[WiZ] The goat then walked in and asked for a glass of water

[WiZ]

A hunter walks through an area of high country, known to be home to many species of deer, sheep and goats. He walks until he comes to a series of steep hills where no animals have ever been seen. He then fires a shotgun repeatedly into the hills for several minutes. Why does he do this?

True story. No caveat.

[LemonCurry]

Does this happen in real life? (As opposed to a video game etc.)
Is something wrong with the gun? Does he use live ammo? Is he using the same gun for hunting?

Does he want to be heard? Avalanches relevant?

[Earnest]

Did he want to hunt animals? Did he have a specific target? Was he required to do so? By someone? Was it a trap?

Relevant how many shotguns he fired? Did he relevantly finished the shots? Were the latter his last shots? Are bullets relevant? Is any commemoration relevant (e.g. a friend died and he spread his ashes shooting as a celebration)

[GalFisk]

PM sent.

[WiZ]

LemonCurry

Does this happen in real life? (As opposed to a video game etc.) yes, this puzzle describes a real-life event
Is something wrong with the gun? no Does he use live ammo? yes Is he using the same gun for hunting? no

Does he want to be heard? no Avalanches relevant? not this time

Earnest

Did he want to hunt animals? Not on that occasion Did he have a specific target? yope Was he required to do so? yesish By someone? Not by an individual, no Was it a trap? no

Relevant how many shotguns he fired? no; assume one Did he relevantly finished the shots? Interpreting this as 'Did he fire all the shots he intended to', yes Were the latter his last shots? yes Are bullets relevant? the ammunition is relevant, yes Is any commemoration relevant (e.g. a friend died and he spread his ashes shooting as a celebration) no

GalFIsk

PM sent. Very lateral, but incorrect. Play on!

[TDGperson]

Did the goat actually walk anywhere? If so, to a fountain? a body of water such as a river or lake? A store/supermarket?

Is it relevant why the goat asked for a glass of water? Is it to drink? To pour on something? To mix with something? Did the goat expect to get a glass of water?

[AlbatrossLover]

Did he intend for someone/something to hear the gunshots? Was he getting rid of all his remaining bullets? Was he following some sort of law/regulation?

[LemonCurry]

Is anyone committing a crime in the context of this puzzle?

Is the hunter accompanied by another person? By an animal?

Relevant that it‘s a shotgun? Does he do this to test the impact of the bullets on the environment? Does he do something relevant with the used gun after shooting?

[peter365]

Is he signalling to someone? Is his objective to have a more sucessful hunt? Does he actually hunt animals? Are the cartridges filled with normal shot?

[WiZ]

TDGperson

Did the goat actually walk anywhere? If so, to a fountain? a body of water such as a river or lake? A store/supermarket?

Is it relevant why the goat asked for a glass of water? Is it to drink? To pour on something? To mix with something? Did the goat expect to get a glass of water?

Irrel to all

The title is a throwaway reference to the classic glass of water -> shotgun -> thank you puzzle and has no bearing on the solution other than involving a goat. Apologies for any confusion.

AlbertrossLover


Did he intend for someone/something to hear the gunshots? no Was he getting rid of all his remaining bullets? no Was he following some sort of law no/regulation? noish

LemonCurry

Is anyone committing a crime in the context of this puzzle? no

Is the hunter accompanied by another person? By an animal? no to both

Relevant that it‘s a shotgun? yes Does he do this to test the impact of the bullets on the environment? no Does he do something relevant with the used gun after shooting? no

Peter

Is he signalling to someone? no Is his objective to have a more sucessful hunt? no Does he actually hunt animals? yes Are the cartridges filled with normal shot? no!

[irishelk]

Is it relevant that he does this in an area with no animals? E.g. is it relevantly inhospitable? Is he trying to widen the habitats of animals in any way? Establish new hunting ground? Conserve animals?

Does his reason for doing this related to the fact that he is a hunter? Might a non-hunter have reason to do it?

Is he firing blanks? Pellets? Salt? Something organic?

[WiZ]

Is it relevant that he does this in an area with no animals? yes E.g. is it relevantly inhospitable? to animals, yes Is he trying to widen the habitats of animals in any way? Establish new hunting ground? Conserve animals? no to all

Does his reason for doing this related to the fact that he is a hunter? no Might a non-hunter have reason to do it? yes

Is he firing blanks? no Pellets? shells, but yes Salt? no Something organic? and yes

[irishelk]

Is he trying to distribute something where animals won't get to it? Maybe spreading seeds? Is he trying to hide something?

Is he firing into the ground? Into the air? At anything in particular?

[WiZ]

Is he trying to distribute something where animals won't get to it? Maybe spreading seeds?

***** SPOILER *****

There were a number of endangered species of plant in the area, which made for popular food for the local wildlife. On instructions from conservationists, the hunter added seeds of these plants to the shot in his gun, and was able to scatter them in the inaccessible hills where they would be safe, and they propagated happily from there.

Congratulations, IrishElk, on the solution, and thank you all for playing.

[irishelk]

Oh cool! Good one.