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First Back Country Llama (elk) Hunt!!!

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fwagner

Guest
I've been elk hunting for about 10 years and have exhausted just about every option when it comes to getting into the back country. I hunt in (colorado) unit 41 in the Grand Mesa National Forest with my base camp being about 7 miles from the road. Over the years we have walked in, rode bikes with trailers, horses, two man carts, and this year we decided to lease some llamas for a 7 day hunt. We rented our llamas from Antero Llamas LLC (http://www.anterollamas.com/). We leased 2 llamas and a trailer. My hunting partner and I are both from Wisconsin so we drove to Salida CO, the Wednesday before muzzleloader and arrived in Salida that Thursday for a quick orientation class on how to hunt the back country with llamas. Going into the trip I was a little nervous and didn't know what to expect but after the llama training I was very pleased. I'll add some thoughts below on the whole process but overall I was more than impressed with Antero LLamas and their owner Tom. Randy was right when he said using llamas makes back country hunts easier then ever before, it was a lot of fun and the easiest pack in and out I have ever had. If you call Tom about his llamas, get Bolero!!! He is the Lebron James of llamas!!!

*Personally I don't like horses, they are pain in the ass and are unpredictable at best. Any animal that is startled by a walmart bag blowing in the wind needs to be left at home. The ONLY way horses are better then llamas is that they can carry more weight and you can ride them....i'd rather walk

*We took 2 llamas that could carry up to 80lbs or 100lbs for short distances if you were in a pinch

*Saddling the llamas takes literally 2-3 minutes tops, quick and easy

*The llamas were the most sure footed animals I have ever seen, going down step rocky switch backs or chocked off oak brush hell holes

*The llamas were calm, cool, collected and nothing seemed to phase them at all!!!

*We didn't have to bring any food for them with us and only had to take them to water once a day. Usually we would just stake them next a water source in the morning on our way to our hunting spot.

*We encountered a bear and the llamas would get between you and the bear (may have been a coincidence) and they would sent out their alarm call and they go about their business when the bear walked away.

*Overall the most descriptive word I can think of is "easy". Everything about them was easy and convenient. Getting them saddled, providing food, providing water, walking with them, everything!!!

...as for the hunting, it was hot and windy as hell. Heard very very little buggling/calling making for tough hunting. We did find one bull screaming his head off until 11:30am but he was in a place that looked like hell to get him out if we killed him. If you have any questions about the llamas PM me!!

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I like how you wore a neck gaiter to try to fit in with the llamas ;)

Sounds pretty nice. Thanks for sharing.
 
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