Llama Rental

BG775

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Nov 25, 2016
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47
Location
Reno, NV
A friend and I recently made a trip to Idaho for a backcountry elk hunt. Early on in the planning stages, we decided a little help packing out would give us more time to hunt and a few extra luxuries around camp. Some internet research led us to Beau Baty of Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas. After a little back and forth with questions, we sent in a deposit.

Let me start out by saying I have very little experience with stock animals. We showed up and got a crash course in llamas. He really has just about anything you can think of covered and makes it pretty easy.

The llamas were very easy to handle. Over the course of the trip, we covered about fifty miles moving camp locations (new area we had never hunted). They got spooked once by some inquisitive sheep and almost ran me over less than a mile from the truck in the way out, but it was smooth sailing after that. They spit at each other occasionally, but never at us. We encountered horses on the trail without a problem. We did take them off trail a bit, and those llamas can go anywhere I could, including through deadfall. Around camp they were a breeze. They’d graze on just about anything. We left them at camp while hunting during the day and would move them at night and give them some water.

There is not one negative thing I can say about the trip. I won’t hesitate to do it again.



 
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
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Magnolia, Texas
That is awesome. I have been very interested in llamas the last couple of years. I hope to get a few here after a while. Your experience just solidifies my thoughts.


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Joined
Dec 30, 2014
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I rented Llamas from Beau and Kirstin for the first time this year as well. They are great folks who run a good business. I’d highly recommend them. For the first 5 days I thought the llamas were robots they were so easy to deal with. We had a bit of a rodeo on the pack out but it would not deter me at all from booking again.

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bmart2622

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Montana
Wind gypsy, can you elaborate on the rodeo? Was it something avoidable? Something that was easily fixed?
 
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Wind gypsy, can you elaborate on the rodeo? Was it something avoidable? Something that was easily fixed?

The lead llama (Granite) seemed a little anxious about getting the skull/rack put on him when I was loading them up. I didn’t think much of it because they’d been so great the whole trip and I figured he’d settle in. On the way out I came across a camp of 3 fellas from Massachusetts who also had llamas from Beau. I stopped and chatted with them for a minute and kept on my way. Once we got close to the other llamas Granite started getting happy feet and moaning a bit. I noticed the rack was getting pretty unbalanced, went to adjust it and granite turned and started bucking and running back down the trail we came from dragging the trailing llama (Doc) with him. A buckle on the harness broke and the panniers and rack were hanging off his side bouncing on the ground until it finally all broke free from him. Doc broke free as well and basically just hung out where he was. The only casualties were my titanium stove body and the bull's skull.

Granite went about a 1/4 mile down the hill and stopped. I was able to walk up to him and grab him without incident. It was getting dark, we had a steep ridge to descend still, and granite was pretty wound up so I pitched a tent near the gentleman from Mass for the night. I put the rack on Doc the next morning and we walked out without incident.

Looking back, I could have avoided it by recognizing the signs that the one llama was getting a little anxious.
 
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Sevobuck

Lil-Rokslider
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Oct 4, 2018
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Thanks for the thorough review. I’ve always been curious about them as a pack animal.


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BG775

FNG
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
47
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Reno, NV
I honestly wish I could find someone renting pack llamas closer to my home for my in state hunts.
 

squirrel

WKR
Joined
May 25, 2017
Messages
324
Location
colorado
In most cases it is best if the hunter carries the rack/skull plate on his own back. After the obligatory "loaded llama" pics are taken. At least you did it the right way most rookies drape the antlers down over the ribs of the llama, a formula for a dead llama.
 

njdoxie

WKR
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
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Question - not to hijack the thread, but do you have to take in extra food in case it snows? I've been told that's necessary in the later seasons. There's plenty of browse where I hunt, so in the unlikely event of snow, would they be able to get by on the browse?
 
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squirrel

WKR
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May 25, 2017
Messages
324
Location
colorado
I have never known a llama to dig, hell they won't even enlarge after you start one. It must be in their dna. You must dig for them (which resembles hard work for a couple and resembles a full time job for a string of 6+. You can locate them in above snow browse for short duration, like early snow s which will melt quickly. Or you must supplemental feed on top of the snow, which is the easiest option, concentrated calories are my choice, grain not hay.
 

Paul M

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
102
If your in Colorado or neighboring states you should try
corralcreekllamas.com
for summer hiking/ fishing or hunting trips
 

njdoxie

WKR
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The lead llama (Granite) seemed a little anxious about getting the skull/rack put on him when I was loading them up. I didn’t think much of it because they’d been so great the whole trip and I figured he’d settle in. On the way out I came across a camp of 3 fellas from Massachusetts who also had llamas from Beau. I stopped and chatted with them for a minute and kept on my way. Once we got close to the other llamas Granite started getting happy feet and moaning a bit. I noticed the rack was getting pretty unbalanced, went to adjust it and granite turned and started bucking and running back down the trail we came from dragging the trailing llama (Doc) with him. A buckle on the harness broke and the panniers and rack were hanging off his side bouncing on the ground until it finally all broke free from him. Doc broke free as well and basically just hung out where he was. The only casualties were my titanium stove body and the bull's skull.

Granite went about a 1/4 mile down the hill and stopped. I was able to walk up to him and grab him without incident. It was getting dark, we had a steep ridge to descend still, and granite was pretty wound up so I pitched a tent near the gentleman from Mass for the night. I put the rack on Doc the next morning and we walked out without incident.

Looking back, I could have avoided it by recognizing the signs that the one llama was getting a little anxious.

This is a mite troubling for me because what if your weapon was damaged on the way in, yikes....what could you have done to prevent this?

My horse rides to camp have dried up, so my only option is to use llamas, and I'm trying to educate myself.
 
Joined
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Lewiston ID
This is a mite troubling for me because what if your weapon was damaged on the way in, yikes....what could you have done to prevent this?

My horse rides to camp have dried up, so my only option is to use llamas, and I'm trying to educate myself.

I'd be walking in with my weapon on my pack. No matter what kind of stock you use, you'll eventually have a rodeo or mishap and keeping your optics or weapon on your person isn't a terrible idea... Just my .02

I'd love to get llamas but the wife loves goats... we're at an impass haha

Mike
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,176
I'd be walking in with my weapon on my pack. No matter what kind of stock you use, you'll eventually have a rodeo or mishap and keeping your optics or weapon on your person isn't a terrible idea... Just my .02

Yep, bow was always in my hand or on my pack while walking with the Llamas. Would do the same with a rifle.

I could have prevented it by reading the llama's body language and putting it on my back or on the second llama who wasn't wound as tight. The llamas walked pretty close on my heels so I didn't like the idea of the rack on my back much.
 
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