Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting 3-5 Day Pack Review Preview

I should note I probably spent 6 tto 10 hrs of planning to make it work on the winter trip. A bigger packbag would have taken me a half hour to get ready. I think I packed and unpacked like 20 times

If you're moving camp frequently a bigger packbag is nice. You don't have to roll everything into its smallest possible dimension. As Kevin said it is so quick to just stuff sleeping bag, pad, clothes and all other gear in the pack and head out.

That said, most of my stuff is small enough that I can do that with a 4800.

I'm heading out with a 35 liter dry sack this weekend and could probably squeeze 3 days but in a couple weeks would need to move to 65 liter or 4800. 4800 is a nice size for me for most things as I am often carrying others gear or stuff I would not normally carry

For me with dry bags, I like a 15 liter for a day pack.
25 liter for overnight or weekend.
50 liter for multi-day to a week going light.
then 65-75 liter for longer trips or colder weather.

Few pics of a Paradox fresh from up north.

Where was this hunt, looks much like some of Canada's northern territories?

How did they deal with cooling and storing the meat from that Caribou as the "timber" looks a wee bit "scarce", so, hanging in a bug proof sack system might have been difficult to do?

Those trees look MORE than capable for hanging meat. Having hung caribou and dall sheep in willows I'd say those spruce trees are pretty luxurious in comparison. Just tie off the game bags to willow or small trees works well....leave plenty of air circulation and if its on the north side of tree/brush you are hanging on it generally keeps it off the ground....of course you could also make a "meat pole" out of trekking poles. Plenty of different ways to skin that cat.

I did NOT say that one couldn't do it, just that it might be a bit difficult with the "Picea Mariana" seen in the photo. Also, I think in terms of hanging meat HIGH above ground to prevent certain furry characters from swiping it and am used to BIG timber, so, I guess I have a bit of "bias" in that respect.

However, no major issue here, but, I have two pairs of trekking poles, one the Komperdell C3s and the other are Black Diamond, top of their line a couple of years ago, maybe "cork" something or other?

I would be rather hesitant to try to hang an Elk quarter for example from any sort of rig I can envision made from two of these and am intrigued by this. Can you enlighten me as to HOW you go about doing this, without busting $150.00+ poles and if you do this with two or four of these poles?

Even "an old dog" and I certainly qualify, can sometimes learn "new tricks"!

HAHA...Kute I certainly meant no disrespect man. Its done with 3 to 4 sets of trekking poles I've hung a caribou with 3 sets before and 2 dall sheep with 4 sets. Most of the time hanging from willows or simply rotation the meat while its load over scrub brush in quality game bags under a sil nylon tarp provides plenty of air flow and keeps it cool and dry.

I have some pics of the trekking pole meat pole, but I wouldn't wanna hang elk quarters off of it either...dall sheep and even moderate sized caribou like posted above sure...but no not elk. Again no disrespect at all, just don't take your treeline going to 5k plus feet for granted

Yep, it is amazingly warm at higher elevations of southern B.C. I spent Fri. night in an impromptu overnight in sub-alpine between Vancouver & Hope-- and it was warm all night, T-shirt balmy in the dark before dawn Sat. morning. Lots of biting black flies and some mosquitoes. I picked 3.5 gallons of huckleberries and had a deer tag along as secondary goal but due to heat decided to only shoot a buck near the road, even though I hiked 1.5 miles to explore a "bucky looking" ridge.

Re hanging meat: two reasons mentioned but not explicitly separated. One is to cool, the other to protect from big meat eaters. As everyone in this group knows, inches of space off the ground on sticks or brush is all that's essential to cool.

It is hunter-gatherer time of year and I love it. 14 year old grandson killed a 5x6 Roosevelt bull evening before last with a 25 yard bow shot, Olympic Peninsula, WA.

Added: Oops, missed Alaska Lanche's post made while I was (slowly ) composing mine.

Yup, want to drive home to Nelson, my cousin, a VERY successful hunter with several Elk racks in his workshop that just BLOW my elderly mind and a trapline all around the town, wants to take me and my light camp into a spot and I will stay there, alone, for 5-7 days and hunt Elk, Mulies and Whitetails by myself.

Then, IF, my .338 thunders and I am lucky enough to "make meat", a call on my cell and he or one of his workers can bring a 4x4 plus ATV to haul out the boned meat.

We were there last October, it was STILL horribly hot, bonedry and NOTHING was moving. My buddy was totally sick from flu, I was barely over it, we could hardly eat and he finally said,"enough" it is 500 miles home and I can barely drive".

[bleep] happens, and we came back, then, the following week, my cousin, George, called and told me of SIX BIG mutherluvin' bulls shot there, all by guys I grew up with......but, it had cooled off and they began to "sing" later then they used to.

I HATE hot weather and will NOT shoot an animal for antlers and waste even one ounce of meat, so, all the different tricks here are of great interest to me, one learns every day.

Trekking poles, damn, these young guys are smart, I can see this working and it is something I have never even imagined!

Since that's Barry, I'd guess in AK.

I met the gentleman in Missoula at the first ever BHA rondy.

Butt Humpers Association?

No, that would be your outfit.

Grab your favorite top loader and take a swim. You'll feel better.



Travis

BHA is Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. BHA works to protect habitat, and to keep wild lands wild.

Good organization with a great cause.

http://www.backcountryhunters.org/

Dan, you nailed it.

Here are a few pictures from the week long trip, more to come soon with some final thoughts before the actual review.

Bloody pack pictures as promised, Metcalf being put to the test. 4 quarters bone in with cape and skull.

To answer the bone in question, I usually bone out every animal I take. However it was necessary to get out quickly as we were wet and my partner was getting cold quickly. The storm looked like it was getting worse and we were only a few miles from the truck at that point.

The pack was so heavy that I had to put it on sitting down, then roll over and push myself up from the hill.

Nice!

So you've just got all the meat stuffed in the main pocket then? Where did you end up putting all your gear? Sorry for the dumb questions... I'm trying to decide whether or not it'd be worth selling my CrewCab and getting a Metcalf. The side zip thingy look really nice.

Tanner

If you are debating the Metcalf vs. Crew Cab, Metcalf wins every time in my mind. It has functional shoulder lift for most people.