Unique outdoor experience in offing

There’s going to be new face in the local outfitters business in the next few weeks—three new ones, to be exact.
Lorne Caul, owner of Northland Trail Outfitters, has taken the idea of eco-friendly expeditions a step further by bringing in a trio of llamas to complement the 10 horses he currently is using to transport people into the backcountry on camping, fishing, and hunting expeditions.
Llamas?
The idea is not as strange as it might seem at first glance. These hardy, versatile creatures have been used for hundreds of years in their native South America to carry loads into the high Andes, where vegetation and water can be scarce.
They have other things going for them, too.
“They train a lot faster than horses,” Caul explained. “I had these three all halter-broken in 15 minutes.
“They’re very low-maintenance,” he added. “In the paddock, one square bale of hay will last them five days and they can get by for two or three days on four gallons of water.”
Although they cannot carry as heavy a load as a pack horse, they’re ideally equipped to handle the back woods.
For instance, they can survive on the vegetation found there—much like elk, deer, and moose—whereas horses must have grain to supplement the meager pickings in the bush where traditional graze is hard to come by.
Llamas have a long history as beasts of burden. Closely related to camels, they share many of that animal’s characteristics—including a reputation for being temperamental.
Caul said much of that is overrated, however. “They can be aggressive, but I’ve never been bitten, kicked, or spat at,” he insisted.
That’s probably just as well.
Llamas are well-equipped to defend themselves. In addition to having large, saucer-shaped teeth that can strip bark off trees, they have been known to disembowel predators such as wolves and coyotes with their two-toed feet, which are tipped with sharp claws.
Because of this, llamas—like donkeys—also are used as guardians for flocks of sheep and goats because they instinctively will attack dogs and other canines.
Even Caul’s own dog, which is half timber wolf, gives the llamas a wide berth.
Amongst themselves, llamas can be quite aggressive under certain circumstances. Males have been known to attempt to castrate each other when fighting over females.
That’s one reason Caul has only one adult male. The other is the calf, or cria, of his female.
With people, however, his animals are docile and reasonably co-operative. They get along with horses and have the additional advantage of being able to move through the bush without disturbing game such as deer and moose.
Apparently, ungulates accept these cameloids as part of their natural environment.
There are additional benefits, too. Llamas appear to be immune to the West Nile virus and do not require a vaccination. Furthermore, their wool—which is as soft as sheep wool—has considerable commercial value.
Caul said llama wool can fetch up to $400 for a six-foot by four-foot blanket.
So what does Caul intend to do with this menagerie?
“We’re going to be going all over the place,” he remarked. “We have trips set up for Caliper Lake Park, Rainy Lake, and Clearwater Lake.
“I’m trying to get permission to go into the provincial parks right now,” he added.
Northland Trail Outfitters is scheduled to open for business in mid-July. Caul said he can accommodate parties of up to 10 people, and offers meals and tents as part of the package.
He currently is trying to market his services to outreach and special-interest groups in addition to conventional hunting and fishing parties.
The business is in the process of moving to Caul’s brother’s farm in Devlin.