Can someone enlighten me on burros??

[007pennpal]

Ken,
Hope you heal up strong. I'm a bit broken myself. I just got my VA disability increased and I'm trying to fill my time with the hounds. My arms are like 50%. I remember seeing some donks at the local rescue shelter once. You might try a search online for that. Free is a good price. Mini's can fit in the back of your pickup if you make some rails. Some of them are like pets.
Sean

[2ndhound]

Sean, sorry to hear you have a few mosquito bites of your own to deal with, I noticed you mentioned the VA so I would like to take a moment to thank you for your service to our country Thank you very much for helping to defend my butt!! take care Ken

[liontracker]

Dont laugh too hard people, this is just something Ive been pondering, Im no kinda hand with livestock at all, That being said Ive been wondering if a burro would pack my junk around? The older I get the heavier the backpack gets, Ive lightened the pack as much as I dare, I spend alot of time in the desert on foot so dog water is becoming a concern, Some stuff I should be carrying is starting to get left behind in favor of a lighter pack, Not to the point of stupidity but enough to get me thinking, So I was wondering if a burro would work for packing stuff, Do they lead around pretty good (broad question I know) or do they like to fight a guy every inch of the way? I can still cruise a a good ways without my pack on, But with it not so far anymore. Also how much weight can a typical sized burro handle?? Or am I defeating my purpose cause then I would be adding burro water into the mix? any thoughts on this, Thanks Ken

Ken, there is another option that you should consider and a far better one at that. LLama's, yeh guys that's what I said... a Llama. Before anyone goes off on some preconcieved tangent, consider that I have been packing these things for 20 yrs. You state that you are not much of a hand with livestock and Llama's are far easier to be around in the woods than Burro's. They have a faster pace on trail. I had one that won the Leadville 100, which is a 100 mile race above timberline leading a pack animal carrying a 75lb pack, burros included, 3 consecutive years. I am sure people who race still remember him. He was so fast that 3 guys had to relay him, no single man could keep up to him for that distance. They are far more athletic. All of mine can jump into the back of a pickup fully loaded. Mine start with an 80 lb load. I had one carry 156 lbs 17 miles over three 12,600 foot high passes and the only time he stopped was when I made him so we could take a picture. They are actually a Camel. Llamas were domesticated 4500 yrs ago at 17,000 plus feet in elevation. Llamas have oval shaped red blood cells that can assimilate oxygen more efficiently than round cells can. They have a better work ethic. Burros have a stubborn streak akin to mules and some are real kickers. Not so with Llamas. They have the biggest heart of any pack animal I have ever been around. Even if they did kick you, it would be of no consequence as the bottom of their foot is padded. Their feet do not tear up the ground. They climb like a mountain goat. I remember one time my son and I were packing out 3 bulls from a high country hell hole when we came face to face with three mule riders that were tracking us. They said where did you get those bulls? I said at the end of our tracks, but it won't be of much use to you as we spooked the rest out when we shot. They shot off... "well, it's a free country", so I said yes it is and went on our way. When they got to the frozen waterfall with the 500 foot plunge that I had thrown gravel on in order to cross, it was obvious that their mouth was bigger than their ability and they turned right back. When they rode by my camp I made a point of walking over to the trail and asked, "how about that free country?" The old man in the lead said "son if I hadn't of seen that with my own two eyes, I never would have believed it". That was nothing compared to some of the places that I have put a Llama. I have had Llamas pack hard in the extreme high country for as long as 5 days before they ever took the first drink of water. You can teach then to lay down, like you teach a dog to sit. I have bumped into herds of elk in the highcounry and made the Llamas lay down. Then I was able to put a stalk on the elk and kill nice bulls. They make great decoys! I could write a book on the possitive aspects of llamas for on foot type packing and only two words in the negative. They spit! Not at me but at each other over food or personal space. When I pack extreme, the horses and mules stay home.

[2ndhound]

Liontracker, thanks for the input, sounds like you had alot of adventures with those Llamas, you are correct about preconceptions, Im as guilty as the next guy, My first reaction is always " yuppie pets" what good would that do? glad you opened my eyeballs with your post, as usual just when I think I know something I find out Im full of BS Always good to learn new stuff Thanks Ken

[liontracker]

2ndhound, In the early days they were exactly that, overpriced yuppie pets. I had to wade through 50, yes 50 llamas to put together my first packstring of 9 llamas. Coming from a died in the wool horse family, I guess I expected more out of them than most did. I got my first horse when I was 6 yrs old, so I knew what packstock should be able to do. When I got my first 3 llamas, I could not except the fact that a 350LB animal with 4 legs was not able to out perform me. I had just spent 10 yrs carrying a 80-90 lb pack all over the Colorado high country. Something had to be wrong with those 60lb loads and 1-2 miles an hour on a mostly level trail. After I got those original 9 dialed in, I sold all my horses and mules and never looked back. At the time, I owned an outfitting bussiness. After the llamas took over, there were no more wrecks and no more injured clients. Sure they had to walk, but I figure if a guy can't at least walk into camp, then he should hunt from a pickup anyway. Those were glory days for me. I took animals in areas that literally stood on end and denied conventional packstock. I had the remote Colorado high country to myself. Just the way I like it. One time I was packing two elk out of another hell hole. It was an all day deal just to get them up to the trail. When I reached the trail, there was an ancient local Outfitter sitting there with two clients waiting for me. I was expecting another ribbing, but the oldtimer said, "son come on over here and get you some of this coffee and sit a spell". Unbeknownst to me, they had spotted me earlier in the day coming up out of there and had built a fire and waited for me because he "just had to see what was packing all that meat". When I left he said "I have been packing up here my whole life since I was 10 yrs old and I am 75 now. I have never seen anything that could pack an elk out of there. I killed my two best mules trying. You have my utmost respect and are welcome to hunt this country anytime." I prefer the tall, long legged, narrow chested type..built like an elk. I eventually developed my own strain. When it comes to llamas, I coined the phrase, "High Capacity Packers". They live for about 27 yrs. I have packed mine until they are 21 yrs old. For a similar type in this area, you can go online and check out Buckhorn llamas and Redwood llamas. If you get a llama, instead of a Burro, believe me, you won't be sorry. Oh, the pack gear for a llama is far superior to what is available for a burro as well. I'd be glad to help you get started, just let me know.

P.S. I will get a scanner and post some pics for you that will show what I am talking about.

[2ndhound]

Sure thing liontracker, I would enjoy seeing your pics when you get some time, I havent had a chance to do any research on Llamas yet so I dont know doodilie about them, I was wondering how they hold up in the heat? This high desert country has very extreme temp swings from summer to winter, How about foot care any thing need to be done? around here its usually sandy or extremely rocky, usually both if you walk far enough how about food? do you need to bring food along or can they get by on poor feed? I see a few pics around with Llamas but always in the Mtns, I dont recall seeing them out in the desert but then again I never looked around for info on Llamas before, looks like I have some more homework to do Take care and thanks for your input.... Ken