Valley man hopes goats take him closer to the game

They can carry up to 25 percent of their body weight. Their hooves are designed for mountain climbing. They have a herd instinct that keeps them following close. And they'll eat anything.

So when other hikers on the trail snicker as Fritz Hanna passes by with his small train of pack goats, Hanna figures he'll be the one to have the last laugh. Long after other backpackers are worn out by their loads, he and his goats will still be going, farther into the mountains and closer to the game.

"They laugh, which is fine," the Valley resident said.

When the lifelong Canadian went on a seven-day sheep hunt in British Columbia several years ago with his brother, Hanna ended the trip feeling there had to be a better way than packing in everything on his back.

He felt llamas were too cost prohibitive. Horses were commonplace and wouldn't get him anywhere dozens of other people couldn't get to as well.

"I wanted an animal that could go with me wherever I wanted to go. If that meant to the top of the mountain, that's what I wanted," he said. Then Hanna thought of goats. Eventually he found a research biologist in Utah who had been using goats for packing for 15 years. The more Hanna looked into it, the better the idea seemed. It is as if the solid, long-legged alpine goats were built for the job. And so he found George and Pete. "They're strong, really strong," Hanna said as his two goats nibbled on hay. "And they'll follow you."

When Hanna goes for a jog down the long driveway of his father-in-law's Palmer farm, where he keeps the animals, the goats eagerly tag along. Hanna has had the twin brothers since they were kids and they are nearing three years old this spring. From the day he got them, Hanna began to lead the goats on walks to get them used to the idea of going with him into the woods.

"They kind of bonded with me," Hanna said. In ways, the goats seem more like hunting dogs than farm animals. Hanna said they jump in the air with excitement when it's time for a jog, they come running when Hanna whistles, he disciplines them with a squirt from a water bottle and when he's driving somewhere, they'll hop in the back of his pickup truck.

At the same time, the goats didn't have to be saddle-broke like horses-- even after a long winter of no practice, George hardly stops his munching as Hanna straps on a pack. And having been castrated as kids, the goats don't give off the nasty odor from their scent glands that has earned billy goats a bad name.

They are also relatively calm animals that don't spook easily, except at water and black bears. The former, Hanna says, has become less of a problem with experience and the goats are skilled at crossing creeks on fallen trees. As for the latter, perhaps being shy of black bears isn't such a bad thing. But these animals do have their peculiarities.

"He can be a little jealous," Hanna admitted of his favorite goat, George. "He can be kind of obnoxious that way." The goat, with his impressive horns and 175-pound frame, has been known to push his way between Hanna and visitors. But Hanna said he actually prefers George's more aggressive nature -- he works harder and more eagerly than his smaller brother.

The goats have proven to be relatively inexpensive. Hanna purchased them for $50 apiece. They don't require much in the way of housing, except some protection from the rain and wind. And Hanna says one good round bale of hay will keep them through the winter. He works as a tree-trimmer, so he says he brings home the tops of trees for his goats to enjoy as well. And the legendary status of goats being able to eat just about anything really is true, Hanna said -- shrubs, grass, backpack straps.

"That part is kind of a nuisance," Hanna admitted. "And they'd get into your lunch if they could." When Hanna opens the door to his truck, one of the goats rushed in. "He's looking for chip crumbs," Hanna said. But this same trait also makes goats the perfect pack animal -- none of the space in the saddle bags is wasted on food for the animals themselves. In the field, goats will browse on whatever is available, and they can go as long as three days without water. With their quirky personalities, however, the goats are more than just work animals. Hanna said they provide companionship in the field, but also require more of a commitment than a four-wheeler or boat.

"You've got to be patient and work with them," he said. "You have to remember they're animals, not machines." Hanna has yet to take them on an overnight trip, but he is hoping to get them out frequently this summer and by fall have them ready for a sheep-hunting trip. There are still some details to work out, like getting them used to the idea of riding in a boat and the sound of gunfire. Hanna, however, prefers bow hunting anyway and hopes to eventually have his own business of making custom bows. Somehow it seems a fitting combination -- a man with his handmade bow leading his pack goats into alpine country in search of Dall sheep. "The more I'm with them, the more I'm impressed with their natural abilities," he said of the animals. "They are made to do exactly what I want them for, which is being up in the mountains."