Pack Goats For Backcountry Hunting, By Desarae Stark

[Apex_Hunt]

Great info here thank you everybody!

 

[Sportbragger]

After watching a video with them pack goats that i adored and amazed me, I’m thankful for the article here and all the great information that everyone pointed out! Really helpful!

 

[Picasso Bull]

Have you thought about pack goats but don't know where to start or if they would work for your adventures? Desarae and her husband have been using them the last few years with great results. In this article Desarae explains how they utilize them for backcountry hunts and family trips.

Pack Goats For Backcountry Hunting

I've been looking at getting a mule but goats make sense. How are they in terms of drought tolerance ?


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[FLAK]

Too Cool!!

 

[Fireman03]

At what age do you start preparing a goat to pack?

 

[WesternBounty]

I've been looking at getting a mule but goats make sense. How are they in terms of drought tolerance ?


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Goats are actually very tolerant to little water. However, that doesn't mean they don't need water. They obviously need water to survive like any other animal but unlike horses or other pack stock they do not need to be taken to water daily. Goats can get water sourced from simply dew on grass. You do want to keep in mind other conditions too for instant if you packed in more than a few miles and its super hot and very little water I would personally try to find a water source for them at some point.

 

[WesternBounty]

At what age do you start preparing a goat to pack?

As soon as you get them at as young at a few weeks old! We hiked around our property or when we did take backpacking trips that summer the babies came along. Its how they learn to follow you. That starts immediately and you want to make a point of trying to walk with them as much as you want to mimic the type of use you want out of them. I like to compare it to bird dog training, you cant not train on your goat an expect it to do what you want, you have to give them that exposure. As for carrying weight that doesn't happen until around age 2 and I would go very light, like we had them carry a sleeping bag on each side. From ages 1-2 I would occasionally put the saddles on them just to expose them to that. and then as they get closer to 2 you could even just have them wear the saddles on a hike in no packs with weight. It all comes down to exposure. If you can keep that up you have yourself a pack goat that will follow you anywhere! Even boulder fields!

 

[Russellback]

I was concerned about them spooking game but it sounds like that is not an issue. Great info

 

[Howard Mee]

There's enough info on here to start a "How To" book. Great resource.

 

[WesWainscott]

Great article!! Very informative!!

 

[ben@bpetersondds]

Any saddle suggestions? I use Warnke’s new ones.

 

[c5mrr270]

Are there any resources that show you where pack goats are, and aren’t, allowed? I’ve found a few news articles that explain some access agreements in Wyoming but I haven’t been able to find anything on other western states.

 

[Oyeah914]

I know born and raised on YouTube did a pack out with goats for elk and it seemed like it went smooth

 

[jwpete21]

Thanks for sharing this. I absolutely love goats and am planning to start a heard of Boer goats for meat in the future. I guess I'll add some pack goats to the heard as well.

 

[Vikinger]

Great article and pics! Thanks.
Used goats back in the 80/90's when there was no commercial gear. Patient goats endured the learning curve!