A pack goat is a

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

used as a beast of burden, for packing cargo. Generally, large wether (castrated buck) goats are used for packing, though does may also be packed. While does are generally smaller and therefore able to carry somewhat less cargo, they may also provide fresh milk. Goats are domesticated herd animals. They will usually stay near camp and follow their human masters on the trail, much as dogs will, without having to be leashed or tethered. They are generally used in wilderness camping settings. A healthy and fit pack goat can carry up to 25 percent of its weight and walk up to about 19km (12mi) per day depending on its load weight, the terrain, and the animal's conditioning. They are generally less expensive to own and operate than other pack animals since they are natural browsing animals and can feed themselves along the way.

In the United States

Th
North American Packgoat Association
is a

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ar ...

-based not-for-profit corporation formed to promote packing with packgoats. In the U.S.,

goats The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of th ...

bred for packing are usually tall and lean; belonging to one of the larger dairy goat breeds such as

Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

Toggenburg Toggenburg is a region of Switzerland. It corresponds to the upper valley of the river Thur and that of its main tributary, the Necker. Since 1 January 2003, Toggenburg has been a constituency (''Wahlkreis'') of the canton of St. Gallen ( ...

Saanen Saanen (french: Gessenay; Highest Alemannic: ''Saanä'') is a municipality in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district. History The village was first mentioned in 1228 as ''Giss ...

, Lamancha, Oberhasli or a crossbreed thereof. However, any type of goat can be trained to pack. Craftspeople and enthusiasts in the U.S design and build specialized goat packing equipment, publish newsletters and raise pack goats for personal use and sale. Goat packing is popular with both young families, and older individuals who want to be able to go into the

wilderness Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

and need help carrying all their gear. Some public lands require permits for the use of goats as pack animals. Concerns have been raised about the disease-spreading potential that domestic goats may pose to wild animals, such as

mountain sheep The argali (''Ovis ammon''), also known as the mountain sheep, is a wild sheep that roams the highlands of western East Asia, the Himalayas, Tibet, and the Altai Mountains. Description The name 'argali' is the Mongolian word for wild sheep. It ...

and mountain goats. Accordingly, the use of pack goats is restricted in certain areas. Goat packing was popularized in the U.S. in the 1980s and 1990s by John Mionczynski of

Atlantic City, Wyoming Atlantic City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 37 at the 2010 census. The community is a small mining settlement in a gulch near South Pass in southwestern Wyoming. It was founded ...

. He developed a herd of large mixed-breed goats and used them as early as the 1970s to pack supplies for scientists working in the mountains and later to carry food and gear for tourists on

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trips. He designed and built customized

pack saddles Pack or packs may refer to: Places * Pack, Austria, a municipality in Styria, Austria * Pack, Missouri * Chefornak Airport, Alaska, by ICAO airport code Groups of animals or people * Pack (canine), family structure of wild animals of the ...

and

saddlebags Saddlebags are bags that are attached to saddles. Horse riding In horse riding, saddlebags sit in various positions, on the back, side, or front of the saddle. Most attach to the saddle by straps and ties. They can be made from various material ...

and, with illustrator Hannah Hinchman, published a book, ''The Pack Goat'', in 1992.

References

External links

North American Packgoat Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pack Goat Livestock Animal-powered transport Hiking

In the United States

See also

References

External links