|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,535 Likes: 24
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,535 Likes: 24 |
The greenies will try to ban everyone who doesn't carry a <30lb pack. They've tried to ban pack animals in a couple wilderness areas here just because they don't like to see horse manure. They didn't get very far with that.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293 |
I also enjoy seeing the photos Ex and Rock and the update.
Continued success on the goat test trials.
Last edited by WillARights; 03/05/19.
Trump HAD the World, ", Trump saw our children, " Trump saw a way to make a brighter day so he started giving There was a choice he was making, he was saving our own lives Its true he made a brighter day for you and me. --Trump WINS 2016
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,037
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,037 |
Thanks guys! Informational! I'm thinking I can throw two in the back of a Toyota and still get a good buck outta the wilderness. I'm still capable of hauling a heavy pack myself. Honestly I can see 3 in the back of a Toyota..
Your Every Liberal vote promotes Socialism and is an attack on the Second Amendment. You will suffer the consequences.
GOA,Idaho2AIAlliance,AmericanFirearmsAssociation,IdahoTrappersAssociation,FoundationForWildlifeManagement ID and MT.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,675 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,675 Likes: 2 |
The greenies will try to ban everyone who doesn't carry a <30lb pack. They've tried to ban pack animals in a couple wilderness areas here just because they don't like to see horse manure. They didn't get very far with that. It won't be the "greenies" that stop goats/llamas as pack animals. It'll be the wild sheep organizations. I know of one wild sheep hunting org in CO already has it on their radar...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
So far my local BLM NCA is the only one to ban pack goats, yet they still have an open sheep allotment in amongst the desert bighorns. I back up to another NCA that has no restrictions. I do know the Shoshone National Forest and Inyo National Forest have some major restrictions. Obviously I don’t see the concern, but it could be a real problem in the future.
Regarding transportation. I can get all 7 in my F150 still. I have a fairly simple rack presently that I may need to built some wind shelter into for longer trips in rough weather.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
Unofficial yearling weights from dog scale at the vet: Odin 148 Thor 148 Gunnar 144 Ivar 141 Ragnar 140 Loki 126 Nigel 113
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,259 Likes: 3
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,259 Likes: 3 |
Looks like they are progressing well. I have no experience in animals for packing. But I like the ideas of dealing with them if I raised them. Thanks. Rusty
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
Well, it looks like the boys will have at least one job that they were designed for this year. I drew a mountain goat license!
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,628 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,628 Likes: 1 |
Well, it looks like the boys will have at least one job that they were designed for this year. I drew a mountain goat license! Congrats and good luck!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,535 Likes: 24
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,535 Likes: 24 |
Well, it looks like the boys will have at least one job that they were designed for this year. I drew a mountain goat license! What's the environmentalist situation in CO right now? Are they determined to keep goats away from goats?
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
It’s more about bighorns, but yes that’s coming. In fact my local national forest is pushing this in occupied bighorn habitat, yet refusing to do anything about domestic sheep grazing in the same places. So I’m working on a comment on their draft resource management plan.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,204 Likes: 6
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,204 Likes: 6 |
If they are allowing domestic sheep grazing, I can't imagine the basis for restricting any pack animals. GD
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
Because goat people are an easier target than ranchers.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
A couple of new developments: Gunnar got his head trapped in the feeder and the rest of the boys beat the crap out of him for the day. I don't know if related but he also collapsed on his pasterns. I've managed to get him back up to weight, but still having pastern issues. He's on light duty for now.
Weights as of late June: Gunnar 167 at vet's office, 7 pounds above what his heart girth measurement indicates. That same metric also puts Thor and Ivar at over 180, Odin and Ragnar also above 160, Nigel at 150ish and Loki close to 140. I still don't really believe the earlier weights I got with Nigel weighing less than Loki.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
And now for their first overnight pack trip. We kept everyone except Thor under 10% of their body weight. Thor got 20 pounds on the way in, which was maybe 11%. Most awkward aspects was dealing with the sleeping pads that didn't roll up very small. They definitely wanted to upset the loads when wagging back and forth. Also an issue was getting enough weight into each small pannier. The goats had more capacity than the panniers could handle with low density stuff like clothing or loose tents without poles(in our packs). Also brought in more gear than was needed because I wasn't sure how I was going to tie them up at night. Repacking on the return trip we did a lot better job balancing loads. I brought the scale in and kept things with a pound, but still needed a balance rock here and there. Anyway, they did fantastic. No issues with stamina or cooperation, and the all adapted to trail life and carrying packs extremely well. The boys realized that when we stopped for a breather, they could sit down or browse if they wanted to. Quickly realized the deathly power of a squirt gun could keep them out of the main camp area with the tents and cooking gear. They actively avoided eating poisonous plants like larkspur. They had at least 15 creek crossings over 12 miles, including with some deep and fast moving stuff. It took some coaxing on the fastest stream on the way in, but no problems after that. No hesitation on the return. We still couldn't get up high enough and what was planned as a one way trip turned into an in and out return trip. Also of interest to me was how disinterested in drinking water they were. I don't know if it was because they had green vegetation to eat, but only two goats took small sips of muddy water on the way in. And four of the six (Gunnar still out) drank in muddy puddles on the way down. They had lots of opportunities at clear creeks, even with the packs off. All in all, this felt like a success, even though I still couldn't get to the highest basins for my mountain goat hunt, but could glass the rocks from below. [
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
Last edited by exbiologist; 07/02/19.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,784 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,784 Likes: 6 |
Excellent. Thanks for the updates.
Hope that Gunnar recovers. Goats are truly vicious if one is weak or they can take advantage of it...empathy does not exist.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 7,892 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 7,892 Likes: 1 |
This is a really interesting thread.
I know nothing about goats. What is a pastern?
"Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
|
|
|
|
573 members (12344mag, 1234, 160user, 10ring1, 10gaugeman, 06hunter59, 56 invisible),
2,174
guests, and
1,106
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,557
Posts18,531,558
Members74,039
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|