How to Catch a Goat

Last Updated: June 2, 2022

If one of your goats has gotten loose, you may find yourself on a wild goose chase to capture your cloven-hoofed friend. Luckily, goats tend to be pretty easy to catch if you’ve got something to offer them, and you’ve undoubtedly got the wit and focus to get them back where they belong. In this article, we’ll cover everything you’ll need to do to get your goat home safe so you can go back to the work at hand.

1

Find your goat.

Grab a bucket of grain to attract the goat and go look for them. Find the goat by checking hedges for hole, looking up in trees (yes, trees!), flower gardens, inside your house, down the road, over the river, etc. Goats naturally explore and can be very curious.^{[1]
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2

Show them the grain.

Once you find the goat, approach them slowly with the bucket out. Go slow and walk towards the goat at an angle where the goat can see you and the grain bucket. Goats know where their escape routes are, and they are faster and more agile than you, so you don't want to startle it.

3

Offer the feed and grab the goat.

As the goat goes for the food, calmly take hold of your goat. Figure out what to grab when the goat starts running. If the goat wears a collar or other such device, try that. Horns can be used as handles as well, but are not always as strong as they appear and can break.^{[2]
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- If things go haywire, you may need to pin the goat. To pin them against a wall, place one knee in front of the shoulder blade and the other knee behind the ribs and lean into it. Ideally the head should be held up as well.

4

Tether the goat to a rope or chain.

This will keep the goat from wandering off again as you return them. Once caught, the goat should be tethered to a secure object by a chain or strong rope. No fence short of one designed for a federal prison will reliably hold a goat. Tethering in most cases is pretty much the only way to go. A good fence can hold a goat if they are happy. Tethering a goat can be dangerous because they can easily strangle themselves.

Community Q&A

Question

What should I do if there is no wall to pin my goat against?

Community Answer

I usually grab mine with one hand in front of the neck and one hand on the belly. You could try that.
Question

Is there any way to prevent goats from breeding?

Community Answer

Keep the males and females separate, or get the animals spayed/neutered.
Question

My goat is called Casper, how do I teach him to respond to me calling his name when taking him for a walk round the pond?

Baby Blue

Community Answer

Goats aren't like dogs - they are far harder to train with names. It's easier to just have a positive association with the goat so they stay close by you anyway. If you really want to teach them their name, try using conditioning. If they come to you when you call, reward them with something they like, such as apples or carrots.

Warnings

If the goat starts scrambling make sure your grip is strong and your hold is tough. You may be taken for a short ride, but typically, a strong hold will force the goat to do what you want it to do.

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While unlikely, if the goat falls over, you should be wary of the legs. They are powerful and pointy.

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Goat horns are sharp and serrated. Therefore, try not to get on the wrong end of them, as they will cause damage.

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If it rears, it is not good. If the goat rears taller than you are, it will aim to come down on your head. It generally becomes a game of chicken, and is one you want to avoid, especially if the goat has horns. If this happens, put your palm firmly to it's forehead, it should either come down safely or go over backwards.

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