So, due to recent very high winds and storms, we will be getting the roofs on our home and carport replaced. The roofers came by this evening to check everything out and to give us an estimate. As we talked, I found out that the two owners of the business were Vets. One of them began telling me that he took Vets out on hunting trips locally, in his part to help fellow Vets. He also told me that he used pack goats to carry pretty much everything in and out on the hunts.

We live in a mountainous area, very rocky and very thick but he said that the goats did an awesome job. I had heard of this before, but not around here. Then he saw my bows hanging in the house. He really liked the recurves and longbows but perked up when he saw my selfbows.

He told me that he meant to go to a Bow Jam that had been held recently, I think it might have been the one in Oklahoma. He said that he wanted to go to it so that he could take a class where you take a stave that you bought there and end up with a bow.

So I strung several of mine up and both guys got excited. I have an Osage stave that I may give to the one. I may give a recurve to the other. It was funny, they had been in a hurry to leave up to that point. Both began talking about what a thrill it would be to take a deer with one.

I guess that I will have to see if I have enough stuff to make them some arrows and such as well. They help Vets and are Vets so this Vet will have to "help" them. Pretty cool roofers.

Good for you!! That is awesome. It’s great to hear positive stories where people help each other out! What a blessing!

Very cool, Jerry!

Thank you for your service and sharing your story

What a coincidence. I'm getting my house roof and shed re-shingled by an Army and Marine veteran. They'll be finishing up today. Me being an 8-year U.S. Army veteran I'm always glad to employ military veterans. They are going to re-do my deck also in composite decking like TimberTech or Trex. No more staining. :)

How cool. I love goats they are very entertaining especially kids. I have never packed with them personally but no place is too rocky or steep. They leave very little sign & there is always feed for them. Careful they will chaw on leather goods, feathers, etc. & will eat most anything.Lots of land in Texas too barren & rocky to raize anything else. Thanks all you vets. >>>----> Ken

Good for you Jerry. Humble, generous and touching lives

It is always a good feeling to be using Vets like this, these guys have pride in their work. One was Air Force, the other joined the Marines after 9/11 then later the Army. He did 2 tours in the Middle East. Both men are very Patriotic and this makes it very easy for me to give them a bow. I don't have much to choose from, it is what it is. One is 6'1 or 2, the other is 5'8 or 9. I may have them replace a couple logs on our second floor deck with 2x10s. My replacing days are over, now I have to pay LOL. And we are expecting heavy hail this weekend.....

Outstanding about the VETS, Bows and the Pack goats! Had never heard of goatsies being used? Llamas, pack horses, mules or donkeys but GOATS is a new one Learn something new every day!

Thanks for sharing , goats are such interesting characters , I ve been around a few and they seem wise some how and very curious.

Nice Jerry, I appreciate that you are always looking to help other lean the love of the bow. Be well my friend. Joe

We packed with goats for years. I really miss them. They were great!!!

We had them, too Zman, and it is hard to admit a kid growing up cowboying would buy his wife goats, sawbucks, and panniers so she could hike into high Wyoming lakes and Idaho mountains with the kids and a friend or two. She never did like horses.

And personality galore. We had a wether and the half-dozen nannies followed him wherever he and I went. He’d stay right with me, usually off lead, while I’d go along shooting a few roving arrows on our walks to the river a couple of miles away.

I never overnighted with them like she did, but hiked the hills for exercises quite regularly with them tagging along. At night, my wife would sometimes tie up the wether and the nannies stayed right there.

I met a goat packer from that Salmon wilderness country who hunted with them. He would leave the dominate herd goat tied up at camp in the morning and go chase the elk. He did caution about mountain lions stalking them on a couple of occasions, more out of curiosity than anything. Lots of fun and good memories.

And if you strike out on the deer, you can always butcher one so that the guys at the trailhead all think you got something ;p

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