Feral Goats

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biking beginner from Farmington on 6/25/2007 3:40:55 PM:

Back in the early '90s, I saw a group (herd?) of wild-looking, shaggy goats with long, stringy fur and longish horns, peering out at me from the rocky hill on my left as I was biking from Rocheport to Easley.

I was reminded of it recently as I participated in the Wild on the Katy ride last week, and I mentioned it to my dad, who said he recollected something about feral goats being decimated by farmers who had a problem with them.

Anyone know anything about this?

howard hughes blues from kc on 6/26/2007 5:10:05 AM:

I saw a goat right on the trail one time. I actually thought it might be some type of wild mountain goat living on the mountain-like bluffs, but I asked a local and he said it was some farmer's goat that got loose. I don't know about wild feral goats. Maybe.

biking beginner from Farmington on 6/26/2007 2:54:32 PM:

Was it shaggy? My dad was saying that yes, they were formerly domesticated but turned feral.

Then again, he's pulled my chain before, pun intended.

howard hughes blues from kc on 6/26/2007 6:10:11 PM:

all goats are shaggy.

Anonymous on 6/26/2007 7:08:44 PM:

There is a farmer that has a field of goats on the east side of the trail maybe a mile before Huntsdale which would be maybe midway between Rocheport and Easly. Maybe he had some get loose.

DougK from Troy on 6/29/2007 9:58:52 AM:

FYI: You can see one of these goats if you go to Klondike Park in Augusta. Follow the road to the scenic overview behind the conference center, he's usually up there grazing in the field.

biking beginner from Farmington on 6/29/2007 5:09:00 PM:

Did I say "shaggy?" These had long strands of fur, practically touching the ground. The long hair was matted with leaves, twigs, etc. stuck in it. They were in a herd, about 15 feet from the trail with no fence in sight.
Guess I was dreaming it. I've seen farm goats before, and these weren't it.

howard hughes blues from kc on 6/30/2007 4:41:05 AM:

the one I saw had pretty healthy looking white hair. It's entirely possible imho, that a herd of feral goats could survive in that area. plenty of food and water.

Michael Keller from Saint Louis, MO on 10/15/2007 7:45:37 PM:

Last year (the last week of September), I was behind the Conference Center in Klondike Park, and I, too, have seen this goat. He's definitely not an escapee from a farmer. This thing has long shaggy grey hair, curled "Ram's horns", and a temper! I did manage to get a couple pictures of him before he bluffed me by pawing the ground, shaking his head - and running right up the side of the bluff. This week, I went further up the mountain (the back trail), and I could definitely smell him - the greasy, musky wild smell. I could smell him in a couple different areas. I also saw goat droppings. He's more than Klondike legend - he's very real! This is "winery weather", and the park was busy. I heard several people from various groups talking about the "billy goat".

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