. Love'm. Go with Saanen, Oberhasli, or Alpine. Get a whether not a billy, because yes... they do stink. Newborn is a better man than I, I could never do that many. I have had as much as 3 but found 2 is better for me personally. But he probably packs with his. I mainly hunt with mine.4-5 days on the max end is all I do. But they are tremendous and great to have along. Let me know if I can help. I have always purchase previously trained goats, never went ground up.

So do you use them strictly as meat packers wit camp on your back or as decoys? Also, what's your take on horned vs. not? Thanks!

 

[Montana]

Mine do not have horns, though it is supposed to be good for them, keeps them cooler I guess. Heat is not much of a problem where I am though and I have little ones, kids 6 and 2. Just didn't want to chance.
I guess when I say I use them for hunting I mean small pack trips. They usually carry 30-35 pounds and I'll Carry15-20. That way I can load them with a little more and I can carry the rest sound I have some luck. You've obviously heard about the decoy aspect. It's true and I must say pretty nice. I owe a few animals to them. But I guess they have cost me some too so it balances out.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

So how do you pack gear or whatever on the goats? I assume there is some kind of bags like that are used on dogs.

 

[Montana]

Oh no. I have pack saddles baby.... Lol. Crossbuck saddles.

 

[Wild Country]

Oh no. I have pack saddles baby.... Lol. Crossbuck saddles.

During my reasearch I read that some goat packers (especially hunters) like using buckets with lids tied on not panniers. It was just in mentioning and did not give the pros and cons. Can you enlighten me?

 

[Montana]

Boy... Sorry cant answer that one. I have not tries that.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Interesting thread as I really didn't know much about pack goats. I just received my 2013 Colorado Sheep & Goat brochure and noticed something on page 3...it says "Leave your pack goats at home when hunting sheep". Seems they are concerned about spreading certain diseases from domestic goats to wild sheep. I knew about the problems with domestice sheep and wild sheep, but not about the domestic goats. Just thought you should know.