CALLAHAN COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A mystery is afoot in Callahan County. Or perhaps, a-hoof? Whatever you want to call it, reports have flooded the sheriff’s office about a herd of 20 or so goats near and, sometimes even on, FM 18. This is a multi-part mystery as the land the goats make home has no owner right now, and people can rarely get a good hold of the ‘infamous goats,’ let alone the authorities.
One Callahan County woman who has seen these goats, Macie Katona, told KTAB/KRBC she drives down FM 18 to get to her home in Baird nearly every day, but her drive gets interrupted by the herd.
“They are, like, right on the curve almost. So, the first time I saw them I was like, ‘oh my gosh, there’s a goat,’ and like, I did, I tensed up,” Katona explained.
Katona is not the only one dealing with this problem. In fact, she called them the “famous goats of Callahan County.”
On the Rants and Raves of Callahan County Facebook page, you can type in goats and see dozens of posts about this herd going all the way back to September.
“We get numerous phone calls about these goats throughout every day,” said Chief Deputy Sheriff Chad Campbell.
While Chief Deputy Campbell said this situation has become comical, he assured his staff is also taking it seriously, “Someone has put money forth to get these animals, and we want to make sure that they’re protected.”
However, several issues have prevented the sheriff’s officer from finding a solution. First, these “Houdini goats,” as Chief Deputy Campbell called them, disappear nearly every time they go to find them. Only one person has caught them on camera:
Second, Callahan County is an open range county. That means animals are not required to be pinned up. The only option is for them to contact the owner and encourage them to fix their broken fence, which leads to problem number three.
“We don’t know who the property owner is. When you look at our central appraisal district, the person that actually owners the land, that person has passed away,” Chief Deputy Campbell shared.
Because of this, Chief Deputy Campbell told KTAB/KRBC his staff’s hands are tied. They have attempted to fix the fence, but it is in such poor condition that he said they just don’t have the time nor the resources to fix it.
However, Chief Deputy Campbell promised the sheriff’s office will continue to look for the owner in an attempt to keep these goats safe, along with residents like Katona.
“Between the Rainy Creek neighborhood and county road 215, just, really keep an eye out, because they are out pretty frequently,” warned Katona.
The Callahan County Sheriff’s Office said it needs your help. If you know a property owner on the 13,000 block of FM 18, contact the sheriff’s office at (325) 854-1444. If you see these goats, you’re advised to honk your horn, and it should scare them back into their gate.
