Chat
04-19-2014, 11:38 AM
In case anyone has an hour to kill, here is an article that has is fairly comprehensive on the general subject we are discussing here.
http://www.wafwa.org/documents/wswg/Reco...gement.pdf
Note that the general recommendation to managing agencies is to NOT allow any packgoat use in BHS source habitats, and where such a prohibition is not YET in place, they are asking the agencies and affiliated non-profits to educate the public as to the risk. "Where legislation or regulations are not already in place, an outreach program to inform
potential users of the risks associated with that activity should be implemented to discourage use of domestic sheep or goats as pack animals."
We need to be RE-EDUCATING them that WE as a packgoating community are not the problem. We DO need to be managed, but MANAGED, and NOT BANNED. We are distinctly different than a rancher who has 300 meat goats spread over a hillside, we can and do control each and every goat we take into the woods. We acknowledge that we do not need to take our goats right into the heart of a BHS herd, but suggest that instead of banning us from a finite geographic area that may or may not actually have a BHS population therein at any one point in time, rather on a case-by-case basis we can keep our goats away from BHS populations we encounter. We would not be opposed (in fact I suggest that we embrace) to common-sense type rules; ie not using packgoats when hunting BHS. Requiring health certificates when we enter certain geographic zones. Requiring GPS collars in certain zones, Requiring lead tied goats in certain zones, etc.
http://www.wafwa.org/documents/wswg/Reco...gement.pdf
Note that the general recommendation to managing agencies is to NOT allow any packgoat use in BHS source habitats, and where such a prohibition is not YET in place, they are asking the agencies and affiliated non-profits to educate the public as to the risk. "Where legislation or regulations are not already in place, an outreach program to inform
potential users of the risks associated with that activity should be implemented to discourage use of domestic sheep or goats as pack animals."
We need to be RE-EDUCATING them that WE as a packgoating community are not the problem. We DO need to be managed, but MANAGED, and NOT BANNED. We are distinctly different than a rancher who has 300 meat goats spread over a hillside, we can and do control each and every goat we take into the woods. We acknowledge that we do not need to take our goats right into the heart of a BHS herd, but suggest that instead of banning us from a finite geographic area that may or may not actually have a BHS population therein at any one point in time, rather on a case-by-case basis we can keep our goats away from BHS populations we encounter. We would not be opposed (in fact I suggest that we embrace) to common-sense type rules; ie not using packgoats when hunting BHS. Requiring health certificates when we enter certain geographic zones. Requiring GPS collars in certain zones, Requiring lead tied goats in certain zones, etc.