Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Daypack, meat hauler

Great informatiom. Packpack hunting is becoming one of my favorite topics here on the fire.

Mitch, no debate, your resolution of experience in the real world is perfect!

Great endorsement for anyone needing a pack for the same conditions!

I have a Mother expandable pack. Its big for every day use but when you need it, the extra space is there. Very happy with it.

Kifaru has the Nomad for 2014. Compresses flat, batwing design with sleeves, and a frame that provides lift.

Had not heard of that one. Looked it up. I'd wondered if K-land would continue to ignore Hill People Gear's well thought out pack/compression panel system and the Nomad obviously says not. The HPG drybag/pack compression panel is elegant, the Nomad is a Rube Goldberg contraption. When I first saw it, I said to myself, "At least it doesn't have a damn sleeping bag zipper for those noon naps", but they even thought of that too. In a roll-top DRYBAG no less. Who the hell puts a zipper in a drybag? That's like putting screen doors on a submarine.

" The HPG drybag/pack compression panel is elegant...."

Some guys like fat chicks too.

That's an oddly tough comment! Can't wrap my head around why anyone would post such a rude and disrespectful reply?

That's just plain bizarre!

TAK,

How does that HPG work for you hauling out meat loads thus far? Or the Ute? How do those systems compare the other packs you used to haul out meat with? Just wondering if you are suggesting stuff based on looking at websites or actually having used it.

I've used some HPG gear in the past to haul out meat, but just wondering what you though after obviously using both the Ute and the drybag/compression by the fact you are suggesting it.

Personally I think the Nomad looks more akin to Badlands and Mystery Ranch Longbow ideas than ideas taken from HPG.

noknees,

I will say for hauling the 2800 handles weight actually better than the badlands sacrifice having actually owned and used both. My preference for a day pack between the two easily goes to the 2800 with a view more exterior pocket options for accessing different items faster while day hunting.

If you aren't looking to spend a pile of money and really if you are mainly just day hunting 2-3 miles from the road I really don't see a need to spend $500+ on a super hauler to pack a deer out once or twice a year. You might look into the Osprey Aether 70. Plenty of space to haul out a deer and your daypack gear and will do so more comfortably than really most "hunting" packs in that price and weight class. Comes in a green color which may or may not work for you. Also the REI Flash 62 is a good option as well.

Both the Osprey Aether and REI flash 62 have served me well on day hunts as well as carrying out an animal each with those.

Depending on how much you are looking to spend really can option some other options such as paradox/Kifaru which frames are super comfy and light considering their light weight. I'd also look at stone glacier when it comes to lightweight haulers as well. But all of these are going to set ya back better than $400.

Good luck to you out there.

Is there anything available that will do that without having to put the meat inside the bag?

Paradox, Kifaru, and Stone Glacier, and Mystery Ranch all provide a way to carry the meat inbetween the packbag and the frame(which IMO the only smart way to carry the meat outside of putting in a pack bag as putting on the outside of your further away from the frame will be a cantilever situation from hell. ;)I'm personally not a fan of that option and prefer just one big bag to put my gear and meat in. Just use a sil nylon dry bag to put your meat in on the hike out and you are good to go and your pack and gear will stay clean.

Thanks alaska. Sorry for not being more clear. I realize those do, as does my Longbow, but I am wondering if there is anything sub $400 that allows it. I, too, don't really "need" a super hauler for my hunting but have gone that way to satiate my aversion to putting meat inside the bag. Using a Longbow for day hunting is admittedly overkill and I'm looking for other options so any recommendations that facilitate carrying meat outside the bag are appreciated.

Ohok sorry bout that.

The only one that isn't a $400+ that I know of that kinda might do what you are looking for is the horn hunter Curl Combo...comes with the Horn Hunter frame and their day pack.

$244 for that setup and likely less if you shop around:

http://www.kingscamo.com/Curl-Combo-Pack_p_287.html

Believe it or not that frame, my buddy has one as he was on a budget and really can't justify spendy $500+ on a backpack, is actually pretty darn comfy with some weight in it which surprised me, I'd say more comfy than the Badlands 2800s and 2200s I've used.

Watch from the 8:00 mark on to see the meat bag next to the frame for an idea of using a day pack with their meat sack setup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyqXrEol6Ks

Thank you. I will check that out this evening.

You can go Paradox and a dry bag and it's a sub $400 setup.

The Eberlestock X2 is one of the better built of the true day pack-sized packs set-up for hauling stuff, of the various packs I have played with, but I think hauling 4 whitetail quarters at once would be pretty tough with it and you need something bigger. I think a Crewcab would be better for hauling 4 quarters. However, for various reasons I like the X2 better than the Kifaru system. The X2 might work with one bag of the entire deer boned out, but I think that would stretch it also, for it's size. You do need the extension straps for the X2 if you try that, plus the 2 other larger horizontal buckles to create extension straps for the horizontal compression straps as well, which they don't offer (or didn't 2 yrs ago). IThey just sell extension straps for the vertical straps. I called them and made a special purchase on the buckles for the horizontal straps. If they made a new X2, slightly larger, (a "X3"?) that would be interesting...

How much weight have any of you used with the Grab it.

I packed a number of bags of meat with this, some exceeded 50 lbs. I was always concerned that the buckles would be the weak link and pull lose of break. They never have for me.

I'm not sure this is the practical way to go for loads over 75 pounds, but curious. It's pretty comfortable and an easy pack out with 50ish pounds of meat, plus the weight of the gear you had with you. I do think that is my functional limit with this using an Express G2. I think thats enough capacity for a boned deer, although I have made two trips for almost everything I've packed out the last few years.

Steep horrible habitat justifies two 50 lb trips for me at this point in my life rather then trying to make it in one trip. Injury is just to spooky when alone.

Not sure on the grab it, but I know the Paradox compression setup has done over 100 lbs a lot of times. As high as 150 + with just the compression and fabric load shelf.

My Typical arrangement is to use White Denim Meat bags. They are thick and durable. About 2' square and 10" wide. These have a draw string top closure. I usually lay out the sections of meat I am Packing out on the hide. I have had two bear hind quarters in one sack, but a bigger bear of 400lbs will only be one hind from the joint to the "hock" or the joint above the wrist per sack.

Letting them air dry for a little bit helps a lot with fluids soaking through in the sacks. I also have a section of foam sleeping pad I use to sit on with wet or snowy ground. I put this between the pack bag, and the meat bag. My Grab it gets a little bloody, but I can pop that in the wash with the meat bags and it's usually okay. This keeps my Express and the spike camp pretty clean.

I have also found that carrying a few long compression straps Which snap into place where my Long pockets connect can really strap in the load solid. This is a minimalist view, to be sure. Hunting day trips most of the time, and not needing to carry out a whole animal this has worked very good. I have come to prefer the Express 1000d over the Spike camp lighter fabric.

When I was guiding in Alaska I had to pack out whole bear hides, usually with the skull and paws still in the skin. It's surprising how much a wet bear hide will weigh. And how small it can be rolled up. My very first spike camp could hold a typical bear hide with the head sticking out the top.

That pack smelled like old salmon and bears over time. It was nasty! Bears have a unique smell, that old spike camp had a lot of Bear DNA embedded into every bit of it's fabric. This is one of the reasons I am so deliberate about packing out game and parts of game in these denim bags externally now.

Good point Kevin...same with Stone Glacier and their load shelf as well as Kifaru frame and their grab it.

However IMO none of those options would be that great for a dayhunt option as pockets are extremely limited in all 3 of those setups as they all would just have one big dry bag to work out of unless you started adding waistbelt pockets and what not of course is more $$$.