What the Heck is a Pack Goat?

A Pack Goat is exactly what it sounds like. A goat that packs. Simple isn't it? It's a hard concept for people to grasp because when you envision a goat, you probably see a scraggly old billy goat eating a can, right? Many people are surprised to learn that goats are also a pretty large source of milk. About 20 or so years ago, John Mionczynski pioneered the use of goats as a pack animal. He found that they eat WAY less than a horse or mule and they do a lot less damage while hiking with them. You don't need a huge truck and trailer to transport them and they are easy to handle.

On average, a full grown goat can carry about 35% of its weight, which depending on the breed and its conditioning is anywhere from 35 - 60 lbs. A well conditioned pack goat can easily carry that weight all day up steep, rocky terrain and across fallen logs or shallow streams.

A pack goat, when fully geared up, looks sort of like a mini mule. They use the same equipment only miniaturized. They can have horns or be hornless, come in any color and be virtually any breed. Of course, you'll want to pick a breed that gets fairly large like a Saanen or Alpine. My preference is the Toggenburg (originated from Switzerland) because of their temperment, size and markings. Their average weight is about 135 pounds and up.  My own goat at his peak was 165 pounds.  Most pack goats stand about 33" high or more. 

I think the largest benifit to hiking with a goat is the fact that as you hike, you'll carry nothing more than a water bottle and a granola bar to share. If you have back or shoulder problems but still like to hike, a pack goat is a great alternative, especially since you don't have to worry about wrangling a large un-cooperative animal or carrying any of the weight. They don't descemate the plant growth because they nibble here and there as they hike. Goat's are also very herd oriented, and because of that, they don't stray. A well trained pack goat also will cross shallow streams (they don't like water) and easily cat walk across fallen logs. At night, you don't need to tie them up because of the herd factor and they are very quiet. You generally don't need to pack food for your goat because they can digest most everything they find on the trail. I would recommend packing extra water because an unseasoned goat will refuse to drink funny smelling water from a mountain lake or stream. If you hike with a lactating goat, you can have fresh milk each day on top of the packing services. All in all, goats are just an excellent alternative.

So now you know what a pack goat is. You'll most commonly run into one while hiking in the northwest. Probably, you'd be surprised how many clubs there are for enthusiasts.  Check a few out and learn a bit more.  Theres really nothing to it.  Now you can confidently answer someone when they ask "What the heck is a pack goat?"