MT. ELLINOR, Wash. -- After a rash of mountain goat sightings this summer, the U.S. Forest Service has reopened the trail up Mount Ellinor.

The Forest Service closed the trail after three hikers reported seeing aggressive mountain goats on the Olympic range mountain July 3.

In October 2010, a mountain goat killed hiker Robert Boardman in the Olympic National Park.

Over the summer, Forest Service employee Kurt Aluzas had the trails to himself. The wildlife biologist used a number of what the Forest Service calls "adversive" techniques to scare off the mountain goats.

Aluzas shot paintballs, sprayed repellant and used his voice to clear the trails of goats the last three months. He suggested hikers yell and stand their ground if they run into a mountain goat.
[link to www.king5.com]

Forest Service wins Paintball war with aggressive mountain goats

The U.S. Forest Service has reopened a popular trail in the Olympic National Forest but not before it had to deploy Paintball guns in a war for dominance against several unruly mountain goats.

The Associated Press reports that Forest Service employee Kurt Aluzas was tasked with "teaching" the goats to avoid humans after the animals got a little too comfortable approaching humans on the trail.

"We just stand firm, stand up and face them. That's all you need to do," Aluzas told KING-TV.
[link to news.yahoo.com]