Llama Hunting - Prices 2021- Ouch

AvidIndoorsman

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2015
Messages
18,370
Just got my returning customer email from my llama outfitter for 2021

Prices are going up more than 2X.

In 2021 it will cost me more to rent Llamas for a week in CO then it did for me to do a fly in Prince of Wales bear hunt in 2019.

He's a great outfitter with awesome animals, I would recommend him 100% to anyone, and I'm glad his business is doing well.

That said, his price is now similar possibly a bit more than a drop camp... either of which are probably a bit too high for my budget.

Anyway, I think the llamas as an affordable pack-out option ship has sailed.
 
Partially due to his location in Colorado?

what’s his ratio of customers that are backpackers only to hunters?

what I’m curious about, is he milking it due to Colorado’s overall demand? Or are his costs actually going up
 
Llamas are hotter than bow hunting right now.
Are the things broke like dogs when you pick them up? Like they’d never run away?
Do you have to display basic equestrian skills before they let you leave with them?
 
I talked to Beau Baty a while ago about renting llamas for a Wyoming elk hunt next year and his prices still seemed the same. Not sure if he’d be able to help you in Colorado but it might be worth a call. They’re cheaper than the other llama rental operation we have in Lander and cheaper than renting a horse or mule.
 
Partially due to his location in Colorado?

what’s his ratio of customers that are backpackers only to hunters?

what I’m curious about, is he milking it due to Colorado’s overall demand? Or are his costs actually going up

Absolutely not, he’s actually just raising prices to meet the market, he was very affordable. Beau is great but expensive, my outfitter was $100 a day per llama cheaper than Beau. I believe now they are comparable.

Backpackers all summer, hunters sept-nov. Not sure about summer rates.

He has good gear/trailers/strong animals.

@DouglasR it’s pretty plug and play, you do a couple hour training, then you hook up the provided trailer to your truck and roll out.

@Letthemgrow I hunted with llamas in 2019, and doing so again in a couple of weeks, this is for next fall.
 
Last edited:
I bet that helicopter Randy used to access anelk unit is a bit more than $700 nowadays too. . . . #CancelRandy . . .

😂

I think there is a lot of interest in hunting nationwide but dwindling opportunities. Fewer and fewer places where you can jump in your truck, buy a license and go...

Along these lines when people say, “Oh you can shoot an elk walk out and call an outfitter to pack it out, I’m like have you tried it in the last 2 years? How about in CO? No one in the summit county/ west elks or San Luis valley will do it or commit to it upfront and when you do find someone the going rate is $1000-$1500

I know people who did this in 2008-2012 for $500 I called those specific outfitters, they are too busy with too few allocated days on their permits.
 
It is a struggle to keep hunting an every man's game. I have always faced the issue that anyone with more $$$ could get deeper in than I could. Whether that means horses, llamas, or ATV's, the guy with the most toys often wins.

It's even true for the guy who puts everything on his back. A high end meat hauling pack with enough cubic inches to go deep is not cheap. Then add all the backpacking accoutrements.

Each of us has to decide where our priority and treasure are going to go.
 
Just got my returning customer email from my llama outfitter for 2021

Prices are going up more than 2X.

In 2021 it will cost me more to rent Llamas for a week in CO then it did for me to do a fly in Prince of Wales bear hunt in 2019.

He's a great outfitter with awesome animals, I would recommend him 100% to anyone, and I'm glad his business is doing well.

That said, his price is now similar possibly a bit more than a drop camp... either of which are probably a bit too high for my budget.

Anyway, I think the llamas as an affordable pack-out option ship has sailed.
Suck it up & pay the piper Mr Mom😊
 
Prices are going through the roof on everything with hunting....

I used to hunt moose for 4-6 K American $ total trip package in Ontario (Included flight into remote hunting cabin on landlocked lake).

Last year the outfitter called me and told me he would "cut me a deal at 9K" for a drive in hunt... I laughed and hung the phone up.

I killed a moose. I dont need to kill another that bad.
 
Even taxidermy rates are going through the roof. We dropped off our moose head yesterday on our way home at a really good guy. Thankfully as a repeat customer for him, he gave us the same rate of $1500 for our full head mount matching our last moose we brought him two years ago. His rate right now is $1850 for a moose. +$350 in two years is quite the jump! I was shocked but relieved that he gave us the same rate as before.
 
Prices are going through the roof on everything with hunting....

I used to hunt moose for 4-6 K American $ total trip package in Ontario (Included flight into remote hunting cabin on landlocked lake).

Last year the outfitter called me and told me he would "cut me a deal at 9K" for a drive in hunt... I laughed and hung the phone up.

I killed a moose. I dont need to kill another that bad.

The one that really gets me are the AK transporters that won't fly you into spots unless you are a return customer.

Like, they are a transporter not a guide so the contract is just for transport they legally can't tell you where to hunt. But, they know what the popular river is, and they don't want it over hunted so they won't fly more than a couple of groups there and in order to be one of those groups you need to spend 20k and go on a couple of other hunts with them.
 
The one that really gets me are the AK transporters that won't fly you into spots unless you are a return customer.

Like, they are a transporter not a guide so the contract is just for transport they legally can't tell you where to hunt. But, they know what the popular river is, and they don't want it over hunted so they won't fly more than a couple of groups there and in order to be one of those groups you need to spend 20k and go on a couple of other hunts with them.

That is jacked.
 
The one that really gets me are the AK transporters that won't fly you into spots unless you are a return customer.

Like, they are a transporter not a guide so the contract is just for transport they legally can't tell you where to hunt. But, they know what the popular river is, and they don't want it over hunted so they won't fly more than a couple of groups there and in order to be one of those groups you need to spend 20k and go on a couple of other hunts with them.

And then the other transporters that don't care, but want +/- $9K/person to literally just fly you in and out, whether or not you get a moose. Some will provide the camp for a little more, but there are several that charge that much just for the transport. It's nuts.
 
Even taxidermy rates are going through the roof. We dropped off our moose head yesterday on our way home at a really good guy. Thankfully as a repeat customer for him, he gave us the same rate of $1500 for our full head mount matching our last moose we brought him two years ago. His rate right now is $1850 for a moose. +$350 in two years is quite the jump! I was shocked but relieved that he gave us the same rate as before.
I got my taxidermist to give me a deal for $100 to do a euro of my sheep/with a wood backing.
 
Even taxidermy rates are going through the roof. We dropped off our moose head yesterday on our way home at a really good guy. Thankfully as a repeat customer for him, he gave us the same rate of $1500 for our full head mount matching our last moose we brought him two years ago. His rate right now is $1850 for a moose. +$350 in two years is quite the jump! I was shocked but relieved that he gave us the same rate as before.
This a sad truth. I've been talking to a few taxidermists as part of my prep for my goat and sheep. During the middle of the summer, one guy said $3k for a full body goat or sheep. I went back to him two weeks ago to talk in more depth about how he'd like the animals caped. His rate now? $4k per. My jaw hit the floor.
 
Yeti GOBOX Collection

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
110,816
Messages
1,935,413
Members
34,888
Latest member
Jack the bear
Back
Top