I'm looking at about 60 acres in eastern Texas for hunting, a pond and a barndo. What's the board's thoughts on goats for some clearing. How many? Will they interfere with hunting? Do they need any care other than water?

Tia

Will someone live there full time? Or do you mean to keep stuff down between trips?

Condition of perimeter fencing is an important consideration. Not worth it if you need fence.

I'll be there 2-3 weekends a month. I'm fencing - not for livestock but to mark boundaries

Knew a guy that put barbado sheep on his place. His fences were no good so when he returned the weekend after he put them there, they were all gone.

Goats are good at getting out of good fences.

You would probably be better off making a deal with a neighbor to run sheep or goats. They are more work than you would think. You would need to check on them more than 2-3 times a month as well.

Another consideration is you would have to have a good livestock guardian. Or you would be out of the goat business pretty fast.

The goats will eat all the same stuff the deer would want to eat. As others have said, you would need more than 3 strand barbed wire fencing, and would need to check on them more than a few times per month.

Have you ever owned goats - or even just a goat? If the answer is no, I would suggest you move on to other things.

oscar9 said:

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You would probably be better off making a deal with a neighbor to run sheep or goats. They are more work than you would think. You would need to check on them more than 2-3 times a month as well.

Another consideration is you would have to have a good livestock guardian. Or you would be out of the goat business pretty fast.

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This. Listen to this man. I grew up with goats. I also second that they will outcompete the deer's forage. Had a lease once RUINED by sheep, after we managed it for 10 years.

There are more effective and wiser ways to spend your kJ eh- IMHO

If you could choose 1 thing to do to ruin hunting, puttting a bunch of goats on the place would be it.

I believe I've been told 100 times. If you want to get goats build the best fence you can afford, and when finished throw a bucket of water at the fence. If the other side gets wet, the goats will get out.

That's funny!

This idea of yours is as good as recommending that an individual servie as their own attorney on a semi serious charge.

Queso...goats will eat anything and they will eat the same food that deer need......browse and forbes. If you graze them enough for clearing your pasture they will destroy all the good deer food while accomplishing that. As what has been stated already your fences need to be a good net wire with small net size on the bottom to keep them from sticking their heads through......less they get their heads stuck with their horns and you then have dead goats.

I would never willingly out goats or sheep in anywhere I planned on hunting.

Hopefully your neighbors will be classy and invite you over when they are cooking cabrito on a spit.

It's damn good but takes a couple of days to get the smell off your fingers.

Try longhorns. They eat everything. Great at cleaning fence lines.

Pretty sure they will compete with deer though...

BQ04 said:

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Try longhorns. They eat everything. Great at cleaning fence lines.

Pretty sure they will compete with deer though...

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If you shoot something, they will protest and throw dildos, too. Something to keep in mind.

magnumtmp said:

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BQ04 said:

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Try longhorns. They eat everything. Great at cleaning fence lines.

Pretty sure they will compete with deer though...

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If you shoot something, they will protest and throw dildos, too. Something to keep in mind.

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Here is a good resource to insure a healthy population on your property.

Healthy, but not healthy enough to run too far.

I have a friend who spent a lot of time trying to use goats for forest management. He kept getting goats for free on craigslist. Apparently if you have a goat escape, the worst thing you can do is put it back with your other goats because it will put the idea of escaping in their heads and/or teach them how to escape. So people who know about goats, yet for some reason still decide to keep them, when a goat gets out they either kill it or give it away. And they never ever take a free goat (unless they plan to kill it right away).

I'd see what other kind of livestock you can get for free on craigslist, pick the one you want to look at the weekend you take it out there, and don't ever plan on seeing it again. Just like your feeders and 4-wheelers. You said East Texas, right? :p

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It's damn good but takes a couple of days to get the smell off your fingers.

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Some jokes just write themselves.....

I friend of mine has large lake on his property with an island. He keeps one goat on the island and it works great.

Do it! Then you can become this guy

I think you forgot to specify if these goats are to be used for sex...