Help Identify This Animal

[middie]

Curly horned sheep? Mountain goat? Mutant deer? No one knows for sure. Whatever they are, they're roaming the woods in Geauga County

Any clue as to what these animals are ? To me they look like a cross between a Moose and a deer.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

They are Goeep. or Sheoat. They enjoy Conan O'Brien shows.... upper class malls and dry cheese.
They HATE Letterman, Wal-Mart and unions.

They can be found in lower elevations.

 

[amber]

My guess is an elk middie.

 

[middie]

Elk ? In Ohio ? Then again I said moose lol.

 

[turtledove]

How big are they, if you know. My first thought was also of elk but the horns/antlers on the one isn't like an elk's.

 

[bethzaring]

There are several goat like qualities about these animals. The horns, the body conformation, the tail area and the stance are very goat like. They are not mountain goats, they look look like domesticated goats. They also look well nourished.

From what i understand of goat behavior, they do not like change, especially being moved from one farm to another. If goats are moved, special care must be taken to secure/fence/pen the animals for the first few days at their new lodgings. If not secured, they will bolt. My guess is that these animals were recently moved and escaped their new caretakers.

 

[YT2095]

I just plugged the "Elk" idea into google and got this: Google Image Result for http://www.hickerphoto.com/data/media/170/elk_pictures_t0850.jpg

looks about the closest of all the pics.

but I don`t think it IS an Elk though.

 

[bethzaring]

I just plugged the "Elk" idea into google and got this: Google Image Result for http://www.hickerphoto.com/data/media/170/elk_pictures_t0850.jpg

looks about the closest of all the pics.

but I don`t think it IS an Elk though.

(middie, remember this is the same guy who thought my goats were either sheep or cows)


Couldn't resist YT

 

[lulu]

Well I thought they were caprine, so if bethzaring is saying it too, and she's the expert, I'm going with goat.

 

[middie]

I think the hooves are goatish looking too now that you mention it Beth.

 

[Katie H]

Put my vote for goat, too. They seem to have many characteristics that are goat-like.

 

[Andy M.]

They ar not elk. Elk have branched horns like deer. They look a little like mountain goats. Do you have mountains in Ohio?

 

[middie]

In southern Ohio they do. But not big mountains. Where these have been found are in an eastern suburb of Cleveland. No mountains up here.

 

[YT2095]

(middie, remember this is the same guy who thought my goats were either sheep or cows)


Couldn't resist YT

Crytozoology was never my strong point, Goat family certainly fits the billy though

 

[BreezyCooking]

In my opinion, those are goats. In any case, definitely not moose or elk. As someone else stated, from their condition I would also venture that they've either escaped from or been purposely released by someone. Not only are goats BIG-TIME efficient escape artists, but many people have been known to get into them, change their minds, & leave them to fend for themselves. Sad but true. Although I don't have the time to go through every breed on the following list, you may find something on this extremely thorough & well-photographed site that resembles your "wild" Ohio herd. You'll also see that this site states that unlike sheep (domesticated, not wild-breed sheep), escaped domesticated goats are more likely to survive as ferals. Enjoy!

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goats/