Considering Llamas

[jhg]

I may try out a couple this summer to see if I would want them on the hunt this fall.

First hand experiences? Can they be left alone for 12 hrs a day?

Thanks

Joshua

[Whip]

I rented some one year on a DIY mule deer hunt in NV.  They worked great to get a very comfortable camp about 7 miles back in from the road.

They do need water and a little supplemental feed once a day.  Also need to move the tether line so that they have access to fresh grass.  We generally came back to camp in mid-day to care for them.  I think you probably could get by with leaving them all day and just deal with them after dark.

Llamas are a pretty cool way to go, but they do limit your flexibility somewhat.  Still, it was a very memorable hunt and I'm glad we did it.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

You can rent a llama??  

I've been thinkin about pack goats for the past few years, for toting water and camping gear to my more remote hog and deer hunting areas.

[Bivyhunter]

Just be sure to ask about how much trail time the llamas have had before you rent them (I mean in the previous months).  Nothing worse than packing with one that is out of shape.  They are great pack animals when you get some good ones.  I owned 8 or 10 of them and packed with them for several years before I started spending more time hunting out of state and got tired of towing a trailer.  I regularly left mine out all day.  Just make sure they are staked out far enough apart that they can't tangle in each others lines or wrap their lead ropes around brush etc.

[hill boy]

I used  them one year in colorado and was impressed.We left ours un attended all day.moved them around in the clearing so they had plenty to eat.checked on them before and after the hunt am and pm of each day and never had an issue.We even packed out a bull in a serious rain storm the last day.Thats a neat story!As biveyhunter stated make sure your getting a well traveled and conditioned animal.

[Matt Fowler]

3 of us took 2 llamas into the Weminuche back in '08. they were great, no trouble. Owner said they could carry 70 lbs comfortably, more for short distances. We took them to water at night when we would pump water but they hardly ever drank. Figure they were getting enough from the wet morning grass.
They did not like the free range cattle and would start to bawl when they got close.

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by jhg:
Can they be left alone for 12 hrs a day?

Thanks

Joshua

not if they are in season and I'm around.  Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

[Kentucky Jeff]

I'm reporting this to the Buddhist anti-defamation League.  Staking out religious leaders and making them pack stuff!   What's this world coming to?  

[highPlains]

Llamas are the way to go! Nice and easy. We leave llamas staked out all day as long as there is enough feed for them. We typically lead them to water only every other day and half the time they won't even drink anything.

This big boy packed out a bull by himself (boned out).
 

Horses sure can be great but even a good horse can spook. This is from my last horse trip last year. 13 years of several pack trips a year and this horse never spooked or had a single problem...
 

[loneviking]

I thought Llamas could only carry about 80 lbs for any sort of distance? Even deboned, those packs must weigh more than that!?

As for pack burros, don't use 'em if you're headed for any bridges. I've owned them, packed with 'em and they HATE bridges. Something about looking down and being in mid-air freaks them out. You'll have to wade through the river with them.  Also, if you have pack burros, take along some chew. Most of 'em love the stuff and it doesn't seem to hurt them.

[Tom Leemans]

I know Ric Anderson from Marriah Bows used to use them all the time.

[BradLantz]

I've used them often. There are very few negatives to using them. They're easy to handle, load and unload, nothing scares them, they can handle any terrain you take them into, they browse on whatever is available ....

very hard to list negatives - maybe that they can only handle 60-70 pounds comfortably, you have to be courteous to outfitters or anyone on horsed because llamas will FREAK THEM OUT (the horses) .... that's really about it


The ones below packed for 18 miles one day on the ridge between unit 77 and 76 in the Weminuche (Continental Divide trail) with 70 +/- pounds. We pushed them hard, we pushed ourselves hard ... they were very tired llamas and they did everything we asked with little trouble. I've packed meat several times, never any trouble. I've walked through stuff horses could never go through with loaded packs. I vividly remember coming off a mtn one day with them (loaded packs) and it was pouring rain, we slipped a lot, fell down ........ the llamas simply splayed their toes and I don't remember them really ever even stumbling?

Incredible animals and when (not if) I move back to Colorado I will have them if there is any possible way.


call this guy - I've rented from several over the years, this guy and his llamas are THE BEST - tell him Brad Lantz said hello

Gregg
Wildflower Ridge Llamas
 www.WildflowerRidgeLlamas.com
 

 

[highPlains]

Originally posted by loneviking:
I thought Llamas could only carry about 80 lbs for any sort of distance? Even deboned, those packs must weigh more than that!?

Half a bull, boned out. My mistake! I can't believe I didn't catch that...four llamas packed out two elk and a little bit of gear. It was more than we've ever put on him but he handled it no problem. One of the smaller llamas tried to lay down but we just let go of the rope and walked around the corner - she got up as soon as she couldn't see us.

[oxnam]

I have never packed with llamas but you should do some reading on packgoats.  They are extremely agile and will eat about anything a deer will so you don't have to pack feed.  Their pace is about the same as humans.  I never had to lead mine because they follow like a dog.  The don't pack as much as llamas be they are so easy to be with in the mountains and they are very low maintenance.

[Cambow]

Goats are great man... my buddy uses them all the time. But they are much smaller and only carry about 45-50 lbs each.

[oxnam]

Originally posted by Cambow:
Goats are great man... my buddy uses them all the time. But they are much smaller and only carry about 45-50 lbs each.

It wasn't until I was packing through nasty downfall that I became completely sold on them.  They handled it effortlessly while I was struggling.  We were so glad my friend had not brought his horse.  They can't pack as much but they are so worth it.

[Sheepshooter]

We used them on a 10 day sheep turned elk hunt. We found that they didn't walk very fast and would lay down if they got tired and would not get up until THEY were good and ready. I tell you though that the llamas we had rented didn't have a lot of trail time on them. On the positive side, they take a minimum of care every day. We left them for about 10 hours each day tethered where there was plenty of food for them. We had a lot of percipitation on that particular trip and although we offered them  water everyday they did not drink the entire trip. I guess they got enough moisture from the wet vegetation they were eating. They are sure footed and can carry a decent load.

[Homebru]

Llamas - the ONLY downside to llamas is that you MUST have more than one at a time.  They are low maintenance and take care of themselves.  They warn you of bears.  They'll follow you anywhere like your neighbors dog.  

Sheepshooter mentioned they lay down.  They WILL lay down if overpacked and / or underconditioned.  Be SURE to get llamas that have been conditioned recently.

Goats will eat anything...including your tent, your cooking utensils, arrows, broadheads, dirty underwear, flashlight batteries, old rubbish left in the backcountry.  They will pack anywhere you can bear to climb but they'll eat ANYTHING.

I really enjoyed taking llamas and outside of a guided hunt, I will probably always use llamas to get into wilderness areas.

homebru

[Montanawidower]

I own both pack horses and pack llamas.  I prefer Llamas.  I had a hunting buddy turn me on to them a few years ago.  I was hesitant, but now am totally converted.

1) They are super low maintenance in camp
2) They need very litte water or feed in the backcountry
3)  They allow us to hunt areas neither horseman or backpackers can access.  The ridges we hunt are too far in to pack meat for backpackers, or too dry or too little forage for horses.
4) They are less spooky off trail in the timber.  
5) way safer regarding life and limb.  


I bought 4 females and started breeding high bred ccara pack llamas last year.  (black thunder blood line) After you fall in love, I'll sell you some.  

[Pete W]

I know a guy that had some Lamas. Last I heard he was planing to eat them.    
 Pete