pack llamas
 

Anybody know of anyone with these animals? For rent or sale?

I am also interested if people know.

You could go to nearby auction marts. Sometims llamas sell for cheap. You'd want young animals to work with them early.

This older thread is about llamas.
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=262762

Not Again ??? :lol: Pain in the rear, can't pack enough to be worthwhile and preferred dining for Grizzly bears. :D There are reasons you can buy them cheap, real cheap.

Grizz

Every horse man hates llamas ;) there’s a reason they were used in South America for pack animals. There’s a lot to be said for and against the mangy beasts, my buddies borrowed a couple to try and had to call off their hunt because they didn’t work out. I “suspect” it was a Combination of poor training and poor handling. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea.
Sheep hunters hate them because they think they’ll transfer disease to the sheep, I’ve read a bit about it and it doesn’t seem like that’s really the case.

Well Dorthy this ain't kansas.... Well they may have worked well in South America the Rocky's are very diffrent. Muskeg, water crossings ect not to mention. The possibility for disease transmission they have no business in the Rocky's

See? I knew the disease transmission thing would come up. You might want to research that one, it’s just as likely that something will arrive on the hooves of a horse as anything else. I “imagine” that South America must have some treacherous territory in their mountains too, and even -gasp-
Water crossings ;).

Here’s an exhaustive study on goats, sheep and llamas in sheep territory.
I don’t have an iron in the fire... ain’t got no llamas ain’t got no pack goats.
It’s worth noting that any horse that’s been in contact with sheep or goats is probably a bad critter to take into sheep habitat too.



http://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/technic...Assessment.pdf

I don't think disease is a problem myself, but you may as well have a pack dog instead, if you want to go that route. You have to lead them, can't ride them, carrying weight is very low, so packing feed is impossible and how do you deal with them when you get wherever ?

Grizz

They’re browsers I think so you can bring less feed. As far as leading them, I’d be all over that, I walk in anyways and if I could bring a couple extra animals with 50 lbs of gear I would t have to carry much myself. My buddy
Loaded his malamute with a bunch of camping gear. Even 15 lbs less weight on the back is significant.

I’m just thinking out loud though. I’ve never used llamas and probably never will. Next time I’m going very far with a back pack I’m gonna hire a couple granolas to carry my extra gear :)

Llamas can carry up to 80lbs. I have a resource to obtain free llamas anytime but have declined. Feeding them and housing them would be more trouble than it’s worth.

2 feet and a heartbeat is the absolute best in my opinion. We used horses to haul in camp this spring for the sheep opener. That was unreal but the amount of babysitting and work to me isn’t worth it for every trip. We as a group move way faster with heavy packs. Now that we have our luxury items packed into the bush, I wouldn’t care if we never had horses again for a long time.

Try donkey, they can carry as much as their own weight.

Randy Newberg has a YouTube video out . He uses them for elk hunts .

Worked for Mary. :D Just wait till they bray and scare everything within 5 miles. :lol:

Grizz

Why specifically would disease transmission arrive via horses feet?



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another nay saying thread if you don't like the idea of llamas don’t use them and just scroll on by.

Llamas do very well for back country hauling. The meat eater guys have used them randy newburg uses them and a pile of other professional guys. There used to be an outfit that you could rent them from in Alberta that would pack hikers into kanaskis but I can’t remember the name you would have to do some google investigating. These are the guys newburg uses https://wildernessridgetrailllamas.com/ they have a YouTube channel if you want to look into it a bit more.

Wildwoods says they can pack 80lbs, nothing wrong with that.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wilderness Ridge Trail in Idaho. They breed, train and sell hunting llamas. Beau is a good guy and can give you good advice.

Of course you knew, you brought it up first. :lol:

South America does have mountains and rivers, and doesn't have Mountain sheep. :thinking-006:

I never seen deer, goat or sheep scared by donkey. What sounds bad for human ear is just fine for animals and vice versa.

It really gets tiring to listen to hunters talk down other hunters from doing it the way the want to hunt.

Personally I think it would be super cool to use a string of llamas, or goats, hell try chickens. Whatever rings your bell. As mentioned earlier Beau is a good guy to connect with. He loves to hunt with Llamas.

Things that have not been talked about in this thread yet
1. Training (free or cheap llamas won't be pack trained and if they are and are still cheap or free stay clear.
2. Handling animals, whatever species, requires training as well. They are not machines that can just be turned on and off at the owners desire. Unless experienced with the species you choose, training will cost. Additionally most trained animals require maintenance which requires time and often money.
3. Any animal can spook. Demonstration videos are usually performed with trained and well behaved animals. The handlers are generally experienced as well. If your just getting into packing animals whether it be horses, mules, donkeys, llamas or camels, beware things can go sideways in a big hurry in the backcountry leaving the animal, the handler or both badly injured.
4. Cost of equipment. Make sure you have researched how much GOOD equipment costs and factor that into the equation. Cheap equipment usually will give you troubles on the trail and can injure your pack animal or just leave you stranded.
5. I know from owning horses, many of them will pack game......but some just can't handle the smell and are almost impossible to deal in that situation so once again.....know what you have (animal's personality) before thinking it will pack your elk, moose, deer or whatever.
Reading through this thread concerns me somewhat as there is so much involved with packing animals in the backcountry..........it's not like the pasture at the acreage!!!
Complete research including trialing (under supervision) the species of choice is required. If you decide to take the plunge.....Good Luck and Happy Hunting!!

I second everything Alpinguy has said.
Just like horses, there are good and bad. Usually cheep means bad.
Cheep pack horses, are usually terrible. Cheep gear usually will screw you over when it is needed the most.
I have spent countless hours on my horses, and everyone of them has there own quirks, and problems, and they can frustrate you beyond words.
I have one pack/saddle horse, that can drive you around the bend sometimes, 100 yards from sheep camp, after a 6 hour ride, he would not cross the last tiny little stream. I really wanted to shoot him that day.
Took 45min for him to finally want to cross the creek.
Llamas, don't carry much, but are sure footed, they don't do well in soft ground.
One would be well served with a pack donkey, and walk infront of them, they carry more weight than a horse, are more surefooted, and don't need shoes, rairly need to be hobbled, and live long. But sure do need to be trained well.
I have two, and they are fantastic creatures, come by name and can out pack my draft cross horses.