Pack Llamas

[wapitibowman]

Has anyone here ever had experience with the use of llamas for packing???

Wapitibowman

[ishy]

Haven't personally but an acquaintence of mine loves thiers and packs out several elk a year for the family and close friends. I'm not close enough to qualify yet, but working on it. Biggest upside is easier to take care of i.e. not having to pack food like you do with stock, no water concerns etc...

[pikemaster]

I have used llamas many times to pack in supplies and also pack out several elk. Like ishy said you don't have to pack in food and they are super easy to care for. Tether them to a ground stake, they eat in that circle, water them once a day and your good. It takes 4 llamas to get an elk out they will pack about 80lbs each or (4 cases of beer each ) We loved using the llamas they are very sure footed animals. Make sure if you rent them they have been worked all summer long. you don't want them to lay down on you going up the trail

[Elkduds]

One or two llamas can ride in back of a pickup, so no trailer needed. Some llamas are ill-tempered, and will spit when POd.

When considering getting a llama for hunting a while ago, I met some goat-packing outfitters. They had big goats, each could carry about 40 lb, they would take a flock of 8 or 10 at a time. The goats were incredible, they just followed the owner with no leads or ties, funny as hell to watch! No need to carry food, goats eat what they find. They carried panniers on little cargo saddles. Anyway, I never tried it. Bears and big cats will kill llamas and goats. Anyone been goat-packing on a hunt?

[cnelk]

Anyone been goat-packing on a hunt?

Herb...
this is your cue...

[pointysticks]

Anyone been goat-packing on a hunt?

Herb...
this is your cue...

dude..coffee..nose. not good..

[wapitibowman]

Thanks guys. I haven't read much bad about them. I figured you could get a boned-out elk on 2-3 llamas, but I could be mistaken. Anybody have a terrible experience with llamas? I have considered goats, but you would need a small herd to get an elk out.

Wapitibowman

[mtnmutt]

I started looking into this myself. I plan to take the required llama clinic/training seminar/workshop as soon as one close by is offered.

Here is the web site. Most of the individual web sites have good FAQ on using llamas. Looks like only one person needs to do the workshop per hunting/backpacking party and present proof to any of the rent a llama outfits. Search by state to find one near you.

http://www.rent-a-llama.com/index.php

Here is one good FAQ.
http://www.anterollamas.com/faq.html

Most web sites say 65-80 lbs per llama. They will lay down if overloaded and not get up.

I loved this part...
The reasons a llama or alpaca might spit on a human are as follows:

You are collateral damage. Don't take it personally.
The llama or alpaca was abused or mistreated, or was raised in a zoo or petting zoo and thinks of people as his herd.
You deserved it.

[pikemaster]

No really bad experiences. Just make sure you get ones that are worked with all summer long. We made the mistake of renting from a different place then we normally do because they were a little cheaper. But we soon found out why when 2 of the 4 llamas laid down and we had to carry there loads up to camp on are backs. Most of the time it was are fault if we had problems with them, either someone not tying the lead ropes right, not making sure the tie off stakes were secure. Are first time reanting someone in are group had to take llama care corse put on by the llama owner just so he new we were putting the packs on right and loading them correctly. I know some might disagree but I would take llamas over horses anyday.

[Indian Summer]

Reminds me of a story: One time a guy in the Bitterroot drew a moose tag. Unlike most of my posts I'll keep this one short.

There were signs in every business around that read: Lost in the Warm Springs area, 23 pack goats

They freaked out and scattered all loaded with his moose.

23???!!!

[wapitibowman]

What caused them to scatter??? That would not be good, not good at all.

[easeup]

I used to be intrigued with the goat thing too...usually for fishing the high country lakes in the summer.

no experience with either. I did see that CDOW doesn't want people using goats in areas that have bighorns,....saying that they carry certain diseases that the wild sheep cannot fight off.

[>>>---WW---->]

I always figured that if you were packing with goats, you might as well throw a nanny in the bunch. That way you'd have fresh milk every day. LOL!

[kevin_t]

I have a couple pack goats. They haven't packed any game yet but they are entertaining on scouting trips and mostly easy to manage. I like them. They packed a lot of water to a dry camp and will pretty much follow you like a good dog. They can get a little nosey around camp but are generally fun critters