View Full Version : Maybe a strange question?
Fresh Bread
08-31-2009, 14:32
Alright so bear with me on this idea, bringing a goat on the trail. You probably can't even do that but if you could it would be pretty neat. They are basically no maintenance, all you would really have to do is maybe bring them a bowl for water. But they are good companions and you can train them like dogs. Not to mention they also supply milk.
This idea might sound strange but I think it would be possible and kind of efficient.
Any ideas or feedback about why this idea could be a good one or just plain ridiculous.
modiyooch
08-31-2009, 14:35
you might consider therapy.
Lone Wolf
08-31-2009, 14:35
great idea. go for it
Tennessee Viking
08-31-2009, 14:37
Alright so bear with me on this idea, bringing a goat on the trail. You probably can't even do that but if you could it would be pretty neat. They are basically no maintenance, all you would really have to do is maybe bring them a bowl for water. But they are good companions and you can train them like dogs. Not to mention they also supply milk.
This idea might sound strange but I think it would be possible and kind of efficient.
Any ideas or feedback about why this idea could be a good one or just plain ridiculous.
They are not allowed on trail, unless permitted for grazing use. Then I think goats would look as delicious as a food pack does to a bear.
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 14:39
Got your goat right here mister.......
http://soonerstaterodeo.com/goat.jpg now what do you want to do...
jersey joe
08-31-2009, 14:40
I did run into a goat with big horns on the trail right outside of pearisburg VA in 2002. Must have gotten lose from a farm or something. It was very odd to see.
modiyooch
08-31-2009, 14:41
come get the goats that are across the street from me. they stink. it's funny to see them standing on my neighbors car.
modiyooch
08-31-2009, 14:42
I did run into a goat with big horns on the trail right outside of pearisburg VA in 2002. Must have gotten lose from a farm or something. It was very odd to see.I saw a mt goat in snp in 1980
Alright so bear with me on this idea, bringing a goat on the trail. You probably can't even do that but if you could it would be pretty neat. They are basically no maintenance, all you would really have to do is maybe bring them a bowl for water. But they are good companions and you can train them like dogs. Not to mention they also supply milk.
This idea might sound strange but I think it would be possible and kind of efficient.
Any ideas or feedback about why this idea could be a good one or just plain ridiculous.
are you just lonely and looking for companionship?
modiyooch
08-31-2009, 14:46
save some time and move this thread to the humor forum now.
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 14:50
Damn, its Fresh Bread's first post.... Ok everyone go easy....
Ethan, sorry you posted a very strange question and it tickled everyone funny bone.
drastic_quench
08-31-2009, 15:12
Put straps on a bee box and hike with a hive on your back! All day long, your jostling pace will shake up those worker bees and send them out for pollen, and each night you can eat all the honey you want. Plus carrying a bee hive would also negate the need for any bear spray or firearms. You could be like the Johnny Appleseed of bee stings!
Tipi Walter
08-31-2009, 15:17
I considered getting a goat back in '93 and wanted to use it as a pack animal to help carry stuff on the trail. I researched llamas but found goats to be much cheaper. I never went with the idea but a goat farmer told me a goat could wear a modified large dogpack and follow behind.
Pedaling Fool
08-31-2009, 15:18
I agree with the OP. What's the difference between a goat and a dog? I don't buy into the trail erosion thing, it's not like a horse or a mule. They'd be great in keeping the weeds down.
Lone Wolf
08-31-2009, 15:20
They are not allowed on trail, unless permitted for grazing use.
where's it say that?
reddenbacher
08-31-2009, 15:24
goats were on the trail last year.they were told the were against policy and had to send them home.i want a burrow.
Lone Wolf
08-31-2009, 15:25
goats were on the trail last year.they were told the were against policy and had to send them home.i want a burrow.
where is this policy written?
Kerosene
08-31-2009, 15:26
I seem to recall that one of our very own members is of this barnyard persuasion:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/customprofilepics/profilepic6329_1.gif
the goat (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=6329)
:banana:banana:banana
Also great for disposing of trash. No bigger than a big dog. Your goat is welcome in my yard as long as he promises not to bother the groundhogs.
MkBibble
08-31-2009, 16:59
When I was a little kid my mom brought a goat that a farmer gave her home - for a pet. My dad named it Barbeque. Possibly the dumbest creature on the face of the earth.
Rocket Jones
08-31-2009, 18:51
I'm wiping the tears from my eyes at some of the replies. Seriously though, I don't know if you could train a goat well enough to not wander off at night, and tying it to a tree seems like bear baiting. How much noise do they make? That would make a difference on whether you were welcome at/near shelters.
Come to think of it, hitching to town might be dang near impossible with a goat in tow.
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 18:57
I'm wiping the tears from my eyes at some of the replies. Seriously though, I don't know if you could train a goat well enough to not wander off at night, and tying it to a tree seems like bear baiting. How much noise do they make? That would make a difference on whether you were welcome at/near shelters.
Come to think of it, hitching to town might be dang near impossible with a goat in tow.
So was I, I thought it was a baddddd Idea.. Really, YOU should have seen what I had to erase!
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:01
http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/eliz_w_goats.JPGShe's very happy.....
Blue Jay
08-31-2009, 19:01
I'm wiping the tears from my eyes at some of the replies. Seriously though, I don't know if you could train a goat well enough to not wander off at night, and tying it to a tree seems like bear baiting. How much noise do they make? That would make a difference on whether you were welcome at/near shelters.
Come to think of it, hitching to town might be dang near impossible with a goat in tow.
1) As far as I know the Goat has never wandered off at night, but he may be keeping that a secret.
2) I would not want to try tying him to a tree unless I had a great deal of help.
3) I've never heard of him not being welcome at shelters.
4) You might be right about hitching into town with him.
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:03
http://www.brownsnout.com/archives/goat-trail-01.jpg
He looks too Happy, Apperently this is a step up over horny sheep...
Nothing prohibiting goats; they are not pack animals. Or are they?
I say go for it.
Unpasteurized goat cheese is delish. I think even Wolf would like it.
_______________________________________
TITLE 36 - PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
CHAPTER I - NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
PART 7 - SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
7.100 - Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
(a) What activities are prohibited? (1) The use of bicycles, motorcycles or other motor vehicles is prohibited. The operation of snowmobiles is addressed in paragraph (b).
(2) The use of horses or pack animals is prohibited, except in locations designated for their use.
(b) Where can I operate my snowmobile? (1) You may cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor by using established, State-approved snowmobile trails in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut that are allowed by deeded right-of-way reserved by the seller or by public road right-of-way. You may also cross National Park Service administered lands within the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor at the following locations: (2) Nahmakanta Lake SpurThe spur snowmobile route that leads from Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands Debsconeag Pond Road to the southeastern shore of Nahmakanta Lake.
(3) Lake Hebron to Blanchard-Shirley Road SpurThe spur snowmobile route that leads from Lake Hebron near Monson, Maine to the Maine Interconnecting Trail System Route 85 near the Blanchard-Shirley Road.
(4) Massachusetts Turnpike to Lower Goose Pond CrossingThat part of the Massachusetts Interconnecting Trail System Route 95 from the Massachusetts Turnpike Appalachian Trail Bridge to the northeastern shore of Lower Goose Pond.
(5) Temporary crossings of National Park Service administered Appalachian Trail corridor lands may be designated by the Park Manager in the Superintendent's Compendium of Orders when designated snowmobile routes are temporarily dislocated by timber haul road closures.
(6) Maps that show the crossings of National Park Service administered lands within the Appalachian National Scenic Trail may be obtained from the Park Manager, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Harpers Ferry Center, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 25425.
(c) Is powerless flight permitted? The use of devices designed to carry persons through the air in powerless flight is allowed at times and locations designated by the Park Manager, pursuant to the terms and conditions of a permit.
[67 FR 8481, Feb. 25, 2002]
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:07
http://zebcswamp.com/Sound_Fun/Images/20%20Rechelle%20Karen%20Kelsea%20Kennety.jpg
No butts about it Goats are really popular with the ladies!:eek:
Blissful
08-31-2009, 19:22
I was waiting for all the pictures.
I was not disappointed.
:)
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:26
thanks !
The message is too short again ... please have a complete thought before posting and embarrassing yourself.
sheepdog
08-31-2009, 19:29
Might wake up and find him roasting slowly over an open fire stuffed with ramps and wild apples.
Pedaling Fool
08-31-2009, 19:30
Maybe we can set up a rotationg pool of goats, sort of like how some communties have a yellow bike project, bikes everywhere, when you see one you ride it where you need it and you can leave it at your last destination. A rotating pool of goats...I'm tellin' y'all it will keep them weeds down:D
gratefullyhiking
08-31-2009, 19:31
also great for meat
sheepdog
08-31-2009, 19:33
and after a couple days on the trail, someone says you smell like a goat, just point
Jim Adams
08-31-2009, 19:38
...they can carry a case of beer!
geek
Rocket Jones
08-31-2009, 19:45
and after a couple days on the trail, someone says you smell like a goat, just point
By the end of your thru, you could both get shaved and donate to Locks of Love.
warraghiyagey
08-31-2009, 19:46
One cat is more than plenty. . .
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:47
Might wake up and find him roasting slowly over an open fire stuffed with ramps and wild apples.
I was wondering if walking with a goat and carrying Cumin, Coriander, & Curry make you smell better than other hikers?
Wise Old Owl
08-31-2009, 19:48
What a side thought planting apple trees next to the trail shelters!
sheepdog
08-31-2009, 19:50
WOO aka johnnie appleseed
bigcranky
08-31-2009, 19:50
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=27526&catid=member&imageuser=266
They are kinda cute....
warraghiyagey
08-31-2009, 19:50
Leave no trace. . .
sheepdog
08-31-2009, 19:51
Leave no trace. . .
so would you have to bury the goat poop?
sheepdog
08-31-2009, 19:53
I believe you should only take a goat on the trail only if it is leashed all the time. A goat should never sleep in the shelter. It would be cuel to subject a pygmy goat to the riggers of the trail.
warraghiyagey
08-31-2009, 19:54
Goats don't even like shelters.. . .
Rick Hancock
08-31-2009, 20:00
I have seen 3 goats along the trail since my 1980 thru hike. One along South Mt Ridge above Harpers Ferry. Another on the Sky Line drive, and a third at paul wolfe Shelter. While they are welcome on some trails and used as working livestock out west most of the A T would be off limits. Of course if you remove their panniers they are no longer pack animals. I would welcome a goat on the trail same as a dog with panniers.
Cool AT Breeze
08-31-2009, 20:23
I have seen 3 goats along the trail since my 1980 thru hike. One along South Mt Ridge above Harpers Ferry. Another on the Sky Line drive, and a third at paul wolfe Shelter. While they are welcome on some trails and used as working livestock out west most of the A T would be off limits. Of course if you remove their panniers they are no longer pack animals. I would welcome a goat on the trail same as a dog with panniers.
Aslong as they are carrying beer.
Alright so bear with me on this idea, bringing a goat on the trail. You probably can't even do that but if you could it would be pretty neat. They are basically no maintenance, all you would really have to do is maybe bring them a bowl for water. But they are good companions and you can train them like dogs. Not to mention they also supply milk.
This idea might sound strange but I think it would be possible and kind of efficient.
Any ideas or feedback about why this idea could be a good one or just plain ridiculous.
Wow man that is an awesome idea! Heck yeah...........
I saw a mt goat in snp in 1980no way......
I suppose if you leashed it and controlled what it browsed, it should be allowed.
I could be wrong, but I don't think a black bear would kill a goat.
The milk angle sounds pretty good to me.
Give it a try.
There was a guy who hiked the AT SOBO in 2008 that had a goat. I was always a week or so behind him, but I saw his pictures at the Mayors house and everyone talked about him. A very welcome addition on the trail.
I'm not sure about the details, but something happened at Delaware Water Gap and he was no longer welcome on the trail. This left us all very disappointed. Goats generally don't bark and hardly ever bite.
I think this idea is very original and should be tried regardless of the naysayers. the only problem i can forsee is goin into and out of towns maybe you can train him/her to come to a loud call/original whistle and then you can leave them in secluded areas while you go to town, then just call him back upon your arrival. just remember it is up to you to make sure your friend is happy and comfortable, and it is also your responsibility to ensure that people who might want to use a goat in the future will be able to do so without people relating to a bad experience that you caused and telling them they are not allowed, you dig kid (pun intended)
http://www.goattracksmagazine.com/
I ran across this site a few years back.
http://www.northwestpackgoats.com/whats_a_packgoat.htm
I'd like to have one.
Dances with Mice
09-01-2009, 06:21
The smell of hikers would offend the goat.
If it was a male goat, would it be a hill billy? Just kidding.
Tipi Walter
09-01-2009, 06:37
Might wake up and find him roasting slowly over an open fire stuffed with ramps and wild apples.
also great for meat
It's funny how carnivores see a meal where others see a pet. Sort of like a one-track mind: everything must be eaten.
Rickb states in his post that according to the AT rules, not even a dog is allowed on the trail if it's carrying a pack, i.e. "pack animal."
Tennessee Viking
09-01-2009, 08:22
where is this policy written?
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and Forest Service have started putting goats up on Roan to graze and mow down the berry bushes and grass.
Hahaha :D
Thats just the _GREATEST_ idea, I've _EVER_ heard of! Go for it! I'll meet you on the trail next year :banana
Alright so bear with me on this idea, bringing a goat on the trail. You probably can't even do that but if you could it would be pretty neat. They are basically no maintenance, all you would really have to do is maybe bring them a bowl for water. But they are good companions and you can train them like dogs. Not to mention they also supply milk.
This idea might sound strange but I think it would be possible and kind of efficient.
Any ideas or feedback about why this idea could be a good one or just plain ridiculous.
sheepdog
09-01-2009, 10:15
It's funny how carnivores see a meal where others see a pet. Sort of like a one-track mind: everything must be eaten.
Rickb states in his post that according to the AT rules, not even a dog is allowed on the trail if it's carrying a pack, i.e. "pack animal."
It's tough being on top of the food chain.
Besides if we are not supposed to eat animals; why are they made out of meat?
Pedaling Fool
09-01-2009, 10:25
I think it's cruel to eat plants, afterall they are living organisms too. Should plants have rights; I wonder if they feel pain:-?
Wasn't there a study that used some kind of photography to show the energy of a leaf and some people play music for thier plants and yet we keep killing them...damn unnatural humans:mad:
Rocket Jones
09-01-2009, 12:15
I'm a vegetarian not because I love animals, but because I hate plants. ;)
David@whiteblaze
09-02-2009, 16:10
fresh bread - it sounds like a novel idea. Just, when i saw your post, i thought "Uh oh, here comes some dude who wants to feed the bears. Going through the smokies, they will pen you up in a shelter with a chain-link fence on the front. Unless your goat is like a dog that just doesnt care about anything but sleeping then you may have to put it outside the bearproof cage. tying it up is sorta like giving a sacrifice to the great yellow-yellow (a michevious bear that can open "bear-proof" containers) If you decide to let it roam, it may not come out.
David@whiteblaze
09-02-2009, 16:10
it may not come *back*
saimyoji
09-02-2009, 16:25
Hahaha :D
Thats just the _GREATEST_ idea, I've _EVER_ heard of! Go for it! I'll meet you on the trail next year :banana
sliced bread
beer
democracy
free public education
charcoal grills
beer
bikinis
topless beaches
beer
solid state electronics
flight
beer
plastics
electricity
indoor plumbing
beer......
just name a few.
did i mention beer?
I think it's cruel to eat plants, afterall they are living organisms too. Should plants have rights; I wonder if they feel pain:-?
Wasn't there a study that used some kind of photography to show the energy of a leaf and some people play music for thier plants and yet we keep killing them...damn unnatural humans:mad:
Just because you can't hear them, it doesn't mean the vegetables aren't screaming.
-PETV
(people for the ethical treatment of vegetables)
sliced bread
beer
democracy
free public education
charcoal grills
beer
bikinis
topless beaches
beer
solid state electronics
flight
beer
plastics
electricity
indoor plumbing
beer......
just name a few.
did i mention beer?
I'd like to meet the man that invented beer......And buy that guy a beer.
sliced bread
beer
democracy
free public education
charcoal grills
beer
bikinis
topless beaches
beer
solid state electronics
flight
beer
plastics
electricity
indoor plumbing
beer......
just name a few.
did i mention beer?
OK, you got me there! But you forgot german beer!
dreamsoftrails
09-04-2009, 11:41
i think many hostels and hotels have a no goat policy
Jester2000
09-04-2009, 14:55
There was a couple a few years ago with a goat on the PCT, where pack animals are allowed but there are many places where pets are not. They were turned around in one of those sections and forced to go back because the ranger did not consider the goat a pack animal, but rather a pet.
It would be kind of funny if goats were not allowed on the AT because they were considered pack animals rather than pets.
In any event, whiteblaze is just one of the forums available for this discussion:
http://www.packgoatforum.com/
http://www.packgoatforum.com/
I get closer to "seeing it all" everyday....Maybe if one get's their goat a collar, a rabies tag, and a nametag they could pass it off as a pet instead of a pack animal,
Blissful
09-04-2009, 15:29
so would you have to bury the goat poop?
Gotta pack it out...
:eek:
Rick Hancock
02-03-2010, 12:27
Tipi Walker, I didn't say "Pack Animal", I said "Live Stock". I don't consider a dog to be livestock. They eat what they or you carry, they don't graze. There is a company in Va. that offers Llama Tours/Hiking trips. The Llamas carry your gear and they feed on grain that they carry.
Tow, I didn't say "Mt. Goat", I said "Goat". I saw one in 1980 along South Mt Ridge above Harpers Ferry, in fact there used to be mention of the goat in the old Trail Guide. I have seen 2 sheep south of Paul Wolfe Shelter as recently as this past fall, they appeared to be almost feral their wool was long and very shaggy.
I thought that the Park Service had placed some around Mt Rodgers or that area some time ago but I'm not sure. I'm not sure if they can cause as muck damage as horses or cattle they have a hard hoof but they are lightweight.
Rick
WILLIAM HAYES
02-03-2010, 12:32
everyone at every shelter will truly love you for bringing a goat so will the bears so go for it
JustaTouron
02-03-2010, 13:07
Just because you can't hear them, it doesn't mean the vegetables aren't screaming.
-PETV
(people for the ethical treatment of vegetables)
Believe it or not there is a subcult of vegans that won't eat plants if eating them will kill them. For example they will eat fruit that have fallen off of trees or tomatoes, but not potatoes or lettuce because that kills the plant.
Are you looking for a stable relationship?
CrumbSnatcher
02-03-2010, 13:42
go for it! alot of people bring thier girlfriends:D
Would the goat be using a hammock?
The biggest problem that I see would be taking the goats into (or through) towns. I would guess that at least some of the towns have rules against goats.
Andrea356
02-03-2010, 14:20
My family has a cashmere goat farm, and I've trained one of our wethers (castrated males) to hike with me as a pack goat. His name is Walker. :) To address some questions:
-Only intact male goats (bucks) smell "goat-y," and then only in the fall when they're in rut. Females (does) and wethers just smell like any other herbivorous farm animal. (WHich, for the city-folk out there, is better than your average thru-hiker!)
- Poop isn't really an issue: it's dry, virtually odorless, looks like little pellets, and is pretty much the exact same composition as deer crap, since both deer and goats are browsers.
- Goats are herd animals. They don't need to be tethered or led on leashes when they're used as pack animals (unless there are a large number being used at once) because they consider you to be their herd leader. They stick to you like glue, especially if it's just the two of you and they don't know the area. In fact, I sleep under a tarp when I hike w/ Walker because he has to be close by to feel safe-he lies down to sleep as close as I"ll let him!
-I don't hike in an area with lots of bear, so I'm not sure if this would be a problem. I do know Walker sent a poorly behaved, unleashed German Shepherd off with its tail btwn its legs once after it attacked him on the trail! The owner actually had the gall to yell at me for bringing a "dangerous animal" out on a trail. Sigh. Trust me, goats (prey animals) don't get "wilderness-crazy" like some dogs (predators) do in the backwoods.
-Walker (about 150 lbs) can carry up to a 40 lb pack with no problem. The even sell special goat panniers. This means he can carry some grain for himself (which I think is pretty necessary for the high-intensity activity he does, though he also browses while we hike), his leash, some vet supplies, and about 20 lbs of miscellaneous gear. They're also quite smart and very good at getting up inclines, so rough ground isn't be a problem.
HOwever, while I think goats (so long as they're permitted in the area) could be awesome for AT section-hiking, I"m not sure it'd be a great idea for a 5-7 month trip. Like I mentioned, you'd have trouble in towns, plus you'd have to figure out a way to get him around areas where domesticated animals weren't allowed. Also, just like people and dogs, pack goats get tired, thirsty, hungry and hurt, meaning there would be a whole other aspect of the hike for which to plan, and you'd have to be certain that your goat was up to walking over 2,000 miles. Still, I think it could be done with a great deal of planning and a large number of contingency plans. Perhaps one day Walker and I will be the first goat/human thru-hiking team! hehe.
Andrea356
02-03-2010, 14:22
Oh, and goat meat is quite tasty, but since the fat isn't marbled through the meat like beef, I'd suggest a stew or curry if you can't baste it! ;)
JustaTouron
02-03-2010, 14:31
I think the best plan would be for the goat to hike half the trail and be the main attaction, I mean main course at trail days.
DrRichardCranium
02-03-2010, 14:49
great info! Also, I believe goats can eat poison ivy with no ill effects.
Andrea356
02-03-2010, 18:13
great info! Also, I believe goats can eat poison ivy with no ill effects.
Totally true! Goats actually perfer weeds, shrubs, leaves, and tree bark to grass (which is only eaten reluctantly). Goats have good instincts, and it's been shown that they actually pick out the vegetation in an area with the highest nutritional content. Of course this means that, if you pack with goats, you should brush up on any threatened or endangered plant species in the area and keep an eye on what your goat's munching to minimize their environmental impact. Feral goats' browsing habits have devastated island ecosystems in the past, and rampant browsing on a large scale could have much the same impact on the ecological "islands" of our national parks. (Though one goat, especially when kept moving, does very minimal damage. Certainly less them some hikers...)
In addition, wilted (not fresh) cherry leaves and stems are quite toxic to goats, as are sheep laurel and mountain laurel. All these plants are fairly common on the AT. If your goats grew up in a place that has these plants they'll usually avoid them on their own, but if they've never seen them before they can get quite ill or even die from eating it.
Can you tell I love my goats?! I love my goats. I'd post pictures of myself and Walker if I had any computer skills...:D
I am on late and this has been a wonderful thread to read. I thought this poor guy was going to get hammered, even thought there have been dogs and kittens and gosh know what else on the trail. I think the goat idea is fascinating. Here is my concern and it is for the goat: summer camp had camp dog and a camp goat. One night, in front of the little kids the camp dog killed the camp pet goat. The goat may be bear fodder, but how about the dogs on the trail? Just a thought.
The good goat possibilities are endless as has been posted. I don't have the experience with tamed goats that others do, but they seem like nice pets for those that do. My friends that have goats say they are great pets. Their eyes creep me out, but to each their own. Is a goat a hiker like a dog?
The General
02-04-2010, 05:14
late I maybe but just got to add my 2 cents on this thread. For what its worth, taking a goat makes more sense to me than taking a dog.
I ran into a couple doing a long section hike south of Fontana a few years back. She had some sort of disability which precluded her from carrying much weight. They had two wethers (neutered males) both carrying a good size load in specially designed packs. They had some sort of licence from the applicable agency down there to register the goats as service animals...like seeing eye dogs. The lady indicated that she could not possibly be out hiking if not for the assistance of the goats. Her husband was carrying a regular pack and load. The goats were better behaved than most of the dogs I have encountered
Lucy Lulu
02-06-2010, 16:04
I met a couple with 2 pack goats down on the AT, somewhere in NC I believe. They were very well behaved goats...no growling, biting, begging for food, etc.
I also grew up with a pet goat (still not sure why I was given this over a dog). Spike (the goat) was also very well behaved, and did stick to me like glue when we went hiking. We only did day hikes, but she was great. Unfortunately, Spike cleaned out my grandmother's flower gardens, and was sent to my uncle's farm.
I could see where a distance goat just might be good on the trail, but I'm not too sure about their endurance.
My cousin had a goat as a pet for quite a long time. He was fun except that he loved to use his horns to "butt" you every now and then.
He kept you on your toes.:p
Old Hiker
02-06-2010, 17:45
...they can carry a case of beer!
geek
2 cases - have to balance out the load - one one either side.
Old Hiker
02-06-2010, 17:48
They are not allowed on trail, unless permitted for grazing use. Then I think goats would look as delicious as a food pack does to a bear.
So put a pair of dark sunglasses on, paint your hiking sticks white and call the goat a service animal! Didn't Bill Erwin get away with it???