Gang of goats closes Olympic National Forest trail

HOODSPORT, Wash. — Olympic National Forest officials are keeping a popular trail in Mason County closed because of aggressive mountain goats.

Rangers say hikers on the Mount Ellinor Trail near Hoodsport are to blame for feeding goats and letting them lick their hands or backpacks for salt.

The Peninsula Daily News reports up to 20 goats have been observed on the trail.

The trail has been off-limits since early July while rangers try to teach the animals not to approach people. Rangers are throwing rocks at the goats, shooting them with paintballs, sounding horns and spraying chemicals.

In October 2010 an aggressive goat fatally gored a Port Angeles man on a trail in Olympic National Park.