Pack Goats For Backcountry Hunting, By Desarae Stark

[WesternBounty]

Are there potential disease transmission issues to our wild goats and sheep that need to be considered ?

We considered pathogen transmission to wild sheep prior to getting pack goats. M.ovi as related to pneumonia in wild sheep seems to be the concern most often brought up. After looking into pack goats, we came to the conclusion that we could use pack goats and pose little to no risk.

First, goat strains of M.ovi have not been shown to be as deadly as sheep strains when looking at the commingling studies that have been done with domestic goats and sheep. Commingling with M.ovi positive sheep has resulted in nearly 100% death rates in wild sheep. Commingling with M.ovi positive goats has had similar death rates to studies with cattle and horses (Goats-12.5%, Horses-17%, Cattle-11%). I'm not aware of any studies with llamas.

Second, pack goats cannot pass something they don't have; to be extra cautious pack goats could be tested to determine if they carry M.ovi. If our goats don't have it, the risk is zero.

Third, through proper goat packing practices it is extremely unlikely that pack goats will come into contact with wild sheep. Goats are bonded to humans so do not leave you stranded like horses have a tendency to do. They like to have their humans in sight at all times. The mostly likely way that goats become separated from their owners is if predators chase them off at night so it is important to keep them tied at night.

I know I have only mentioned M.ovi. It's where most of the concern seems to be centered even though there are not any documented cases of a pneumonia die-off caused by domestic goats. However, there was a situation caused by "pink eye" in free ranging brush goats. We felt that this could be easily mitigated as it can be detected visually and is easily treated prior to going in the field. Again, these are animals we see for and care for every day; very different from free ranging brush goats that would have the ability to intermingle with wild sheep.

 

[sljensen]

Thanks for sharing this information

 

[bowhunterjae]

Very interesting read. The last few years of hunting has proven age does play a factor.
I don’t think I will be packing elk out Solo anymore. Goats could prolong my solo hunting a few more years.
Thank you for the article.

 

[leoneli]

Male or female is better?

 

[leoneli]

Great article!

 

[Mountaingates]

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

Awesome way to go

 

[Howard Mee]

Hey, thanks for the article. What are people's thoughts on just having one goat? or maybe two?

 

[Charles M. Jennings]

I'd like to chime in on the goat MOVI issue. I was President of NAPgA when a lot of this was in the works, and NAPgA's attorney issued a FOIA request to WADDL (Diagnostic Lab) and also WSU so that we could see the actual histology reports first hand...not just biased technical publications that were written. Lo and behold, there was NO mention of pneumonia after the goats were commingled with bighorn sheep in a penned environment. Even in a worse-case-condition, where the goats were innoculated with a goat strain of MOVI, and it was passed on to the bighorn sheep, both species became ill for a short time, then the health of both the goats and bighorn sheep drastically improved. Bighorn sheep have died in a penned environment with goats when they were euthanized. NOT because of a goat strain of MOVI. And NAPgA has copies of the histology lab reports to back it up. There have been other far fetched rumors as well, that goats killed off a Hells Canyon herd of bighorns, and goats killed a herd of Bighorn Sheep in the Silver Bell Mountains in AZ. (Pink eye was transmitted from this "brush goat" herd, which could have been transmitted by lots of other animals).

My point is, is that there has been a ton of "hear-say" and fiction about this subject. I totally agree that domestic sheep pose a huge threat to bighorns, but there is no evidence whatsoever of any bighorn sheep dying because of a packgoat.

Every packgoat owner that I know of takes really good care of their packgoats because they are pack stock, and wouldn't dream of taking them into the wilderness areas if they were sick. And we adhere by Best Management Practices and have no interest of getting our packgoats anywhere near bighorn sheep.

 

[Charles M. Jennings]

Hey, thanks for the article. What are people's thoughts on just having one goat? or maybe two?

You always want packgoats in pairs. They get lonely.

 

[WesternBounty]

Male or female is better?

We typically run “wethers” which are castrated males, and most people run wethers. However a good friend of ours does keep a few does then he has fresh milk in the backcountry.


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[WesternBounty]

Hey, thanks for the article. What are people's thoughts on just having one goat? or maybe two?

Definitely want to at least have a pair. Goats get lonely like Charles stated we experience this with one of our goats who we didn’t purchase as a pair and he never has anyone to huddle up with and all our other ones kind of pair up. I don’t think they have to be related just bought and raised together we kind of brought him in at a later time by himself.


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[WesternBounty]

Awesome way to go

Thank you


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[Howard Mee]

Thanks for the info


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[Howard Mee]

Just some extra feedback. I read the article. Then went to the websites that were attached to the article. After that, I followed some of the links on the websites and found some breeders near my home. It was a fun rabbit hole. I feel like I learned a lot. I prob won’t be getting pack goats in the near future, but it was really fun to get spooled up and learn about something new. I love the concept. Maybe when I have a little more land I’ll dive in. Thanks for the article.


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[WesternBounty]

Just some extra feedback. I read the article. Then went to the websites that were attached to the article. After that, I followed some of the links on the websites and found some breeders near my home. It was a fun rabbit hole. I feel like I learned a lot. I prob won’t be getting pack goats in the near future, but it was really fun to get spooled up and learn about something new. I love the concept. Maybe when I have a little more land I’ll dive in. Thanks for the article.


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There is a lot of knowledge with those links! When we wanted more info it was quite the adventure to track it down because pack goats were and still are something “new”. Glad you took the time to learn and understand the way of the pack goat life! I hope in the future you decide to give it a shot


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[Jim Carr]

Thanks for the artical. Goats are a game changer.

 

[WesternBounty]

Thanks for the artical. Goats are a game changer.

They sure have been for us! Glad they are for you as well

 

[WesternBounty]

Are there potential disease transmission issues to our wild goats and sheep that need to be considered ?

We go over this in the beginning of the forum where it was brought up if you could refer back to those posts. I encourage you to do your research on the issue as its very political.

 

[Vince8112]

Awesome!

 

[actionshooter]

Great article.... We started with pack goats about 2005 and did it for the hunting, but they were also my kids 4H projects. They definitely become part of the family and can be a huge asset for hunting when used right.
One thing people should take a look at before jumping into the packgoat game... a lot of land managers do not consider them stock and they have been banned because of the MOVI issue...
I believe its BS as Charles pointed out, but it has ruined a couple of my spots where I can't take my little buddies.