In 1996 I first read about using llamas as pack animals. In 1997 I was living in the US and went to check them out at Stan Ebel's operation (Buckhorn Llama Co.) out of Loveland, CO. Later that year I took my children up 5,000 feet in 5 miles in the Rawah Wilderness area using llamas. Specialized red blood cells allow llamas to carry more oxygen and therefore work without tiring. They can carry 1/3 of their body weight (a load you'd never put on a horse). They can go 3 days without water and don't need supplemental rations in backcountry (they are browsers, like deer...their epicurean philosophy is 'all the world's a salad bar'). They are highly intelligent (teach them once and they got it for life!). And they aren't reactive to anything. I was hooked. I bought my first pair that year and have used them for hunting ever since. I bought a pair and moving back to Canada, I brought them with me to nw MB. Here's the deal. I trailer them to the park boundary (remote entry...non-mechanized access only). There's a 5 mile walk in to a deer yard. I picket them there (if I haven't already got my game). I hunt and almost always succeed (either that or come back the next day). I hang and debone my animal completely using a set of lightweight mountain climbing pulleys. I load the meat on my animals and out we go. It's just that simple. We've walked out many times in the dark...they are sure-footed. During the summer they have enough to graze on in their enclosure. During the winter they consume about 1/4 bale of hay a day a piece (I raise hay so that's no problem). They never get sick and can work into their twenties. And many times I have had game actually come towards me trying to figure out what the heck they are seeing (I cease to exist as they focus on these strange looking critters). The oldest fossil records of llamas is in North America. Llamas do not carry disease that can be transferred to wildlife. Can't tell you how much I look forward to deer season each year up here and being on the trail with them. And they like it too.
Anyway, there's got to be others out there who use horses (I worked on a couple ranches when I was young and can ride and like horses). But for me there's nothing like walking quietly down a trail (they have padded foot pads) with a couple llamas in tow (although in the beginning I felt rather odd).
So if you use packers, I want to see them! And I honour the ancient way of what you do and your animals...
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Anyway, there's got to be others out there who use horses (I worked on a couple ranches when I was young and can ride and like horses). But for me there's nothing like walking quietly down a trail (they have padded foot pads) with a couple llamas in tow (although in the beginning I felt rather odd).
So if you use packers, I want to see them! And I honour the ancient way of what you do and your animals...
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That's pretty cool! Do you have more pictures?
