Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Hunting Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-18-2019, 04:39 PM
BigRackLover's Avatar
BigRackLover BigRackLover is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beaumont
Posts: 4,642
Default pack llamas

Anybody know of anyone with these animals? For rent or sale?
__________________
Check out my page, even like it perhaps
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-03-2020, 11:31 PM
SnipeHunter SnipeHunter is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Calgary
Posts: 227
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigRackLover View Post
Anybody know of anyone with these animals? For rent or sale?
I am also interested if people know.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-04-2020, 02:55 AM
Red Bullets's Avatar
Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,627
Default

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
__________________
___________________________________________
This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
___________________________________________
It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-04-2020, 06:34 AM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

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

Grizz
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-04-2020, 10:17 AM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,668
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
Not Again ??? Pain in the rear, can't pack enough to be worthwhile and preferred dining for Grizzly bears. 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.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-04-2020, 12:08 PM
Scopithorne Scopithorne is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 102
Exclamation

Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-04-2020, 12:47 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,668
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scopithorne View Post
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 .
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-04-2020, 02:20 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,668
Default

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
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-04-2020, 04:22 PM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

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
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-04-2020, 05:29 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,668
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-04-2020, 06:37 PM
wildwoods wildwoods is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Location
Posts: 4,961
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-04-2020, 07:11 PM
straight straight is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Calgary-Kootenay Lake
Posts: 350
Default

Try donkey, they can carry as much as their own weight.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-04-2020, 08:44 PM
spazzy spazzy is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: calgary
Posts: 279
Default

Randy Newberg has a YouTube video out . He uses them for elk hunts .
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-05-2020, 07:40 AM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by straight View Post
Try donkey, they can carry as much as their own weight.
Worked for Mary. Just wait till they bray and scare everything within 5 miles.

Grizz
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-05-2020, 08:18 AM
creeky creeky is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,316
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef View Post
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 .

Why specifically would disease transmission arrive via horses feet?



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__________________
#WISHING YOU A HAPPY WHATEVER DOESN'T OFFEND YOU


#I Am An Outdoorsman And I Approve This Message


#creativity can't wait for technology
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 07-05-2020, 08:54 AM
Dubious Dubious is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,521
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 07-05-2020, 09:38 AM
creeky creeky is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,316
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
Not Again ??? Pain in the rear, can't pack enough to be worthwhile and preferred dining for Grizzly bears. There are reasons you can buy them cheap, real cheap.

Grizz

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


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__________________
#WISHING YOU A HAPPY WHATEVER DOESN'T OFFEND YOU


#I Am An Outdoorsman And I Approve This Message


#creativity can't wait for technology
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 07-05-2020, 04:00 PM
nelsonob1's Avatar
nelsonob1 nelsonob1 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,031
Default

Wilderness Ridge Trail in Idaho. They breed, train and sell hunting llamas. Beau is a good guy and can give you good advice.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 07-05-2020, 08:33 PM
walking buffalo's Avatar
walking buffalo walking buffalo is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,208
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef View Post
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 .
Of course you knew, you brought it up first.

South America does have mountains and rivers, and doesn't have Mountain sheep.
__________________
Alberta Fish and Wildlife Outdoor Recreation Policy -

"to identify very rare, scarce or special forms of fish and wildlife outdoor recreation opportunities and to ensure that access to these opportunities continues to be available to all Albertans."
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 07-05-2020, 08:56 PM
straight straight is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Calgary-Kootenay Lake
Posts: 350
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
Worked for Mary. Just wait till they bray and scare everything within 5 miles.

Grizz
I never seen deer, goat or sheep scared by donkey. What sounds bad for human ear is just fine for animals and vice versa.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 07-06-2020, 05:51 PM
nelsonob1's Avatar
nelsonob1 nelsonob1 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Nelson BC
Posts: 2,031
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 07-06-2020, 08:36 PM
alpineguy's Avatar
alpineguy alpineguy is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olds, Sundre area Alberta
Posts: 2,134
Default

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!!
__________________
Horizon Parent Society (Helping kids with disabilities)
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 07-07-2020, 10:39 AM
leeelmer leeelmer is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rocky Mnt House
Posts: 932
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:20 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.