Packgoats As An Asset

[vigilguy]

A year or two ago when I was getting my stock permit from the Bridger-Teton National Forest personnel, they told me that a guy had rented a packgoat, took him up out of the Green River Lakes area in the Northern Winds, (he had failed to apply for a stock permit beforehand), and ... get this... left the goat behind in a deadfall area in order to make it back to his truck so he could catch his plane. True story, I didn't make this up. They later found out who it was and they did issue a citation to him.

NAPgA once upon a time, (before my time) printed up pamphlets for distribution. Somehow we need to educate the folks who are using packgoats, perhaps providing pamphlets to the Forest Service personnel to mail out in the same envelope along with the stock permits.

This thread discusses packgoats as an asset....that's why I like to do annual trail cleanups with my goats. Clear the trails of deadfall in burn areas so that backpackers, horse packers and others can gain access to the high country. It seems to me that the USFS have suffered from budget cuts and need the volunteer help.

At past Rendys, we have put in hundreds of hours of work cleaning trails, cleaning up abandoned pot farms, etc. The USFS personnel were quite appreciative.

Carolyn Eddy has had a really good relationship with the Forest Service folks due to trail maintenance in the past.