Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Pack for elk hunting?

Thanks claybreaker.

I started out with a Cabelas pack, switched to an Elerbestock w/ rifle scabbard. Best for me yet. After 20 years of DIY hunts to Idaho, southwest of Salmon, I found most hunters legs will only take so much weight in really steep terrain, going uphill. Took a friend, who's never been out of Pa. along 1 year. Pack could of hauled 1/2 an elk. His body couldn't handle more than a short hind quarter. It's hard enough getting the antlers of a big bull out, with or without the cape, if you have short legs, like his. Drug the ground most of the way.

Mystery Ranch Pintler, Selway, Sawtooth, Terra 50 or Terra 65 on the Guide Light MT frame.

I have a Terra 65 for multi-day hunts and a Pintler (bag only) which I use the frame from the larger pack for day hunts.

As another idea, you can pick up a new Pintler with the Guide Light MT frame at your budget and add the big Beartooth (bag only) if you need something for a week in the backcountry. I went Terrra 65 because it’s a bit cheaper and I’m pretty good about packing lightly. I can get five days out of it quite easily.

I am in my second year with a stone glacier sky 5900 pack and Xcurve frame. I have packed 3 elk out with it. In bivy mode it’s small enough to work as a day pack. When you get your elk down, it will haul as much meat as you can carry. Down side is they are expensive.

I have hunted for several years now with an Eberlestock X2, a relatively large daypack, and like it very much. It lets me carry my spotting scope and tripod on the two long compartments where I can access them quickly. It has an aluminum frame, and this greatly adds stability. In addition and very important to me is that I can haul an elk quarter out on the first trip.

I keep in the truck a Kelty pack frame which is specifically designed as a meat hauler, and use it on subsequent trips out. The Eberlestock is not the lightest day pack out there, but it really rides well and is easy to wear, so I really don’t notice the exta weight.

I have a stone glacier solo 3300 I’ve used the last 3 years. Very simple pack with a load shelf for meat.

Spend your money on licenses and use a Kelty frame. No need for a multi hundred dollar pack. A good day pack and a pack frame is all you need. Elk will hear that big pack on your back while hunting, scraping through trees etc..

I’d second exo mtn gear. Mystery ranch Metcalf is another good option. I like to buy good gear so I’m good for awhile. That’s a better way to save money for tags. Don’t think you can go wrong with exo, mystery ranch or stone glacier if you can work one of them in your budget.

This^^^..........

I have the older version of the Eberlestock H2 gunrunner, it’s quite comfortable and has a good storage space, and a lined meat compartment as well as places to strap say another quarter to the pack with a bit of work. The rifle is not easily accessible when in the pack which may be a draw back .
I also put straps down the side to comfortably pack
my bow aswell.

This makes no sense to me if I’m reading this right and you’re talking about a small day pack that is not capable/comfortable enough to at least cary a quarter.

I’d much rather have a pack that I can take a load out to the truck or camp with me. Both my packs with load shelves compress down to pretty much nothing if I don’t need the space and they cary weight better than any Kelty like frame pack I’ve tried. Walking out empty to get the pack frame seems like a waste of time and energy to me.

Obviously if you’re packed in and camp is not on the way to the truck this could change things.

Any decent day pack will carry out a 1 st load, doesn't have to be a whole quarter. Many times my day pack has hauled out the straps and tenderloins to the truck where I got the frame pack for the quarters. No extra trips. Heck I hauled out my bighorn sheep head with cape in a day pack then went back with a frame for the one last trip out with the spouse and all the meat.

I've seen and heard many a NR hunters in the forest struggling to get through blow down and thick timber with a large pack frame type pack on. If I can hear them for hundreds of yards away you think an elk will ? It's comical how loud some folks are .
The bigger the pack the more crap you'll stuff into it you just don't need. Hope you have strong quads and hammies. If you're going to be back county hunting a lot then yes a larger pack with frame would be good, but for just day hunting not needed.

However spend your money as you wish.

Go buy that guys Pintler. Load shelf, decent price, has great adjustments and access, lighterweight, load lifters, doesn't have 43 pockets.