Pack Horses, Llamas, Goats in the Backcountry

Pack animals have been used for thousands of years and can be easily trained. If you’re in an area with mountains or minimal roads, and you don’t want to create a lot of noise that can spook wildlife, horses, llamas, and goats can be used as pack animals. We've created a guide at OpticsPlanet to help you decide what pack animal best fits your needs.

Things to Know Before Your Hunting Trip

If you bring animals into the backcountry, such as horses, llamas, and goats, ensure their needs are met while you hunt.

1. Map out where you will be located and the availability of food and water sources, such as creeks, springs, water holes, rivers, lakes, etc.
2. Look for grazing areas to use. The length of the trip will determine how much feed you need to bring.
3. Don't forget that all feed packed into the national forest must be certified weed free.

Hunting on Horseback 

Horses are similar to people in that no two are alike and can have many different characteristics. Some are easygoing; some are more high-strung. It's a good idea to have a horse with a more relaxed personality, is comfortable around firearms, and is not bothered by the smell of blood. A horse that can solidly stand while you mount is essential, mainly because the ground can be very rocky and uneven. A typical horse may be comfortable walking for eight hours, meaning they could cover 32 miles in that time.

Track your prey on horseback. A horse's gait will not startle wild game compared to a person's gait. 

One definite plus of riding a horse while hunting in the backcountry is having your horse as a pack animal. Carry water, food, spare ammo, a camera, and a first-aid kit in your daypack or saddlebags. Keep your rifle handy on horseback in a rifle scabbard. Be aware of your horse’s weight limit, a good rule of thumb is 20% of their own weight. A 1000 lbs horse can carry up to 200 lbs. 

Care for Pack Horses in the Backcountry

If you feed grain or another supplement besides hay, ensure your horses are accustomed to that feed before leaving for the hunt. A good rule of thumb for the amount of feed per day per horse is to figure 1-2% of the body weight depending on the activity level. For example, a 1000-pound horse fed 1% of its body weight = 10 pounds feed per day and 2% = 20 pounds feed per day. 

Horses need proper feed to get going in the morning, requiring you to wake up at least an hour earlier than usual to allow them enough time to digest before saddling. Even if you are tired after a long ride, they need a hearty evening feeding to ensure they are ready to go the following day.

At a minimum, a horse needs to drink a half gallon to a gallon per 100 pounds of body weight every day. This is roughly 5 to 10 gallons for a 1,000-pound horse. Keep in mind that amount of water is for a horse resting in a temperate climate. Increasing the horse's workload or elevated environmental temperatures will increase the water demand. Your horse will need to drink more after working all day and in a mild climate. They must also be taken to water at least a couple of times daily.

Hunting with Pack Llamas

If you're looking for a great pack animal in the backcountry, llamas are an excellent option! Llamas are a great option if you are hunting in the backcountry. Pack llamas come from the mountainous regions of South America and have been used as pack animals for centuries. 

When choosing the pack animal to bring into the backcountry, an important question is how much a llama can carry. Llamas weigh an average of 280 to 450 pounds and can carry about 25 to 30% of their body weight, roughly 70 to 100 pounds. Unlike horses, llamas do not have hooves; each foot has two toes (the third and fourth digits) with a toenail and pad. Because of their toes, llamas are incredibly surefooted on mountainous terrain. 

Pack llamas that are well trained, are also not easily spooked by the scent of blood or the sight of a kill. 

Once you've made your kill, a llama is excellent at being able to pack out an entire quartered-out deer, head, rack, cape, etc. Any larger game will require at least two or more llamas. You may need multiple trips to avoid exceeding a llama's weight limit. 

Care for Pack Llamas in the Backcountry

There are several pros to caring for pack llamas in the backcountry. They eat and drink roughly 10% of the intake of a horse or mule, which allows you to camp in areas with little feed and water. They are low-maintenance animals in your camp. You can stake them out and leave them alone for the day while you are hunting. Just make sure to move them to a new spot every day. Llamas can go longer without drinking water. However, this does depend on the weather. Be sure to have water available, especially if the area is sweltering and dry.

How Much Do Pack Llamas Cost?

Llamas can cost between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Several factors can determine the cost of a llama, such as age, temperament, gender, etc. 

Once you buy one or several llamas, you should account for the other setup, supplies, and incidental costs, such as a shelter, fencing, feeding hay, llama food, vaccinations, bedding, halters, and the ability to give them fresh water. 

You can also rent pack llamas ahead of your trip for a pretty economical price. Some pack animal rentals may include feed, saddlery, halters, panniers, and other necessities.

Hunting with Pack Goats

Care for Pack Goats in the Backcountry

A significant difference between pack goats and other pack animals is that you must watch goats in the camp and can’t leave them alone. In contrast, pack llamas and horses can be staked and be okay. Either someone will need to be left behind with the goats, or you must bring them along with you on your hunt. Pack goats can be attacked by a predator or break loose from your camp. 

How Much Do Pack Goats Cost?

If you are buying and raising goats, think about a couple of things first. Look for a breeder that understands goats being used as pack animals. Dairy breeds are the best option for packers because of their long legs and bigger frames. Goat breeds such as Alpines, Oberhaslis, Saanens, Toggenburgs, La Manchas or Nubians can be excellent pack goats. Castrated males are better, also known as weathered, in the backcountry. Uncastrated males can be aggressive and challenging to teach.

Pack goats are capable of carrying about 25% of their body weight. Goats are significantly smaller than horses and llamas and eat 25% less than their larger counterparts. You can feed them leafy alfalfa hay in the backcountry, as it is easy to bring along. 

Conclusion

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference to choose what kind of pack animal works best for you, whether it is horses, llamas, or goats. Look over your plans, where you’ll be, time of year, and so on. Decide on what type of transportation you will have, costs, and packing weight. At OpticsPlanet, we carry all of the best hunting gear to help you prep for your hunting trip. Whether you hunt with firearms or archery, we’ve got everything you need. Be sure to also check out our hunting articles.