Two friends and I are going on our first elk hunt this fall, in Montana's Little Belt region. We'll be parking and making day trips into our hunting area each day. We know we'll need to carry the usual hunting stuff, plus food and water, in backpacks, but are not sure what types of backpacks we'll need. Should we look for something with pack frames, since we'll have to carry out any unlucky elk we encounter? Any suggestions as to types or brands?

I don't hunt with a framepack, but I usually have one available in camp or in the truck for getting elk out. I prefer a mid sized daypack, and sometimes combine it with a fannypack. If you go too large, you'll just be tempted to fill it up with more gear and weigh yourself down.
On my first trip out, I'll try to carry the smallest meat bag. On subsequent trips I'll have the frame pack for the heavier loads.
And get one with a water bladder. And one that has lots of straps available for taking off layers or even packing out a little meat.

The guys on the following forum are a lot of back pack hunters and they can sure help you.

http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php

Daveman listen to exbiologist and saddlesore on this. If you go to the backing packing forum here you will learn alot.

It kind of depends on how much crap you want to carry. Are going to carry a spotting scope and tripod?

I have a eberlestock just one pack. Its not the best pack out there but it does what I want it to. I also always have a "fanny" type pack with shoulder straps in case I get tired of hauling the eberlestock around.

Dink

Another vote for getting a frame pack (Cabela's, CampTrails, Kelty, whatever) and leaving it in the car.

Then the question is the day pack. I'd bet that most elk hunters carry a simple day pack. If you want to carry out a heavy load on the first trip out you probably need to pony up for a serious hunting day pack (Mystery Ranch, Kifaru, Eberlstock, etc.). Most of my friends in Colorado hunt with a simple day pack, and carry out the head/horns/cape on the first trip, and return with frame packs for meat. BUT that would not work in AK as you must transport hides/horns last.

Good luck!

It depends on the weather.
Early season it's a 1600ci fanny pack from Wilderness Pack specialties.

Later in the year it is a 2650 ci Kelty.I am probably going with another Wilderness Pack Specialties Bagand Frame next year for late season elk. It is 3,000 ci.

I keep a Kelty Frame Pack and bag at base camp or in the truck.

I try to get out on the first load with the horns/ears, heart, liver and maybe the straps if I have room.

I prefer to have a revolver and a walking stick with me to pack much elk rather than a pack full of gear and a rifle.

I've found that I need to have about 3000 ci and the ability to carry better than 20 lbs., 30 lbs. would be a minimum, for a long day in Montana's elk mountains.
I need the space to carry extra clothing for still hunting that very dark, very cold timber on the north side of the mountain. I need it even more if I want to glass for a couple of hours. Montana can get very cold.
Be warned that pack's that don't cost much often don't handle much weight well at all. Suggest you buy from a place that will allow you to load the pack with sand bags, etc. and try it with a load. E

Yes. Look for a place where one can load up a frame to test fit, capacity, and carry characteristics. The bulk of the load is carried on ones hips and the shoulder straps mostly used to sustain balance. Never buy one sight unseen. Stay away from gimmicks and things like steps on the lower back that preclude getting a load on low and tight. With about 12 to 15 ft of line and some thought, one can securely lash down any load desired. Plastic buckles etc are a no no. They don't seem to handle impact and stress well in subzero temps. If one is truly getting out and up there, equipment failure is not a desirable option.

Wish I knew the brand for mine, but I bought from an avid back packer vacating that lifestyle about 35 years ago. It's worked for Alaska moose hams, elk quarters, deer and caribou halves, entire pronghorn, and even 120 qt coolers.

I'm getting old and always take my frame when hunting. I never could justify putting in a 5 mile walk back in, then out again, with maybe a 2,500 ft elevation change each way, just to retrieve a frame. Guess I'm just not a recreational walker. When I bag something, there will be a quarter or meat going to camp straight out.

I wear the clothes I hunt in and carry knives and fire starting gear on belts or in pockets. My lunch and water bottle are rolled into a game bag and my rain coat and that package is lashed to the frame. My frame came with a multi pocketed bag, but that was removed with a knife when I found my first elk quarter was not going to shoe horn into its limited dimensions.

I suppose a camel back might be nice in warm weather, but my buddy had hell with his when the temps got into the teens and below last elk season. The valves and hoses kept freezing up.

I'd personally put more thought into a pack frame than my selection of firearms. Good luck, and be careful out there,

Don't know what your budget is, but you won't regret an Eberlestock. mtmuley

This is your pack and I'm an owner of Mystery Ranch packs.

ARCTERYX PROPPER ILBE BACKPACK
Same pack the Marine Corp uses.
http://www.ilbepack.com/

The same quality of a MR for less money and weight.
Take the lid off, cinch it up, take what you normally take and you'll be gtg.

I'm amused by those who leave their pack at the truck and then go back to get it to haul an elk out.
I like this pack better than an external as the external will hang up and can be cumbersome, been there.
This pack will haul a 100 lbs of meat.

Best pack value out there, period.
I paid $210.00 for mine

Eberlestock are nice but for hauling meat there are better like this one.

You'll find them on ebay,

Thank me later......

I use an Elite Scout pack from Cabelas, the large size. It has a 2 liter water bladder which I really like. The drink hose and valve won't freeze up if you blow air back in it after drinking. This pack is narrow enough that I can comfortably sling my rifle on my shoulder. Plenty of room to carry clothes that you need to peel off when it warms up in the middle of the day. I've carried out 36# boned meat in it in a trash bag along with the usual stuff that lives in it first trip out.
I have a Cabelas external frame pack (Alaskan Outfitter?) for second trip-it will hold more than I care to pack any more. It's nice if you're toting a tent and a sleeping bag, or other bulky items.

Thankfully there are a lot of choices out there that will work well for you.
I carry a pack with a external frame, and use it as a daypack in those exact conditions.
Having the option of hauling out that first load without backtracking can be a godsend.

I use this pack and highly recommend it.
www.hardcorehuntpack.com

I use the same two-pack strategy as exbiologist, except that my second pack is a big internal frame pack.

My first pack is a small, (4,000 cu.in.) backpack. I suggest that you take a look at the Osprey Atmos 65, size large. I use this pack for general backpacking and for day hunting out of a base camp. When I get an animal down, I pack out the first bag of meat in this pack.

Then I switch to a big internal frame pack (6,400 cu.in.) for hauling out the hind quarters and shoulders. I started backpacking 50 years ago and my first backpacks were external frame packs. I went through five different packs (including a hipwire frame) and never found one that fit, balanced and carried properly. So about 25 years ago I switched to using internal frame exclusively.

KC

There are only 2 main types of packs to choose from: the Decker and the Sawbuck.

lol

I use a large Kelty with an external frame to pack all of my stuff for camp, except my rifle. I then carry sandwich, knife, fluids, rope, etc. in the pockets of my hunting coat.

If I get an elk, I can get the frame from my Kelty to pack it him.

Last year in Idaho I took a spike elk with my bow. I was 3.5 miles from the truck, so I wouldn't want to go back to get a different pack. Just cinch a big pack down!

Here is a pic of half of that elk (boned) and half of my camp in my pack. I have similar pics of the pack with sheep, goat, caribou, moose, and deer in it. It is a Barney's pack. Before I got it, I had good Cabelas and Lowe Alpine packs. The Barney's is expensive, but I truly wish I would have got it years earlier.

I can't describe how well it carries. It is really well made and comfortable and has held up great.