Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Backpack for elk hunting

I'd look at a Barneys Pinnacle or Yukon - excellent external framed packs.
Also pay attention to the Eberlestock Just One setup.

I've been happy with the MR Bighorn.

Cheer up!! I've got some used Keltys I'll sell ya.

I have an Eberlestock pack that is capable of carrying more than I can. I went through a pack every season or two before I decided to quit buying cheap packs.

That's the direction I went. Carried a smallish day pack for years with a Kelty external frame at the truck. Day pack was marginal at best for getting the first load out - worthless over 30 lbs. Bought a Seek Outside Paradox (frame only) and a couple different size dry bags. So far, I've only used it as a day pack and it gives up nothing to a small internal frame day pack for all day carry. I haven't packed meat yet, but it's more comfortable with 70 lbs on it than my old Kelty. I believe it truly is a one pack that will do it all and give up nothing to the small day pack / external frame hauler combo...

I use a collapsible frame pack I got years ago at Cabelas when I'm packing in, and hang my daypack off the back. The Cabelas pack fits in a 5"x16" bag, is tough as nails, and works fine. Once in camp, ditch it for the daypack. Or, it fits inside my daypack if I want to carry it in with me on dayhunts. If I score, I assemble it and pack out the first load.

Not high tech, but definitely works for me.





A also use an old Coleman plastic frame Dwight Schue hunting pack on occasion, it will haul 80 pounds or so. It doubles as a daypack and freighter if needed.

Damn that looks painful.

Heavily loaded, and I'm 25 lbs fat, so yes.

Road hunter...

Losing sight of the pavement makes me nervous....

Tanner

Aren't elk attracted to car noises?

Sometimes they seemingly are. The last one I shot was within 200 yards of an Interstate.

Kifaru is where it starts and stops for me. Really like the new bags and frames they have come out with and love that they are stitched here in the US.

They like quads better. Especially if you stop to blow your new bugle every hundred yards.

Half the fun of being in the elk woods are listening to the folks trying to make elk noises. It really is comedy at its best and free....

Well, maybe not half the fun but...

Lots of ideas on this thread. I've tried many (except straight out kifaru- those are nice is you can afford them)

I'm using a hybrid setup.

Eberlestock Mainframe F1 (external pack weighs 4# 5oz) plus a drybag

The frame is lightweight and super tough. It will carry more weight than your body can handle.

Cost is $169

Then you can add a bag or dry bag and be set.

I'm using a sea to summit "big river dry bag" 35L that weighs 7.7 oz. Cost was $50

I added the Kifaru gun bearer - cost $31 weighs 4 oz, and a lightweight waist pouch from kuiu "icon pro hip belt pouch" - cost $9 - weighs 1 oz.

All in my set-up weighs right at 5# 1.7oz- total cost was under $260

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I wear this pack everyday, and put on many miles. Biggest load I've had on it was 6x7 rack, 2 front quarters, and one backstrap- from a large bull. The load carried fine, getting myself upright was the hard part.


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If you can afford it there are other options out there. But my combo fits my budget, definitely carries the load and has worked well for the last 2 seasons.

Yep, right up to the point where you're sneaking up on a herd, hear a strange noise, and have 'em stampede right by you......

I'm happy with my MR 6500 pack for elk hunting. The daypack lid isn't the greatest, but is usable for hunting from your base camp.

My $0.02 on daypacks for a backpack trip is, there really is no downside to using a good full-sized internal frame pack with cinch straps for the same purpose. And the upside is, you always have a full-sized pack with you so there are no trips back to camp for your meat hauler.

A full-sized pack weighs more for day hunts but with a light load it really doesn't matter and the extra weight on a day hunt is offset by the weight savings of not packing an extra pack with your full load.

I'm a bit of a pack nerd so I want to point out that the Kuiu Ultra 3000 weighs about 3 pounds empty and the Exo Mountain 3500 weighs roughly 5 pounds - either hauls elk quarters just fine. Kifaru and lots of other 2000-4000 c.i. packs can be found in the 3-6 pound range too but some require the meat to be carried in the main compartment or strapped to the outside of the bag away from the frame.

Eberlestock packs are beasts, some pushing 10 pounds empty with accessories, but I've had half an elk (front/rear/straps) in a Warhammer at least 3 times that I remember and it was reasonably comfortable, all things considered. I've had half an elk on a Kelty Cache Hauler (external frame) twice and it was doable, but not as comfortable and the external frame sucks for going under branches when you have to duck an extra 4-6 inches with 120# on your back.

For comparison, a Badlands Ultraday is 1800 c.i. and a hair over 3 pounds, a Superday is 1950ci and almost 5 pounds. A Tenzing 2220 is 4 pounds. None of those 3 "day packs" are what I would consider functional for hauling an elk quarter, are no lighter than packs that can, have less room for gear, and in my experience with them the Ultraday and Tenzing are less comfortable to wear all day than something with a real waist belt. The biggest advantages of the day packs are price and physical size.