# Most effective place to shoot a goat?



## frank4570

I have a goat I need to put down. I would like either a diagram of goat anatomy or good detailed instructions on where to shoot her.She is old and now getting lame and winter is comming on now.
Thanks.


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## moosemaniac

I've always been taught in the head, preferably between the eyes. Now I could be wrong, but it sure seems like that would be the most painless place.

Ruth


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## Michael W. Smith

Yep, in the head. When the butcher would come, that is what he did. A shot to the head and they drop like a rock. Sometimes they kick around (nerves) and sometimes they don't.

Sorry that you have to put yours down. How old is she? My oldest must be going on 10 now, and so far, she gets along fine. I always hoped I would go out to the pen someday and find her dead - I would hate to have to put her down, but if quality of life isn't quality, then you do have to be a responsible animal owner.


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## Michael Leferink

I am very sorry. I have had to put down a number of animals and it's never something I look forward to doing.

I do it one of three ways:

1) Place the bullet at a spot slightly above "between the eyes". The path of the bullet should be through the brain and into/out of the throat.

2) Base of the skull, just above the join of the skull and neck. The bullet should pass through the brain at an angle and exit between the jaw bones.

3) Between the eye and the ear. The bullet should pass through the brain and exit at about the same point on the other side.


Any of these should produce immediate death. If there is any doubt, shoot again. There will be blood and the animal will twitch and maybe jump. This is just the nerves firing random impulses. There may be escaping air from the lungs. Your animal will not be alive and it will not be feeling anything.

I do not suggest using a .22RF. I know a lot of people use this caliber to put down their animals with no problem. However, any bullet can and will glance off of hard bone (skull). The lighter the bullet, the more likely this will happen. Be sure your bullet hits square to reduce the chance of this happening and I would use something bigger than a .22RF if I had it. Please be careful. I'm sure you will be, but this can be a very emotional thing for some folks and emotions have a way of allowing us to forget the basic safety rules.

Again, very sorry.

MikeL


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## mpillow

where the base of skull meets the neck.....goats are thick headed for butting purposes so between the eyes is not so good a place.

Thank you for being merciful to your animal.


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## Gailann Schrader

mpillow has it dead on. I've had trouble with the "between the eyes" method. FIRST, they are looking at you and know something is up. SECOND, the round tends to not penetrate properly and doesn't bounce around scrambling everything. You aren't hitting the brain stem, stopping basic functions. They tend to scream and try to run, so if you use that method? Tie them up or they run around like chickens do when you remove their head...

The behind the head at the groove base of the skull at an angle into the cranium works VERY well. Take her out away from the other stock, give her some grain to eat (on the ground) and then shoot her into that groove when she's peacefully eating. Scrambles the brains pretty well. The frontal lobe will still tend to have some structure, but you will destroy the brain stem. It's called Execution Style. Slashing the throat after they are down will stop functions more quickly too. She will pretty much be senseless after the shot.

Good luck.


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## Goat Freak

Just wanted to say sorry that you have to put her down, at least she had a good life.


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## frank4570

Thanks fro the responses. She is at least 7 years old.She is easily the sweetest goat we have.She is really more like a pet.I am not looking forward to this, but I want to be sure to do it right. Letting her go into the cold winter with her swolen knees would be cruel.


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## tinetine'sgoat

Have you checked with your vet as to how much it would cost to have her put down? Some of them will do it for little or nothing and it will save you the emotional trauma of killing her. I agree that a .22 would not be a good choice of guns. My opinion is that you shouldn't shoot between the eyes, the skull plate is thick in that area. My dad when putting down a diseased cow went either under the jaw back into the brain cavity or the ear angled down so that the bullet would exit above the jaw line on the other side. These are just my .02. I'll say a prayer for you, best to you all and God bless a goat life well lived!!


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## frank4570

I'm not going to bring a vet out here for this. I think in reality shooting is less traumatic for the goat, if done properly. And the .22 is not an issue since I don't have one. I carry a 10mm so that is what I will use. Thanks for the concerned replies, this will not be the first animal I have had to put down.It is just a bit more difficult for animals I am fond of.


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## ozark_jewels

Yes, The BEST place is behind the head at an angle toward the lower jaw. Between the eyes is a BAD idea for goats or sheep because of the extra thick skull plate there. I butcher all my freezer goats using this method and have put down one doe using it. It is a good way to do it. So sorry she has to go......


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## Laura Workman

OK, so you shoot where the base of the skull meets the neck, in the back center, I presume. Where do you aim for the bullet to exit? Not that it will exit, I just want to get the right angle for the path now that we've zeroed in on the point of entry. (Yes, I have a little killing to do as well. With a .22. And I'm nervous about it.)


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## HunterTed

Unless you are an accomplished shooter I would do it at VERY CLOSE range ESPECIALLY WITH A .22. Just keep the gun level so that the bullet will go through the base of the neck. But if you can borrow/use something bigger than a .22 I would reccommend it. Shot a few animals at the base of the skull with a .22 (all I had handy at the time) and they kicked and thrashed around for a few seconds. Seeing this might upset some people.


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## ozark_jewels

Ok, lets see if I can get a picture here.......








This is the angle I use to do all my killing. I butcher a lot of goats and have never had this method fail. They drop straight down and except for a few reflex movements are still. Reflex movements are natural after the animal is dead.


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## Laura Workman

Thank you so much!!! Nothing like a picture to clear things up!


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## moosemaniac

Laura Jensen said:


> Thank you so much!!! Nothing like a picture to clear things up!


Just don't show the picture to the goat! :help: 

Ruth


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## TexCountryWoman

I agree you should not have the vet do it. It would cause the animal emotional trauma. I have to have the abuility to put down large animals (equines, bovines) also so I use a 12 gauge shot gun with a slug. Last week, my 14 year old Aussie was run over and his back was broken and I had to shoot him with that shot gun. He was deaf, had only one good leg, no teeth and was missing half his bottom jaw...BEFORE he got run over. He served a good hard-working life...and always smiled. I had to shoot him and still haven't been able to cry....when I do, I won't stop. Shot guns are rough, but they work better than anything I know.


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## frank4570

TexCountryWoman said:


> I agree you should not have the vet do it. It would cause the animal emotional trauma. I have to have the abuility to put down large animals (equines, bovines) also so I use a 12 gauge shot gun with a slug. Last week, my 14 year old Aussie was run over and his back was broken and I had to shoot him with that shot gun. He was deaf, had only one good leg, no teeth and was missing half his bottom jaw...BEFORE he got run over. He served a good hard-working life...and always smiled. I had to shoot him and still haven't been able to cry....when I do, I won't stop. Shot guns are rough, but they work better than anything I know.


I know what you mean.Life can be rough sometimes.


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## Michael Leferink

No offense is intended to ozark_jewels. I'm sure the purpose of the picture is only to show the proper angle for the shot. Just want to warn folks not to place their off hand in the position seen in the picture (under the neck). It is hoped that a bullet will travel straight through a target, but such is not always the case. Bullets will sometimes do strange and unexpected things once they hit something. In the position shown in the picture, I would not be surprised if the left hand was struck by a deflected shot. I have seen bullets enter and then turn at all kinds of angles, including back toward the shooter. And there is the danger of bullet/bone fragments. Also, I would not shoot any animal while holding it between my knees. With the shot placement shown in the picture, the goat would most likely go straight down. But sometimes an animal will jump straight up when shot. I would give the goat something to hold it's attention (food). I would stand along side of the goat, just behind the shoulder. When the goat lowers it's head to eat, I would move the muzzle to within 6" but not less than 2" of the intended point of impact and shoot. 

Again, no offense is intended and I don't mean to second guess anyone. Just don't want to see anyone get hurt.

MikeL


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## ozark_jewels

Yes, you are right. The picture was only meant to illustrate the angle. The gun was not loaded. Safety first, folks. 
As for holding the goat between my knees....I will say that in all the goats I have killed using that method(over 40), none have ever done anything but fall straight down. I have never seen a goat shot at that angle that didn't go straight down. I have tried the feed or loosely tying the goat and have gone back to holding them. My butcher goats are preferably wild and that seems to be the only sure-fire way of getting a clean shot. They have just too much free movement any other way. They also don't get stressed out like they do when they are fighting a rope. Now if the goat is tame, shooting is easy. But I do my best NOT to have to butcher tame goats. I get way too attached.................=( So, whatever method of restraint works best for you.....Of course if you are putting down a sick goat, its unlikely you'll have to worry about them jumping around.


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## Goat Freak

ozark_jewels said:


> Ok, lets see if I can get a picture here.......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the angle I use to do all my killing. I butcher a lot of goats and have never had this method fail. They drop straight down and except for a few reflex movements are still. Reflex movements are natural after the animal is dead.


How did you ever get your goat to let you hold a gun to it's head? Just wondering.


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## seedspreader

Do you really keep your left hand down there?


Oops, I see someone addressed it... sorry.


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## Caprice Acres

Goat Freak said:


> How did you ever get your goat to let you hold a gun to it's head? Just wondering.


i dont think the goat would be to worried about something he has never seen before...


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## ozark_jewels

Goat Freak said:


> How did you ever get your goat to let you hold a gun to it's head? Just wondering.


The goats do not know what a gun is or what a gun means, so no fear. That Nubian buckling was dead 3 minutes after the picture was taken and in the freezer a 1/2 hour later.


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## ozark_jewels

ZealYouthGuy said:


> Do you really keep your left hand down there?


No I do not. That picture was just an illustration for the correct angle. The pistol was NOT loaded. I keep my hand out of the way if I am actually shooting. In the pic I was using my hand to steady him long enough to snap the picture. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Evons hubby

frank4570 said:


> I have a goat I need to put down. I would like either a diagram of goat anatomy or good detailed instructions on where to shoot her.She is old and now getting lame and winter is comming on now.
> Thanks.


IMHO if one needs to put down a goat the best place would be someplace out of site of the kids, behind the barn, or shed, anyplace private. A small bowl of thier favorite grain will put thier head in the proper position to make a hard job the easiest it can. As to the shot itself, a 22 cal is fine, not nearly as messy as larger calibres would be and is quite effective if done correctly. the back of the head, at the base with the angle of the bullet slightly upward into the brain. Never go for the "between the eyes" on a goat! the skull thickness can very easily deflect a 22 cal bullet, merely making the goat furious and causeing unnecessary pain, to both the goat and you. Richocheting bullets can be quite nasty to anything in range. Good luck, it sounds like she has been a good one.


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## crowinghen

So sorry you have to put your goat down- 7 years is young, I think.  we just lost our ancient goat, Gomer this summer. We were told he was 13 when we got him and we had him around 7 years until he died in his sleep- what a sweety  

I commend you for researching the most humane/painless way of doing this.

Susie


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## tallpines

Ever heard the story of the little OLD lady who had led a full life and wanted to call it quits?

She ask her local "suicide" doc about the best place to postion the gun before pulling the trigger.

Dr, Kervokian recommended she place the end of the the gun barrel just under her left nipple.

She did.

She ending up with a bullet in her KNEE!


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## Goat Freak

ozark_jewels said:


> The goats do not know what a gun is or what a gun means, so no fear. That Nubian buckling was dead 3 minutes after the picture was taken and in the freezer a 1/2 hour later.


Yeah, I was just joking. But i thought that you said that the gun was not loaded? Or were you just talking about if it HAD been loaded?


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## ozark_jewels

Goat Freak said:


> Yeah, I was just joking. But i thought that you said that the gun was not loaded? Or were you just talking about if it HAD been loaded?


No, he really did die that day. I was taking pictures of the entire butchering proccess for a magazine article I wrote. The gun wasn't loaded when the picture was taken, but it got loaded immedietly after.....and discharged.<grin>


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## Goat Freak

Oh now I get it. Thank you for clearing that up.


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## mpillow

bump


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## rediranch

I had to do this deed yesterday, first time doing something like this.

Hated the twitching, went on for seemingly forever, but in reality maybe a minute. I used 4 shots because the twitching kept making me think she was alive still, even though she was not breathing.

However, I appreciate the posts and the information.


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## andabigmac

I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's good that you didn't let your goat suffer.


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## Sonshine

So far we haven't had to dispatch any of our goats, but I'm glad to see this thread for future reference. Thanks to all of you who offered advice.


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## KrisD

Check out Emily's home butchering article it's great. It's a sticky a he top of the page. That said I wish Emily lived closer to me, I would pay her to butcher my two wethers.


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