packing goats?

[Birchhatchery]

i do alot of coon hunting by myself i hunt with 2-3 hounds at a time and it makes it for a long night with gun lights and coon to carry i am thinkin of a getting a pack goat but have questions can goats see and do well at night as coon hunting is done in the dark my dogs have been around pygmy goats their whole life so the dogs wont mind the goat but it make it easier for me if a goat could carry the dead coon n rifle but i am lookin to only take one goat with me at a time if i train it good enuff will it follow and do what i want even tho other goats are not in the woods with us?

also my next question is breed i want a breed that is not spooky or high strung and willing to work and less stubborn most people say any kind of breed of goat can and will pack any suggestions for me myself i love boar goats and pygmys i no pygmys can pack but cannot carry as much weight as a large breed but if im only wantin it to carry 2-3 coons at 10 pounds each i think it could handle it? thanks to everyone with their replys im trien to learn as much as i can before i start this

 

[jross8897]

I'm no expert, but I have a goat that stays in the yard with my dog. At night, even just walking she lags behind and screams for us. I always assumed she couldn't see as well. I have had to turn back and walk her with us VERY slowly callind her name the whole way. I don't know about your goats, but mine would be a horrible hunting buddy.

 

[jross8897]

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Welcome....

I pack my goats for hiking...I have Toggenbergs which are a larger breed and are very gentle. I am not sure about hunting though?? I dont know how they would tolerate gun fire etc. When my husband shoots they are not big fans and spook easy with the gunfire.

We have packed one of our girls overnight with us...but shes extremley friendly and I think shes was just happy and content to be with us.

I really dunno???

 

[freemotion]

From what I know of my own goats, I'd guess that a large dog might be more suited to night hunting. A goat might attract predators and would likely be skittish and noisy. I'm just guessing here, though. My goats don't want to go out after dark, which can make milking a challenge when the days get shorter. I just moved my milking stand back into the goat barn for the winter. Maybe a Boer is less skittish?

 

[mistee]

i think goats would be a bit noisy,,lol.. My hubby threatens to "hunt" with my goats,,lol,, but he isnt talking about taking them hunting just shooting them!

Like the other suggested,, maybe a large breed dog.. I have a st bernard and he is one strong boy.. He also herds my bucks,, the does wont listen to him but the boys do,,lol,, go figure!

What about a llama? I had 2 for a year never did any packing w/ them so I am not sure how they handle guns and all.. I know when hubby hunted close to the field they would always run over and see what was going on..

 

[Birchhatchery]

i am not concerned about a goat attracting predators and im not concered about a goat being loud i can see probly none of you have hunted coons the dogs bawl and bark constantly when on the chase for a coon predators we have none around here sept for a coyote and they wont mess with my dogs the other a goat being scared of a gun shot will fade if i shoot guns and let the dogs bark alot everyday loud noise will not phase him ive been on a another pack goat forum and got a few answers but thanks for the replys anyone else no of anythang thatd help onto my next question for anyone that packs?=

is breed i want a breed that is not spooky or high strung and willing to work and less stubborn most people say any kind of breed of goat can and will pack any suggestions for me myself i love boar goats and pygmys i no pygmys can pack but cannot carry as much weight as a large breed but if im only wantin it to carry 2-3 coons at 10 pounds each i think it could handle it?

 

[mossyStone]

we hunt coons right here at home... when they are dumb enough to show up

my goats could care less about the noise or the dogs who are going nuts and lights in the tress,
... Now i dont take them hunting but they will come out and see whats going on after the deed has been done...
We are working with our weathers to pack we have gone on night hikes to see how they do and they come right along with no problems... they dont make much noise on the trails, i keep bells on them so i can hear them.... But so far it's working out ok.... We have a couple who pull some twigs and branches to the fire pit LOL!

Mossy Stone Farm

ps my goats can carrie about 40 lbs...... i have a friend whos goats carrie close to 5o or more lbs depending on how long he is going out...

 

[Ariel301]

I would think a goat would be a good addition to your hunting trips. Choose one that is very friendly and affectionate so that it will be happy to hang out with you and be away from home (and any friends it has) while you're out in the woods. I don't know how good their night vision is, but we take goats out packing and they seem to get around camp fine in the dark. I had a couple of kids find their way to me about half a mile away from the barn we had them in during the night, so obviously they can get around in the dark. You will want to start training it to not be afraid of gunshots early on, tie it up or have someone hold it on a leash while you shoot a few times, and reassure the goat, maybe give it some treats so it gets a positive experience when you shoot.

As for breed, I recommend LaManchas. That's what I raise. They are very friendly and eager to please, a lot like a Golden Retriever dog. They love to be with people, mine will leave the hay feeder to come visit with me if I walk by. They are also a good sized sturdy goat, so they can carry a good amount of weight, and they seem to be happy to work when I pack with them. They're not noisy like Nubians can be, and they are pretty sensible and easy-going, I've only ever met one high-strung LaMancha, and she was really an oddball anyway.

 

[freemotion]

Ha-ha! No, I've never been coon hunting, but I must've seen a movie at some point....Old Yeller, perhaps? Or from reading...was it Where the Red Fern Grows maybe???

Yeah, duh, of course the dogs make a lot of noise and no self-respecting coyote would come through that to sniff out a goat! Sounds like a goat could be just the thing. You can get most animals used to almost anything if you spend the time to condition them and make the noise mean something good. Goats are very food-oriented so if you make breakfast and dinnertime very noisy (gradually) then dogs and guns will mean good things. You could make a recording of a hunt and play it softly at first, then louder and louder as the days pass and the goats don't react negatively. Then progress to the real thing in small doses, and do some of this after dark. Also start taking them on a lead for longer and longer walks, making it a very good experience.

Sounds like it would work out just fine! How fast do you move on a hunt? Sometimes those short little pygmy legs and those fat little pygmy bodies don't move fast or have much stamina. A dairy wether can run like a deer.