# Dealing with an aggressive buck



## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Since we are fairly new to buck owning, I'd really love some tips on dealing with them. Out first buck was a young guy, who was wethered at 9 months and was always easy to deal with. Our new buck is a different story. We had him qaurantined for a couple weeks in a small pen when we got him. Hes been okay to go in if you have food with you, otherwise he wants to head butt and challenge us, especially at the gate. Hes also used his horns on my husband when trying to catch him and put a collar/chain on him. I've had to distract him with feeding him treats while by husband puts his collar on. Even with a collar on hes very difficult to handle. I can't go in and clean without my husband in there watching my back, usually just smacking him with his glove is enough to get him to back off. 
We put him in with 2 does a couple days ago and hes gotten worse. We were in the pasture putting in a new feeder we made, my husband left the pasture and the buck would not let me out the gate. I had to pick up a twig and smack him in the nose, which made him run off and I was able to leave the pasture. This morning when I went to feed him, he started ramming the gate when I was opening it, I had heel him in the head with my boot to get him off the gate. 
Is there anything I can do to get a little respect from him or is this probably what I am always going to have to deal with? I feel like I need something in my hand to defend myself, I don't like having smack him but it seems like thats the only way I can get him away.


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## 4hmama (Jan 9, 2009)

Never delt with an aggressive buck...wouldn't even know where to begin. I would think that if he is acting aggressive and you give him treats to settle him down...all you are doing is rewarding a bad behavior. If you are going to treat him...it needs to be done when he is exhibiting a good behavior. There again...I don't know but SOMEONE on here is bound to...there are some reallly smart goat mama's and papa's on here! 

What kind of goat is he?? :whatgoat:


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We are not giving treats when he is being aggressive, the first time we tried collaring him he was trying to butt my husband, no treats or food involved. So the next time we did it about a week later, I took in treats to him, then my husband collared him and he was so distracted he didnt' act aggressive. I would not reward him for aggressiveness. 
He is a fullblood boer, about 250-270 pounds.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I would take a horse riding crop and everytime he came near me acting dominant or agressive and you feel he is invading your space, give him a good smack on the nose.

He's going to learn soon that you are the dominant "goat" and everytime he comes to harrass you, he'll get a smack. It is very dangerous to let these type of bucks continue this behavior especially one so large. Don't be afraid to take control...he obviously needs some discipline.


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## 4hmama (Jan 9, 2009)

Gotcha with the treats...misunderstood - sorry! Riding crop sounds like a good idea...


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

We had an aggresive boer buck like that..it was to the point where I wouldnt even go in with him by myself because you couldnt trust him. I personally will not keep a buck that is aggresive anymore..but sometimes they like to rub on you and play and arent actually being aggresive they are just really strong.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Thank you for the help, I will try carrying a crop with me. He hadn't really acted aggressive towards me until the other day when he trapped me in the pasture. He'd pushed on the gate a bit before when I'd go in, but would always back off and let me in then would just follow me around. Hes been aggressive to my husband from day one though. He wasn't at all aggressive towards us or his old owner when we went to see him either. 
What would you suggest when we do have him on a lead, he tries to throw his head to the side and get my husband in the legs with his horns?


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

In order to get true respect from him you are going to have to catch him and throw him to the ground on his side. Then sit on him until he sighs and you feel the tension sort of leave him. Do this any time he tries to ram or hurt you. I would also carry a crop around in case. If he gets too aggressive I would put him down, only because he is dangerous and you don't want anyone to get hurt. There are lots of nice bucks around. 

Sorry you have to deal with this, It's a real pain.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Not to sound ignorant here, but how would I go about throwing him down?


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Take him down how ever you can. I usually lean over one side and grab the legs on the opposite side to me and pull them down.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

For starters if he has does in with he's going to be protective of them in the sense that in his brain you dont try to remove them. Or get between him & his girls.
A couple yrs ago we had a pussycat of a young buck, until breeding season. I could go in there but when hubby came in he got between me & hub & postured. It made me leery.
We finally got a hot shot for protection. It only took a couple of times of him walking into it & he learned what "GET BACK!" means.
We use it only if necessary, if he gets too close into our space we let HIM walk into into it chest level. We are not aggressive with it at all.
If you use one, just be sure to give him plenty room to retreat.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

bucks are testosterone covered in fur with horns...
you need a wooden broomstick at all times around the buck.
you gotta treat him just like you would any wild animal.
you may own him but he's really a wild animal that you feed.
yesterday i had a showdown with the buck i'm borrowing.
but he's a scaredy and only does it to look tough in front of the girls.
i've knocked him good a few times.
you gotta act like you are a bigger buck.
and he's gonna treat you like a threat becuase thats what you are to him.
you are gonna take his girlfriends and he knows it and this is how he tries to keep you from them.
when bucks fight over does in the wild they butt heads, shake it off, pause, butt heads, shake it off,...
you always gotta watch your back... thats the way it is.
when he won't let you out the gate, knock him on the head with the broomstick. firmly but not to really hurt him. and never try to punch him on the head becuase you're gonna hurt your hand and this puts you too close to him and he could catch a horn on you.
i know alot of people may disagree with me here but when worse comes to worse you gotta showdown with him on his terms. you're gonna be the other buck and you gotta beat him.
plant your feet apart like you're about to get tackled. put your arms out like you're getting ready to wrestle. and hold that broomstick good. make yourself look big. wear a big coat, etc.
you're gonna have to grunt and bellow and make him think you're gonna beat him up good. and you will need to knock him on the head a few times. it might take a while. but don't back down! don't get scared! it may help to have a drink in you before you do this. 
good luck!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Seriously, DROP his ass! Do as Ashley said, only my method may be easier, when he's in fighting mode, guard yourself but reach under him...Boers may be thick and heavy but they are fairly low to the ground so you shouldn't have to reach too low, grab the furthest rear leg in one hand and the furthest front leg in the other sinultaneously and pull towards you, he will go down on his side, as quick as you can , get your knees in his side and hold his head and butt to the ground, DO NOT let him up, he'll buck and kick and act like you're killing him but pin him til he quits and relaxes. If you yourself don't have much meat on your bones, have your hubby do it while you are there, you sit on him so he knows that he is not permitted to bully you, when he gets up he will likely walk away, if you have to repeat it do so, but til then since he is a big boy and a meanie, I'd have a 2x4 on hand, it may sound cruel but a good solid teeth jarring whack across his forehead may be what he needs to see you as "bigger and stronger".

I don't condone "animal abuse" but goats are livestock, smart but they require a different technique when in training and a solid whack on the brow from you doesn't compare to how hard they actually hit each other or imobile objects.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Liz- I'll have to give that a try if I need to. I definately couldn't pull him over on my own, hes got a good 150 pounds on me and I have a really bad back. I think my husband should be there anyways, Red is more aggressive towards him than me. I think my husband is a bit more afraid of him, I can tell from his body language as soon as he goes in and the buck obviously can as well. The buck ticks me off more than he scares me, I'm head goat here :wink: 

I did take my crop in early, I needed to fix part of the fence and cut off a couple low branches in the field. He came right over immediately and wanted to crowd me. It took a couple whacks on the nose and he was content to just watch me and follow me around from a few feet away. When I went down later he sure must have remembered because he was pushing at the gate again, I picked up the crop and told him to back up and he did immediately and let me right in no problems. Hes definately not a dumb animal, he just needs to learn some manners.


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## Dreamchaser (Oct 30, 2008)

I have a spray bottle full of vinegar water that I use. I tried smacking my buck on the nose with a stick (when I didn't have my spray bottle) and it didn't even phase him. I was afraid of hitting him TOO hard though, as I didn't want to break his nose. The vinegar water sprayed in the eye was the only thing that seemed to make him think twice about what he was doing.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

With a boer that big ...they are really strong.... I myself...had a buck that size and couldn't bring him down..... being that size .... so... I had my DH... help flip the buck over on his side...we did this together... that worked...to flip him.....but ...be very careful ...that he doesn't hit you in the head/ face with his horns.... my past buck... with doing this method.... never stopped his behavior... about chasing me down......with some bucks... it doesn't help.....but give it a try ...you never know.... good luck.... :hug:


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## Ruby Farms (Jan 15, 2011)

I've had to do both, crop and take downs, with my boys. I have one that I bottle raised and I used the take down on him because he's a little smaller. Just one take down did the trick and now when he tries to crowd me I just put my hand on his neck and he moves away. With the older boy I have to use the crop on his nose or move it in front of his eyes. This definitely gets the point across to him that I mean business. 

I now have more trouble with the girls then I do with my two boys. My herd doe just had twins and is in the barn. Her second in command is now trying to push all the younger ones around. I'm hoping when the herd doe comes back out she will put her "sister" back in her place. Until then I have to step in and correct the bad doe. Lol. Didn't know I was going to be a referee with a bunch of does.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Ruby Farms- my does definately are more trouble, just not as big! At feeding time I have at least 2 or 3 heads rammed into the backs of my legs, as they can't seem to see that I am walking in front of them. And I wonder why I have all these mysterious bruises all over my legs :chin: 

Apparently snubbing Red to an old telephone pole was enough to belittle him today. We tied him up and I was able to do his feet, they are horrible. When we let him loose he just stood there a second sizing us up and then ran away.


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Jan 17, 2011)

There is only one good solution - catch him from the side and knock him down. Grabbing his legs on the opposite side is also a good suggestion to help get leverage.

I think it is kind of funny but I have to agree as a whole our does are much worse when it comes to feeding times


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## highpockets2013 (Feb 27, 2014)

I tried flyswatter yesterday. It worked, should I go ahead and get a crop or quirt?


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I have never had a problem with my bucks, they have always been very well mannered, even the Boers. I get them as bottle babies and raise them myself to be respectful. I usually do get into one set too with them as they hit puberty, though. What I did with one of them (it was actually an Alpine) was to take a cap pistol out. When he started acting like he wanted to act oput, I belllowed "NO" and then popped off a couple of caps. The loud noise startled him and after that he always stopped dead in his tracks when I would yell no.


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## SusanP (Mar 22, 2014)

I have to say...I was searching for how to deal with my 1 year old buck, who's been getting more and more buck-y lately. He'd become very unmannerly and I was afraid someone was going to get hurt inadvertently, especially since he is horned.

Well I took the advice given earlier in this thread to do a "take down," then knelt on him and held his head and rear with my hands until he gave up, which didn't take very long at all. I let him up and he was like a changed buck! Stays out of my way, no more running at me and butting, etc. 

That was yesterday, and today I was curious as to whether he'd remember, or whether I'd need to repeat the lesson. I walked into the paddock with hubby to check on something, and lo and behold he behaved like a real gentleman. Well, as gentlemanly as goats can be 

So grateful for this forum, thanks for the help!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Maggie said:


> Is there anything I can do to get a little respect from him or is this probably what I am always going to have to deal with? I feel like I need something in my hand to defend myself, I don't like having smack him but it seems like thats the only way I can get him away.


Why would you want to deal with this type of behaviour? An even more important question is why would you want to have this type of behaviour passed down to the kids he sires? There are too many good bucks out there to put up with this crap.


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## KatY (Apr 9, 2020)

The spray bottle with water works wonders on my buck. Don't go out without it. Sure beats trying to flip him and laying on him. Both my husband and I tried this. He thought it was a great game to play.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

In Defense of the buck. You bought him as a yearling? You dont.know how he was treated. I dont agree with the crop. That could make him more aggresive. Buck hit each other head on. They have thick skulls. Bucks dont like water. They dont like being sprayed with water. They have to be taught this is not acceptable behavior. And yes it make take 3 or 4 dsys before he GETS IT!. Can you take your water hose in the pen? If so. Go in as normal, if he gets too close..put that water in his face. Dont stop till he backs off. Turn the water off. Wait. If he comes again , spray him again. If he turns and calm down. Praise him. No treats until he no longer comes at you. He will learn, water for bad boys. Treats for good boys. After 2 or 3 days of water hose. Get a spray bottle with a big amount to spray, and carry it on your pants at all times.
If you have to. Throw him over. Ive gotten mad enough at mine to flip him 2xs in his 3 yr old life. Rest of the time, just a spray bottle. So it does work. It just takes time. And Kinky my buck is 285 lbs.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This is an old thread from 2014.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:nod:


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