Utah's "Goat Man" Mystery Solved
Authorities were concerned for a man's safety after he dressed up in a goat suit and grazed with a wild herd.
| Posted Tuesday, July 24, 2012, at 3:06 PM
The so-called "goat man" turned out to be a hunter from Southern California
File photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.
A mysterious man in the Utah wilderness draped in a fluffy white goat suit has been identified by local authorities, who worried that he risked being shot by hunters because of his camouflage.
After a photo of the so-called "goat man" sparked local and national interest last week, the Associated Press somewhat amusingly speculated over the weekend that the man could be an "extreme wildlife enthusiast." The truth, however, turned out to be quite a bit tamer.
A local Utah paper reveals that he’s actually a 57-year-old hunter from Southern California who plans to go on a wild goat archery hunt in the fall and wanted to test how close he could get to a herd without detection. A local official said the man called his office and "gave me details that convinced me it was him"—though the man declined to give a name.
The Utah hiker who originally photographed and sparked interest in the man last week described the bizarre scene to the AP: "I thought, ‘What is this guy doing?’ He was actually on his hands and knees. He was climbing over rocks and bushes and pretty rough terrain on a steep hillside."
But upon learning the truth Monday, the hiker wished the story hadn’t gone viral. "I thought I wanted answers, but I was naive. I should have left well enough alone," he said. "Now I just want the mystery back."
