# Packgoats, Warm-wet climate to cold dry?



## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Wondering about taking my goats on my annual winter cougar hunt. No dogs involved. Just hiking and calling for a week. 

I am concerned about taking them from the valley where we have generally 40-50 degree days and rain to an area that has 10 degree nights and 20-30 degree days with skiffs snow. Should they have coats?


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

I think coats would be a very good idea. Without an undercoat, the temps will effect them pretty good. Id also, if possible bring a bale of straw for them to bed down in if not in a trailer, to keep them off the cold ground. And lastly Id take some meds to battle pneumonia in the off chance you will need it. The day temps dont really worry me so much but the night temps do. Cold and wet = bad news.


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

I could set up a woodstove for them too. Lol.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My boys have been elk hunting for several years. We go to higher elevation with significantly colder temps at night. I use a fleece lined gortex goat coat. They seem to like the coats. The weather usually has been dry for us which is a blessing. They do have trailer and a tarp to sleep in. They seem to tolerate it with out difficulty. I do supplement them with dry COB and sunflower seeds in the early morning before we hit the trail.


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

idahonancy said:


> My boys have been elk hunting for several years. We go to higher elevation with significantly colder temps at night. I _*use a fleece lined gortex goat coat.*_ They seem to like the coats.


Are these the ones from Northwest? Or where did you get them?

Thx in advance!

TOU


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

I make them. The gortex and fleece fabric were from Ebay.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

We're getting ready for a 10 day hunt in the backcountry so the goats will all get coats made this week. I bought nylon for the shell and fleece for the inside. Hopefully they will turn out good, I'll post pics when I get them done.


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Trimmed with coyote fur would be nice


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Spoiled as they are, I'm sure they're already expecting it


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Is fleece the best for the lining as far as warmth is concerned? Will cordura keep the fleece dry? I want to make (or buy, if I can afford, probably not though) coats for my guys as we sometimes go to high elevations and they puff their fur up to stay warm since they don't have the undercoat for it, and I'd like something that would protect them if it stormed and rained some too. Would the fleece get soaked under the cordura and hence keep the goats wet?


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

I'd use goretex or like substitute. Not going to take more than a yard I'd expect. Then you need something soft and warm under that. Fleece is pretty cheap at the fabric store. Sweet goatmama's book has instructions for making coats. $20 should be achieveable. I'm going to make both summer and winter coats. Using hunter orange. One of mine could pass for a doe deer to nimrods in the woods.


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

People...Pictures, pictures, pictures...


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks for the tips!


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## Deschutes Dawn (Sep 24, 2013)

*warm wet to cold dry*

There is an outdoor fabric place in Corvallis OR that I have ordered from that is very good. www.therainshed.com They have EVERYTHING in outdoor fabrics and patterns. I used to make lots of my endurance horses blankets and wraps, rump rugs, coolers etc. Now it's my boys turn for rainshed creations.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Here's a few pic's of the coats we made. We used fleece for the lining and water resistant nylon for the shell, then sprayed them all twice with waterproof camp spray. The water beads right off. With all supplies they ended up costing under $20.00 each, so a pretty good deal.

View attachment 1657


View attachment 1658


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

Very pretty coats. What do you do for static build up? I tried a fleece-lined coat one winter and Cuzco hated it. After he'd worn it about three times, he started running away every time I brought it out. Every time I took it off it would stick to his hair and make a bunch of static crackle. It was always bunching up in places because of the static cling. A few weeks of that and I switched back to a nylon-lined coat with an insulation fill.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Is that Go Go Boots???


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I was going to ask that same question, Dave, but I didn't realize you sold her. She sure is a looker even under that coat!


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

It is Boots! We renamed her June and she has fit in so well with "her" boys. She's the sweetest girl and an absolute giant for her age compared to our other guys. Around the first of September she weighed in at 140 and 35 inches tall. Hard to tell in the picture, but she towers over two of the other boys.

As far as static, I haven't dealt with that yet since they haven't actually worn them other than to fit them. I made them for a high country hunt that we had to cancel due to the weather.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

WOW!  fantastic to hear! LOL its the legs, Id recognize em anywhere.

If you have any good pics of her and the boys, Ill post em on the website.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Yes, you do gotta love those legs! I'll try and get some good pics here soon.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Some fleece has a durable water repellent finish (DWR). It helps to keep the moisture off the goat. My big gut on the left in the picture has his coat 1/2 falling off his hips. Normally it covers the hip.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Nice coats! I always look forward to seeing pictures of your handsome boys. I also love the fir bows in the pic


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

This was their camp while we were elk hunting. It rained and snowed. The ground was wet and they spent 2 nights standing up then hiking all day. They were about ready to fall down when I put the bough down for a bed. To keep them from eating it I put it in the pen and stomped on it. Other wise it would have all disappeared. My husband had purchased several yards of that camo colored gortex on ebay for some project that never happened. So I made the boys coats out of it.


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Your boys look well taken care of! No SPCA visits for you.


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

After further review, the tree huggers might visit you. I see a tree that's been stripped of bark. Shame for shame. 

You are a good motivator for the rest of us to upgrade our camp facilities. I've got really complete stuff for people, wall tent, stove, cook shack, cabana for rest room (which we call the little house I the prairie), etc.. But now it's obvious that my goats have been neglected. Thanks for the inspiration!


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

That is true they stripped the tree bark. I have not figured out how to stop that if we are camping in a heavily treed area. Some times I cannot find a place to put the goats where they cannot reach trees. I wondered if something as simple as tobasco or pepper on the tree may work. At home I have trees fenced. Any suggestions for something temporary and light weight?


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Oh, let them have their fun! After all that work they deserve a little bark, the wildlife does it too. I wouldn't worry about it in the type of areas it looks like you camp. It would be different if you were in a wilderness area or designated camp site, but it doesn't appear that was the case.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

No, this area is neither a camp or wilderness. It is an "open range" area where herds of cattle storm through regularly and eat everything in sight. We are so spoiled in Idaho with lot of public land and public access. Unfortunately we have lots of public wolves which makes hunting a challenge. Montana has pockets of mountains where the wolves just don't seem to survive. It makes for good elk hunting but this state has limited public access to lands. It makes for tough camping. We gave up on the RV we use in Idaho and went with a wall tent to increase our ability to get back where nobody cares about us camping. Which overall is easier with the goats using their portable electric fence, tarp, goat coats and pine bough.


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## tmas (Aug 1, 2013)

I like the Idea of these goat coats! I need to figure out a plan and make a couple for my little packers. Just a thought, but you can buy military surplus wool blankets for pretty cheap, like $3-5 a piece, and wool continues to insulate even if it happens to get wet, might be a good insurance if they do get some seepage around the waterproof material. I might try going that route when I make some, I just need to find a sewing machine that is HD enough to sew my own!


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

tmas said:


> I like the Idea of these goat coats! I need to figure out a plan and make a couple for my little packers. Just a thought, but you can buy military surplus wool blankets for pretty cheap, like $3-5 a piece, and wool continues to insulate even if it happens to get wet, might be a good insurance if they do get some seepage around the waterproof material. I might try going that route when I make some, I just need to find a sewing machine that is HD enough to sew my own!


Where do you find those blankets for $3-$5?


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

idahonancy said:


> I make them. The gortex and fleece fabric were from Ebay.


 I found some patterns on the internet, if I can find the right material, I may make a few myself. Thx again Nancy!


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My thoughts on wool: Where we go camping the goats do not really need the insulation of a wool blanket. The intent for me is mostly to keep them dry with a good wind block. The fleece is moderately insulating, the water repellent finish makes it so it does not absorb water even if it gets damp. The biggest advantage of fleece is that it will dry out fairly quickly. 
However I do love the performance of wool fabric. If I was using a coat in a more domesticated situation it may be an affordable consideration.


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## Deschutes Dawn (Sep 24, 2013)

TOU, where did you find your patterns? Are they goat specific or altered dog coats?


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