Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Who carry's an axe and saw in their pack?

mudbogger, Looks like a good small axe to me..What's it weigh?

Couple of things you can do to help the grip when you have wet hands:
Rosin the handle..or get the drill motor out with one of those small bits that act like a rasp and rough up the handle where ya grip it..then lightly sand and refinsh..OR IF you are talented..checker it..:) Jim

I'd add that in general, my edged tools are used for either flesh-bone or wood camp..Rarely for both..so pick a tool that will fill the bill for what you want to use it for promarily.

The Granfors Brux hunter's axe with the rounded poll is great for big game skinning and butchering..but that little Roman axe is the one I carry most often when packing-bivvy camping hunting..Jim

Wieghs in right at a pound. main use is for cutting larger dead branches an stuff off downed logs etc. an splitting a pelvis if needed. Other than that one of my marbles or pocket knife will do the job nicely.

Since I dont carry a spotting scope, the spotting scope tube on my pack holds the hatchet an longer marbles rather nicely.

Those are some good ideas for grip. I was thinking about wrapping the handle with something. But hadnt really given it much thought yet.

There was a long thread on this last year. See it for model numbers. I use:

Wetterling Hunter's Axe

Gerber (Fiskars) long-handled hatchet. (hunters)

Plumb Roofer's Hatchet, which has a hammer head, too.

Gerber sliding pocket saw. $10.00 at garden center.

Stanley sheetrock saw with replaceable blades for wood and metal (meat and bone). Also cheap. No slip rubber grip.

Hello Guys - Interesting thread

Maybe the answer also depends on location. Here where it rains a lot (like 20' plus a year . . . yes 20-30 feet) if you want to burn wood then you need to be able to get "into" the centre of logs to get dry stuff, the small break across you knee sticks won't usually burn.

After years of carrying a 4 1/2 lb axe I now carry a small axe that has a long handle, the whole deal is lighter, but the long nearly full axe handle enables a sharp blade to do big things.

Cheers - Foster

I carry my grandfathers old hatchet. It's about 10" long, weighs about 12oz and was made in Germany, many, many years ago. I dug it out of an old toolbox a few years ago and sharpened it up with a 6" wet stone and I'm a very happy camper.

NH Hunter

Fellow Campfire Members:
Thanks to all who contributed, it�s an interesting topic.
I carry a cheap Coughlin�s folding saw that is on its 2nd blade. I have used and abused it, mostly on deer skull caps and firewood, and would buy another in a moment.

A few years ago I took up making small hatchets/tomahawks out of roofing and gyproc hammers that I pick up here and there. They work well for splitting briskets and such, but I admit I mostly pack one because I �might� find another moose some day.

This is more or less what they look like. As a guess I'd say the finished weight is under 16oz., as they feel about like a 12oz. finish hammer to my hand.
Thanks again for all who contributed.
Regards,
Dwayne

NH Hunter- Sounds like you've got the nicest one of all... I'm hoping mine last that long.

Well I guess I'm just a rookie at this stuff, but I use my Buck hatchet (17 oz.s) for breaking dead wood for the fire, driving tarp stakes, and digging lumps out of the ground before the sleeping bag goes down. I just figured everyone was packing one. ):

You guys use a rock for driving your tarp stakes?

I gave up on hatchets/saws when I left heated shelters and moved toward traditional tents. Since then, I never have needed to reach for a cutting tool much, at all.

I can take enough wood across my knee to warm up by a fire, and then some. Overall, for me, the change in technique was to affect overall packweight.

During better months, I do use a rock to nail down stakes. During winter, I carry a simple ice axe. I can pound stakes, sculp out a sleeping area in snow, Bust through some ice to gather water, etc.

Since that, I don't miss the axe too much. If I still used a heated shelter, I'd think quite differently.

[Putting on my nomex suit...] A lot depends on the season.I carry either a small Estwing one pound hatchet or a Kershaw hatchet with the blade thinned for elk hunting. I also carry a Gerber folding saw.

I carry a small saw for deer hunting or use my Leatherman's saw blade. If we are packed in I sometimes carry a hatchet. Hatchets don't break. Generally I just use my fixed blade knife and a baton. Trutth be known I do most of my work on deer with my boy scout knife.

For pack in camping any length of time an Estwing Axe has always served well. Yes they are heavy but they are way more useful than a hatchet and a lot safer to chop with.

I am sure that the Granfors axes are wonderful but I have broken the handle out of too many axes to really trust a wood handle especially in extreme cold.

DB, flame suit not needed


no quarrel with those that carry a hatchet, saw or any other tool they find useful.

I've done enough backpacking I pretty well know what works for me, but ME being the operative word.

just cause you haul something extra, less, heavier, lighter than me, heck fill in the blank ______ doesn't mean you or anyone else is wrong.

we just get a chance to learn here from each other and decide if the way someone else does something might work for our apps.

I guess I always use a backpack of some kind when hunting, even if it's just a fanny/daypack to haul some extra clothes and food.

but when I think of bp hunting I tend to think of being totally self contained and am a miser when it comes to ounces.

I'm careful enough that I can cheat for stuff I really want to bring, might be a special dessert, a SAT phone or even a hatchet.

for most all of my hunting that usually ends up hauling game w/a backpack I carry a Wyoming 2 saw, makes removing bottom legs, ribs etc, easier, though I can work up a moose with a knife only,
I'm just slower at it as I feel around with the knife to separate
cartilege.

when I'm in boat or snowmachine there's a saw and axe minimum and often a chainsaw (downed trees primarily)

it's all good, I figure if we get where we're going, have what we want or need and not asking someone else to tote it for us, we got a workable plan.

Agreed. I have no opinion on what anyone prefers to use. I made my choice in pursuit of weight reduction; that's it.

ya mean the mini didn't win you over?...

That was the nicest one ever. I just haven't missed a hatchet since I quit packing one. On the other hand, if you're packing a stove it's pretty requisite.

Silky Saw, Ginga model. I love this saw.
http://www.silkystore.com/Secure/eCommerce/Catalog.asp?prdc=18

Thank you to everyone for the feedback.

I am trying to decide what would be the easiest -- saw or axe. Hunting with my Kifaru paratipi and 8man, the axe seems to make more sense in both setting up camp and making firewood chores easier/faster.

Believer:
How well does that saw do on bone/antlers?

jim in Oregon:
You wouldn't happen to have a Gransfor around I could peek at?

Jason

I carry a small folding Gerbers saw that I use mostly for cutting bone and some firewood. An axe or hatchet, even the lightweight ones are too heavy for me to pack if hiking.

The guy I ride with always carries a large two bladed axe in a special scabbord when we horse pack in. He used to be a hunting guide and he can split an elk down the middle of the spine in about 45 seconds. He uses one side of the axe for wood, the other side is razor sharp for dressing out game.

Jason, I have a Swedish mil surplus axe-hatchet made at the Gansfors Bruxs factory in the late 50's early 60's..:)

It's a dandy..You can handle that one anyhow..I think I paid 8.00 for it years ago..:)
It is the same size and configuration-shape as the large Swedish carving axe presntly marketed by Gransfors, but unlike that tool, is beveled on both sides of the edge..

I have a bunch of edged tools you can handle if/when we get together.
Haven't bought one of the newer production Grnsfors axes yet..but have seen and handled them all.They are ALL very good quality and IF one selects the right tools for what he wishes to use it for, they'll go the distance and perform well..on into your next generation.Top shelf steel and craftsmanship..Jim