All Llamas Are Not Created Equal

[Big Fin]

I lucked out and ran into Beau and Kristin at the BHA event in April. I got a first-hand introduction to their llamas. Very impressed with the llamas and how much Beau and Kristin know about llamas. Beau has continue to stay in touch with me and he wants to find a hunt where they can come with and show us first hand how these llamas are the mountain animal you can use for packing. I doubt I will need much convincing.

I had no idea that llamas had so many different variations. Some are bred for wool, some for food, and in his case, for packing. Their herd is a bred specifically for mountain work and packing larger loads. They were a bit stockier than llamas I have seen in the past. He gave me a ton of information about how his line of llamas is perfect for the packing that he does (Beau is a 4th generation Idaho packer).

Anyhow, if any of you are interested in renting llamas for a hunt this fall, they still have some open rental dates. Not many, but a few. It seems best to get on their list a year in advance.

Here is their website link - http://www.wildernessridgetrailllamas.com/




Don't be surprised if in a few years I start acquiring my own llamas as my body continues its ever-increasing protests. Horses hate me and that is pretty mutual with me and them. I would rather walk in the mountains than ride a horse; horses being animals I equate to hay-eating automobiles without steering mechanisms or throttle controls. I'll take something more subdued and ready to pack a load. And, low maintenance in terms of food, water, and other attention. I'll try my luck with llamas. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Tradewind]

Thanks. i was looking a renting something to help pack

 

[Gerald Martin]

I thought I saw a certain serious gleam in your eyes when I walked past you and those llamas in the front yard of the Holiday Inn at the Rendezvous. Llamas are certainly interesting animals. I always thought I'd be interested in packing with them, but alas I fear my daughter has taken me down the road of hay eating automobiles.

 

[ida homer]

Quite a few of us in Idaho using llamas and goats. I went back and forth for a couple months before deciding to pull the trigger on 3 goats.




I did 6 months of research, reading every post I could find. I will say that owning llamas or goats isn't for everyone, and renting is a better option for most. But they sure are handy when you get an elk down.

 

[jryoung]

Dang they aren't far from my moose unit, might have to take a good hard look at this.

 

[dcopas78]

I would love to have some pack goats. The only problem being it would be hard for me to keep them working throughout the year since I only get to pack hunt about 2 weeks per year. That and space to pasture them. I'm looking at buying a 10 acre parcel though so if I can get my hands on the land, and get a reasonable price on some goats, I may just have to try it. Then I might be able to sneak in a few extra 4-5 day camping outings for "training" purposes I plan on retiring out west, and there will definitely be some sort of llama or goat helping me out then. I've had goats(not packers though) in the past and loved having them around.

 

[MTGomer]

Are llamas a hazard to wild sheep like those darned goats are?

 

[1_pointer]

Are llamas a hazard to wild sheep like those darned goats are?

I've not seen anything conclusive on that, but llamas are generally lumped in with goats in the restrictions...

 

[el unit]

Hay Burners here. Our horses and mules are more afraid of llamas than bears.

 

[NoWiser]

As soon as I can manage to move out of town and find a place in the country, I'll be getting myself a couple of pack llamas. I come from a family of bad knees and I need to make mine last as long as I can. I hope to have a couple before my Region G deer hunt in a few years.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Our horses and mules are more afraid of llamas than bears.

LOL. I used to hate llamas when I did a lot of horsepacking. Bear on the trail? No big deal. Llama? Big ass wreck.

 

[Irrelevant]

I chatted with Beau for almost an hour as well at BHA. I also drank the Koolaid and will be pursuing acquiring some llamas in the near future.

 

[Joe Hulburt]

I know a guy who found someone wanting to get rid of 3 llamas so he adopted them. Then he ate 'em. Said they were good!

At least if they fail as packers they have another use.

 

[katqanna]

Are llamas a hazard to wild sheep like those darned goats are?

I don't have time to put a link to the academic papers before work, but domestic sheep and goats are the bigger threats for disease transmission to Wild Sheep and Mountain Goats. Llamas have been a source of transmission, though small. That could be partly due to their breed (llamas, alpacas, vicunas, guanacos) or due to there are not as many of them roaming the wilds coming in contact with wild sheep and goats. This discussion has come up before, about a year and a half ago. As soon as I get home, I will find the papers on my site and link.

 

[Festus]

Hay Burners here. Our horses and mules are more afraid of llamas than bears.

LOL. I used to hate llamas when I did a lot of horsepacking. Bear on the trail? No big deal. Llama? Big ass wreck.

X2!!
Llamas or mooses usually meant it was bout to get western!!

 

[Sapper.dawg]

I spent a fair amount of time with them at the Rendezvous, and we sat together at the banquet. Great folks, and seem to stay pretty booked up. One of the things we talked about was how the llamas feeding sounds - teeth grabbing and pulling grass, etc - while out on the hunt may be a calming sound for the other animals in the vicinity. Interesting concept, anyway.

 

[idelkslayer]

I'm interested to see the information that katqanna says he has links to. Since getting my own llamas I have done a good amount of research into the issue of disease transmission to wild sheep and every study I have found has shown no link between llamas and bighorns. Only one study found a link between disease and domestic goats. These were cases where disease exposed llamas were placed in pens with live bighorns. No illnesses were recorded as a result, however when disease exposed domestic sheep are placed in the pens there is nearly 100% fatality of the bighorn sheep. I think some of the stigma against llamas is that due to their woolly appearance they get associated with domestic sheep although they are a camelid.

 

[idelkslayer]

" Foreyt (1992a, 1994)
and Foreyt and Lagerquist (1996) conducted eight independent contact
experiments involving bighorn sheep penned with: 1) elk, white-tailed deer,
and mule deer; 2) elk alone; 3) domestic goats; 4) mountain goats; 5) llamas;
6) cattle; 7) horses; and 8) steers. Of the 39 bighorn sheep tested in these
experiments, only two died. One was an old female whose death was most
likely due to a tooth abnormality that adversely affected her feeding ability.
The other death was a bighorn sheep in the pen with the steers that died of
pneumonia (Foreyt and Lagerquist 1996). These findings suggest that the
presence of other species in pens itself is unlikely to lead to bighorn sheep
deaths and that species other than domestic sheep are considerably less
likely to transmit microbes fatal to bighorn sheep. This latter conclusion is
consistent with a lack of historical observations or circumstantial data linking
such species to bighorn sheep die-offs."



http://www.fs.fed.us/qoi/documents/2009/CWGA-zpfile000.pdf

 

[squirrel]

I don't have time to put a link to the academic papers before work, but domestic sheep and goats are the bigger threats for disease transmission to Wild Sheep and Mountain Goats. Llamas have been a source of transmission, though small. That could be partly due to their breed (llamas, alpacas, vicunas, guanacos) or due to there are not as many of them roaming the wilds coming in contact with wild sheep and goats. This discussion has come up before, about a year and a half ago. As soon as I get home, I will find the papers on my site and link.

I would love to read this as well since Alaska just tried to ban llamas and was unable to substantiate any relation to llamas and transmission. Case was closed and llamas are allowed.

 

[squirrel]

Llamas are fantastic trail animals, filling a niche that others cannot, with goats being the closest competitor. I've been using them and renting them out for almost 25 years and most horror stories are when mixing poorly trained animals with clueless rookie humans (who probably should have bought an ATV). Their ease of use for people with a brain and a bit of training is amazing, although your first trip will require a steep learning curve, after that it is all gravy. Beware using size as a determining factor in how good a llama is, also remember what those 'registration papers" will be good for when 10-15 miles back in the back country. Many people want a "big registered llama" I would rather have a good llama, and if that means one that can "only" carry 45 # flawlessly for a fifteen mile day while you never know he is there, so be it. One of the most important aspects is to know the quirks, limitations, etc of your individual strings/animals, and whomever you rent/buy from should do their best to let you know this. If the animal is "perfect" beware, there aint no such animal... but there are some very, very good llamas, if you work with them a lot.

Walking in with nothing but your bow or rifle and a rope in the other hand, walking out a week later with a couple elk and a big smile on your mug??? Priceless.

Of course you will have to get used to eating good chow and having extra socks and boots in camp.