# Training goats to be quiet when you are not around



## mreeves (Sep 25, 2010)

Hi. I have seen a few posts about problem goats making alot of BLAAHH BLLLAAHHH sounds when a person enters the barnyard. My question is different. When I am in the woods and I tie my older goats (3yrs +), if I go out of site (for any reason) they go CRAZY by balling. They want to see me all the time. This is understandable BUT annoying nevertheless. They are Alpines but I think I must be guilty of somehow mistakenly "training" them to ball when I am out of site....or is it just that every goat is different and they will cry no matter what?

Is there a way to train younger goats (7 weeks) so that they will not freak out when they do not see you? this only seems to be a problem in the woods. Thanks in advance.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Now, this is a much better way to ask this question.  Much less likely to get a thrashing hehe. Sorry. Now as for the answer... that is a tough one. Each goat is different. I have about a dozen or so that the second you open the back door they start to "yell". I call it that because I yell back with "Stop yelling at me and go make me some milk". And others who wouldnt care if I ever opened the door. I would have to chalk this up to how spoiled they were raised. Now in your situation, I can see it a little different. Pretty much all goats are going to look for you to be the herd boss. In which case, they expect and trust for you to lead the way and keep them safe. When you leave, their instinct is to follow, so if they cant, they call to you to come back. Even more so in a strange place that you lead them to. Is there a fix for it... Id guess not. Unless maybe you put them in that situation over and over again and let em get used to you leaving. Past that, I dont know. Good luck.


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## DKalakay (Dec 24, 2009)

I have 3 Lamanchas and 1 Saanen and they are all very quiet especially on pack trips and especially at night (they seem to know there are "things out there" that will get them). I think you probably can improve the older ones panic by ducking out of sight briefly (a minute or two) and then returning. Over and over again and gradually increase the time. Same with the little ones. The bigger problem might be if they panic and they are not tied up. I had my boys out for a morning browse hike, walked out of their sight behind some trees for a couple of minutes and came out to find the lead goat missing. Nowhere to be seen. I didn't know if he had gone back the way we came or headed back to camp (opposite directions). It was scary having a missing goat in the middle of a wilderness area. The happy ending to the story is that I found him back at camp laying in my tent eating the peanuts out of my pants pockets. I still wonder if he panicked because I was out of sight or just saw it as an opportunity to go steal some peanuts. 
Good luck,
Denise


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

At the rendy a couple years ago, most of the more mature goats did not make a lot of noise when they got left alone in various camps. 

They would call as people were leaving but remain pretty quiet after that.

If the herd is big enough, and you have strong lead goats, and they have food, there should be no reason for panicked calls. 

Also your chances of quiet are better if you don't leave them feeling vulnerable due to the terrain. When it isn't the hunting season, work with them and discover their comfort environments. Mine prefer the top of a ridge at night. They see better horizontally and down better than up, I think. 

During the day they are less likely to call if they can be busy browsing on a zip line rather than staked without food. 

You might even consider a shelter for them. They like to be indoors and then can't see the spooky stuff. Set up in the same camp if you hunt the same area all the time. It will begin to feel like home to them. They'll remember it from trip to trip. 

Learn how to make them feel safe when you are not there. They don't cry all day long at home when you go to work. You'll enjoy your goats even more when you can think like them and out think them.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

Of course, I'd much rather stay in camp and tend the fires than hunt these days. So just send me an invite and I'll do the cooking. ;-) Me and the goats can even circle around and push em to ya.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Hey Bob you and the boys are invited. I'll be hunting bull moose this fall and sure could use someone giving him a push my way. Just use the same tactics you use for bear. Make sure you can out run your goats.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

And no Bob, I have plans that day so I cant join you and the bears. But you go ahead and have a good time


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

idahonancy said:


> Hey Bob you and the boys are invited. I'll be hunting bull moose this fall and sure could use someone giving him a push my way. Just use the same tactics you use for bear. Make sure you can out run your goats.


We had a moose follow us for a while on one hunt. We were in a canyons a couple hundred yards across that had lots of cover. It was turning dark. Mikey kept wrenching his head around like he was looking up on the canyons walls or for a bird. When I spotted the Moose, he was on the same trail with us about 50 yards behind us.

He was just moseying along, no indication of any threat.

When is the moose season?


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

The season for my tag in north Idaho is early November. 
Glenna says she had her goats on a moose hunt and the moose ignored her goats. My long range shooting will hopefully avoid any close encounters. Once you are charged by a bull moose you sure do not ever want to put your goats in that situation. It was 10 years ago but I remember every hair on his hackles.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

I have the same problem with the goats throwing a fit when I leave. Herb (on this forum) has used his goats for years hunting and said that they get used to his coming and going and eventually quit bawling after a few times. Of course I am leaving two behind and he usually has 10 or more. More security in number I would guess. Still... it makes me nervous to leave them when they are doing their best predator call imitation. 

I do like Bobs suggestion of a shelter so they can't tell when you are gone and it would make predators think long and hard before entering an enclosed area with human scent on it. Now all we need is a lightweight portable barn.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

Rex said:


> Now all we need is a lightweight portable barn.


Here ya go:
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-4304 ... B001DB4UU6


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Oh sure Bob, now you show us! If Id of known about this I woulda took the horns off my goat. Now what am I suppose to do?


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My moose hunt will be in November. My Easy-Up shelter came with zip on sides. It is 10' x 10', and weights 14lbs. I am going to practice the portable barn routine with my boys this summer to see if they will tolerate the shelter and not nibble on it. It can be set up with 3 sides so the front is open. It is water proof, and can be staked to the ground with tent stakes. November can have some nasty weather. The boys do fine with a tarp but the shelter would be more of a deterrent to predators. It will not be packed in anywhere but be set up at base camp.


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