Everything you know about them... Tell it to me!

Too many consecutive consonants in their name.

Spitters

There was a half dozen headed up the trail ahead of us in Colorado so I hate them

I know a guy who rented 3-4 this year to hunt elk in the mountains. Apparently there aren't rules against renting llamas as there are against renting pigs. They came with packs and can supposedly pack out a whole elk (collectively...not individually). I've heard they are quite pleasant to hike with as their stride is similar to a person's. He said he didn't have to carry a lead rope because they would just follow him around. Not sure what you do with them while stalking...maybe just tie them up somewhere. I find the concept odd, but I hear them and pack goats being talked about more and more out West lately.

There's a episode of meateater I believe where Rinellas brother owns/uses alpacas to pack in/out stuff for elk camp. He talks about it in some detail. I want to say they may have talked about it on one of the podcasts as well.

agingcowboy said:

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I know a guy who rented 3-4 this year to hunt elk in the mountains. Apparently there aren't rules against renting llamas as there are against renting pigs. They came with packs and can supposedly pack out a whole elk (collectively...not individually). I've heard they are quite pleasant to hike with as their stride is similar to a person's. He said he didn't have to carry a lead rope because they would just follow him around. Not sure what you do with them while stalking...maybe just tie them up somewhere. I find the concept odd, but I hear them and pack goats being talked about more and more out West lately.

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And there's the angle that was dangling right in front of my face! Thank you!

When males fight, they try to rip the balls from their opponent. Don't make them mad.

Chazz03 said:

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I don't think he is a pack Llama but there is a Llama on a ranch on the way to my deer lease that is always standing on the same pile of rocks looking west. Maybe he is dreaming of being a pack Llama out there somewhere.

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Ha I have the same occurrence. He sits on the high bank of a tank facing the road. But this guy stares off to the northeast every dang day. Pretty funny.

agingcowboy said:

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I know a guy who rented 3-4 this year to hunt elk in the mountains. Apparently there aren't rules against renting llamas as there are against renting pigs. They came with packs and can supposedly pack out a whole elk (collectively...not individually). I've heard they are quite pleasant to hike with as their stride is similar to a person's. He said he didn't have to carry a lead rope because they would just follow him around. Not sure what you do with them while stalking...maybe just tie them up somewhere. I find the concept odd, but I hear them and pack goats being talked about more and more out West lately.

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I'd keep them tethered and with a lead rope. I saw one that had wandered off before. Took volunteers a month to catch it again.

I have a friend who used lamas last year on their elk hunt. Said it was about $900 for 3 lamas+ trailer+gear/food for a week. Each lama can carry about 50lbs, but split 25/25lbs on each side. He said they were easy to lead and the forest services rent them often thru the year too. Once they made camp they tethered them and would move them each day. Didn't drink much water either is what he said too.

I guess lamas are better suited to the rougher Mountain terrain than horses or mules. Still can't go up super steep inclines tho... Overall, my buddy was a big fan of renting lamas

This website from a Llama breeder in North Texas

http://www.northtexasllamas.com/why-llamas-.html

stdeb11 said:

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I have a friend who used lamas last year on their elk hunt. Said it was about $900 for 3 lamas+ trailer+gear/food for a week. Each lama can carry about 50lbs, but split 25/25lbs on each side. He said they were easy to lead and the forest services rent them often thru the year too. Once they made camp they tethered them and would move them each day. Didn't drink much water either is what he said too.

I guess lamas are better suited to the rougher Mountain terrain than horses or mules. Still can't go up super steep inclines tho... Overall, my buddy was a big fan of renting lamas

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I'm shocked to hear that the forest service would do anything like this, but interested.

What unit/town was this in?

Forest service likes them as they do not tear up the trail, sure footed, less water consumption and they browse for food. Not to mention their waste look more like a deer so not huge deposit. Some folks market their poop.
Negative is not heavy pack load and can be subject to panic if threatened but this can be controlled.

Spore Ag said:

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can be subject to panic if threatened but this can be controlled.

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Do you have a good bit of llama experience? I imagine you mean they can be trained and conditioned like a horse...?

They are in the camel family with 4 groups, vicua, guanaco, alpaca and llama with crosses. Llama and alpaca are domesticated and trainable. Alpaca and Vicua noted for the fiber. We quit raising them due to a couple being overrun and killed by roaming dogs. It was also a time during the exotic craze.

Taste like chicken.

Mountain Lions are fond of them as well. It's an old article from Northern Idaho but pretty interesting:

Quote:

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A huge mountain lion with a taste for llamas killed five of the woolly critters last week before it was tracked and shot near Jewel Lake. The male lion, which had a belly full of llama hair, measured nearly seven feet long and weighed about 170 pounds. It was one of the largest cats Idaho Fish and Game officials have ever seen.

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Quote:

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For several weeks, the large lion terrorized llama ranchers and residents south of Sandpoint. It killed four llamas in six days, far more than it could eat, Miller said.
One of the dead llamas weighed 450-pounds and belonged to Gene Clark, who has an exotic animal farm in the area.
"It takes a pretty good-sized cat to take down a llama that big," he said. "I've had them (mountain lions) take cattle before, but never a llama."

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I didn't know the following about Llamas. They sound pretty badass:

Quote:

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Several area sheep ranchers use llamas to guard their flocks against coyotes and cougars. Llamas are protective and territorial and have been known to stomp coyotes to death. But the llamas appeared to be no match for the big cat.

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http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jun/05/the-biggest-cat-ive-ever-seen-male-mountain-lion/

My FIL raised them for years out in Ruidoso and led guided treks using them. Nasty animals.....

We keep a Llama with about 250 head of dorper ewes. I think they are better than the donkeys we used to keep with the ewes.

Horses that aren't familiar with them will go apesh*t crazy the first time they see and smell them.

He said they rented them from some guy named Bill in Silverton, CO and hunted somewhere down there (I forget the unit). If he finds the receipt with the company name, I'll let you know.

He did say they woke up at like 2am to one lama making horrible noises. They thought a mountain lion got after them... After running out into the night to check, it was just two of the lamas getting busy in the dark.

[/url]http://www.rent-a-llama.com/browse.php?state=Colorado[url]

Now we're makin progress.

stdeb11 said:

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He said they rented them from some guy named Bill in Silverton, CO and hunted somewhere down there (I forget the unit). If he finds the receipt with the company name, I'll let you know.

He did say they woke up at like 2am to one lama making horrible noises. They thought a mountain lion got after them... After running out into the night to check, it was just two of the lamas getting busy in the dark.

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That "getting busy" part. Can you elaborate.....?

Haha. He must have gotten two "married" lamas... They were
Working on their "o" face
Knocking boots
Etc.

He said it was a funny sight to see. Two grown men running out of tents in boxers with bows in hand just to find two lamas working on their night moves

Any llamas in llano?

Aggie1205 said:

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Any llamas in llano?

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There use to be a bunch right by the hospital on the road from marble falls to Burnett I think

He raised them. By the horseshoe bay turn off. If you're really interested I can get actual road names / numbers. You can see the. From the highway. I haven't looked in awhile. Forget about stuff you see sometimes.

Yall get some digits next time you drive by and I'll put together a rag tag string for next year.