Info on lamas as pack animals

188MULE

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North Dakota
Just read thru the post about goats as pack animals I was set on getting lamas but may have to rethink. Any info anybody has would be great. And your experience while using them.
 
Just read thru the post about goats as pack animals I was set on getting lamas but may have to rethink. Any info anybody has would be great. And your experience while using them.


I have never personally owned or used lamas but can tell you for sure most horses don't like them including mine. So if you do decide to use Lamas and meet a pack string on the trail understand that horses have the right away on backcountry trails. Don't want a rodeo happening all over the hillside.

With all that said Iunderstand that they can carry up to 70 lbs and can go anywhere you can hike. That would be a good deal and you would not have to carry feed as they make a living most anywhere. But they are nasty and do have a wiered smell.
 
I havent used them for hunting trips, but hey sure are tough things. My nephews even ride them in the farm, like riding a horse I mean, jajaja. They do stink though, or I should say they have a weird strong smell.
 
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188Mule,

I packed with llamas for 8 or 9 seasons. to much to put in a post. send me your telephone # via PM if you want some additional information.

Mark
 
I've been told by my lama ownin' neighbors that that they pack 60#s per lama.

Heck's fire......a decent goat can carry that much, easily.

These lamas are pretty much pasture ornaments. And reproducing.

I'm waiting for a depredation hunt to do some bullet testing.:D:D

Plus, they have a split lip. I don't think that's a good thing.:rolleyes:
 
Roy

Im with you I am going with goats I am just waiting for a pair to get weaned so I can go pick them up from northern Idaho in fact. I do also have horses and they are just a big pain in the butt to hunt with they only time I ever ride them anymore is when it is time to play cowboy and chase cows for a rancher buddy of mine. It is a good thing the wife and daughter ride them or they would be a complete waste of hay.


Good Luck, Jason
 
Every llama and goat have differant capacities / limits. I had llama's that would only haul 60lbs of gear in 12 miles and I had another that would take 75-80 in (uphill) 90 out. My buddie boned and bull elk and put it on 2 llamas and took it out ( good trail and only 3 miles) It seems that most pack animals will all haul a certain pecentage of their own weight if properly conditioned.

My buddy had the goats and they were pretty cool. It took him alot of goats to do what I did with 4 llamas.


I have a couple llama's that are only halter broke weed eaters that I will give to someone that will to train them up.
 
Every llama and goat have differant capacities / limits. I had llama's that would only haul 60lbs of gear in 12 miles and I had another that would take 75-80 in (uphill) 90 out. My buddie boned and bull elk and put it on 2 llamas and took it out ( good trail and only 3 miles) It seems that most pack animals will all haul a certain pecentage of their own weight if properly conditioned.

My buddy had the goats and they were pretty cool. It took him alot of goats to do what I did with 4 llamas.


I have a couple llama's that are only halter broke weed eaters that I will give to someone that will to train them up.

warrbuk, I had been looking at lamas for weed control. A coworker has six that he rotates thru his corrals during the summers nd says they will eat anything. Also they are very hardy in our brutal NoDak winters. I could get some young lamas from him for cheap or try his out for awhile. I have nice trees around my place and I've seen goats rip the bark right off of a mature tree and he said his lamas aren't as destructive as the goats he's had in the past. After seeing a article in eastmans where someone used them during a sheep hunt I really got interested in getting lamas to clean up weeds and have a use also. The badlands in western ND are pretty **** rough where you would kill a bruiser mule deer. I'd be scared to take a horse into most of that stuff. I must admit I am not a horse person. I've heard lamas eat anything, do not need a lot of water, will traverse anything you will and more, and haul a pretty good load.
 
i used llamas on 2 trips for elk. we rented them, they worked pretty well. they would haul 90 lbs. you had to weigh each scabbard so each side would weigh no more than 2 lbs difference. haven't seen one take a drink of water yet. just tie them in a different spot each day and they would eat everything within reach. perfect circles in the meadows! a couple of them got loose and didn't wander off. just hung around the others. he gave us a bag( bright orange color) of molases flavored oats. just put that in front and they would come to you. we gave them each a handful every day so if they got lost, they would come if they saw that orange bag.very quiet, all in all we thought they worked well for hunting.
 
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