[houndsman3]

When is a good time to introduce goats to hunts and hunting like being around a shot being fired. I want my boys used to hunting and go with me. Dennis Crawford , Kansas

 

[idahonancy]

It may depend on the temperment of the goat. My boys were well bonded and easy to hike with. I love to walk with my husband and watch him work with our bird dog. One day I took the goats. The young ones were 1 year old. The 3 year old looked startled when the shot gun went off but seeing no reaction from myself, my husband, and the 1 year olds he relaxed with in seconds. The 1 year olds never even stopped eating. They were about 10 or 15 yards from the shot gun at the time. One of my goat has tried to help the dog point the pheasant. He gets beside the dog, stands still and cranes his neck out trying to see what the dog is pointing at. My husband was not impressed with a goat helping in the hunt.

 

[jross]

My goats are very gun shy. Even shooting a .22 rifle will spook them. If yours aren't gun shy, then I guess you are already most of the way to having them be hunting buddies. Personally, I would be careful shooting a loud gun very close to them, just because I wouldn't want to damage their ears. I think their ears or more sensitive than ours, and therefore more prone to damage from loud noises. I don't know that for sure, tho.

Another problem, at least with mine, is that a lot of the time they are out in front of me. I take them out to hike around and eat, and I shoot my bow at stumps, clods, cow pies, etc. Sometimes I have to wait until one of them moves out of the way before taking a shot.