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goat hike story for Vince, especially

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goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Billy Goat » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 1]

Saddlesore, I know you're missing it, and I'm sorry.

just for you, here's a summary of my scouting trip last week. this was my boys first trip to the mountains. Enjoy. :)

Goat Hike Story- Summer 2022

Our group is changing elk units, and I’d not yet spent time in this new unit. The boys are finally old enough: Chester: 3.5, Eb and Haney are almost 3, and Ziffel is 2.5. Oliver and Hank are still too young, at 1.5.

Well, I decided to spend a week in the mountains on walkabout, learning the unit, and seeing how the goats would do in terrain that’s not dead flat, at 600’ above sea level (ie Krum). One of my coworkers, Robert and his wife, plus their dog Miles decided to join me and the boys.

I left my house at 2:13am TX time, stopping only for food, fuel and critical bodily functions, arriving in camp at about 5-6pm or so. I was driving the Dodge pickup, pulling the goats in a 4 horse trailer. R&C had arrived in their Prius about 30 minutes prior, travelling in from Denver. I was jealous of their fuel economy in a world of $5 diesel, and they were (briefly) jealous of the trucks ground clearance. I still believe they need to trade the Prius for a Subaru Forester, for it’s balance of fuel economy, off road readiness, and hauling capacity.

Just for clarity…. Pack goating uses saddles (mine are either wood or aluminum) with a wool saddle pad to protect the animals, plus some saddlebags (called panniers) to hold your stuff. For this trip, Eb Dawson was carrying my tent, fart sack, sleeping pad, folding chair, and all the “goat” stuff, appx 38# including saddle. Ziffel was carrying water for both humans and fellow goats, appx 40# peak, but highly variable as we drank the water thru the day. Chester/Herbert carried food, cookware & other gear, appx 35#. Oliver carried a very light load, Robert & Carlas fart sacks, plus a couple misc items, maybe 15#. Lucky Hank didn’t wear a saddle or carry gear. Just too little and not much need, really.

The first leg of our hiking journey was a 3 day loop starting at 9500’ of elevation (not too bad, for elk country). The boys loved all the “new” vegetation – oakbrush especially. Leaves are a goat favorite. The first day was mostly downhill, taking us from mixed aspen/spruce down into a basin loaded with oakbrush. The oakbrush was pretty thick, which made passage tough on the goats, whose panniers stuck out from their bellys. Down in the basins, we were at about 7700’ of elevation.

We saw beautiful vistas, rock formations, bear poop, fairly little elk sign, and had a large time. On the 3rd day we hiked out of the basins, returning again to aspen/spruce vegetation, and saw several grouse once we did. Then we hiked laterally across several small drainages, then hiked back up to camp. We averaged about 7 miles a day on this hike, less than previously planned. I’m blaming the oakbrush.

We used the 4th day to recover a bit, sightsee and plan coming hikes. Two goats were a little gimpy, as was Miles the dog, and I was a bit gassed as well. Ziffel was favoring his left front leg, and Eb was a gimpy in the rear, I think from the saddle britchen rubbing (like rubbing the hair off) his hiney.

We drove for about 2 hours up a road that Lynn would have LOVED to see, in first gear (if you know, you know, and if you don’t know, I’m sorry). Just a beautiful drive with great visibility down into lower canyons, healthy woods, and an elk trotted across the road right in front of me. Pretty magic.

That night we had a cow elk walk very close to camp right at dusk, as we talked of TAMU (where R&C met, and my son will be getting his BSME). We got rain at about midnight, which upset the goats (they don’t like water on them).

The next day we hiked a set of 4 wheeler/trailhead/etc roads, eventually seeing 3 moose, one 6pt buck and crossing LOTS of low blowdowns. The blowdowns were a new challenge for the goats, because they don’t have much of that in their 2.5 acre backyard…. But they did pretty great. As often as not, Ollie would jump up on a log, then walk down it a bit for the joy of it, then turn and get off. Sometimes goats went under the blowdowns, which sometimes got challenging. We did about 9 miles that day. Goats weren’t wearing their saddles, because it was just “day” hiking, and there was plenty water along the hike route.

That afternoon, we relocated camp and prepared for the next days hike, but Deanna called me and said her dad had a heart attack. Within 30 minutes we had packed up camp, and I rolled eastbound. This shortened our trip by a day, but I’d already made great inroads to understanding the new unit, observed the goats “on mountain”, and much better learned my friends Robert & Carla. They understood I couldn’t stay and told me “you need to go”, helped me load and wished us safe travel.

It was a great time, and I hope you enjoyed the story & pictures/videos of our journey.

shane
Attachments
06 eb on break.jpg
eb taking a breather
06 eb on break.jpg (494.2 KiB) Viewed 918 times
05 miles carries his food.jpg
Miles carrying his Ol Roy
05 miles carries his food.jpg (347.7 KiB) Viewed 918 times
04 snr.jpg
ready to launch
04 snr.jpg (459.02 KiB) Viewed 918 times
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

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Billy Goat
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Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Billy Goat » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 2]

more pics....
Attachments
10 look at the grouse.jpg
best tasting bird ever?
10 look at the grouse.jpg (413.89 KiB) Viewed 917 times
09 bear poop berries.jpg
bear like berries, but dont seem good at "processing" them
09 bear poop berries.jpg (587.22 KiB) Viewed 917 times
08 no mas breaks.jpg
no more breaks - hoof time
08 no mas breaks.jpg (578.49 KiB) Viewed 917 times
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

-Cotton Cordell
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Billy Goat
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Posts: 285
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Location: Denton, TX

Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Billy Goat » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 3]

more pics
Attachments
15 takin a break.jpg
15 takin a break.jpg (420.13 KiB) Viewed 917 times
12 pond distance.jpg
12 pond distance.jpg (477.57 KiB) Viewed 917 times
11 oakbrush.jpg
11 oakbrush.jpg (463.96 KiB) Viewed 917 times
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

-Cotton Cordell
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Billy Goat
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Posts: 285
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Location: Denton, TX

Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Billy Goat » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 4]

more..... pics
Attachments
19 blowdowns.jpg
19 blowdowns.jpg (320.93 KiB) Viewed 917 times
17 watering the boys.jpg
17 watering the boys.jpg (258.77 KiB) Viewed 917 times
18 elky country.jpg
18 elky country.jpg (343.22 KiB) Viewed 917 times
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

-Cotton Cordell
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Billy Goat
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Posts: 285
Joined: 05 08, 2020
Location: Denton, TX

Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Billy Goat » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 5]

and just one more

I didnt climb up on that rock, but you couldnt keep the goats off of it. :)

I swear, if I put a dime in the backyard, those goats will try to stand on top of it. :)
Attachments
20 on the rock.jpg
20 on the rock.jpg (474.38 KiB) Viewed 917 times
"First teach a child to love God,
teach them second to love their family
and third, teach them to hunt and fish,
and by the time they reach their teens, no dope peddler under the sun will ever teach them anything".

-Cotton Cordell
User avatar
Billy Goat
Rank: Rag Horn
 
Posts: 285
Joined: 05 08, 2020
Location: Denton, TX

Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby saddlesore » 08 19, 2022 •  [Post 6]

Wonderful story, great pics. Only thing missing is me.Thanks. I spent the week scrubbing tack and oiling it and then a trip to the county dump today . I am getting around better,but doc says no high altitude. He would be happy if I moved off this 7650 ft ridge
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Re: goat hike story for Vince, especially

Postby Elkhunttoo » 08 20, 2022 •  [Post 7]

Looks like you had a great time :D
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