# Colorado elk. 2014.



## Zac (Sep 17, 2012)

Heres a few pics of the goats working hard and enjoying their jobs in the Colorado High Country in September. Most of this hunt was completely off trail, ive included a few pics of the boys crossing some big blowdown timber. Having these guys pack out 160lbs of deboned elk meat from 8 miles in, on a steep north facing timber hillside with no trail was absolutely invaluable!! Love these guys!!! 
They were along for the entire week long hunt and were with me when i shot this bull at 25 yds.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice pictures! Looks like you had great weather.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Aw, the goats are beautiful and so is the scenery! I miss Colorado- what a beautiful
state. Congrats on the elk, too! 

My sister-in-law's nephew runs pack goats for elk hunts out of Steamboat Springs, Co.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Neat pics! I really like seeing the goats used as working animals


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

So I'm wondering...the goats aren't bothered by the smell of a wild thang close at hand, or by the smell of raw meat? (I guess I could go wave a steak under my goats' noses to find out.)


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm curious as to what the elk think of a bunch of goats with their packs on...


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## Zac (Sep 17, 2012)

To answer those questions... The elk/deer etc... are not bothered by the goats as long as they see them approaching. But if you sneak in very quietly and undetected and then they see the goats at once.. its seems to be about 50/50 chance of the game being spooked. And as far as the goats being scared of the meat/blood/downed animal. They just browse around feeding while i work up the elk. and then when im ready to load the meat on them, i just give them a treat and tie them up until i have them loaded and they pack the meat out with no issues.


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## Zac (Sep 17, 2012)

Goat_in_Himmel said:


> So I'm wondering...the goats aren't bothered by the smell of a wild thang close at hand, or by the smell of raw meat? (I guess I could go wave a steak under my goats' noses to find out.)


But they do stay a good 20yds or so away from the downed animal. Once the meat is in game bags though it seems to not bother them whatsoever.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Awesome! Where in Colorado were you hunting? Are the goats yours or did you rent them from an outfitter? I ask because someone was asking me where they might be able to rent packgoats for hunting in Colorado and I wasn't sure.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Goats dont freak over the smell of blood like horses do.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

Thanks for sharing!


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Nice bull and great that your goats do the heavy work for you.  My husband and I are the pack goats on our hunting trips, so I can certainly appreciate the work it takes to get a bull out of the woods.


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## nebs (Sep 4, 2013)

Great thread! Congrats on a great elk and adventure. Thanks for sharing!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

It was beautiful this September here in Colorado. Looks like you found a beautiful place to hunt for sure.


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## Zac (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks a bunch everyone! Glad u like the thread. Yeah, it was a great week of weather for september. And yes, the goats sure do earn their keep when u are miles deep in the Wilderness for a week. i actually went for 2 weeks this september... The first week and last week of the archery elk season... So the boys carried alot of gear and put on 50+ miles. And these are my goats, not rented. ive just recently got another 3 yr old alpine wether that will be part part of the packstring on future hunts.


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## wyomingtrapper (Mar 27, 2014)

Looks like it was a great hunt. That is why I picked up my wethers this year. I've got some disc problems in my back and my packing days are over. Look forward to them doing some of the work next year... Thanks for sharing the pics and the hunt, but now I'm bemoaning how long it is until September...


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## m57gonefishing (Jan 26, 2012)

That's awesome. Love seeing those pictures of the goats on hunting trips.


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## Rod Meyer (Jun 1, 2009)

That's a huge bull!! I don't think they grow em that big here in Oregon any more. Good job!


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## Tobapat (Apr 8, 2015)

My brother and I killed nice 4 pt bucks not 1/2mile from where that third picture was taken


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Rod Meyer said:


> That's a huge bull!! I don't think they grow em that big here in Oregon any more. Good job!


They do grow them big in Oregon, but you have to have permission to hunt private lands.


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