My mind is blown right now, I went to feed my Boer Goats this morning that have their own pen they stay in at night, never in the 16 years of raising goats have I had this problem, I found one dead and picked to the bone, this is way different then a coyote attack are any dog because they will hurt more then one goat, this just looks so different, really upset and making some calls to wild life people. But my question is has any body seen a kill from a big cat? All the large animals have been on edge for the last couple of days out here, my horses and of course my goats, just jumpy and watchy and now this happen. So if anybody has dealt with this please, I will send pictures and see what you guys think. I wont post pictures here because its so graphic, just sick over this and now so darn worried..

I'm so sorry this happened!! Hugs to you and hopefully the rest of your critters will be ok after this scary event! 

http://www.santacruzpumas.org/2014/03/lion-kills-vs-coyote-kills/

Yes, its an awful sight for sure and just heartbreaking.  My step dad (deceased) was a government trapper for 30+ years and I am still in contact with one of his friends who is still trapping.  If you want to send me pictures, I can ask him what he thinks.  One of my co-workers had what looked like a cat attack on her farm and the game wardens came out, but were never able to capture it or find out for sure what it was that killed her goats.

You can email them [email protected]

I'm no help but just want to say sorry about your goat! That's a terrible thing to deal with!

The site will be clean unlike coyotes or dogs. They will stay with the kill until it's picked clean. They will also set the gut pile to the side,it's usually left over. This time of year, you are probably looking at a family, if it is a mountain lion kill. I think your goat is too big for a bobcat to be the culprit. Pictures? 

Being in the mountains of Colorado, we have lots of mountain lions however, we rarely have any problems. Had one young colt come up with scatches down both haunches once that we know was a lion but other than that, no problems. Eagles cause us more issues than any cats. 

My SIL doesn't think it's a big cat. They eat choice organs and meat but do not eat hide nor the whole carcass. They typically break the neck or puncture the skull and drag  the body off. Often times they bury the carcass with leaves or dirt. That are known to drag an elk carcass over a mile. They don't usually eat at the kill site. 

Do you normally have cats? 

We don't even though we do the have them now and issues from time to time. Thier kills here are not text book like described above. We have way too many coyotes and they take the guts and pick anything left behind  clean by morning, they fallow the cat (usualy younger that got pushed up the river) and clean up after them. 

I look for broken necks, slashed shoulders and hips and tracks coming and or leaving the site. 

We were one of the first in our area to report a cat kill on livestock the game warden didn't belive us at first. 

Hello STPG. Do you live North, South, East or West of the City? My brother lives near Alternate 90 and Eden Rd (very near the Guadalupe river) and has seen mountain lion tracks in his cattle pasture. So sorry about your goat.

I have a friend who raises sheep.  What you describe is exactly how she describes what's left when coyotes kill her ewes.  Picked clean, nothing but bone. One not-as-hungry coyote dined on a large lamb and left it still standing.  She had to shoot it.

How awful! I'd be scared whatever it was is going to return for more. Other animals acting flighty is a sign there is something there that normally isnt. something they arent use  to dealing with or seeing. This may sound totally off the wall but what about wild hogs? Your goats totally closed in though right? Like a fenced pen that something would have to jump over to get to it? We had a nasty hog running around behind the field by our barn.. my horses weren't having it ... at all. Snorty and kicking the walls to get out. 

I didn't post a "text book" answer, my SIL has lived in the Rockie Mountains almost his whole life, so it was his experience. They live in a canyon among the mountains in Colorado. They lost their goat to a beat this year and have black bear, lions and elk on their property. Elk and bear frequently are seen in their back yard. 

Whats so strange is this dont look like a normal coyote kill, coyotes go for the hindend/butt and eat that all out and leave the front area pretty much alone, this goat was in a pen with 11 others all fenced in, her neck is broken and her butt/hindend it all in tack not one bite back there. I have had goats killed over the years by coyotes and dogs but this kill is just so way different looking. Would you guys mind if I did post a picture, so y'all can see what I'm talking about. I just hope and pray it was coyotes so I can at least have a peice of mind and not worry about my two mini's and horses and of course the other goats, I wanted the goats to live out the rest of their lives here but not get eaten. So let me know if y'all would be ok with a picture, I just dont want to gross out anybdy. 

we have lost steers to big cats - 600# weight... they usually like to take the shoulder .

 Do you not have lgd's to stay with your goats?

coyotes seem to go for the rear end.

send me a picture  [email protected]

post the picture won't bother me....

I'll send you a picture, and Thanks..

pictures sent, thank you..

We are on the South side between StockDale and Seguin, we saw a Mountain Lion about 1 mile from us one night coming home from town crossing the road about 9 that evening this was about 8 years ago. I have had ranchers tell me of sightings over the years.. I just pray this is coyotes that did this..

If I know for sure it was coyotes then I would not be so worried, but not knowing is really setting heavy on me. Game camera is going up tonight. 

I sure wouldn't mind seeing the photos either. I'm sure it's not anything worse than we have all seen before 

There has been some sightings in my area over the years. Just scary to think it could have been a cat. If I find out it was coyotes or even a bobcat then that would ease my mind. I guess I'll post a couple of pictures. One of the neighbors saw the goat this after noon and thinks it not coyotes.