FREE LLAMAS....

“No, not mine, but I have one trained I will sell cheap.

For anyone interested in saving a llama life..

There is a big consignment auction in Alturas, California, on May 21.

The llamas are there only for FREE.

They are all (24 of them), one to three years old, and in prime shape to learn how to pack.

If they are not taken, they will go to the dog food factory.

If you are interested in having an intelligent, and trainable pet, and can take part in a
"SAVE THE LLAMA CRUSADE"....

Please get in touch with me immediately, if not sooner for details.

I couldn't help it.
Lots of you have met mine and know how well (usually..) they work as backpacking buddies.

Act now!

Save a Life!”

“Save the drama for your Llama!”

“Hey, snackboy, how bout a good llama recipe.”

“Mel,

Several years back, I played a golf course in Pinehurst, NC called Legacy. Their big thing was using llamas as caddies.

Maybe they would have some interest (unless the logistics of llama moving from CA to NC are too hard). I know they have a website, but I don't have the url.

I guess I should introduce myself, too. I'm a long time lurker of this board.”

“Ewwwwwe! I'll bet that adds a few *traps* to the golf course! Who gets to *caddy* behind the llamas?”

“I'll take a golf cart on the trail first. They don't crap in the water sources.”

“bacpac -

Shame on you. Llamas should never be mistreated (or overcooked).”

“Mel... you didn't mention WHY the Llama's were available in the first place. Made me wonder why someone would go to the expense of shipping them to Alturas (I have clients up there, with a horse ranch) only to give them away for free.

What gives?”

“For the last several years, breeders have been producing more llamas than they can sell.
These days, most of them go to auction.

The breeders are keeping their prime breeders and show quality animals, and destroying the rest to keep prices up.

The llamas up in Alturas are from that area.

There were 40 in the original group. Homes have been found for all but 24 of them.

Grace and I are trying to save two to four, and trying to locate local pasturage here, where we are (and we're also trying to locate a stock trailer to get them down here).
There are a few places with acreage up around Alturas where we also might be able to park a few temporarily until we can figure out a longer term solution.

Yes, Mike, llamas are used for caddies.
They are also used as camp guards in grizzlie country on pack trips, and as guards for herds of sheep in mountain lion country.
(Welcome out of Lurkage)

If I had used the title FREE DOGS, and said if we couldn't save them, they would be slaughtered, I bet there would have been fewer smart assed remarks about eating them.

This is a shame. And I'm not an animal do-gooder, but if it's possible to keep some of theses guys out of the grinder, I'll do my best.

Horses SH!t in the water too, Nige. And they make a far bigger mess out of the backcountry than llamas do.
Deer also sh!t in the water.
You want to use a golf cart out there, too?

France is picking up a lot of American wild horses now for little prime steaks because of foot and mouth disease.”

“So does Tarpy but that don't make it right. 8) The lesser of two evils trick, huh? How republican! Lol!

Both horses AND llamas are non indigenous and destructive. Deer are fine however.”

“Depends how you define indigenous, Nigal.

Equine fossils have been found in N.A., and the llama is a New World animal whose ancient camel-like ancestors have also been found in fossil deposits, both dating to pre-human eras. So are we indigenous?

As for the deer question, read Richard Nelson's "Heart and Blood: Living With Deer in North America" for a very full discussion of the dimensions of the human/deer relationship. We have places in the Northwoods where deer do far more damage to the ecosystem than any other entitiy than humans.”

“Thank you Mr. Hairsplitter! 8D”

“So Tarpy's the one who sh!t on the trail in Dolly Sods Apr, 2000, huh?

Hey maaaan, I've been to Lurkage.
Its faaaar out, maaaaan!”

“mel -

I'm truly sorry if my little joke offended you. I wouldn't be too sure that there would be fewer dog eating jokes though.

Good luck in a good cause.”

“Oooh, Nigal. Didn't mean to find a finer hair to split than you did. Sorry. Put me in the "destructive" category with those spittin' llamas.

Good luck, Mel.”

“BTW Nigal, I'm not really good on all the emoticons, so if 8D is a lighthearted one, let me know. I'll acknowledge I may be getting a bit edgy -- instead of my usual Friday afternoon off, I'm just about to return to another three job candidate interviews.

On the other hand, if you meant to be sarcastic, well ...”

“8D is a big Jimmy Carter smile. While I don't like pack animals of any kind it's not something that actually upsets me...so I can still smile about it. I meant no sarcasm to you Pekka.”

“8D is a big Jimmy Carter smile. While I don't like pack animals of any kind it's not something that actually upsets me...so I can still smile about it. I meant no sarcasm to you Pekka.”

“You can say that again.”

“8D is a big Jimmy Carter smile. While I don't like pack animals of any kind it's not something that actually upsets me...so I can still smile about it. I meant no sarcasm to you Pekka.”

“I'm sorry to hear about the llamas without homes. It's very good of you to try and save some lives. Overbreeders suck! Bringing life into this world to kill it, it's as bad as anything else out there.”

“8D”

“"Overbreeders suck!"
If all they did was suck then they wouldn't be overbreeding!”

“Llamas look like elk. Llamas are vegetarians like Elk. Elk are very tasty.

I bet a Llama tastes better than a dog.”

“Thanks, Nigal. I'm finally done with the interviews ... until 7 a.m. Monday when, pun intended on this thread, we meet to thin the herd.

Pluses for llamas: those interesting, lower-impact feet and sorta intelligent-looking faces. Easier to fall for something that looks like a smart giant stuffed animal, even if they spit. Plus, I bet you can't train deer and elk to carry beer and lawn chairs.”

“mel,
You know I'd get a couple if I could. My llama packing business is right there in Alturas and I can't even quit my day job to claim it. Drats!

By the way, I been working on a variation of House Plan 6 with a slight variation to the kitchen from Plan 4. I've also moved the bathrooms on both levels to the west wall. This makes for shorter piping runs and bracing against avalanches. The first floor bedroom will have a futon bed (not built-in), therefore you shall have the private office with map table as you requested. It's gonna be sweet. Hell I may have to build me a variation of this house when I move out there.”

“Wish I could help, but have no way to transport home. We see a lot of the same thing here at the horse auctions, overbreeding floods the market and "killer bids" take lots of 20 to make dog food. Prices for horses are based on "killer price" at any given time. It makes me furious! Good luck on saving as many as you can!”

“Sol, you're a sweetie pie.

I went up to town to take a look at the pictures that Grace brought back of the boys up there.
They all have papers, and are mainly pretty good looking. They all show promise as packers.

Most of us are too broke to really afford to have more of them, but there's several of us who are going to pool funds, try to bring six or eight of them down here (if we can borrow a stock trailer big enough), and park them down in Bishop until we figure out our next move.

We've all picked out a couple that we like, but we will share them, and all of us will work with them, and help try to keep them in grass (no, not that kind).

If anyone who participates in, or who has participated in, a TT Llama Rama would like to own a "share" of a llama (just help pay for hay, which is cheap), whenever you come out here to hike with me, you got a llama to carry your stuff.
All your stuff.
I'll do the training, but you will have to pay for the tack (eventually).

We (Grace and I and the other involved ladies), are trying to locate some place to keep them, where food grows most of the year.
That will take care of a lot of the feed bill.

Llamas are usually VERY healthy, and rarely require visits to a vet.
They are far cheaper to care for than a dog, OR cat. And I have three cats!

Anyone here who might be interested in this "Llama Rescue", can be a "part owner", and you all can have one in your collective names, or name the guy yourselves.

It could be a Trail Talk Mascot Llama.

Thanks to all of you who've shown support.

Viola...

Not to worry..
After having talked to someone who's eaten both llama and alpaca, they said alpaca was more tender and flavorful.

And the Vietnamese would probably favor dog meat over horse meat.
The French like horse filet.

I have plenty of experience observing the low, vs. high impact of llamas and horses in the field.

The Sierras (here) have been at the mercy of horse packing/ outfitting monopolies for nearly 100 years.

The Forest Service in our area is finally acknowledging how distructive to our local environment horses have been.

This season, after many years of study, a new Environmental Impact Statement was released.

The "user days" allotted to Special Use Permit holders (pack stations), have been re-adjusted.

Up until this year, commercial llama packing has not been allowed in the Inyo National Forest (Mt. Whitney is in this district).
From now on, llamas will be allowed as "alternative commercial livestock", and horse user days will be reduced, or re-allocated.”

“.....PS

Anyone interested in contributing a couple of bucks, or cents to support an eating habit (not mine), or who would like to have a stake in a pack llama for future trips:

sierramel@qnet.com”

“Mel I would love a Llama steak. Medium rare please.”

“Fire up the barbie...”

“So how much steak can a Llama yield. I mean if I am gonna layout big bucks to ship one of them biggins I need some info. How about fat content,cholesterol?”

“Info is sho nuff good to have Mel, great luck on saving a cupla pack animals. I cain't tender up any support at present unfortunately, very sorry, but we'll prolly have a few of them in the future where-ever we wind up. When that moment arrives and I can land a few for free, all the better I guess.

Mel I cain't for the life of me come up with the third type of llama, can you fill my memory loss?? There's Alpaca, Vacunia(sp?), and a third kind, do tell ! I used to trailguide with them back in my younger days, great critters!”

“Gee I do know a lady here who has several of those. Let me get with her and see if she is interested. I am sure the cost of transportation would be great but I will see ASAP.

Barbara”

“Llama meat is low in cholesterol, and fat.
I suppose it's on par with buffalo meat.
They eat them in South America. Down there, they're like sheep.

Llamas are like people; all sizes and weights.
You can have one that weighs (full grown) 200 to 400 (maybe bigger) pounds.

Grace has one she may have to "put down" due to inherited infirmities.
She says she doesn't intend to waste any of him (he's not old, and therefore, not tough).

If she has to have him done-away-with, she's going to have everything edible wrapped and frozen (remember, this is hunting country and we have people who butcher and freeze deer), and have the hide tanned so she can have a nice rug.
She loves this guy, too.

Nekid...
The other relation is a Guanaco.
More like a delicate deer with a really long neck.

Barb....
How totally COOL!

Grace, or whomever, will have to be passing back through the Sacto area, and highway 50 through Tahoe.
She figures the price of gas will run about $200 to get them all the way down here (7 hours), but if the gal you know wants to share some of the gas costs from Alturas to your area....
Such a deal!

There are also a couple of REAL pretty females. Two little girls who are six months to less than a year old. One is still nursing.
Confirmation and markings to love.
Petite and priceless.
They would be more for pets, or maybe breeding.
Not much good for packing, but they sure are pretty, and if we have room, we will try to get them down here as well.
If the lady you know might be interested, let me know.
We're going to try to save all these llama people.”

“I may know some ppl that will want a few llamas, one of which used to be my summer employer and guides with them. Knoxville Zoo might be interested too, I'll e ya if they are interested. Yeah Guanacos, ty, :X”

“Mel, Good luck!

Can't handle any llamas here, but try posting on some Yahoo clubs: sequoiakingscanyonhikers and socalhikers

Please keep us posted on the rescue.”

“Wow....
A zoo out in Tennesee?
Now, that would be pretty neat.
For sure try your X-employer...
Yes, I think we are going to try to cram as many as we can (all wild as March Hares) in the biggest stock trailer we can find), get them AWAY from that place than plans to kill them, and then figure out what to do next.

It looks like this will be a shared project for the majority of them.

We have picked out "favorites", but we will keep them together between here and Bishop, and share them all.
Communal llamas, if you will.

Phil...
I may try the SEKI site, but most of the regulars there are grizzled mountain men types (NOT bad), and not ready just yet to give up the feel of that pack on their backs.
These fellas' are what I woulda' been if I had been born a guy.

Well, that doesn't stop me from occasionally beating my chest on top of a pass.”

“Great Knoxville Zoo that is close to me and my friend. I haven't got to talk to her. Tomorrow I have some surgery on my foot. Will try to get her Tuesday....
Gee I go to the Knoxville Zoo all the time. Only 1 hour from me.
Neat.
Barbara”

“So, Barb....

You live in Knoxville?
You are a new poster!

Welcome aboard.

Hope your foot work tomorrow goes well.
What are they planning to do to it?

I'll keep everyone updated on the llama rescue.

We still don't know where we're going to find a trailer large enough. Most of the ones we've found, so far are seven horse sized. But you can get 10 llamas in one like that, or even a few more if they're little!

It oughta be a circus.
None of these llamas has ever been in a trailer, OR haltered!”

“LOL lookin forward on the updates Mel. No word yet outa the Scout Camp or the zoo. Barb I'm in Knoxville, which direction are ya? I'm there about every other week or so with my 2 lil girls, lemme know your next visit. Great luck on your surgery.”

“10-4...

Grace gets home from LA tomorrow, and we begin work on the llama game plan.”

“Well, in the strange instance that you have lost your taste for beef, chicken, poultry, and fish do yourself a favor and SKIP THE LLAMA. If you want to eat some weird animal meat, you're better off with Ostrich.

Speaking of which..anyone pack with an Ostrich?”

“Naf...

I've eaten ostrich jerky when I was in Africa several years ago. I also have pictures of my mother astride an ostrich in the same place; at an ostrich farm in S. Africa.

I have also eaten:
rattlesnake, Willets , California, Crocodile tail in white wine sauce (Zimbabwe), Medallions of Antelope (Kenya), Burro cranial content tacos (Acapulco).”

“Goats head taco. Mmmmm!”

“well the surgery was ok but the pain meds had a bad effect on me. I will just take the pain...
I live north of Knoxville in Harroagate, TN. I have the outdoor store in Cumberland Gap,TN Zoe's Mountain Sports.
Come up and see me sometime. Great hiking here.
Barbara
PS I will be talking to my friend tommorrow about the llamas. She lives in Virginia and will be down.”

“impressive menu and locations, mel...

I like ostrich in oriental cooking, and I've had rattlesnake and crocodile tail. Squirrel brains and shark and the only other two oddballs I've eaten. When we were young, my grandfather used to fry squirrel heads, and he'd take his teeth out and cross his eyes while he cracked them open with a nutcracker, while giving us wild-eyed glances. He got a kick out of our reactions on that one..”

“Cows tongue, chicken hearts and gizzards...any Kibbee Nayee fans?”

“E-GAD!
Naf!
Your granddad used a nutcracker on fried...SQUIRREL HEADS?

KLEETY!

Are you listening?!

Kibbee Naye?

Is that like Kim Chee?”

“Mel, Kibbee Nayee is raw lamb.”