# Goat safety during rifle hunting season?



## Bwana Ken (May 9, 2011)

This is only my 2nd post, so I'm sorry if this question has been asked before (I searched but couldn't find an answer).

I would like to use my goats during both archery and rifle hunting seasons, but am a little nervous about their safety during the latter. All of the hunting-related posts I've read so far only address the problem of predators (the 4-legged variety) but no one mentioned the risk of having a goat shot by another hunter who mis-identifies it as a game animal.

Maybe this isn't a concern and I'm worrying about nothing, but I recently read in John Mionczynski's book "The Pack Goat" that he once lost a goat to a hunter, and that got me to thinking about it.

Do any of you do anything special to protect your goats from wayward bullets (such as blaze-orange blankets) or do most of you hunt in such remote country (as I plan to do) that this just isn't an issue?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

When I first moved to Utah my wife and I would hike up in the mountains in the fall. Then we realized that everyone we met had a gun and that we should be wearing blaze orange. 

Anything that moves during hunting season should wear orange. I suspect that archers are not a problem. There are fewer of them, they are more experienced, and they generally take better care in placement of a shot. Hand a guy a gun and he feels like he has to shoot something.

Heck, I got one of these magnesium fire starters and I have been looking for something to burn. I'll bet goat hair makes great kindling...


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## GBPG06 (Sep 14, 2009)

I use orange bandanas made for dogs. They even have reflective dog paws on them. They wear them when ever we go out.


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## Perry (May 8, 2009)

I donâ€™t hunt, but when Iâ€™m hiking in hunting season I were a blaze orange vest and cap. And, I put a orange vest on each of the goats. These vests are a very light mesh material. I also have the goats carry orange goat coats which I put on them if itâ€™s raining and at night.
[attachment=0:1kb080je]IMG_0037.jpg[/attachment:1kb080je]
The crew with their goat rain coats on.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

I do not know how to insert a connection to the other thread line as I have seen done. Under the heading "general topics" is "equipment" that leads you to a discussion on this subject called "goat saftey during hunting season". I posted my favorite goat saftey vest for use during rifle season. My Oberhasli's look like calf elk or dark deer to the untrained eye and could easily be mistaken for game. 
IdahoNancy


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## Oreopacker1 (Mar 28, 2010)

My panniers are brightly colored, I even have typical hunting season colored panniers. This usually takes good care of that, and I don't have to worry much. I don't know where you are, but you might want to check out places that don't allow hunting. I got an oberhaslie over the summer and he worried me because he looks like a deer. I've never had an incident though, but that might be because where I hike, I don't think you're able to hunt. 

Good luck!


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

i've also been thinking about this myself.
my panniers are red and blue sets so they stick out in the woods.
here is a pic from december:








i need rain covers for my packs anyway so why not get bright orange ones that could be used for rain and if i go out during hunting season.
also thought of some thing orange to put around their necks... maybe i'll just buy an orange shirt or something at a yard sale/etc. and make large strips from it to tie around their necks like a bandanna.


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## copper (Jan 13, 2009)

Watch out for hunters.A hunter in Montana shoot a llama he thought was and elk and tried to check it in at a game check station.Fish and game him another tag.He was from Billings MT


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## Bwana Ken (May 9, 2011)

Thanks for all the feedback so far - it's given me some good ideas.

I recently saw the photo of the dead llama the "hunter" in Montana tried to check in as an elk. Unbelievable. Some people really shouldn't be allowed in the woods. Luckily my goats are Saanens so I can't imagine anyone mistaking them for a deer or elk (maybe a mountain goat....) so I guess I shouldn't worry too much, especially since most of my hunting will be in the remote back-country.

Nevertheless, I'm still going to look into some kind of blanket, or at the very least a brightly colored collar, for them to wear when they aren't carrying their packs. Better safe than sorry!

Ken


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## DKalakay (Dec 24, 2009)

We live in an area with lots of hunters roaming around and my favorite time to pack in the high country is during hunting season. We skip going out all together on opening rifle day. A couple of the goats that have deer coloring always wear red nylon coats. I worry most in the early morning and late evening light where even the coats or the white saanen coloring don't show up well and with their heads stuck in tall grass I can see how someone looking for a deer would see a deer. We often keep just the saddles on the boys since they add a shiny silver color and an odd shape to the "deer"


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