I have been packing in for deer for a couple years now and have not made up my mind what works best. I have used a frame pack to get to camp then used a day pack from there. I have also used a regular pack to pack in then used it to hunt with as well. I like to be able to pack meat out on the first trip back to camp so a small day pack or fanny pack is not for me. What do most of you guys do? From a spike or main back country camp do you hunt with your main pack, a fanny pack, or a day pack?
Yep, always a good idea to carry some of the critter out on the first load. Every bit helps. Various combos I have tried include an empty pack frame with a summit pack tied to it, nearly empty. A fleece jacket over the frame dampens noise when walking/hunting with it, and I put the jacket on when sitting. Diamond hitch or strap meat in a meat sack to the frame and leap frog it with the other pack on the way out.
Another option: If you do take a second pack for day hunts out of camp, what they used to call a summit pack is a very large day pack, big enough to carry several days worth of overnight gear. That size pack will carry a lot of meat, as much as I want to stagger along with on rough ground, and I've hunted quite a bit with one of those in the 3000-3500 cubic inch range. When loaded with meat, bulky camp gear/clothing can go in a garbage bag tied outside. I have also lined the main bag with a strong garbage bag that extended well above the top of the pack and filled it with meat a good six inches higher than the pack sides. Lacing parachute cord around the extended part of the garbage bag supports it enough to hold the meat if you are careful. That size pack with hold all of the meat from one smallish boned out buck.
I really don't like to carry in a full sized pack with a smaller pack merely for day hunting stuffed inside it, but have done it. In that scenario I prefer to take my 4000+ cubic inch Golite pack, which is little more than a stuff sack with straps, extremely compact and light when empty, and hunt with that. With that arrangement, I fill both packs and leap frog them when heading out with meat.
Mostly I hunt with a full size pack that has very little in it, enough for a minimal overnight bivy and room for lots of meat. An average mule deer fork horn boned out makes one load one way with all such camp gear included. A heavy mature buck or having lots of camp gear may force two loads, and rough terrain may make it safer to carry two smaller loads.
Edited to add: I missed several good replies posted while I wrote! Agreed that I'd rather carry a larger pack nearly empty than a small one no good for larger loads.
