DWR offers mountain goat safety tips after dog goring incidents on Mount Timpanogos

A mountain goat. Photo: Courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

SALT LAKE CITY — Following several reports of doge being gored and killed by mountain goats on Mount Timpanogos, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has provided tips to help keel you and your furry friends safe while recreating.

According to a press release from the DWR, Utah is home to roughly 1,500 mountain goats statewide. Mountain goats are typically found in high-elevation areas with rugged terrain, and the largest herds are located in the Uinta Mountains, as well as the Tushar Mountains near Beaver.

“Mountain goats are really adapted to snowy weather and high-elevation conditions,” said Rusty Robinson, DWR once-in-a-lifetime species coordinator. “As part of that adaptation, mountain goats don’t have hard hooves like other big game animals. Their hooves are more rubbery, which helps them grip the rocks when they are climbing a steep cliffside. They also grow really long, thick hair in the winter, and then shed it in the spring when the weather warms up.”

Both male and female mountain goats grow horns, making it more difficult to tell them apart. However, female goats typically have a thinner horn at the base, and a bigger gap between their horns. Males will also be larger in size.

Male mountain goats can become aggressive during their breeding season in November, and female goats can become more aggressive when they have babies, typically in late may. During the summer months while their offspring is young, female goats can become particularly territorial.

The DWR has provided the following tips to help keep you safe if you encounter a mountain goat while hiking or backpacking:

• Give them plenty of space (roughly 150 feet or more). Mountain goats will often stand their ground or charge you if you get too close.

• If you see a mountain goat coming down the trail you are on, turn around and head back down the trail to avoid getting too close to them.

• Like other big game animals, mountain goats can be especially aggressive toward dogs. Keep dogs leashed and under control at all times. It is against Utah law to allow dogs to chase or harass protected hoofed wildlife, like mountain goats.

• If a mountain goat begins approaching you, slowly back away and give it some distance. If it continues approaching, wave your arms and make loud noises to try and scare it away.

• Talk to the land-managing agency for the area where you’re hiking and look for signs at trailheads to know if a particular trail has had reports of aggressive mountain goats. Then stay alert.

• Never feed a mountain goat or allow it to lick your skin.

“Mountain goats can impale you with their horns, so you don’t want to risk coming into contact with one,” Robinson said. “Remember that they are wild animals, so always give them plenty of space. They are found in some pretty extreme terrain, so you don’t want to risk getting too close to one while on the edge of a cliff. Be aware of your surroundings, stay alert and don’t put yourself in those situations. If you need to turn around and cut your hike short, do it.”