Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Murderous Mountain Goat

I remember how John and I and several others went to the Pecos Wilderness in NM in - when was it? 1975? - and discovered that the Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep babies were not only lovable, but approachable and friendly too.

I guess it doesn't apply to all sheep/goats:
Robert H. Boardman set out on a hike Saturday with his wife and a friend on an Olympic National Park trail popular because it is short, beautiful and close to town.

The Port Angeles man never completed it.

Boardman, 63, died after trying to shoo away a mountain goat at the top of Klahhane Ridge, about four miles north of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, National Park Service officials said Sunday.

...Other acquaintances — Jessica and Bill Baccus and their three children — were hiking the same trail. When they reached the saddle at the top of the trail, they found Willits, frantic and cellphone in hand. Willits told them a mountain goat had attacked Boardman and that the goat wouldn't let people get near him.

Boardman was lying motionless farther up the trail, about 100 feet away, while the animal stood over him, Jessica Baccus said.

"The mountain goat was terribly aggressive," she said. "It wouldn't move. It stared us down."

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